Lens Brand Power: Get it, Work it, Keep it going Strong

WINNING PRACTICES MAKE LENSES A KEY PART OF THE SUCCESS EQUATION. EXAMINE HOW LENS BRANDS CAN HELP YOU GROW

By Karlen McLean, ABOC, NCLC

Brands get consumer attention and loyalty, the two things ECPs need to do today to keep and build a reliable patient base. While frame and sunwear brands are well-known, lens brands are less so. But that's been changing. Lens manufacturers are branding their lenses (not just private label lenses) and making a case to the public and ECPs on the importance of aligning themselves with appropriate brands for their lifestyle/eye style, practice personality, and demographics.

Here are lens branding and practice branding pointers from many optically immersed experts to help your practice take advantage of lens branding tools and take action on making lens branding a profitable part of your business.

Brand Bullets

What is Branding, Really?

We asked, what defines a brand?

Experts replied:

Trust, ability, consistency: “A brand means many things: Trust, ability, and consistency,” says Matt Lytle, vice president of marketing for Shamir Insight. “Trust in the company or product, ability of the company or product it can deliver, and consistency in the characteristics of the product or message.”

Recognition, reputation: “Brands have two primary values: recognition and reputation,” Jeff Hopkins, senior manager, customer communications for Carl Zeiss Vision, says. “Product branding is a challenge with eyeglass lenses because they're generally distinguished by their performance rather than by their appearance.”

Branding in a Down Economy

Is brand-name all hype? Are consumers wary of brands, thinking brand-names mean a bigger price tag, especially in today's economy? What are the benefits of branding now?

Payment based on trust: “People might pay more for a product when they trust the supplier or person they're dealing with. People tell us that,” adds Robert Lee, sales administration, Younger Optics. “Because of that, we run ads that have no lifestyle shots, just a technical message on a trusted lens.”

Ramped-up customer service: “In these tough economic times, all companies including ECPs should go back to basics by offering outstanding customer service,” says Rich Montag, vice president of sales and marketing for HOYA Vision Care North America.

Align with strong brands: “In tough economic times, building a strong brand relationship is even more important,” says Greg Marko, director, North American marketing for Transitions Optical. “An easy and cost-effective step to take is alignment with already strong brands that share your brand's value.”

Easy Brand Deployment

OK, so how can ECPs easily adapt, revamp, or bear down on branding for their practices?

Differentiate and conquer: “Use a brand to set yourself apart from other practices and mass merchandisers,” says Craig Fahan, marketing communications manager for Seiko Optical Products of America. “Brands give consumers a point of reference. Brands convey value, build loyalty, and instill trust.”

Take a stand: “Decide what you stand for and be sure every day you strive to emulate that persona to define your brand,” explains Howard Purcell, OD, vice president of customer development of Essilor of America. “Once your plan is in place use mystery shoppers to test your systems and see if the execution is consistent with the plan.”

Leader or follower: “If you're at the point where you've identified a need to start defending your brand and what it represents, you've done an outstanding job because others have taken note and are trying to follow,” observes Barry Resnick, director of marketing for Vision-Ease Lens. “The key and challenge, in any industry, is effectively building a brand.”

Authenticity

Authenticity is an essential part of brand integrity. Take a tip from lens companies that aggressively defend their brands so you can also be equipped to defend and differentiate yours.

Tangibles:

Certificates of authenticity: Many lens manufacturers feature certificates of authenticity as part of the lens delivery package. This ensures ECPs and their patients that they are getting certified, authentic lens products. Several lens manufacturers ramp-up their programs to include patient registration—typically on a dedicated website—and ECP and patient rewards. This can also allow manufacturers to send communications directly to registrants.

Practice certification: Include your own practice's customized certificate of authenticity along with the manufacturer's at eyewear dispensing. Your certificate can define warranty information to help increase patient compliance, define what differentiates your practice in product and service, and encourage patient registration to better enable you to stay in touch with patients for special offers and and customized communications, helping to increase sales.

Etching: Some customized lenses can be personalized with micro-etching of the patient's name or initials, an innovative way of making advanced personalization of the lenses tangible to patients.

Practice-customized etching: While a practice may not be able to afford an etching/engraving device or want to risk compromising lens manufacturer warranties by etching lenses, an effective customized approach may be to include an engraved invitation to re-visit the practice with a note handwritten and addressed, expressing the practice's pleasure in serving the patient and extending an offer specifically tailored to the patient's lifestyle/eye style needs in the near future. Handwritten communications on fine paper get attention, position the practice in a classy and caring light, and addressing the patient's eye needs, defined at their initial visit, is a highly personalized approach. All of which can help ramp-up loyalty and sales.

Intangibles:

Engaging customers: Talk with patients about what you recommend and why. Demonstrate true caring for each individual; that in itself is a differentiation point. Define how you're different and be able to convey that in 30 seconds. Offer no less than world-class service and attention to detail.

Loyalty programs: Piggyback lens programs, institute your own practice programs (many are defined in this article), and present eyewear in a way that's consistent with your brand and the eyewear's value. For example, an elegant shopping bag that contains all eyewear supplies and handouts including perks like candy, a small candle, or other standout items.