Illustration by Tom Ward

Selling children's eyewear can be easy when eyecare professionals balance the needs of the child, who wants a fun experience, and the parent, who's bankrolling the purchase.

A shiny conference table and glib lawyers aren't necessary for the kinds of negotiations involved in selling kids' eyewear. But a well-stocked children's frame board, a kids' corner, and some creative ideas are. Oh yeah, and a little bribery doesn't hurt, either. Kids love free giveaways. So ditch the white lab coat, and try to keep it fun.

We asked dispensers how they cultivated a steady children's business, and here's what they had to say:

Make New Friends

Eyecare professionals who wish to promote children's eyewear should keep in mind that kids and their folks aren't the only parties that should be involved in the process. The local schools and ophthalmologists are the other key ingredients to this mix.

Schools are the obvious place to start. Hope Muller-McGovern, O.D., of Odyssey Optical in Astoria, N.Y., says she attends the local schools' annual "Career Days," where she not only talks about what she does for a living, but emphasizes eye health and the importance of eating healthy and receiving yearly check-ups.

Illustration by Tom Ward

Bill Franz, the co-owner of Dallas Youth Optical, with three locations in Texas, says he has started cultivating professional relationships with the school nurses. He offers assistance in eye screenings, and sponsors luncheons to get better acquainted with them. Franz also offers $50 eyewear coupons for some of his local schools' fundraisers, such as "silent actions."

West Coast optics in St. Petersburg, Fla. advertises directly in the area schools' programs and newsletters. "We advertise in the newsletters that go home to the parents -- all the schools have some kind of publication," says Lee Perkinson, president and owner of the business, which has four locations.

"Additionally, if you are going to have a children's specialty shop, you must somehow be connected with pediatric ophthalmologists," says Franz, who has two locations near such doctors. In establishing relationships with pediatric ophthalmologists, "you have to let them know your knowledge and your background," he adds.

Optician Steve Derkatch, the owner of Great Neck Opticians in Great Neck, N.Y., agrees with Franz. Several years ago, Derkatch was interested in building his children's business. He let his fingers do the walking and contacted area ophthalmologists. "I told them I liked children, and because of that, they recommended me to parents." Today, 15 to 20 percent of his business is children.

Pricing and Promotions

"Everything we do says 'children,'" shares Debbie Develle, an optician at Premier Eye Care & Surgery, Ltd., Barrington Ill. Premier has one pediatric ophthalmologist among its three M.D.s on staff. The dispensary has 275 children's frames available, as well as a colorful window display accented by toys, stuffed animals, sports equipment, and a children's collage featuring photos of children in eyewear.

First time spectacle wearers at Premier receive a "First Eyeglass Certificate," which features a photo of the child in his or her new glasses. Each child also receives a "goodie bag" filled with lens cleaner, a cloth, and a hand-picked case.

Develle says her office staff stresses eyewear safety, particularly with sports. So, to encourage such purchases, Premier offers parents 50percent off of children's safety sports eyewear with the purchase of ophthalmic glasses.

Eye Health Vision Centers, with five locations in southeastern Massachusetts, has an internally marketed Pediatric Eye Care Program which it calls a unique discount plan for children. When the parents buy the child a first pair of glasses, they pay full price. But the first time the lenses need to be replaced -- due to scratches, breakage, or a new prescription -- they are 20 percent off. Then, the second lens replacement is 40 percent off, and finally, the third lens change is free. There's no time limit to take advantage of these discounts, and the cycle can be repeated indefinitely up to the age of 14.

Jay Carney, chief development officer at the company, says this plan builds customer loyalty, and provides an economic benefit to parents. "Children can be tough on their lenses, and their prescriptions change more frequently -- so we've offered this continually increasing discount program."

Although Carney says the company does not advertise this program externally, it does hand out a brochure outlining the price plan to parents.

West Coast Optics in Sarasota offers a similar plan which specifies that if for any reason the child's spectacles are lost or broken, the shop will make a new pair -- lenses and frames -- for just $49.50.

Chuck Wildsmith, optical manager and lab manager at Sandia Vision in Albuquerque, N.M., runs annual back-to-school specials in late August through September. When parents purchase a children's frame, single vision lenses are available at no cost.

According to Wildsmith, this promotion benefits everyone. "Since the lenses are free, the parent will upgrade to a better quality lens," he explains. "And, we see the dollar amount go up for the quality of the frame -- especially for teenagers."

Wildsmith markets this annual sale by sending out mailings to all of his patients in that age group. "Our return business is so good, that we don't have to do a lot of advertising," he says.

The Fun Stuff

Once the parents' needs are met, it's time to tend to the little one. It's time to keep the child happy, occupied, and excited about wearing glasses. Easier said than done? Perhaps. But it is definitely possible, and eyecare professionals can do many things to make this happen.

For example, Odyssey Optical gives out activity coloring books with eye facts to young children who receive glasses. In addition, optician Muller-McGovern sweetens the deal outside her office by giving out small tokens such as keychain rings and tattoo stickers when she visits the schools. "This way, the kids aren't as anxious about coming in for an exam," she says.

Derkatch has a drawer in his office at Great Neck Opticians that he calls "Steve's Drawer." Youngsters are invited to choose a treat such as a ring, sticker, or pencil. Derkatch also takes photos of first time eyeglass wearers, and keeps them in an album so they can come back the following year and see how they've changed.

Young Eyes, a Baltimore-based optical shop specializing in children's eyewear, uses the child's perception of himself to lead to a reward. According to manager John Nowak, the shop sponsors drawing contests for it's young patrons. Typically, children are asked to draw themselves wearing their new glasses, and each month a winner is selected and awarded a prize such as a family membership to a local museum.

Young Eyes, which is associated with a pediatric ophthalmology practice, sees a lot of "special cases," Nowak points out. "And by the time [the opticians] see them, the children often aren't happy" after being poked and prodded by various professionals in the same visit, which can sometimes last as long as three hours. "So they love the drawing contests," he says.

There's no doubt about it: Cornering the kids market is no walk in the playground. And, it may even take much more than hard work and patience. Perhaps more importantly, the most vital element in promoting children's eyewear is enjoying and relating to the small patients themselves. "The opticians who do very well with this are the ones who have compassion for the kids," Franz says. "If they start with that, everything else will fall into place." EB