The Inbox Isn’t Dead, It Just Got Smarter
With so much focus on social media, Google Ads and video, it’s easy to overlook one of the simplest, most effective marketing tools at your disposal: email marketing. Email marketing for opticians is not only alive and well, it’s thriving. The inbox remains the most direct and personal way to reach patients.
According to the SurveyMonkey report Email Marketing Benchmarks and Metrics Businesses Should Track, the average open rate for healthcare emails is 34.65%, with an average click-through rate of 2.80%. Whether it’s a patient recall email, a monthly optician newsletter, or a retention campaign reminding customers about contact lens reorders, email continues to deliver results that most other channels can’t match. In fact, research shows that email marketing achieves an average return on investment (ROI) of around 3,500%, compared to approximately 180% for social media.
At OptiCommerce, we’ve seen practices increase recall bookings, boost eyewear sales, and even revive lapsed customers through well-timed and well-crafted email strategies. Let’s look at why it still works so well and how to get the most out of it.
It’s Personal (and Patients Expect That)
Eyecare patients today are used to personalisation. They see their names in online ads, get targeted offers on social media, and expect the same kind of attention from their optician. Personalising email campaigns is a proven way to increase open and click-through rates and can have a measurable impact.
Campaign Monitor’s data shows that emails with personalised subject lines are 26% more likely to be opened than those without, while research from RichRelevance found that revenue is 5.7 times higher in emails that use personalisation.
Email marketing for opticians delivers that. Patients can be addressed by name, have their last appointment date mentioned, and even receive content tailored to what they’ve purchased; whether that’s lenses, frames or contact lenses.
Here’s a simple example:
“Hi Sarah,
It’s been almost a year since your last eye test. Click below to book your next appointment.”
That kind of email feels human and relevant — and it’s far more likely to be opened than a generic “Book Now” message.
Effective email marketing is all about delivering the right message to the right audience. Thoughtfully curated newsletters that blend engaging, seasonal content with updates on products and practice news can outperform many other marketing channels for opticians. In November 2025, for example, a London-based client achieved an open rate of more than 49%, which is well above the industry average of approximately 34%. It’s clear that when content truly resonates, audiences respond.
It’s Affordable, Automated, and Always On
Email marketing consistently ranks among the top-performing digital channels, with research from Litmus showing an average return of approximately 36 times the investment. For smaller, independent practices, that’s a huge advantage.
Even better, much of the process can be automated. With the right support, you can set up patient recalls, birthday messages, or post-appointment follow-ups that run automatically based on your practice data.
Many OptiCommerce clients have replaced manual recall processes with automated patient recall email campaigns, cutting admin time and keeping their appointment books full.
Segmentation is key to successful email marketing. By dividing your customer or patient data (whether through your Patient Management System (PMS) or manually), you can deliver precise, automated messaging that drives measurable results, including increased in-store sales. If your website supports e-commerce for contact lenses, glasses, or accessories, you can take this a step further by creating a fully automated, end-to-end sales cycle that complements the outstanding service delivered in-store.
Building your contact list is just as important. Capturing email addresses through your website, supported by eye-catching design, compelling content, and attractive offers, allows you to connect with potential customers who may never have visited your practice in person.
Some of our most effective email automation flows include:
Welcome Series
Express appreciation to new subscribers and make a strong first impression..
Abandoned Basket
Re-engage customers who left before completing their purchase and recover lost sales opportunities.
Post-Purchase Follow-Up
Encourage reviews, collect feedback, and promote repeat business after each sale.
Customer Thank You
A simple thank-you message can go a long way toward building customer loyalty and advocacy. Automating this process ensures you never miss an opportunity to strengthen relationships.
It Builds Trust Between Visits
Patients might only visit once a year for an exam, but that doesn’t mean they should forget you in between. Sending regular optician newsletters (monthly or quarterly) helps keep your brand top of mind. These don’t need to be overly promotional; in fact, the most successful ones mix education and inspiration with subtle reminders to book appointments.
Some examples of engaging newsletter content:
- How to Keep Your Lenses Crystal Clear All Day
- Behind the Scenes: Meet Our New Dispensing Optician
- Top 5 Sunglasses for the Irish Summer
These types of topics help build trust, positioning your practice as both knowledgeable and approachable.
A recent campaign developed by OptiCommerce from October 2025 perfectly illustrates the power of thoughtful content planning. One of our clients in the North of England achieved outstanding engagement by combining practical, seasonal advice—such as autumn driving tips and insights into specialist lenses—with an inspiring story about a team member’s athletic challenge that raised significant funds for charity. This balanced mix of useful information and human interest resonated strongly with their audience, delivering an exceptional 60% open rate and 3.51% click-through rate.
Retention Emails that Bring Patients Back
Keeping existing patients engaged is far more efficient than chasing new ones. Acquiring a new patient typically costs around five to seven times more than retaining one and retention email campaigns make that easy. Use them to follow up after a purchase, say thank you, and stay present between visits so patients return on time.
Here are some retention email ideas:
- “How are your new lenses?” (send ~30 days post-purchase; include care tips + quick feedback link)
- “Your contact lens reorder is due. Reorder in one click!” (triggered by average wear cycle)
- “Happy Birthday! Enjoy 10% off frames this month.” (birthday month automation with terms)
Pro tip: Build these as always-on automations tied to your PMS/LMS data (last exam date, last order, product type) so they run in the background and keep your diary healthy.
Educational Emails Add Value Without Selling
Your patients don’t just want offers; they want knowledge. Short explainers such as how regular eye exams can flag early signs of conditions like diabetes, why UV protection matters year-round, or tips to reduce digital eye strain deliver genuine value and position your practice as the go-to expert.
When people learn something useful from you, they’re far more receptive to guidance. So when a promotional message does arrive, “Book your next eye exam” or “New Ray-Ban arrivals in store”, it lands with credibility rather than friction.
Easy wins for educational emails:
- Why your annual eye test matters: what’s checked, how long it takes, who should book.
- Winter UV is real: lenses and coatings that protect even on cloudy days.
- Screen-time survival: simple habits to reduce fatigue and headaches.
- Contact lens care 101: quick hygiene reminders to prevent irritation.
Pro tip: Keep it scannable (one topic, one tip list, one clear CTA), avoid diagnosis language, and link to a booking button or a relevant product page to convert earned trust into action.
Email Complements Every Other Channel
Email doesn’t compete with social; it amplifies it. Brands that run true omnichannel campaigns (e.g., email + social + ads/SMS) see dramatically better performance—marketers using three or more channels earn a 494% higher order rate than single-channel campaigns.
The key is consistency. Keep the same brand voice, visuals and tone across every channel to build trust and recognition. Working with a specialist partner like OptiCommerce helps enforce brand compliance end to end, with shared templates, brand guidelines and automations across email, social, SMS and your website.
What Makes a Good Email Campaign?
A few essentials for success:
- Compelling subject lines: “Time for Your Eye Test 👁️” works better than “Appointment Reminder.”
- Strong visuals: Include photos of your team, frames, or your practice — people connect with people.
- Clear call to action (CTA): One button, one action — “Book Now,” “View Frames,” or “Learn More.”
- Mobile optimisation: Over 70% of patients open emails on their phones.
- Consistent timing: Don’t disappear for months, then suddenly reappear. Build a rhythm.
What to Measure (and Why)
Data is your friend. It tells you what to keep, what to fix, and where to double down. Track these core metrics:
- Open rate: Indicates whether subject lines, sender name and timing are earning attention. If opens dip, your message is not making it past the inbox preview.
- Click-through rate (CTR): Shows if the content and call-to-action are compelling. Strong opens but weak CTR usually means the email promised something the body did not deliver.
- Conversions: Measures real outcomes like booked eye exams, contact-lens reorders or frame purchases. This is the clearest link between email activity and revenue or appointments.
- Unsubscribes: A quality and relevance check. Rising unsubscribes signal issues with frequency, targeting or content value, and can hurt deliverability if ignored.
Keep It Simple, Keep It Genuine
The best email marketing for opticians is not necessarily fancy; it’s friendly, informative, and consistent. When your emails sound like they come from a real person (because they do), patients read them. When they offer something useful, such as a reminder, a tip, or a simple thank-you, they get results.
That’s why, despite all the new channels available, email marketing remains the most effective way for opticians to stay connected, build loyalty, and grow their practice.
Want to make your recall and retention campaigns effortless? OptiCommerce helps independent opticians automate emails that keep patients coming back — with beautiful templates, measurable results, and zero extra admin.
👉 Learn more about OptiCommerce Email Marketing Solutions
