Are you thinking about hosting a contact lens fitting or vision screening event in the near future? Stop thinking about it and start planning it – we’ve done all the thinking for you! From a local event guide, to resources like a patient email template and media outreach tool kit, we’ve got you set up for success. With school back in session and fall sports season kicking off, it’s the perfect time of year to remind families of the importance of an annual vision check up. This program focuses on school aged children and teenagers, but it's a great opportunity to encourage parents to have their vision screened as well. A fitting or screening event can help you build relationships with existing patients, reach new potential patients, and engage your local community.
How do you get started?
Think about whom you’d like to partner with – for this particular program, try a local community center team coach, high school athletic director or afterschool program director. Then, read our Local Event Guide, which includes an event planning timeline, a script for discussing the event with a coach or athletic director, and a suggested checklist for the event. Determine the best location for the event (your office, a local community center, somewhere central to your town or city) and discuss the event with your staff so they’re well informed.
Next, how do you spread the word?
How can you get people to the event? We’ve got tips and suggestions for publicizing your event with both traditional media and social media in our Media Guide. Aside from suggestions, the Media Guide also includes a sample phone script for pitching your story with the media. The media can be your key to reaching a larger audience, which can ultimately turn into new patients. As a result of your conversation with the media, your event could be featured in the community calendar section of your local newspaper, on your local news channel, or possibly in a newspaper article. While word of mouth is a great way to spread the word, notifying the public will help draw a larger crowd.
We’ve got the tips and tools to walk you through it all in our Media Outreach Tool Kit, including sample key messaging, a press release, and a patient email template to help you effectively market your event. All of these tools are ready to use once you insert your practice's name and information and the specific details of your event.
Use these public relations tools in multiple situations:
These tools and helpful guides can be applied to any event you’re holding. Decide on your target audience and simply change your messaging to reflect the specific event. No events planned for the near future? If you have other exciting news to share (moving to a new location, partnering with a local non-profit), review the press release and edit it to meet the needs of your newsworthy bit. Use the sample script to learn how to discuss your story with the local media. Tap into our Social Media Guide to learn how to use non-traditional media to reach your patients and community. Remember, not all of these tools are required; choose what best suits your business and your schedule.
For more information regarding our Contact Sports campaign, please visit mycontactsports.com. For additional resources, such as direct to patient postcards, please contact your CooperVision sales representative.
Your Resources for a Successful Event:
ECP_Local_Event_Guide.pdf (744.36 kb)
ECP_Media_Guide.pdf (701.98 kb)