Implementation Models: Workshop System Variations Compared
"Which workshop approach is right for my practice?"
It's the question I hear most often from optometrists and ophthalmologists who are convinced of the workshop concept but unsure how to bring it to life in their unique practice environment.
The truth is, there's no one-size-fits-all answer. The workshop system that transforms one practice into a dry eye profit center might be completely wrong for another—not because the concept is flawed, but because the implementation needs to match your specific resources, goals, and practice personality.
I've guided hundreds of eye care professionals through this decision process, and I've seen the relief on their faces when they find the approach that feels right for them. Let's explore the options together so you can discover which path aligns with your practice reality.
The Four Paths to Workshop Success
Think of implementing a workshop system like building a house. You could:
Design and build it yourself from the ground up
Work from proven blueprints with some guidance
Hire a general contractor to manage the entire project
Choose a pre-built option that can be placed virtually anywhere
Each approach has its champions and its ideal scenarios. Let's look at the four primary implementation models and the practices that thrive with each.
1. DIY Workshop Implementation: For the Self-Starters
Dr. James in Colorado Springs wasn't looking for a turnkey solution. "I wanted to build something that felt uniquely ours," he told me. "Something that reflected our practice personality and the relationship we have with our patients."
The DIY approach appealed to his entrepreneurial spirit and hands-on nature. Over six weeks, his team developed their own presentation, created their promotional assets, and built a workshop system from the ground up.
What DIY Implementation Looks Like
When you choose the DIY path, you're essentially creating your workshop system from scratch:
You develop your own presentation materials and workshop scripts
You build your own promotional campaigns and registration process
You create follow-up sequences and conversion protocols
You train your staff on how to execute the workshops
You implement tracking systems to measure performance
"It was definitely more work than I initially thought," Dr. James admitted. "Those first few workshops weren't anywhere near perfect. But there's something incredibly satisfying about building something yourself and watching it improve with each iteration."
Who Thrives With DIY Implementation
The DIY approach works beautifully for practices with:
A marketing-minded doctor or staff member who genuinely enjoys the process of creation and optimization. Dr. James had previously built successful marketing campaigns for other practice services and found genuine fulfillment in the development process.
Available time for development without pressure for immediate results. "We gave ourselves permission to have a learning curve," Dr. James explained. "That mental freedom to experiment was crucial."
A comfort level with technology that makes landing page creation, email automation, and ad platforms feel navigable rather than overwhelming.
A desire for complete customization where every aspect of the workshop reflects the practice's unique voice and approach. As Dr. James put it, "Our patients chose us because of who we are. I wanted our workshops to feel like an extension of that relationship."
The DIY Reality Check
While the DIY approach can be incredibly rewarding, it comes with challenges that deserve honest consideration:
The development timeline is significantly longer. Most DIY implementations take 4-8 weeks before the first workshop happens. "There were definitely moments I wished we could just press 'go' and have it running," Dr. James confessed.
The learning curve can be steep. Without proven templates, the early workshops typically convert at lower rates (around 25-40% compared to the 40-60% of optimized systems). "Our first workshop only converted two patients," Dr. James shared. "It was a bit disheartening, but we learned so much from that experience."
You'll invest significant staff time in creating materials, workflows, and systems. This opportunity cost should be weighed against other priorities.
Despite these challenges, Dr. James's practice now regularly converts 35% of workshop attendees into patients—generating about $9,000-$12,000 monthly from their previously underperforming RF/IPL device. "It took us longer to get there than if we'd used a turnkey system, but we own this process now. It's become part of our practice DNA."
2. Facilitated Workshops: The Guided Journey
Dr. Sarah's suburban practice had a different set of priorities. "I knew we didn't have the bandwidth to create everything from scratch," she explained, "but I still wanted internal ownership of the process."
The facilitated workshop approach—using pre-built templates and guidance while maintaining internal execution—offered the middle ground she was looking for.
What Facilitated Implementation Looks Like
The facilitated approach provides structure while keeping you in the driver's seat:
You receive professional presentation templates and workshop scripts
You get guidance on promotional campaigns and targeting
You implement with coaching support from experienced providers
Your team executes the workshops following established protocols
You track performance against proven benchmarks
"It felt like having training wheels," Dr. Sarah reflected. "We still had to pedal the bike, but the risk of falling over was much lower."
Who Thrives With Facilitated Implementation
The facilitated approach is ideal for practices with:
Some marketing experience but limited development time. Dr. Sarah had a marketing coordinator with good skills but a full plate of responsibilities. "She knew how to execute, but didn't have 40+ hours to develop materials from scratch."
A desire to get started faster without reinventing the wheel. "We wanted to be up and running within a month, not several months," Dr. Sarah explained.
A comfort level with implementation but a desire for proven materials. As she put it, "I'm confident in our ability to follow a good recipe—I just didn't want to develop the recipe through trial and error."
A balanced perspective on control and results. The facilitated approach requires releasing some control in exchange for faster implementation and more consistent early results.
The Guided Implementation Experience
Dr. Sarah's practice launched their first workshop just three weeks after purchasing their facilitated system. "Having the templates and guidance dramatically shortened our runway," she noted.
Their initial workshops converted at about 32%—lower than fully optimized systems but substantially better than typical DIY starting points. With regular coaching and refinement, they reached 40% conversion after three months.
"The coaching was what made the difference," Dr. Sarah emphasized. "Having someone who could look at our specific situation and say 'here's what to adjust' helped us avoid months of trial and error."
While the facilitated approach required an initial investment of about $5,500 for materials and training, Dr. Sarah's practice broke even in their second month. They now consistently generate 8-12 new RF/IPL patients monthly, translating to $12,000-$18,000 in revenue.
"It's the sweet spot between doing it all ourselves and having everything done for us," she concluded. "We've made it our own while benefiting from what's already been proven to work."
3. Full-Service Workshop System: The Turnkey Solution
Dr. Michael's multi-location practice had a different perspective entirely. "I don't want to become an expert in workshop systems," he told me bluntly. "I want experts to handle that so we can focus on what we do best—providing exceptional patient care."
For practices with this mindset, the full-service approach offers complete implementation with minimal internal resource requirements.
What Full-Service Implementation Looks Like
The full-service approach essentially gives you a workshop department without having to build one:
Comprehensive system implementation by a specialized provider
Complete campaign development and management
Professional presentation materials and proven scripts
Robust registration and follow-up systems
Performance tracking and ongoing optimization
"I didn't want a weekend project—I wanted a solution," Dr. Michael explained. "The full-service approach meant we could focus on executing great workshops and treating patients rather than becoming marketing experts."
Who Thrives With Full-Service Implementation
The full-service approach is ideal for practices with:
Limited internal marketing resources but a commitment to maximizing RF/IPL performance. Dr. Michael had four locations but no dedicated marketing person. "It simply wasn't realistic for us to develop this expertise internally."
A focus on results rather than process ownership. "I care about having a thriving dry eye center, not about building marketing systems," Dr. Michael emphasized. "I'm happy to delegate the system to experts who live and breathe this every day."
A desire for speed of implementation and performance consistency. With four locations and significant investment in RF/IPL technology, Dr. Michael couldn't afford a lengthy experimental phase. "We needed proven results, quickly and consistently."
Comfort with ongoing service relationships that deliver continuous optimization without internal effort. "I see it as any other business relationship—they're specialists who help us achieve our goals. The ROI makes it a straightforward decision."
The Full-Service Experience
Within two weeks of contracting with a specialized workshop provider, Dr. Michael's practice held their first workshops. "The speed of implementation was remarkable," he recalled. "We basically went from decision to execution in days, not months."
Their initial workshops converted at 45%—immediately delivering the high-end performance that typically takes months to achieve with other approaches. "There was no learning curve," Dr. Michael noted. "The system just worked from day one."
While the full-service approach involved higher ongoing costs—around $2,000 monthly for management across their locations—the performance difference created compelling economics. "We're generating around $45,000-$60,000 monthly in RF/IPL revenue across our locations," Dr. Michael shared. "The management fee is a small percentage of that return."
What struck Dr. Michael most was the consistency. "Every location performs similarly well. We're not dependent on having marketing superstars at each office—the system provides that expertise for us."
4. Virtual Workshop Models: The Digital Alternative
When Dr. Lisa looked at implementing workshops in her rural practice, she faced a geographical challenge. "My patients are spread across three counties," she explained. "Getting them to drive 45 minutes for an educational event seemed like a significant barrier."
For practices with similar geographic challenges, virtual workshop implementations offer a compelling alternative.
What Virtual Implementation Looks Like
The virtual approach replaces physical events with online educational sessions:
Webinar-based presentation system
Digital registration and attendance processes
Virtual follow-up protocols
Online conversion pathways
Digital engagement and conversion tracking
"It wasn't my first choice," Dr. Lisa admitted. "I initially worried we'd lose the personal connection of in-person events. But the ability to reach patients from all our service areas without travel barriers proved too valuable to ignore."
Who Thrives With Virtual Implementation
The virtual approach works particularly well for practices with:
Rural or widely dispersed patient populations where travel presents a significant attendance barrier. Dr. Lisa's practice serves multiple small communities across a large geographic area.
Comfort with digital presentation technology and the ability to create engagement in virtual environments. "I was already comfortable with video calls," Dr. Lisa noted. "That made the transition to webinar presenting less intimidating."
Limited office space for physical workshops or scheduling constraints that make after-hours events challenging.
Interest in reaching beyond traditional service areas to expand the practice's effective radius. "We actually get attendees from communities up to 90 minutes away now," Dr. Lisa shared. "That would never happen with in-person events."
The Virtual Workshop Reality
Dr. Lisa found that virtual workshops delivered different results than she initially expected.
Registration numbers were substantially higher—about twice what they projected for in-person events. "The convenience factor definitely increased interest," she noted. However, the show rate was lower at around 45% compared to 50-60% for optimized in-person events.
The most significant difference was in conversion. "We convert about 30% of attendees," Dr. Lisa explained. "That's lower than top-performing in-person workshops, but the higher registration numbers actually give us comparable patient volume."
Her practice now generates 8-10 new RF/IPL patients monthly through virtual workshops, translating to $12,000-$15,000 in revenue. "We've essentially turned our geographic challenge into an advantage," she reflected. "We're reaching patients who would never have attended an in-person event."
Finding Your Path: How to Choose
After exploring these implementation models with hundreds of practices, I've found the decision often comes down to three key questions:
1. What does your time horizon look like?
If you need results quickly:
Full-service implementation offers the fastest path to optimal performance
Facilitated implementation provides quicker startup than DIY
Virtual models can often be implemented rapidly since they don't require physical preparation
If you have more runway:
DIY approaches allow gradual development and refinement
Hybrid models can be implemented in stages
You might develop custom elements that create long-term competitive advantages
2. What resources can you realistically commit?
Be honest about your internal capabilities:
Do you have marketing talent that can develop effective materials?
Can your team allocate sufficient time for system development?
Is there bandwidth for learning through trial and error?
Who will manage ongoing optimization?
The most common implementation failure occurs when practices overestimate their available time and expertise. As Dr. Michael put it, "Recognizing what we couldn't do internally was actually our smartest decision."
3. What aligns with your practice personality?
Beyond practical considerations, there's an important emotional component:
Some doctors feel genuine satisfaction in building systems themselves
Others value the learning that comes from guided implementation
Many prefer to focus exclusively on clinical excellence while delegating marketing
Some practice cultures naturally align better with certain approaches
"The approach has to feel right for your practice," Dr. Sarah emphasized. "We chose the facilitated path because it matched our collaborative culture and desire for some creative input while respecting our time limitations."
The Bottom Line: Results Matter Most
While implementation models differ significantly, they all share one critical truth: The workshop approach consistently outperforms traditional lead generation for RF/IPL treatments.
The real question isn't whether workshops work—the evidence is overwhelming—but rather which implementation path offers your practice the highest probability of success given your unique circumstances, resources, and priorities.
As Dr. James reflected, "In retrospect, I probably could have saved myself some stress by using a more turnkey approach. But building it ourselves created a level of ownership that's been valuable for our team. There's no universal right answer—just the right answer for your specific practice."
Whether you choose to build your workshop system from the ground up, implement with guidance, adopt a turnkey solution, or take the virtual route, the key is committing to the approach that aligns with your practice reality.
Ready to explore which workshop implementation model is right for your practice? Schedule a Launch Strategy Call to receive a personalized assessment and determine if your practice qualifies for our "Until It Pays" guaranteed workshop system.
Garry Regier is the founder of PatientGrowthMachine™, specializing in helping optometrists and ophthalmologists unlock the full ROI of their RF/IPL technology through proven patient workshop systems. To learn if your practice qualifies for our "Until It Pays" guaranteed workshop system, schedule a Launch Strategy Call today.
