Not long ago I was able to sit in on a Best Practices conversation with Steve Alexander and Nico Rosellier, founder of Untitled Agency, and it completely changed my perspective on what actually makes an eyecare experience memorable. We often focus on products, pricing, or efficiency, but the conversation kept circling back to something quieter and more powerful: the story a practice tells through every interaction, whether intentional or not.

While many may attribute storytelling to marketing language or brand slogans, I’d argue it's rooted in how a patient feels moving through your practice; and it starts long before they ever walk through the door.

Check Out the Episode Here!

Every Touchpoint Is Part of the Story

One idea that stayed with me was how early the experience really begins. For many patients, their first impression isn’t the front desk or the exam room or the entrance to your practice. It starts with a google search, maybe a website visit, an online booking flow, or a social post they scroll past on their phone. Those moments set subtle expectations for the kind of practice with which they’re about to engage.

The in-office experience is a continuation of their expectations, whether that’s part of your plan or not. When those touchpoints feel disjointed, even great care in the exam lane can feel transactional during checkout. Outstanding practices treat every step as part of a single, cohesive narrative while middling practice experiences feel like a series of disconnected tasks.

Progress depends on clarity, so I challenge you to map and audit your entire patient experience. Identify where change should start and a clear path to actionable improvements will naturally emerge.

Moving Beyond “The Way It’s Always Been Done”

I was also struck by how easy it is for practices to fall into familiar routines without realizing the story those routines are telling. Patients may not consciously notice outdated processes or generic environments, but they feel the difference when something lacks intention.

I’ve found that meaningful change rarely requires reinvention. Adjustments as simple as a more welcoming environment, an appointment process that respects someone’s time, or a small gesture of hospitality while patients wait can transform routine interactions into memorable moments. Give your patients a reason to love their experience and they will, give them mediocrity and they’ll feel that too. Those are deliberate choices that quietly signal care and leave a lasting impression.

Designing Experiences People Want to Share

I love that Steve and Nico touched upon how storytelling naturally extends beyond the walls of the practice. When an experience feels considered, patients become advocates without being asked. They tell friends about the frame selection, the atmosphere, or how comfortable the visit felt, not because they were prompted, but because it stood out. That kind of word-of-mouth comes from understanding what your practice wants to represent and making sure the environment, systems, and interactions quietly reinforce that identity.

The Advantage of Local Connection

Listening to the episode reinforced how much opportunity independent practices have to tell a story rooted in their community as a narrative advantage to which their big box retail competitors simply do not have access. Practices that reflect the character of their neighborhood and show up beyond their own doors feel more real, more human and become rightly more trusted.

Whether it’s collaborating with nearby businesses or supporting local events, these choices help patients see the practice as part of their world rather than just another stop on their calendar.

Refining the Story Over Time

The overarching theme of this episode is the emphasis on iteration. Storytelling isn’t something you finish and move on from. It evolves as patient expectations change and as your practice grows. Regularly stepping back to ask what your experience communicates, where friction exists, and what feels outdated keeps the story honest and relevant. The goal is awareness, not perfection. To put it another way, conveying the story of your practice is not an event, it’s a process.

This episode was a reminder that eyewear experiences aren’t defined by a single moment. They’re shaped by a series of intentional choices that, together, tell patients who you are and what you value. When those choices are made with care, the result is genuine connection. And that’s what people remember long after the appointment ends.