IcareLabs Blog

Facebook certainly isn’t dead. In fact, it’s the world’s third most visited website. And even though almost 2.7 billion people actively use Facebook, the answer to “should I use Facebook” is still: it depends. 

It’s 2021, and we are now firmly entrenched in the digital age. With everything from vision screenings to frame try-ons available online, eye care is becoming an increasingly digital business. It’s more important than ever for ECPs to have a modern, updated website.

But there’s so much more to a website than the way it looks. These days, user experience is the name of the game. Your site has to be easy to read, easy to navigate, and easy to understand. Bells and whistles aside, there are a few elements that every great eye care website has. They’re the foundation on which you can build your practice’s online presence.

A marketing calendar is an excellent internal tool you can use to plan out your year and keep everyone in your office aware of your plans and next steps. Having everyone on the same page is essential to ensure processes and goals are common knowledge. When everyone involved is fully aware of expectations and how you’d like to get there, the chances of success are maximized.

So, how do you begin?

Here at IcareLabs we strive to provide ECPs across the country not just with the best selection of high quality lenses for the best prices, but also with tools to help elevate your optical business. We understand that when one optical does well, everyone in our industry benefits from it!

That's a big part on why we write these blogs and provide our Resource Center to all ECPs at no cost, regardless of having an account with us or not. Most opticals across the country are spending a good chunk of their budgets on various marketing techniques, but what are some non-traditional marketing options you could be using to augment your other marketing efforts?

Kodak Lens now has several fantastic custom printed options that your optical dispensary can take advantage of. These tailored options allow you to remind patients about your practice and the multiple options provided by Kodak Lens. Let's take a look at a few of these choices to get a better idea of how they can help your optical business.

These days online reviews can make or break any business. More so for small businesses like local opticians, independent ODs,  and optical dispensaries. Of course, a bad review is something most of us strive to avoid, but how can we shift our focus on getting more of the positive reviews to be posted by all of the satisfied patients that love the new glasses you've just dispensed to them?

Online marketing for your optical business has never been more important or easier than right now. Social media platforms are here to stay and have been one of the largest influences on our culture in the last 20 years. With all of the various social media services and tools available though, it can seem like a daunting task to market your business successfully even if you're familiar with the basics.

Luckily for you, IcareLabs is here to help! This blog will cover several of the best free and paid options to help ensure your optical dispensary has a great online footprint so your patients can easily find you.

The power of a brand name cannot be underestimated. You see it every day in what sells with your frame selection. Companies and corporations fight for brand name recognition as they understand the value.

A global survey found that 59% of respondents prefer to buy new products with a brand that they know. No other product in our lens industry has a more recognized name than Kodak Lens. While Kodak cameras are no longer hot sellers thanks to the smartphone, the name continues to hold on.

Marketing your optical business in 2020 is vastly different than what it was even just 10 years ago. No, we don't have flying cars like The Jetsons quite yet, but almost everyone has on-demand access to just about any information they want 24/7.

So what does that mean for your optical? How do you make yourself stand out in the sea of white noise that is the Internet? We are going to take a look at 3 tried-and-true options to accomplish your 2020 optical marketing goals in this blog.

Point-of-purchase materials are a key factor in any optical shop to help drive sales. Usually referred to as POP, there are several varieties you can choose from.

No matter which type of POP you pick, they are almost always a net positive for your dispensary. One thing is sure though, if a patient doesn't understand how a product benefits them then they are considerably less likely to purchase it.

Let's take a quick look at the common types of POP and the best ways to utilize them to help increase your optical sales.