Sometimes, it's best to let the pros take over. This summer, EyeCarePro is offering its social media marketing and integrated marketing services for free with a series of "Marketing Survival Kits" to help local optometrists survive the summer online and in-store.

Summer is in session, and while optical business owners are gearing up for another season of sport and sun, an important aspect of many practices may be falling to the wayside—social media. To help optometrists combat the time constraints of the season (and maybe even give them a chance to take some time off this year), optical web design and marketing consultancy, EyeCarePro is giving practitioners a free trial of their marketing services with a series "Marketing Survival Kits" geared toward keeping eyecare practices' social platforms as active as their offices.

According to Juli Ann Radmanesh, marketing manager at EyeCarePro, the growing competition in the optical marketplace, especially from online retailers, has left eyecare practitioners with a greater responsibility to bring value to their businesses. To better reach their local communities and get patients through their doors, ECPs must deliver a consistent message across a broad range of digital and traditional marketing channels. The challenge becomes increasingly difficult when eye doctors are not only unaware of the best strategies for social media and integrated marketing, but lack the time to learn them.

"Practices are busy doing their day to day business and taking care of their patients, which doesn't give a lot of time to think about marketing, let alone strategizing," said Radmanesh."Our goal is to help practices grow visibility in their local marketplace and get new patients in the door—then they'll realize the true benefit of integrated campaigns and the need for professional marketing."

The free survival kits, which launched in May and are released twice per month, give ODs a sampling of the resources that EyeCarePro provides. This can include press materials, stock photography, videos or other content for OD's social media pages, along with content for practice websites, newsletters, blogs or traditional print materials.

Kicking off with a seasonal theme, Marketing Survival Kit #1: Spring Allergy Marketing Campaign, provides ODs with stock imagery of an allergy-afflicted man paired with a written reminder that allergies affect the eyes and readers should scheduling an eye exam if they are suffering symptoms. The image was provided in a variety of formats for Facebook, Google+, email messages, website homepages as well as for posters and fliers to be hung in store windows or throughout the community.

Another campaign, Marketing Survival Kit #2: Fetch Some Free Press, used a light-hearted dog theme to urge practitioners to "give your business a bigger bark" by distributing news stories in local news outlets, in mailings and online. The kit contained customizable press announcement templates formatted for SEO (search engine optimization) to boost practitioners' visibility in search engines and that could also be used for print, TV or radio announcements.

The most recent kit, Marketing Survival Kit #5: Social Butterfly, offered tips on how to be social online and dealt out educational eye-related content to help ODs build awareness and engagement on their Facebook profiles. The kit included four true/false questions and answers and four compelling images with corresponding text to post on Facebook pages.

Next up, a back-to-school campaign will provide articles and tips on how to leverage social media marketing and merchandising efforts throughout the back-to-school season.

Collin Tam, OD of Spectacle Eye Design, a single location practice in Austin, Texas, told CLICK about his experience as a current client of EyeCarePro's marketing campaigns. Among other materials and efforts, Tam has used EyeCarePro's allergy marketing campaign, the exact campaign offered in the free Marketing Survival Kit in May.

According to Tam, the social media assets are especially helpful for those who are less familiar with these platforms or who prefer a little brainstorming help. 

"I'm not very good at Twitter, and [EyeCarePro] posts there and on Facebook to keep interest going –different articles and pictures that might be interesting for our patient base—and I contribute as well with what I think is interesting," said Tam. "We used the stock materials, which are able to be modified based on what it is and what your target audience is. It makes it easier—It's hard to do these things from scratch, and it's good to see a template and modify it to the way I want it."

Tam works with EyeCarePro to develop ideas and initiatives that increase engagement both online and in the Austin community. He has worked with EyeCarePro to create a Special Education fundraiser which linked to the practice's Facebook page, where each "like" garnered a two dollar donation from the store to the Rosedale School for Special Education. Another idea, he said, was an eyewear fashion show to take place on Spectacle Eye Design's Facebook page, recruiting patients to take pictures of themselves trying on or wearing recently purchased eyewear from the store.

"Every month, we try to develop some campaigns in coordination with our website and Facebook, and promote for traffic and likes to our Facebook page," said Tam. "The Facebook updates are provided by EyeCarePro on a regular basis, about twice a week, and we add to it with our own post from time to time. We just started the Fashion Show contest this week." The contestant with the most "likes" on their picture, he explained, wins a prize of a makeover at a nearby salon—a win for both the patient and practice, since it serves as a cross promotion with the neighboring business.

By taking advantage of the materials and tools like those demonstrated in the survival kits, Tam said, "You're mentally able to keep up with things. It keeps ideas flowing better than having to come up with ideas on your own or relying on other sources."