| Issue 4 | July 26, 2013 |
In This Edition
Issue 4
The Gazette
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Contact Vision Source at 888-558-2020 or [email protected]
Top Story
Vision Source® Practices Have A Role to Play in
National Awareness Campaign
Enroll in Think About Your Eyes Initiative
The Think About Your Eyes public education campaign is launching on a national level. It is presented by The Vision Council and the American Optometric Association, designed to educate the public on the benefits of vision health and to promote the importance of getting an annual, comprehensive eye exam. Practices can enroll as basic or premium members; there are additional benefits and higher visibility for premium members, but both provide in-office promotional materials as well as practice listings on the thinkaboutyoureyes.com website. Wouldn’t it be terrific if Vision Source® member practices become involved as a strong presence right from the start?
In May 2010, a two-year pilot program for Think About Your Eyes was launched in 25 percent of the U.S. This effort, which included television, radio, digital advertising, social media, public relations and an educational website with a doctor locator, demonstrated that the eye care industry could motivate and change patient behavior on a large scale. Among participating providers, there was an 8 percent increase in eye exams, a 39 percent increase in new patients, an average of 120 more eye exams per practice per year and the detection of 367,000 previously undiagnosed cases of eye disease.
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| Click the images above to view the YouTube videos, and the brochure below to launch the PDF. |
To enroll or learn more, click here. As this program rolls out nationally, I encourage you to participate. The initiative can help drive more patients to your practice, enhancing your reputation—as well as that of Vision Source®—in your community and nationally.
–Jim Greenwood, Vision Source® President and COO
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Breaking News
Support Optometry Giving Sight
By now, you've received my letter encouraging you to support the World Sight Day campaign. I would love to see 100 percent participation from Vision Source® member doctors, staff and partners in your offices. Participate yourself, and encourage others to do so.
This year's World Sight Day campaign features the concept of people power and includes a colorful new logo and wristbands that can be used to promote the program. Visit givingsight.org for more information. View this two-minute video for an understanding of the program. Together, let's resolve to do our part to solve the problem of preventable blindness.
Let us know how you’ll be celebrating World Sight Day. In Atlanta, for example, we're working with our Atlanta Vision Source® members to help provide thousands of eye exams to locals in need during the week of Oct. 9-13, 2013.
–Glenn Ellisor, OD, Vision Source® Founder, Chairman and CEO
Conversion to New Websites Has Begun
The Vision Source® marketing team is proud to announce the migration of member websites to the new designs/platform. We are working diligently to convert everyone, but with 2,800+ practices, this is a huge undertaking so your patience is greatly appreciated.
Migration to the new websites is based on office ID number and practices will be contacted in this order, no exceptions. Each practice will have 30 days from the time of initial contact to convert to the new site.
Those with existing Vision Source® websites through Eyehub should continue to contact Eyehub for your website needs and conduct business as usual. Unless your practice has already begun the conversion process, please do not contact the new website provider. Direct your questions to Eyehub or the Vision Source® marketing team.
The new websites will include next-generation technology, with a mobile-focused, responsive design. The sites are marketing-focused, intended to draw in new patients and convert viewers to patients. They'll be social media sharing- and blog-enabled and incorporate search engine optimized (SEO) copy as well as detailed analylitics.
There will be three templates from which you can select.
Your Vision Source® Member Benefits Get You
More at International Vision Expo West
Register Today
Vision Source® members have the following benefits at Vision Expo West:
- Education: The first 100 ODs who register earn 3 free hours of CE. Subsequent registrants get 10 percent off on education programs. All registered staff gets a 10 percent discount on education.
- Free Exhibit Hall pass for all doctors and staff
- Free Vision Source® Experience for doctors and staff, held Friday, Oct. 4, from 8 a.m.-12 p.m.
- Vision Source® Party held at Public House in Restaurant Row at the Venetian
At International Vision Expo, you can take your CE credits, compare products in the exhibit hall and attend networking events. Your Vision Source® membership qualifies you for even more benefits.
Register today with your Vision Source Office ID. (If you need it, contact Vision Source® headquarters at 888-558-2020.) Optometrists must also provide their last name the same way it appears in the Vision Source® database to be identified as an OD member and be eligible to receive the three free hours of CE.
Visit the Vision Source® page on the Vision Expo West website for complete details.
Your Feedback is Valuable
Please see the link to our two-question survey at the end of this issue of The Gazette. We're developing a Net Promoter Score (NPS) for each issue. Last issue: 62.
How is a NPS determined? Respondents are asked on a scale of 0-10 how likely they are to promote your product or service. Those who answer 9 or 10 are promoters. Those who say 7 or 8 are neutral, and those who answer 0-6 are detractors. For the most recent issue of The Gazette, 73 percent were promoters and 11 percent were detractors. Subtract the detractors from the promoters for the NPS. (73-11=62).
Marriott and Trader Joe's for example, get a 62 and 63, respectively. USAA home insurance earns an NPS of 80. So our 62 is a respectable showing, but we’re aiming higher. Tell us how we can make a promoter out of you.
Words from our Sponsors
In this section, you will find the latest offers and promotions from Vision Source® vendors.
Three Program Levels from
EYE DESIGNS
EYE DESIGNS is offering three different program levels for Vision Source® members, each offering exclusive savings. Visit the EYE DESIGNS page in the vendor book to learn more about the Standard Program, Preferred Program and Premium Program.
Bushnell Special Offer
Available Through Aug. 31
An advanced technology Rx offer is available from Bollé and Serengeti through Aug. 31. The savings are on the Bolle B-Thin and Serengeti VarioDrive lenses. Log in at visionsource.com for more details on this promotion.
Financing Made Easy
U.S. Bank is the preferred financing source for Vision Source®. If you're looking to purchase new or used equipment, U.S. Bank can provide quick credit approvals, a customized financial agreement and easy-to-understand documents. Visit visionsource.com for more information.
Verizon Wireless Discount
If you have recently received an email from Verizon Wireless concerning validation of your Verizon discount, please log into visionsource.com, go to the Verizon Wireless vendor page and review the Validate Discount instructions.
A Great Deal on an OCT
Vision Source® has negotiated a special deal with Zeiss on its OCT Cirrus 4000 and Cirrus 400 models. The new pricing, good through Aug. 31, is significantly lower than the Vision Source®-exclusive pricing from a year ago. If you are adding an OCT to another office or thinking of getting an OCT for the first time, this is something that your office should consider. Visit visionsource.com for more information.
Around Vision Source®
Business Development
Refer-A-Friend Program A Big Success
Bret Davis, VP of Business Development and the entire leadership team extend their thanks to the Vision Source® doctors who participated in the Refer-A-Friend program. "We've received a wealth of quality candidates from members who recognize the value of the Vision Source® network and want to share it with a colleague."
The Refer-A-Friend program, which ended July 1, rewarded member doctors with two months royalty-free when they referred a colleague that joined Vision Source®. "Members are our best ambassadors," Davis says. "Not only are they passionate about Vision Source®, they also recognize who among their network of friends, classmates and colleagues are ethically aligned with our mission to preserve private practice optometry."
"We're evaluating the possibility of re-launching the program later this year," Davis says.
Practice Development
Project SpringBoard Is Off and Running
Vision Source® practices are already experiencing revenue growth and increased profitability through Project SpringBoard’s innovative practice management programs.
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Maximizing Optical Profitability
- Essilor Track: This program is currently at capacity, and the first wave has started.
- Vision Source® track: A few seats still available. Contact [email protected], and provide your name, practice location and phone number.
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Maximizing Contact Lens Profitability and Patient Care
- Seats in this program are going fast, so contact [email protected] immediately to secure your seat in wave starting in September.
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Macular Degeneration Management
- The second wave of this very popular program will also start in September; contact [email protected] to secure your seat in the September program.
All in the Family
Bill Davis, defensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles and brother of Bret Davis, Vision Source® VP of Business Development, was a recent guest on the Power Hour webcast. With 21 years of NFL experience, including coaching eight Pro Bowl players, Coach Davis spoke of the similarities in getting your staff to function as a team and coaching world-class athletes to do the same thing. Hear his advice on how to handle team situations like these and learn how to apply them to your practice.
Marketing
September is Sports Eye Safety Awareness Month
To help you inform your patients and your community of the need for protective eyewear in sports, Vision Source® has prepared the following for download.
- 8 1/2 x 11 flyer (.pdf file)
- 8 1/2 x 11 flyer (.doc file) Click just below the logo to reveal a text box where you can add your practice information.
- 8 1/2 x 11 flyer (.jpg file)
- A news release (.doc file)
You can also order personalized counter cards and posters through FedEx Office or Office Depot.
Demandforce Users: This flyer is available in your portal under Templates from Partners called Sports Eye Safety-VS September Newsletter.
Websystem3 Users: Click Campaigns on the blue menu bar and then select Prewritten Campaigns.
Gold Standard Moment
How is The Gold Standard book helping you create Gold Standard moments for your patients? Here's a note from Vision Source® member Dr. Perry Lopez, of Indianapolis and Fishers, Ind. Dr. Lopez shared this story in the current issue of The Insider.
Keep The Gold Standard Book in Your Pocket
Our practice mission statement is posted in several places around both of my offices. It's there not only for our patients to see the standard of care we set for ourselves, but it's also a reminder to the doctors and staff of why we show up to work every day. After receiving The Gold Standard book at The Exchange, we want to use the book in the same manner.
We've ordered additional copies of The Gold Standard book so that each of our 20 staff members can have his or her own copy. Staff members and doctors will carry their book on them during the day, so in the heat of a difficult moment or when a day isn't going well, they can refer to it as a reminder of our goal and why we are here.
We recite our mission statement at the beginning of every weekly staff meeting to make sure everyone understands the purpose, and we plan to follow that by reading from The Gold Standard book. We will open each meeting with a new topic from the book and hope it will prompt further discussion.
Worth Reading
Dr. Kathryn Beckman, of Lodi, Calif, was featured on the cover of the July issue of HER LIFE magazine. Dr. Beckman was profiled for her community work and her successful Vision Source® practice.
The digital editions of Vision Source® OD and The Insider are available, too. See which of your Vision Source® colleagues is making news and check out the Vision Source® members who were recently honored as Optometric Business Innovators by Review of Optometric Business and Vision Monday.
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