Our feature on Made-in-America eyewear spotlights how popular local products have become. The average American consumer is willing to pay up to 60% more for U.S.-made products, according to Boston Consulting Group’s Center for Consumer and Customer Insight.

Here are some hands-on strategies for maximizing that home-grown appeal and turning it into revenue.

Tell a story: Paint a picture of the Made-in-America story behind the product. Tell patients/shoppers about the factory town where it’s made and the domestic workers it employs, for example, to elevate the sale from merely transactional into a feel-good purchase. “The key to marketing and selling anything is knowing and conveying its backstory,” says Dr. Michael Hoyt, owner of Artisan Eyeworks in Ashland, OR.

Compare + Contrast: Present patients with a handmade U.S. frame and a factory frame made overseas for the same price and let them decide which they prefer.

Invest in ECP Education: Take your staff on a tour of an American eyewear factory, an eye-opening expedition/education tool for ECPs. If that’s cost prohibitive, set up a virtual tour.

Deliver Dynamic Displays: Create compelling Made-in-America displays in your optical shops. Highlight brands’ distinct “Made in America” message and aesthetic sensibility via brand plaques, counter cards, and logo blocks.

Tap Video: Spotlight content that ties MIA eyewear into the larger trend, consumer appetite for U.S.-made goods—from videos showcasing MIA frames in documentaries and pop culture, to suppliers’ TV spots.

(photo by David Castillo Dominici @ freedigitalphotos.net)