For me, optometry was always an obvious career choice. My parents had owned their own optical shop for over 25 years, which instilled an entrepreneurial spirit and love for helping people in the community.

Just 6 months after graduating from the top optometry school in the country, UC Berkeley, I was offered a partnership in my first company in Northern California where I worked for over 6 years. Then I moved to the Coachella Valley in 2014 and I took on an associate opportunity for a couple of years before founding Coachella Valley Optometry in 2016.  

With almost 10 years of experience working and running optometry businesses, I have learned a thing or two about how to grow your Optometry Practice. Here are my top 7 tips for you to grow yours:

1. Get clear on your message If your goal is to grow your business, you need to get clear on who it is your clinic serves and what makes you different from the other clinics in your community. Consider where the gaps are currently and where you can see an opportunity to service a niche really well. For example, if you want to be known as the best optometrist for children, then ensure your messaging and your business practices reflect this.

2. Create a Professional Website It’s definitely worth investing the time and money into creating a website that presents your business as professional and approachable. You want to ensure your contact information and your specializations are clear so a new prospective patient visiting your site has an easy time finding the information they are looking for.
   

3. Master Google Search If you’re not familiar with how Google works, basically it ranks search results based on how likely your site, or a specific article, is going to suit the needs of the person searching. SEO, search engine optimization, is the mechanics behind whether your site will rank organically (for free!) across a variety of search terms. This largely depends on how well your site is designed, maintained and written as Google needs to be able to easily identify whether your site is going to be useful or not.

4. Test Out Online Advertising There are many forms of online advertising, so I’d recommend keeping aside a budget to test a few out and see which works best for your business. If you’re not ranking on Google for your main search term (ie: Palm Springs Optometrist) then you can try out some Google ads that sit at the top of the search. Alternatively, if you know your audience is hanging out on Facebook and Instagram you can test out some ads there. My hot tip would be to make sure any advertising you do online is super targeted to your location!

5. Harness the Power of Social Media Marketing You need to have a social media presence where patients can connect with you easily and engage with your content on a regular basis. If you’ve set up a Facebook page but haven’t touched it in 5 years, you’ll look less credible than another business who is updating their page with value-packed content every week.
   
6. Making a Difference in the Community There’s a certain trust factor that comes with businesses giving back to the communities where they operate. But, you don’t always have to donate money to give back, you might also like to give your time to local charities or groups in need. An example could be offering free consultations to kids in the local school or offer free frames to those families going through a tough time.
7. Actively Listen to Your Patients This one might surprise you, but it’s the cheapest way to ensure your new patients become loyal fans. By asking your clients to regularly fill out feedback forms (and taking the time to action their comments) you’ll ensure that any problems within your clinic are dealt with efficiently. It’s also a great way to get testimonials and online reviews which prospective patients can look to for more information!