In late 2017, Marketscope published an encouraging report for refractive providers. Specifically, they forecasted that the global demand for refractive surgery will grow at an annual rate of 5.2 percent from 2017 to 2022, with annual procedure volume increasing from 3.6 million to 4.6 million. Great news, right? But is it accurate? Millennials (born 1981 to 1997) have been accused of killing industry after industry, from diamonds to paper napkins. Right now, they’re the largest generation in America – and the prime age for LASIK. Are millennials going to kill LASIK, too?
Thankfully, it seems unlikely. Despite their finnicky reputation, millennials currently make up the majority of LASIK patients. Because this generation is so large, however, doctors cannot afford to ignore it. Below, we recommend three tips to attract millennial patients to your practice.
Three tips that can bring millennials to your practice
Show off the benefits
When LASIK was first introduced, the procedure worked well – with some room for improvement. According to a study conducted in 2001, 6.8 percent of patients lost 2 or more lines of vision and only 40 percent achieved 20/20 or better UCVA. Nowadays, studies have found that less than 1 percent of patients lose 2 or more lines of vision, and 90.9 percent achieve 20/20 or better UCVA. Many millennials came of age while the future of LASIK was still uncertain. When it comes to encouraging millennials to pursue LASIK, make sure they understand how the procedure has changed for the better and is still the safest and most successful elective procedure in the world.
How can you do this? Commission marketing materials for prospective patients that clearly outline how LASIK is safe, reliable, and life-changing.
Go digital
Millennials are less likely to watch network television or read the newspaper. Instead, they’re more likely to tweet, post videos online and participate in social media. If you want to reach this demographic, you must invest in digital marketing services. Search engine optimization (SEO), an active presence on social media and intuitively designed websites are all valuable ways to bring in new patients.
How can you do this? Maintain a consistent presence on social media.If you’re not familiar with networking trends and digital advertising, you may want to hire social networking experts to help you navigate this process.
Focus on lifestyle – not looks
These days, glasses are in. People even wear fake glasses as fashion accessories. If you want to emphasize the benefits of LASIK to millennials, it’s better to focus on lifestyle benefits – not aesthetic ones. Researchers have found that most millennials hope to achieve a healthy lifestyle by exercising regularly, maintaining good eating habits, and nourishing positive relationships. Try to frame LASIK as just one more step in their quest to achieve a holistically healthy lifestyle.
How can you do this? Host a contest for your LASIK alumni focusing on how refractive surgery has positively influenced their hobbies, health, and lifestyle.