5 Ways to Turn Your Patients into Brand Advocates

Whether it’s online influencers or the people closest to us, we’ve all been influenced to purchase something or try something new. Chances are you’ve visited a store or tried a service because someone recommended it. That recommendation is the strength of word-of-mouth (WOM) advertising, which is eight times more powerful than traditional advertising. It transforms your patients into loyal brand advocates and can be a game changer in expanding your patient base. 

If you’ve been wanting to up your WOM advertising game, here are five strategies to do exactly that: 

1. Create a Personalized Experience
According to Zendesk, 90% of customers are willing to spend more with companies that personalize their service. So, how can you bring that level of service into your practice?

• Offer personal styling sessions. Whether in-store or virtually, help patients find the perfect frames based on their face shape, wardrobe, and lifestyle. Even if you already offer this, are you marketing this as a value-added service?

• Tailor your communication. If a patient loves luxury branded frames, send them a personalized email offering an exclusive sneak peek at the latest luxury collection before it officially launches. This makes them feel special and heard.

• Build detailed customer profiles. Include frame preferences, special lens needs, activities, etc. This helps you narrow your focus when they return. For example, you can say, “We just received new lightweight titanium frames — we know this was a need the last time you were here.”

• Curate product selections for special occasions. For example, weddings, graduations, or sports-specific frames, and market them for your business. Send the curated collections by email or promote them on social media to make it easy for patients to share with friends.

2. In-Store Selfie Areas
Create opportunities for your patients to show off their new frames and help spread the word about your office. A selfie area with a customized hashtag makes it easy for them to share their experience (and style) on social media or text to friends. 

One of the best in-store selfie areas that I have seen is at Roberts & Brown Opticians in Vancouver. They have a selfie wall that is so enticing for patients to pose for pictures. Imagine the digital shares and exposure this can bring!

3. Referral Programs: Your Untapped Lead Source
Did you know 92% of consumers trust recommendations from friends and family, yet only 34% of small businesses have a formal referral program? Whether you are creating this manually or you have a software program to track, here are a few ideas that you could include:

1. Refer a friend and get $50 off your next pair.
2. Refer three friends, and we’ll gift you a free pair of sunglasses.
3. For every referral, get an exclusive frame upgrade.
4. For every referral, get a personalized thank you card with a small branded gift.
5. Allow referral rewards (such as discounts) to stack on top of each other so they can get a bigger redemption down the road. For example, if you are giving 20% off per referral and they give you three referrals, give them 60% off. This helps create an ongoing chain reaction of referrals.

Keeping Track: If you’re using a customer relationship management tool (CRM), add a referral tracking feature to patient profiles. If you’re ready to invest, consider platforms such as Referral Factory or Referral Rock — both are affordable and easy to integrate into your existing business operations.

4. Offer Exclusive Experiences
Create VIP experiences that will make your customers/patients feel special. You can layer these into a loyalty program and only offer them to a certain level of customers, or open them up for everyone to access. Some ideas are: 

• Sneak peeks and fashion-forward events. Partner with brand reps to showcase new collections in the evening for a couple of hours. Make sure to add an educational component, such as the story behind the collection. That will help set you apart from other events. Add in some swag and refreshments and you have an enticing event! 
• Pop-up events. Host special family-and-friends days, or exclusive shopping nights where patients feel like insiders.

5. Leverage Your Team and Digital Platforms.
Your team can make a huge difference. Train them to ask for referrals — either with a friendly reminder to patients at checkout or with a QR code linking to your Google review page. Also, when it comes to social media, remember to engage, not just post. Respond to comments, ask for feedback, and encourage customers to share photos using a specific hashtag. This will help increase your exposure in the infamous Instagram algorithm and get more views and exposure.

Word-of-mouth is an incredibly powerful marketing tool that doesn’t require a huge budget to achieve. It is all about providing the best possible customer experience beyond the exam room. All it takes are thoughtful, personalized experiences that make patients feel special and appreciated. Focus on delivering value and your patients will become your biggest advocates.