Personalization will be a key digital marketing strategy going forward — research shows that individualized communications increase response rates, open rates, and patient loyalty. We know that an eye doctor’s office can be a busy place, and your staff doesn’t always have the time to create unique communications for every single patient. However, we have some easy tips to help you put personal touches on your communications to keep your patients coming back to you for their contact lens needs.

1. Use names

Using your patients’ names in digital communications such as the subject lines or body of emails or in text messages leads to higher open rates and engagement. The individual call-out lets patients know they are more than just a number!

2. Communicate when it’s relevant for the patient

This means operating on the patient’s schedule. These communications can include communicating with a patient before their appointment or before they are due to reorder contact lenses. Either way, this email is personal because the timing is specific to the patient’s needs and makes their life a lot easier.

3. Make it easy to respond

When you send a text or email to a patient, you usually are looking for some sort of response, whether a scheduled appointment, a contact lens order, or something else. Making it simple for the patient to get what they need is a great way to personalize the email for the patient’s ease of use and convenience. This could be a unique scheduling URL or personalized reordering link that comes preloaded with the patient’s prescription.

4. Assure the patient they are making the right decision

In your communications, include helpful resources about the benefits of eye exams or the dangers of stretching contact lenses. This shows your value and credibility and gives the patient reassurance about their eye care decisions. It also may mean you communicate with the patient more than just when it’s time for their eye exam to establish a closer relationship. To personalize this communication, keep the information relevant and as specific as possible to the patient’s situation.

For example, if a patient just reordered contact lenses, then you may send information on the danger of stretching lenses to show them that they made a great choice. If a patient just scheduled an appointment, you can send information on common eye tests and the importance of screening for eye diseases annually. Patients are more inclined to absorb the information if it is immediately relevant to them, and they will appreciate that you sent curated content just for them, and not just a blind email blast.