editor’s Letter
Lucky 21
Stephanie K. De Long
How appropriate that The Visionomics Program is offering 21 hours of continuing education in Vegas. Talk about a lucky number. All 21 hours of these business-building courses for optometrists and opticians at International Vision Expo West (October 2 to 5) are dedicated to building revenue and securing the fiscal health of your practice.
PRACTICE PROFITABILITY
Eyecare Business is pleased to be the exclusive media partner for the series, which is sponsored by Luxottica.
All courses on the track address strategies for assessing and maximizing practice profitability. This fall’s top-notch lineup includes: “Should You Charge for A PD or Seg Height,” moderated by Mark Johnson, LDO; “Secrets of High-Grossing Practice,” by Carole Burns, OD; “Detecting and Preventing Theft,” by Richard Kattouf, OD; and “Spectacle Lens Bundling Strategies,” with Robert Davis, OD, and Ann Hoscheit, OD.
SUMMARY STATEMENTS
To support the program in Eyecare Business, we have been featuring excerpts from some of the speakers over the past few months. In this issue’s Visionomics column, Mark Wright, OD, shares tips from his upcoming course, “Presenting Fees and Prices So the Patient Recognizes the Value of the Expense,” on page 40.
One example of the strategies he emphasizes is the importance of summary statements. Says Wright: “Make sure you and patients understand each other correctly. Say things like, ‘So, what I hear you saying is…’”
And, to see what some other speakers have said, check out the column to the left.
For more info on The Visionomics Program and other CE highlights, as well how to register for the meeting, go to visionexpowest.com. And be sure to check out our VEW preview section on page 26.
Steph De Long
Editor-in-Chief
| What They Said… |
|---|
Here’s a quick look at what some of the speakers featured in the Visionomics series have addressed in previous sessions at the International Vision Expo shows: HIGH-END ATTITUDES“A high-end client buys because he wants, not because he needs. If an objection is raised about price, it means you didn’t build up the product value proposition well enough. So go back to it—quickly.” — Valerie Vittu, Margot & Camille NET PROFITABILITY “The Forensic Study philosophy can help you understand net profitability. The difference of how much you pay yourself versus what you would pay another doctor should be classified as profit.” — Jay Binkowitz, GPN Consulting BROWSERS TO BUYERS “Big discounts are going to be the draw, but things like raffles, music, hors d’oeuvres, and wine can push a regular sale event into an extravagant fashion fête that turns browsers into buyers.” — Sylvia Bradby Christian, RO, ABOC, Virginia Eye Institute |
| THE GENERATIONS | |
|---|---|
| Here are some of the differences in the way Gen X and Gen Y think: | |
| GEN X | GEN Y |
| Latch-key | Nurtured |
| Self-reliant | Self-inventive |
| Reject rules | Re-invent rules |
| PC Gen | Net Gen |
| Pragmatic | Optimistic |
–Gary Gerber, OD, The Power Hour |
|
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