The Launch of Key Optique

Key Optique was founded by me, Dr. Keylee Brown, an optometrist in rural North Georgia as a way to give back to our local communities and beyond. The idea was to offer fun products that make people happy and feel good while also being a way we can do good for others.

Key Optique gives back a portion of the proceeds to various organizations. They typically have a couple campaigns running so you can use a designated code and choose which organization you would like to support.

Key Optique also likes to help support fundraisers with optometry schools and optometry related service organizations. All you have to do is promote your specific code that they set up and a portion of the proceeds goes back to your organization.

For now the business offers jewelry but soon enough we will expand and even offer things for the fellas!

Congressional Visits in DC with the American Optometric Association

Advocacy is so important especially for a legislated profession like optometry. It’s important to advocate for our patients and their safety and to make sure they are getting the best quality care possible. It’s important to have your voice heard. It’s important to show by your actions that you care. What is it that you are passionate about? What are you doing to make a positive influence on your profession?

Help Georgia Optometrists Be Able to Do Injections!

Georgia optometrists need your help! 
SB 153, which would allow optometrists to perform certain types of injections in limited areas near the eye, is awaiting Governor Deal’s signature, and we need YOUR help to make it happen. If you have an extra minute call (404)656-1776 and recommend the governor to sign SB 153 into law by May 9th. 
I did it and it makes you feel like a good Georgia citizen! ;)

Importance of being involved in optometry school

Involvement in organized optometry outside of the classroom is very important. It gives you a sense of community through networking, it gives you roots in the profession and it helps you stay in the know with the profession. I always tell people find your niche in the profession whether it be sports vision, vision therapy, ocular disease, or advocacy etc. and reach out to practicing docs in that field. You can even join committees and special interest groups. Go to as many national meetings as you can. Meet as many people as you can and establish a connection with them. Most practicing doctors would love to mentor a motivated student. Networking is a very important part of professional development, you never know when you may need to reach out to someone for advice on a difficult case or need referring doc in a certain town or even get leads for a job.

Be involved in different organizations at your school like AOSA, VOSH, NOSA, Private Practice club etc. There are so many opportunities that will arise from being a active member of these groups that are available only to students and you will gain very valuable experiences during your student years.

5 Simple Steps to Create a Personal Brand

When I graduated optometry school I wanted a way to distinguish myself as a new doctor from other optometrists and have a way to keep up with my patients. In the age we live in the first thing most people do before going to the doctor is a google search. Having a website and public social media account allows the patient to get to know you a sense of who you are before you even meet. A good online presence also gives you the valuable opportunity to educate your patients on topics in your field. I realize that people are not searching the hashtags #maculardegeneration or #glaucoma so I try to ‘sprinkle’ educational tidbits in with fashion eye wear and motivational quotes to keep my content enjoyable for the average reader.

I think it is important for every professional to have an online presence as a place where clients/patients can interact and get to know the professional outside of the the traditional business setting. I outlined 5 of my top tips for developing a professional brand and it is quite simple to do.

1) High Quality Headshot

Hire a professional photographer for a session and get them to give you 2-3 professional photos that you can use for different social media platforms and websites. I would suggest using the same headshot for your profile pics to have consistent branding and you can use the others for bios, blog posts, social media posts, etc.

2) Professional Page on a Social Media Platform of your choice

If you are a millennial or tech savvy you probably have 3 or more different social media accounts that you have been using for years to display your personal life to friends. I think it is a good idea to keep those private and pick one platform that you can connect with your patients/clients with on a professional level. I chose Instagram because it is an easy way to use pictures to tell a story and even use for educational purposes.

3) Relevant Content

Create some interesting content to share on your sites and keep your patients engaged. It can be anything from fun facts to the latest research. I even try to keep things interesting and add fashion, beauty tips, and words of inspiration.

4) Business Cards and Personalized Stationery

These two items maybe the amongst some of the oldest tips in the book, but are still a very important piece to branding and networking. Business cards are an easy way to exchange information or to hand out with marketing material. A handwritten note on some nice high quality stationery goes a long way when making an impression.

    5) Logo and Consistent theme of the brand  

A simple logo and a color scheme is all you need.You dont have to go all out and spend a lot of money on the logo. You just need one for visual impact and brand constancy. There are tons of websites that offer logo making services. I just asked my super talented graphic design friend if she could whip something up for me and I fell in love with the end result.

A good online presence is so important and will be beneficial in many ways. Its great for patient education, it helps the patient remember who you are, and also a great networking tool. If I can figure it out, anyone can!