I’m getting leads, now what?

So your LASIK website is up and live, your search engine optimization is kicking in, and you started receiving emails. Now what? It’s surprising how little thought is put into the follow up to the initial email lead. You’ve spent all this money getting people to your website, money on creating a website and money convincing people to email you, only to follow up an email lead with something like this:

Call our office to schedule an appointment

Signed,
Dr. Joe

You may think this is all that’s needed, but what’s differentiating you from the three other LASIK surgeons this potential LASIK patient has contacted who are undoubtedly doing the exact same thing? If it takes you longer than six hours to respond to the email lead, does the lead even remember who you are? The answer is most likely not. In the end, you’re wasting the opportunity to develop a relationship with a potential patient by not giving him what he wants.

For instance, the email lead references difficulty reading because of presbyopia. If you respond with the type of email above you aren’t answering any of the questions your potential patient is asking. Not only that, but it comes across as an uncaring and dismissive response to there genuine inquiry. These people have decided to look into improving their vision and in turn their lives. Speak to that, make them feel like you are responding to their individual concerns.

A good way of doing this is with a detailed and informative email response with links back to your website. The potential patient will remember your website and create the visual connection between Dr. Joe and your website. That’s step one in cementing the relationship. Step 2 is including links to specific pages within your website that cover the issue presented by the lead. Send them a link to your LASIK Surgery FAQ page, or to your page of testimonials – if they asked about presbyopia treatment, send them to a page about that. It might not be the exact information they need, but at least you are creating the desire to learn more and contact you over the phone.

A good follow up email should look like this:

Dear First name.

Thanks for visiting our website, www.yourpractice.com, and requesting information regarding LASIK surgery.

The best way for us to help is to schedule a no risk consultation. Simply call us at 555-5555.

In the meantime, feel free to get more information about frequently asked LASIK questions (include link to page), or read our list of testimonials from patients of our practice (include link to testimonial page). This will help prepare for your consultation.

Feel free to also learn more about us and our ability to serve you (include link to your “meet the team” page).

We look forward to hearing from you and taking a closer look at how we can help you with your eye care needs.

Sincerely,
Dr. Joe
www.yourpractice.com
555-5555
Address

Your email response now has four or five links back to your website. The response can be tailored very simply to whatever type of lead you receive, just insert the appropriate links. As a result you will help create the visual connection between your name, email and website, branding your practice through emails. In addition, your response will not seem manufactured or trite, because it isn’t. Above all, you will be differentiating yourself in ways your competition has not even thought of. If five doctors respond similar to the first email and one responded with the detailed message, what first impression does that send to your lead?

Also, remember that it is not enough to just respond by email. If the prospective patient inquiry includes a phone number – ALWAYS call. And, until you have communicated with the patient at least five times (or the patient has scheduled surgery or told you to stop), keep following up. Here at Page 1, we have a great program called Virtual Counselor that allows our clients to automatically follow up with a series of personalized emails without tying up your staff’s time.

Aaron Gerblich
Account Manager
Page1Solutions