When Natacha Louis-Charles, OD, took over an 11-year-old optometry practice, she founded Family Eyecare of Orange, in Orange, Connecticut. A decade ago, she found herself juggling numerous responsibilities. “I wasn’t doing much marketing initially—I was inundated,” she says. As a solo practitioner, she managed everything from patient care to billing, which felt overwhelming at times. “I had to learn billing, see patients and train staff,” she explains. Despite these hurdles, word of mouth kept her busy, and she didn’t feel the need to focus on marketing.
With a steady flow of patients and all the other work she was doing to instill patient care experiences and protocols that she wanted, marketing wasn’t a priority at that time.
In fact, her practice was so busy that three years ago, she determined she needed to add another doctor, Harsida Desai, OD. “I was booked out six months in advance. That’s not healthy for the business, so I needed more support.” The waiting time decreased, but both doctors were still busy. So about a year ago, Dr. Louis-Charles hired her second associate, Caitlin Imbrogno, OD.
While the practice remained busy, the difference now was that there were open slots available. Plus, Dr. Louis-Charles realized that she could do more to introduce her new associates to the community and talk about the services that the practice had added over the years.
Realizing that wasn’t something she wanted to do herself, she decided to outsource her marketing.
EMBRACING OUTSOURCED MARKETING
To manage her time efficiently, Dr. Louis-Charles decided to outsource her marketing efforts. She went to her alliance network, IDOC, and connected with Kelsey Garcia, marketing strategist at Optometry Marketing Service, a service division of IDOC. Garcia invited Dr. Louis-Charles to Atlanta for an in-person business planning workshop to map out her goals.
“Kelsey has been amazing,” she says. Dr. Louis-Charles quickly appreciated Garcia’s knowledge and expertise. Plus, Garcia grasped what Dr. Louis-Charles wanted to focus on.
Best of all, the collaborative effort takes very little of Dr. Louis-Charles’ time—even though they have developed a comprehensive marketing strategy that included a website redesign and social media marketing. “I set aside time for meetings, usually about once a month, to discuss our goals,” she says. The collaboration with Garcia has been seamless. “Kelsey sends me an email after each meeting summarizing everything we spoke about, so that saves me a lot of time” and allows her to maintain her focus on patient care. Dr. Louis-Charles says she likes being engaged with the higher-level marketing decisions without having to fret over the details.
IMPACT OF IMPROVED WEBSITE
The revamped website has made a significant impact on patient engagement. “We just launched that earlier this year,” Dr. Louis-Charles says, and she’s delighted with it. The new site features a personalized and family-friendly look, showcasing the doctors and specialty services prominently on the homepage. This visibility helps patients feel more connected to the practice.
One of the standout features of the new website is the ease of online appointment scheduling. “We get so many bookings online—80% of our patients book online,” she says. Patients can also manage their appointments online. They can cancel or reschedule, and the appointment book is always current. This convenience has reduced phone calls and streamlined operations. “The phone rings a lot less,” she adds, highlighting her focus on efficiency. ”
Dr. Louis-Charles is still early in her marketing journey, but she is optimistic about the future. She has an upcoming meeting with Garcia to review web traffic and social media impact. The practice is working on additional digital marketing strategies and setting more goals for growth. “This is the first year I have invested in marketing,” she concludes, looking forward to the continued success of her practice. And she’s thrilled she’s not trying to learn this area on her own. “Optometrists are not trained in marketing. It’s so important to have a trusted partner.”
“Don’t be afraid to delegate. When your focus is on patient care and team development, your business will grow,” she advises. She acknowledges that many doctors try to do everything themselves, which can hinder growth. “When you’re pulled in so many different directions, it slows you down, and you won’t be as efficient.”
Indeed, Dr. Louis-Charles says that her practice is not through growing. She is excited about the growth projections and the potential for new technology and services. With a clear vision for the future, she is committed to ensuring that her practice continues to thrive. But a big part of that is making sure that the community knows about the expertise of the doctors and the services the practice offers.
Want to know how marketing can help you grow your practice and align your business goals? Schedule a 30-minute Marketing Review with Kelsey Garcia.
