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Is it hot enough where you live? Is our nearby star, the Sun, delivering enough tanning UV to bronze those of you who can tan and wish to? How are your polarized sales going? There's a lot of competition out there for your patients sunglass dollars – are you presenting sunglasses to capitalize on the relationship of trust you have taken years to develop with your patient base? |
Along the Florida Turnpike, the gas/rest stops all have sunglass kiosks with a wide range of imitation designer frames, and a much smaller, more conservative collection of frames with polarized lenses. You the dispenser have optically superior lenses and the authentic designer frames to fit your patients fancy and maintain their eye health. How do you promote this combination?
Many dispensaries I visit have attractive displays of designer frames. How many of your patients, who do not come to your practice with the intent of buying sunglasses, use the sunglass display as an impetus to make an impulsive purchase? Would a small note in the case, promoting a discount when ordering one of these frames with polarized lenses, encourage customers to request information about why they should order polarized lenses and what the cost would be?
Do you have an extra manufacturer's brochure of sunglasses that would be appropriate to leave on your waiting room table or reading rack? Do you have a sign at your men's, ladies, and unisex frame displays noting that any of these frames can be made into prescription sunglasses?
As part of your polarized presentation, you could say, "If you are buying these glasses for fashion only, and they will stay on top of your head rather than in front of your eyes, then there is no reason to spend the extra $$ for polarized lenses. On the other hand, if you will be using them in front of your eyes, reducing light intensity and glare outdoors, then for your eye health you would be better served by ordering polarized lenses. How will you be using these glasses?"
The answer your patient gives to this open-ended question will determine which lens type he/she will choose for these fashion forward glasses.
Does your doctor speak of the patient's need for Transitions®
lenses or polarized eyewear in the exam room? If the Doctor does not mention outdoor polarized lens eye protection when she/he presents the patient to you, do you feel it is appropriate to ask the Doctor if polarized lenses, either plano or prescription, would be medically appropriate for this patient when he/she is spending extended time in the sun? And are Transitions lenses medically appropriate if this patient is constantly moving indoors and outdoors as part of her/his lifestyle? Would your Doctor be upset with you for asking these medical questions? Might your Doctor start to mention these needs in the exam room if he/she could count on you to consistently ask these questions in the dispensary?
Do you have those attractive Drivewear® cards in a holder on your table – which you can use to promote Drivewear for sportswear, as well as using the card as a jumping off point for promoting indoor/outdoor Transitions lenses and polarized lenses? Do you have some children's eyeglass frames with both plano clear and polarized lenses for kids to play "dress-up" with? Have you showed them the "magic" of rotating two polarized lenses so you can no longer see through them? An adult, who wants you to make the polarized lenses darker, could also learn how much light and glare are reduced by a demonstration of polarized magic.
In the summer, present this second pair of glasses first. Show your concern for your patient's eye health. You can present their primary pair of indoor/outdoor Transitions second. Having half of your patients choose to purchase two pair of glasses on each visit is the same as increasing your practice with 33% more patients. You have much more control over providing education for your patients about why multiple pairs of glasses may be needed to preserve eye health than you have control over getting more patients through your door. And it's a lot cheaper too. The "cost" is spending more time getting to know each patient and her/his optical needs, and showing your knowledge and concern for your patient's eye health.
Exercise your expertise, educate your client base, and give them the power to choose what eyeglasses they want. You stop selling, and put the purchasing power in your patient's control, when you end each education segment with an open-ended question, and then listen intently and without interruption, to what your patient has to say. I assure you they will clearly indicate if they want to purchase the pair of glasses you have just educated them that they need to have for their continued eye health. |
