Profiting From Photochromics
By Karlen McLean, ABOC, NCLC
Photochromic lenses offer convenience, improved quality of vision, and cosmetic appeal. This product also has a tech angle to tempt wearers of all ages. But how you recommend photochromics depends on more than showing off the bells and whistles. Understand your patients' lifestyle needs and you'll likely score a repeat customer.
"We're fitting a mix of customers in photochromics, but most are beginning presbyopes in PALs," notes Edward Hanford, LDO, at Cohen's Fashion Optical in Boca Raton, Fla. "We do some single-vision photochromics in multiple pairs. Convenience and comfort drive our photochromic sales."
CREATING WOW
Wearing your own set of photochromics creatively is a sure way to get noticed and gain new business.
| The variety of lens availability in photochromic technology is booming, and so can your sales if you apply these dispensing techniques |
Understanding how patients utilize their eyewear helps to ensure an ideal dispensing plan ranging from single-vision and sunglasses to polarized photochromics. Image courtesy of Transitions Optical
Going from outdoors to indoors or staying outside, photochromics come in handy. Images from Corning (top) and Vision-Ease
"I wear my photochromics with silver or blue mirrors," Hanford says. "People like the look and even stop me on the street or the beach and ask about them. I always carry business cards with me to hand out."
Norman Herskovich, OD, in private practice in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., enjoys recommending photochromics to first-time wearers.
"We like to emphasize the 'wow' factor of photochromics," he explains. "First-time photochromic wearers are always impressed, and their positive enthusiasm for the product even generates referrals."
Customized lifestyle approaches help to ramp up photochromic sales at Eyetique in Pittsburgh.
"If a client is brand loyal to photochromics, the sale is typically a no brainer," says vice president and COO Brad Childs. "We like to sell photochromics to those clients interested in fitting different lifestyles."
Taking the time to build relationships and learn about your patients' specific lifestyle needs can translate into multiple photochromic sales.
"If a client plays golf, we get him talking about golf and take it from there—ultimately spinning it into a photochromic sale," Childs says. "We don't sell one pair of eyewear, we sell five. At least one of those is bound to be a photochromic."
| Calculations: Photochromic Numbers |
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| Computing standard lens sales versus photochromic lens sales helps you realize practice potential and make photochromic profits a reality. This simple system calculates the profit from clear lenses as compared to photochromic lenses. Refer to your price sheet for the numbers. DIVIDE: Break down prices in pairs for single-vision, bifocal, progressive clear lenses, and photochromic lenses. Then, take it one step further by breaking down prices in pairs for single-vision, bifocal, and progressive clear lenses with AR and photochromic lenses with AR. SUBTRACT: Compute the difference between the clear lens options and photochromic and photochromic AR options. For example, if you sell a pair of clear polycarbonate single vision lenses for $139 and pair of photochromic polycarbonate single-vision lenses for $195, the difference is $56. MULTIPLY: Comparing those differences, see how much the practice could make by converting just one clear lens wearer a day to photochromic lenses. Multiply that by the working days in one month. Using 5 working days a week times 4 weeks equals 20 days. FORMULA AT WORK Using the figures above: $56=difference between between clear and photochromic polycarbonate single-vision lenses. $56 x 20 working days a month= $1,120 in monthly profits from selling only one pair of SV poly photochromic lenses a day vs. a clear pair. |
| Polarized Punch |
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| Photochromic benefits can be positioned many ways. ■ Polarized photochromics make everyday photochromic lenses into sunlenses. Two photochromic sales are possible: for general wear and sunwear. ■ Task-specific photochromics offer specialized performance for driving and sports. ■ Photochromic colors for indoors and out give patients fashionable choices to match frames and skin tones, as well as functional lifestyle options for better visual performance. ■ Photochromic lenses with AR help to reduce distracting, discomforting, and even disabling glare. In addition, polarized photochromic lenses reduce blinding or reflected glare from reflective or polarized light. ■ Photochromic availability is broad and deep to satisfy almost every patient's visual requirements. Photochromic lenses come in glass, standard plastic, polycarbonate, Trivex, mid-index, and high-index materials, and in a multitude of lens designs including single-vision, bifocal, and PALs. |
| Photochromics: Pros & Cons |
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| Pros ■ Protection. Better visual health through UV protection, plus better visual quality of life for those with various vision-related medical conditions such as photophobia. ■ Technology. Photochromics appeal to both those who are tech lovers and those who need tech in their days of moving indoors-to-outdoors frequently. ■ Mix & match. A sunlens option is a complement to general-use photochromics. Cons ■ Cost. Some patients can't or don't want to afford photochromics. ECPs may be hesitant to offer photochromics due to price. Stress photochromic benefits to explain the cost. ■ Activation. Many photochromics are UV activated and don't darken behind a car windshield. ■ Weather. Some wearers may feel that photochromics get dark in cold weather then don't activate back to clear quickly enough. |
Stressing the importance of eye health and visual welfare can also be a key driver for the photochromic message, says Bennett Romanoff, MD, in private practice in Sylvania, Ohio. Around 65 percent of Romanoff's patients are geriatric, and over 80 percent of them wear photochromic with AR.
"I'm a firm believer in protection from UV," Romanoff says. "Our focus is on protecting the patient. I take time to educate patients on the relationship of UV and eye health."
MARKETING THE MESSAGE
Generating interest in photochromics means breaking out your best sales tactics. While Cohen's Fashion Optical offers discounts and runs newspaper ads with coupons, Eyetique takes a different approach and offers multiple-pair incentives.
Turning photochromics into a practice specialty can also pay off.
Effective photochromics and UV protection messages have generated word-of-mouth referrals for Romanoff. Now, potential patients call his practice to make an appointment with "the UV doctor."
Having staffers on the bandwagon keeps the marketing message strong. Wearing photochromic lenses at the office sparks patients' interest. The team also reinforces recommendations that are made in the chair with photochromic conversation openers.
At check in: "I see you don't have photochromic lenses."
In the dispensary: "I see you're getting photochromic lenses. That's a good choice."
Technology can be used to make your marketing techniques cutting-edge and appealing to patients. Herskovich recently installed a 42" LCD video demonstration system in the practice's reception area, and plans to expand it into the dispensary and exam rooms.
To accentuate his lens message, Romanoff has developed a comprehensive UV and photochromic plan, including on-hold messages, a waiting room DVD, website information, and articles authored by the doctor.
The practice also consistently uses a lifestyle questionnaire to customize the best frame and lens selection for new and longstanding patients.
PHOTOCHROMICS FOR EVERYONE
While it's easy to think of photochromics as eyewear for people who spend a lot of time outdoors, they are perhaps even more convenient for wearers who spend only part of their day outside.
"Many of my patients are outdoors for only short periods of time," Herskovich observes. "Such as going to and from their cars during normal daily routines. It's both difficult and frustrating for these people to switch eyewear for the limited amount of time they spend outdoors. Photochromic lenses are perfect for this kind of activity."
And don't forget to discuss polarization. You may land a second-pair sale. Polarized photochromics for outdoor use nicely complement a pair of daily wear photochromics.
Today's photochromics get sunglass dark. Shown: InstaShade lenses from Signet-Armorlite
"We sell only polarized sunlenses," Romanoff says. "Photochromics with AR and polarization protect from both UV and glare. This combination offers the whole package." EB
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