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Elementary Marketing

One of the best ways to reach the 5 to 10 year old demographic is through schools. Here are some key ways in which ECPs are capitalizing on the school day to build their business.

Sponsor Field Trips. Allowing classes to visit your office increases name recognition for your practice or dispensary. Pass out coupons, gift certificates, and pediatric vision information that the kids can take home to Mom and Dad.

Provide information to school nurses. "We do talks during Save Your Vision Month," says Daniel G. Bintz, OD, of Elk City, Ok. "We discuss eye health, eye safety, the importance of sunscreen and sunglasses."

Contact school athletic directors. Encouraging athletic directors to recommend protective sports eyewear is another way in which to maximize referrals and increase multiple pair sales. 

Be charitable. "We donate eyewear or gift certificates for school auctions," says Jean Marie Poppinga, manager of New York City-based Purdy Opticians. Donations like these can evoke feelings of good will while also directing traffic to your dispensary. 

Participate in local or national vision programs. Using materials from the Check Yearly. See Clearly. program from the Vision Council of America is a good way to provide information to potential patients and clients while also touting the importance of good vision care. "We have used materials from the AOA and VCA's program with great success," says Bintz. "Kids especially liked the cardboard glasses from VCA that they can color." The site www.fuzzyday.com shows a young boy's experience with poor vision. The Check Yearly site, www.checkyearly.com, has everything from parent information to games, coloring pages, and puzzles for kids.