Building Your First 100 Contacts

Introduction

When an optometry practice is new, waiting for patients to find you can leave exam rooms empty. Local people may not know your name, your location, or the type of care you provide. The "First 100 Contacts" plan is a direct way to build awareness and create early patient, referral, and community relationships. It means making personal contact with people who may become patients or help introduce your practice to them.

Concept

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The Importance of Direct Outreach

Direct outreach matters because a new practice has little history, few reviews, and limited word-of-mouth. A personal conversation can build trust faster than a generic social media post. The goal is not to pressure people into booking an eye exam. The goal is to explain who you serve, learn what the community needs, and give people a clear next step.

For example, a new optometrist near a growing neighborhood can contact nearby employers, apartment managers, schools, senior centers, and local parents' groups. The practice might offer a short workplace vision screening, a dry-eye education talk, or a simple introduction to the care team. Each conversation creates a chance to explain services such as comprehensive eye exams, myopia management, specialty contact lenses, or diabetic eye care.

Keep outreach professional and follow privacy and advertising rules. Do not discuss a person's health information in public, and do not use a screening event as a substitute for a complete eye exam.

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Building a Network

Your first network is usually closer than you think. Review personal contacts, former classmates, local business owners, medical professionals, school staff, community leaders, and current patients who have agreed to receive practice updates. Ask for introductions rather than assuming everyone will become a patient.

Build a simple contact list with the person's name, organization, connection, last contact date, and next step. A local primary care office may refer patients who need diabetic eye evaluations. A pediatrician may know families who need myopia control. A nearby employer may want help with computer-related eye strain. An optical lab or frame representative may introduce you to other professionals in the area.

Personalize every message. Mention the shared connection or the local reason for reaching out. A message such as, "I recently opened an optometry practice on Main Street and am meeting local health professionals. Would you be open to a 15-minute introduction?" is more effective than a mass advertisement.

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Resilience in the Face of Rejection

Many people will not respond. Some will already have an eye doctor, be busy, or not understand your specialty yet. That is normal. Rejection is useful when you record what happened and improve your approach.

Track each contact, the type of message used, the response, and the next action. If ten local employers ignore an email but two respond positively to a phone call, change your method. If parents respond to a short myopia-management presentation but not to a general practice brochure, make the message more specific.

Set a reasonable daily target, such as five to ten genuine conversations or personalized messages. Do not send low-quality bulk messages simply to reach a number. Follow up once or twice at a sensible interval, then stop if the person does not want contact. Protect the reputation of your practice while staying consistent.

Conclusion

The "First 100 Contacts" plan puts your optometry practice in front of the people who can help it become known. It combines personal outreach, useful education, careful follow-up, and steady learning. Start with people and organizations connected to your ideal patients, make each conversation relevant, and measure the activity. Your first 100 contacts may include patients, referral partners, employers, community groups, and advocates. Together, they can create the local trust that passive marketing cannot provide on its own.