Selling Strategies

ECPs share their lens-selling challenges and the solutions they've found

By Karlen McLean, ABOC, NCLC

A top concern throughout the optical industry, one shared by manufacturers, wholesale labs, and ECPs, is what really works when explaining lens information to patients so that they know four key things:

• Why buy?
• How much is too much?
• What is too little?
• And, what exactly are the hot buttons?

“How do we communicate to patients with enough information—the sum of the product's features and benefits—so they can make the choice?” asked Nathan Troxell, marketing manager, optical materials, PPG Industries, at a recent optical industry event.

Selling lenses isn't just about the lenses. It's about eyewear—that is, frames and lenses as a whole—and the benefits that eyewear gives to each individual patient, starting with lenses first. While your top sales message may be on lenses, an all-encompassing sales and marketing approach is often the most successful.

Here, we feature some of the challenges you've told us about, as well as the strategies and solutions some of your ECP colleagues report work best.

Present the sum of lens' features and benefits in an allencompassing approach. Photo courtesy of Transitions Optical, Inc.

PROBLEM: TOO MANY PRODUCT OFFERINGS

SOLUTIONS: If your inventory gets out of hand and controls you rather than you controlling it, then it's time to do some serious culling of your offerings. This may mean trimming how many vendors and products you carry. It may also mean limiting lens designs and materials.

The key? Keep it simple, because the simpler your product offerings, the simpler it is to train staff—and the easier it is to explain to patients. This is as true for those who utilize a wholesale lab for their work as for ECPs who have their own in-office lab.

“We go narrow and deep,” explains D. Penn Moody, OD, of Moody Eyes in Indianapolis, Ind., who does in-office finishing. “We only carry one kind of lens: poly with hard coating and premium AR, and we have from +4.00 to −8.00D up to −1.50 cyl. This saves storage space, simplifies the sales process, and we can make glasses ‘while you wait’ if necessary.”

Your in-office laboratory can blend with a wholesale lab, which does work outside of the in-office lab's capabilities and can act as a specialty service provider.

PROBLEM: NO TIME TO EDUCATE PATIENTS

SOLUTIONS: Use high-tech tools to capture and hold patients' attention, and place media units strategically (and perhaps unexpectedly) to garner attention in the office.

“We utilize educational vignettes played on large flat-screen TVs in the main reception area and the exam lanes,” says David H. Hettler, OD, of Drs. May, Hettler & Associates Doctors of Optometry, in Alexandria, Va. “Patients who choose to watch the presentations get a solid introduction to advanced progressive lenses.”

Low tech also works as an effective lens sales tool, Hettler adds. “Simple brochures have been utilized at times, particularly with those patients who want to shop around so that they have a reference to the product we're offering them. A few of our opticians may utilize the brochures in their presentation as well.”

Be more eye-catching by frequently rotating inventory and changing displays. (Clockwise l to r) images courtesy of Ice-Tech, Seiko Optical Products of America, and Corning Ophthalmic

PROBLEM: LOW VISIBILITY LOCATION

SOLUTIONS: When your location is in a challenging area and may not have high visibility, it's time to be extra-presentable.

“We're located in a medical building with patients moving back-and-forth for other appointments,” explains Dianna Finisecy, president of Wagner Opticians in Washington, D.C. “When they stop on their way through the building, they want to know we have new items, so it's very important that we rotate our inventory, change our displays, and even just move things around so we always look fresh.”

It's when you have the most visibility challenges that you have to be on top of displays by making them an action item. Think people don't notice? They do!

“Changing the posters in the window motivates customers to walk in,” says Finisecy. “We just need to make sure we have the frames and lenses pictured in the posters in stock. This seems so basic, but when you don't, you can miss the impulse buy.”

Offer tiered premium lens choices for the most efficiency. Image courtesy of Carl Zeiss Vision

PROBLEM: SOUNDING TOO SCRIPTED

SOLUTIONS: In order to keep recommendations real, and sales sincere, it's important to allow welltrained staff some leeway to act on their own, stresses Kevin Loughlin, RDO of InStyle Optical in Worchester, Mass.

“Management trusts us to guide patients through all the lenses and options available and to help patients make the best selection to address both their needs and budget,” he explains. “We also have the latitude to make our presentations in a manner that's comfortable to the optician as opposed to utilizing a companywide script.”

PROBLEM: PRICING PREDICAMENTS

SOLUTIONS: One option is to offer tiered lens choices within the premium category. Another is to control as much of the process as you can.

Cesarina Hanson, optician-owner of Bling Eyewear in Cranston, R.I., explains how she handles it. “We promote premium, high-tech lens products with three categories in our arsenal: Premium Design Lenses (digital free-form); Traditional Design Lenses; and Economy Package Lenses.”

Bling Eyewear also uses a threepoint presentation—discussion, questionnaire, and tools—explains Hanson. “We interview patients to determine their lifestyle and visual needs and use tools provided by a major lens manufacturer, such as an iPad with an ‘Eyeglass Guide.’ Patients participate in a questionnaire, and suggestions are made [based] on their answers. Also, videos are provided to corresponding answers.” One result? “Our sales in photochromic multi-pairs have risen since this application has been introduced; it has made our selling techniques more efficient.”

Another way to address the issue of pricing is to take control of as much of the process as you can.

InStyle Optical's Loughlin explains how the practice has decided to handle it. “We have our own digital surfacing lab,” he says. The result? “We're able to deliver digital lenses efficiently and at a near-standard lens price.” EB