Is your Eye Care Practice ready for all of the changes in mobile?

The marketing world is quickly changing and mobile devices are a big reason why.

American entrepreneur, author and motivational speaker Jim Rohn once said that “your life does not get better by chance, it gets better by change.” The same could be said about your eye care practice. If you think you can just keep doing the same thing when it comes to marketing and hope it’ll bring in new patients and grow your practice, you’re fooling yourself. The marketing world is quickly changing and mobile devices are a big reason why.

For proof, here are three relevant changes in mobile and what each of them means for your eye care practice:

Change #1: Despite the fact that 91% of US citizens have their cell phone within reach 24/7, patients are increasingly unable or unwilling to answer (Source: Mobile Marketing Association). Furthermore, 90% of cell phone users ignore incoming phone calls (Source: Netscape)

What it means for your practice: Even if this is the case in the USA, it is an indicator for for other countries too.The first thing to point out here is the fact that nine out of every 10 own a cell phone and keep it nearby at all times of the day. That’s a big change from just 12 years ago, when only 65 percent of people owned a cell phone according to the Pew Research Center. Since people value cell phones so much, it means your practice has more access to patients than in the past, when house phones limited access.  

This change also shows that patients are less and less likely to answer the phone. Or, while they have their phone close by, they can’t answer because they’re traveling, sleeping, busy with something else or simply choose not to answer. So while you technically have access to them, a phone call may not be the best option. But patients will respond to other forms of communication, as the next change shows.

Change #2: People typically respond to text messages within 90 seconds (Source: CTIA.org)

What it means for your practice: While patients won’t respond to a phone call, they will respond to a text message—and quickly. This is extremely helpful for an eye care practice, as you can send appointment reminders, birthday messages and eyewear ready notifications via text, and have confidence patients will read it. 

Change #3: People check email on their smartphone an average of 34 times a day (Source: Personal and Ubiquitous Computing)

What it means for your practice: While the way people access their email these days may have changed, its relevance hasn’t. In fact, people are checking their email more often than ever. Your practice can utilize this by sending a variety of communications via email, from monthly newsletters and appointment reminders to patient surveys and practice news.