[Blog] 5 Principles for Why Your Optometry Practice Needs a Strong Brand

blog Sep 29, 2022

Your optometry practice needs a strong brand.

Branding is how a patient experiences your service and practice. Your brand influences a patient's perception of who you are and what you sell. Good branding will increase your perceived value, provide customers with excitement, and make acquiring new customers easier.

So...what is your brand?

Short answer - it is everything you are and everything you sell. It sets the expectation of what your patients are going to experience. 

The collection of products you sell in your practice translate into your overall brand. Do you like boutique independent lines and organic products? Or maybe you have a large selection of sports eyewear and offer Lipiflow. Whatever it is you bring into your practice represents who you are as a business. 

Take it from Candria Krywko, a small business owner who learned first-hand just how important branding is to her success. Dr. Krywko opened cold with a strong sense of who she is and what her practice offers. Within weeks she was seeing a full schedule of patients, often hearing how unique her selection is, and how outstanding her services are. She built a strong social media following, and has since then only seen her business thrive. 

Here are 5 principles for why your practice needs a strong brand.

 1. Branding promotes awareness

As visual creatures, consumers recognize your logo as the face of your business. Having a professional website and branding doesn't have to cost much, but can build your practice significantly. A professional logo design should be simple yet memorable and create an impression. What are your favorite brands? Can you recall their logo in your mind? That recall keeps you going back for more. 

 2. Branding promotes credibility 

Your optometry practice needs a strong brand because it communicates to your patients that you are legitimate and trustworthy. Taking the time to refine what you sell, how you present yourself all gets calculated into your overall professional image. Acquiring new customers requires you represent what you stand for visually to attract them in. 

3. Branding reinforces advertising

Branding gives you something to promote. When you offer reputable services and products, you want that to be advertised to your customers. This will tell them what they need to know about you and what they will be offered. 

4. Branding motivates staff

Your employees can promote your services better when given something to sell or talk about. When educating patient's on the quality of an eyewear line, or how a delivery service like Dr. Contact Lens works - it gives a reference to what your employees are communicating. Brands create passion, and passion sells

5. Branding generates new patients

Great branding will help spread word of mouth referrals. Wouldn't you tell a friend if your doctor now offered a new easy system to use to order contacts? Give your patients something to talk about. Stand out from the crowd by offering concierge services and options your customers can't find elsewhere. They will have no choice but to mention it when talking to a friend next time they need eyecare!