Effective Publicity for ECPs

Welcome to our continuing series of Credit Educations Courses for Opticians.

This course has been approved for one hour of credit by the American Board of Opticianry. No fee is required for ABO credit.

Learning Outcomes: This article was created to help eyecare practitioners--managers, business owners, and dispensers--learn how to build business through public relations.

It is presented at a basic level for dispensers, lab personnel, and management. It can also be used as part of a training program, and has, in fact, been presented in seminar format to both ECP groups and wholesale labs. At the conclusion of this article, the participant should be able to:

1. Effectively write and distribute press releases.

2. Become a resource to the local press.

3. Create a public relations program at very little cost.

Test procedures: Read the article and then click on the "Take The Test" button at the bottom of the page. This will open a new window with a test consisting of 15 questions. To receive ABO continuing education credit, respondents must correctly answer 12 of 15 test questions. Simply click on the best answer for each question and click the submit button at the end of the test. Your test answers will be automatically sent to Seiko Optical and we will send your CEC or notify you of test failure within 7 to 10 business days.

Note: Some states do not accept home study courses for continuing education credit. Check with the licensing board in your state to see if this course qualifies.

Effective Publicity for ECPs

Introduction

When you select a location for your business, or chose a place to work, location is important to you. In fact, the mantra of retail real estate is "location, location, location." But now that you're in the right place, what can you do to ensure that your current and those prospective patients know about you? An effective public relations campaign can provide tremendous rewards in terms of increasing your sales and profit. And it doesn't have to cost a lot, either. This month's course takes a look at some of the ways you can use publicity as an effective tool.

Sponsor a Little League team and everyone will see your practice name on the back of each player. Take part in a local heath fair. Donate time to worthy causes. Collect used eyewear from your patients and provide it to the many charities that help give the gift of sight to citizens of underdeveloped countries. The list of things you can do is endless. While it may not have been a part of your formal optical training, effective use of publicity is a business tool you cannot afford to ignore.

"It's a waste of time."

"I've never tried it...it doesn't seem worth the effort."

"I've tried several times and there was no response or results."

"I got a release in the local news/trade publications, but it didn't seem to help our business."

These are actual responses from eyecare professionals when asked how they do public relations. They show that in addition to being skeptical about the power of the press, these ECPs also haven't extended much effort to make their communications work.

That second part of the equation is the crux of the issue, because the number-one rule when it comes to effective public relations is: Persistence pays. Public relations is like free advertising...every time your name and the name of your business appear in print, people read about you. And the best part is that it doesn't cost anything but a little time.

To get you started on the road to making public relations successful, this course will address how, from the bottom up, you can structure a publicity campaign that works. We'll look at what works and what doesn't in today's competitive marketplace, including the following:

• Tying marketing into publicity by addressing effective communications.
• Cultivating and maintaining media relations.
• Setting PR goals; putting together dynamic PR plans.
• Using promotional tools.
• Understanding some basic advertising dos and don'ts.

Marketing-Publicity Connection

Here is a three-step plan to help tie marketing into public relations. To be specific, here's an example of how you can conduct and communicate a progressive addition lens (PAL) promotion to your customers.

1. In addition to running ads, sending mailers, and stuffing envelopes, also notify the consumer press--your daily paper and local magazines--about your promotion, but angle it to the visual health benefits of today's PALs.

2. Find out about local "doorstep" magazines in your area that go to select neighborhoods, select age groups (schools, senior centers), select trades and professionals, in other words, any specialized publication. There are always vision-related topics that you can write about while targeting the readership of the publication, be it PAL polarized sunwear for baby boomer-aged fishermen or middle-aged women who participate in sports, for example.

3. If the promotion is successful, take photos and take notes. Then, when it's concluded, write a press release to the optical trade press that details the program and what you've done.

Contact magazines you want to send press releases by searching Websites. Find information on the editor who covers the topics you're writing about, and send all information directly to that individual. If it's not clear to whom you should address your press release, then direct it to the managing editor, who in turn will get the press release to the appropriate editor.

How to Write a Press Release

A press release contains basic information you already know: Who, what, when, where, why, and how. Again, using the PAL promotion idea, here's how to proceed.

WHO. Your business name, city, and state, plus your name and titles if appropriate.

WHAT. Tell about your PAL lens promotion and the importance of PALs to everyday vision and overall health.

WHEN. When you are holding the promotion.

WHERE. Where your promotion will be held, be it in your office or at several locations. And, if there are special events (i.e., a seminar or trunk show), be sure to include the information, especially date, location, and time.

WHY. Why are you having this promotion? What advantages, features and benefits will it offer to readership?

HOW. How will the topic you're writing about directly benefit readers (i.e., better vision through PALs helps lessen eye fatigue)?

Just as important, don't forget to include information on the person in your organization who will be the media contact. Note his or her name, title, phone number, fax number, and E-mail address.

Submissions to consumer publications need to address overall eye health concerns and the advantages of what you are telling them, be it visual features and benefits in general or specific terms.

Your submissions to optical trade publications need to address a more technical/inside the business audience.

In terms of style, look at and copy the formats you find in news stories from your newspaper to optical trade publications. Look for the who, what, when, where, why, and how in the piece, and observe how those points are incorporated. Imitation is the better part of not only flattery, but functionality as well.

Polish the Story

Your own personal communication and writing style will develop as you write more press releases. Here are a few tips:

1. Use as few words a possible. Avoid ultra-techno or lofty academic speak and flowery embellishments.

2. Get to the point. Write the key elements first, then fill in the gaps.

3. Let it sit. Walk away from the press release overnight or at least an hour or two. Then review it with fresh eyes.

4. Be critical. Review and revise the release with a red pen, and slash and gash as necessary to make a clean, concise, and tightly written piece.

5. Run it by an editor. At least one other key person should review the press release for content, appeal, and grammar. Proofreading is critical.

Remember that it's the little things that can make your PR appear unprofessional. So, use spell check; be sure to caption photographs (if the photo is of people, caption left to right); don't crowd the story with too many images, logos, or art; and keep your tone warm, yet professional and informative.

Offer something extra. This could be any number of things, such as: A profile of your practice, mini-profiles, information on optical history, technical tips on UV and eye health, basics on how to select eyewear, lens information, tinting advice, or sunwear savvy. There are literally dozens of ways you can share your unique optical knowledge.

Remember: Your information is important and will make a difference in some area of readers' lives.

Newsletters, Mailers, and Advertising

Take a look at all three and see what makes the most sense for the message you're trying to convey.

Newsletters. These are used to market to your existing customer base. A typical newsletter runs four pages: A front, back, and two inside pages. An effective newsletter can contain information on new employees, promotions, new products or services, business updates, and top tips. Tips are a well-read resource, so offer bulleted basics. Articles in a newsletter can also include testimonials and real-life stories from customers, employees, even lab personnel.

Mailers. Flyers, postcards, inserts, and direct mail pieces are included in this category. They can increase your market exposure, but must be repeated regularly to be effective. To be most effective, the suggested frequency of mailers is at least four times each year. In the case of direct mail, communications are best repeated every six weeks.

Advertising. The typical ad budget is usually three to five percent of your net intake, but in some areas it can be higher. When advertising, the best method is to invest in one method and repeat it.

If an ad runs just one month, it will only reach about four percent of the people during that buying period, but if it runs for a year, it will reach about 50 percent. Identify your single most important message and let that be the theme in all your ads-with carry-over to your publicity. This can be a tagline or short mission statement. Most important, start out by defining your advertising goals. For example: Do you want to bring in 25 new customers in a month? Do you want to have 50 more premium lens sales in three months? Consult with the dispensary staff to ensure goals are realistic, flexible, and that practice attitude is in line with the goal.

Be creative! Enter publication contests like the "Best of the City" awards. Also, compete for business awards and enter club contests. You can sponsor local events at schools, senior centers, athletic venues, and healthcare fairs. Finally, donate your time and/or product to local charities. Then follow up by writing a press release about it.

It doesn't take much time to put together an effective release, and it will benefit you and your business in many ways. The press gets the story, while you get print exposure--a move that can definitely boost business. You can become a go-to, trusted press resource. And, as a result, the press becomes your friend and will seek you for future input. Simply put, the more your name and your business name appear in print, the better.

This concludes the article. Click the button below to take the test.