Image courtesy of Signet Armorlite

Photochromics:

Changing Sales Tactics

The lenses that change can be consistent sellers--if you shift your approaches when necessary

By Karlen McLean, ABOC, NCLC

Photochromic lens sales don�t have to be flat. Take a hint from photochromic lenses themselves: photochromics change from clear indoors to various tint densities up to sunlens dark depending on the environment.

You can change your sales approach based on current conditions, too. Here�s how to build a flexible photochromic sales plan based on three keystones that are set to your demographics and practice philosophy.

Children can benefit from photochromic lenses� healthy protection. Image courtesy of Transitions Optical

Everyone Wears Photochromics

First and foremost, everyone in your practice should wear photochromic lenses. People trust personal recommendations from those who use the product. Wearing photo-chromics gives you instant authority to talk about the technology as well as first-hand knowledge of the product�s capabilities.

Patients are more likely to act on a doctor�s recommendation. When a doctor�s photochromic recommendation is backed up by the doctor wearing the product, the sale is all but closed.

 �I wear photochromic lenses myself and can tell patients firsthand about my own experiences with the lenses, including realistic usage tips,� says Warren Zimmerman, OD, from Gramercy Park Optical in New York City.

Zimmerman also mentions that a key driver to photochromic lens sales today is consumer advertising, which helps build a potential loyal photochromic user base.

�More patients are coming into the office asking for �those lenses that are light inside and turn dark in the sunlight,�� he says, and adds, �What the patient comes in asking for is almost always what they buy. Once they get photochromic lenses the first time, they usually get them over and over again.�

Success with Teens & Kids

Teens and kids are a segment of the population that stands to benefit from photochromic lens technology the most.

�We do our best selling to patients 18 years of age and younger,� says Micah Mann, optician at Schaffer LaserVision in Birmingham, Ala.

�This group gets the most UV exposure since they�re outside more. We tell our patients that the risk of UV damage to the eyes is cumulative through a lifetime, so protecting eyes from an early age is important,� he adds.

Involving parents in the decision is crucial, as is wrapping the photo-chromic message around eye health. Parents who opt for photochromics for their children often end up purchasing these lenses for themselves in the near future.

As a result, selling photochromics to kids can easily translate to making a second-pair sale to the parent.

�We talk to parents about UV protection and ask details about lifestyle, especially outdoor activities,� Mann says. �Parents purchase on the benefits and value of photochromics; kids just think that lenses that change light to dark in sunlight is cool.�

Selling To Seniors & Boomers

Seniors and baby boomers comprise a significant buying block that is well suited to photochromic lenses for everyday wear.

Baby boomers tend to be fans of technology and are not afraid to try something that will make their lives better. Demonstrate the latest features of photochromic lenses�the rapid change, the clarity, and even the option of use inside the car�and you might just make a new convert.

A tougher convert might be the senior patient. These eyeglass wearers may have tried the technology years ago, but found it wasn�t right for them. Demonstrations will help convince this demographic that the lenses that change really have changed...for the better. Also appeal to this market�s desire and need for healthy living. Seniors may be post-cataract patients or may be on medications that increase their sensitivity to glare and UV.  Photochromic lenses, particularly with AR, are a good option for comfort.

Photochromics are suited to the whole family, so position your sales tactics with this in mind. Image courtesy of Vision-Ease

Comfort and Convenience

Comfort and convenience are consumer hot buttons when it comes to cars, computers, cell phones, and other forms of technology, and photochromic lenses fit into that technology mix. So, in addition to addressing the visual health benefits of photochromics, it pays to specifically touch on wearing comfort as well as the convenience of having lenses that adapt to the wearer�s environment.

Jeffrey Anshel, OD, of Poinsettia Vision Center in Carlsbad, Calif., proactively details the convenience of photochromic technology for his patients.

�I offer several options for sunglasses,� Anshel says,   �but the convenience of not having a separate pair of eyewear or clip-ons appeals to most people.�

Poinsettia Vision Center actively involves patients in the photochromic presentation with lens samples and demonstrations. �We present the concept, have samples that we allow patients to take outside if necessary, and talk up the advantages of photochromic technology,� he says.

By focusing on demographic groups of untapped potential wearers, as well as presenting the variety of appealing product traits, increased photochromic sales can be a quick and easy change. EB