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In 62 days, it is fair to say that the London Olympics will be generating its share of both front and back page stories. A true celebration of sporting excellence, bringing an estimated 4 million visitors to the UK. Worldwide, 4.7 billion viewers watched the Beijing Games in 2008 and the BBC expects 75 per cent of the UK population to watch its coverage from July 27.
It is obvious why corporate giants like Coca-Cola, McDonald's and Visa want a piece of the action as rarely do so many people watch a single event. Given their exposure, will the Olympics only benefit large corporate entities?
Sport for all
In my opinion there is opportunity for us all, not just for July-August 2012 but with sport and vision in general.
According to Sports England:
? 6.93 million aged over 16 years did half an hour of moderate activity three times per week in 2010
? 14.75 million adults participate in physical activity
? 10 million adults are members of a club where they play sport.
And every single one of them has eyes (even if visually impaired). These are eyes that need examining, correcting and protecting. Therefore there are over 14 million opportunities for sports vision to be talked about and London 2012 will serve to heighten the receptiveness of the population to engage in that conversation. The question is: 'How do we gain our share of that conversation?'
Running a practice that promotes sport (and) vision (for the purpose of this article staying away from the slightly controversial vision training and therapy areas), I believe there are two main ways of effectively incorporating sport into practice: from within and from outside. Using a combination of the two can get people talking about you and your business.
No matter what you do, the most important thing is to do it properly. It is very difficult to offer sport and vision if you:
? Don't know your chosen sport(s)
? Don't know what products are available
? Don't stock a good range of products
? Don't promote your services.
Start by identifying opportunities, updating your knowledge and reviewing your stock before setting a strategy for sports and vision in your practice.
Promoting from within
There is nothing new or special to promoting sports vision from within your practice and many articles have been written about how best to promote your practice. At every eye examination/dispensing we all ask about hobbies but are we specific enough? Why not ask the direct question: 'So, what sports do you play?' This will elicit all sorts of answers, from the mad-keen footballer to the part-time fisherman, from the nearly retired cricketer to junior gymnast. Whether a referee or umpire, or the mum who has just taken up running, every single participating person has a sports-related visual need.
Remember examine, correct, protect (ECP). Recently, I examined a -4.00 myopic nine-year-old (she was a new patient to me) who on questioning was a very able gymnast and had reached county level. She was competing and practising without her spectacles. It was staggering to learn that no one had mentioned one-day contact lenses to her. She is now a happy lens wearer and we are discussing ortho-K and its benefits, and the possibility of myopia control.
There are countless opportunities on a daily basis that are sports related. Examples of a few are:
? Polarised lenses for sailing/fishing
? Contact lenses for all sports/referees/umpires
? Sun filters for golfers/cyclists
? Swimming goggles for water sports
? Protective glasses for horse riders
? Driving lenses for any motor enthusiast
? Anti-fog spray/wipes
? Sports bands.
And so the list goes on. Why let your patient walk out of your practice unaware you have the skills to advise and the ability to supply appropriate eyewear?
It has been said many times before that engaging your support staff is crucial. Get them to ask the questions, perhaps even use a short questionnaire. If you have a member of staff interested in a particular sport, publicise it, talk about it. Words like 'from my experience' and 'I use this product' are very helpful. People are aspirational and will want to use what their chosen eye care specialist uses.
Targeted marketing
Capturing data will help you build your sports vision practice (SVP). In the modern world electronic data provides the easiest and cheaper methods, but not always the desired response. Many companies offer email lists, but do think about how disruptive that email is to someone's day. For a campaign to work there must be an interest and a really strong call to action. Try to be specific about who you are marketing to.
In March I ran a targeted email campaign, based on a group of patients who had registered some interest in cricket with our practice. The call to action was a good discount off a specific product. We emailed 100 people and sold 15 units. A 15 per cent return. Most campaigns produce 1-2 per cent of activity.
From within the practice, promoting sports and vision is not vastly different to all the services we offer but it is another area on which many practices fail to capitalise.
Promoting from outside
This is an area where your visual skills can be used in a serious professional manner to enhance the reputation of the practice and its core services.
There is no doubt that being team optometrist to a number of professional sport teams, being involved with England cricket, apart from providing me with many hours of fun, has enhanced the practice image. When the practice first became involved with England and the Yorkshire County Cricket Club, both teams were absolutely in the doldrums - at the time not good for the CV at all.
How do you get involved with professional sports teams? For me it was luck. In 1996 I wanted to do some PR with Yorkshire CCC and offered the players a pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses each, in return for a publicity photo. By chance I met with their physiotherapist, who was entering the brave new world of fitness in cricket and we decided eye tests would be a good thing. From that chance meeting a relationship was born that still exists today.
The marketing and sponsorship still exist but a proper fee-paying optometric service is provided, from routine examinations to emergency management, vision screening sessions and advice on all aspects of vision.
One of the key aspects of dealing with professional sports people is only to promise what you can deliver. Do not promise a massive improvement in performance if it is unlikely. Modern players are very used to support staff caring for them and optometry has its role.
Aim to speak to the medical director and be clear what you are offering and charge accordingly. If the service is free it has no value. Make it clear to the players, the value of your service and the fact that their club is investing in them.
With regard to product, consider sponsoring players' contact lenses. Manufacturers are often happy to help out. Richard Beck, from Leeds Carnegie Rugby Union Club, was fitted with ortho-K and now the player regularly blogs about his lenses and the practice.
However, you can combine providing professional vision care with using the opportunity for PR/marketing. Examples might be:
? Ask for team photographs with yourself and display them in the practice
? Find out whether articles on players' eye care, such as Optomap retinal screening, are run in the match/event programmes
? Ask for signed shirts/equipment to display or raffle for charity within the practice
? Try to get signage at the ground. Our practice sign is directly under the scoreboard at Headingley. During a 20/20 game, when an umpire decision was being reviewed, the sign was seen for over a minute on Sky TV. Something we could never afford to pay for
? Run open days for the admin staff from your local club
? Take a promotional photograph of the squad wearing a type of sunglasses. Ask the manufacturers for help towards the cost. They like their products to be associated with sport
? Ask for testimonials from players you have helped
? Even ask for free tickets/season passes and allow your patients to use them.
All these efforts will allow you to reach a much larger audience and one that is not only looking for an optometrist. The fact that the team has chosen you for eye care gives the fans a feeling of trust.
Amateur sport
Professional sport is challenging and I have been lucky that Yorkshire CCC, Leeds Rhinos and Leeds Carnegie are all on the same site, but it is also amazing what can be done with amateur sport.
There may only be 25 people watching North Leeds Cricket Club but they are passionate about their club. Becoming a match ball sponsor or patron not only helps the club enormously in these difficult financial times but gets your practice talked about. There are so many opportunities for sponsorship at so many different types of clubs.
Just this year we spent £300 (the same as a lifestyle magazine advert) to provide netball uniforms for a local under-10s team. Within two weeks I have seen four of the children, two of whom have been fitted with contact lenses and two spectacle-wearing parents.
Junior teams are desperate for sponsorship/kit. Take a photograph and send it to your local paper and suddenly you have free advertising.
You can run open evenings for clubs with special offers where part of the proceeds goes to the club. Always give vouchers for use in the practice and not product. If they are not used there is no cost to you and if they are you have an opportunity to impress with your service levels.
There will be some costs in promoting all these initiatives but cleverly placed prizes in your local community will get you talked about. When you combine that with your specialist knowledge, on how to examine, correct and protect and with the product you stock and service you give, there is no doubt that sports vision sits very neatly in today's practice.
London 2012 will come and go and there will be a massive increase in awareness of eye-related products such as sunglasses and swimming goggles. But when it's over and the torch is lit for Rio 2016 there will still be 14 million-plus people participating in sport. Opportunity knocks! ?
? Optometrist Simon Falk practises in Oakwood, Leeds