The beginning of a new year is accompanied with an opportunity to set forth new resolutions to make the year ahead better than the last.

It is also a time to reflect on last year and take note of the things that did not serve you or your business in a positive way. 

For 2024, the EB Optical Checklist is getting a fresh, new format, dividing the year ahead into quarterly to-dos that will focus on creating momentum, growing overall profitability, improving employee morale, and increasing your business’s visibility—leading to a successful year in the exam chair and in the optical. For the first quarter of the year, we will focus on setting up tools and procedures that will increase your business’s profitability.

TRENDING VIDEO ➤ JOIN SHEENA ON SOCIAL.

The #EBOpticalChecklist is breaking out of each issue with a digital episode to our social channels. Join optical pro Sheena Taff as she applies these checklist items to real-world scenarios. Watch on EB’s Instagram (@eyecarebusinessmagazine) and TikTok (@eb_mag).

 

 

 

1. Data is an increasingly valuable business asset.

Streamlining your operations and improving customer offerings begin with taking a more strategic approach to learning your internal data. Start simple: Review your profits/losses by category for 2023. Begin generally with products and services. What does that mix look like? Then break the general categories down further into types of products (contact lenses, prescription lenses, plano sunglasses, dry eye treatments such as intense pulsed light and radio frequency, etc.)

2. Send out emails requesting year-end reports from frame, lens, and contact lens reps.

Then schedule vendor appointments to review last year’s performance. Review the data to see what products best performed last year and ask for suggestions or opportunities for growth for 2024.

3. Pull an inventory report and review the percentage of sales that each brand accounts for.

Look at which brands have been slow movers. Identify if the slow sales are due to staff interests/training, location in the dispensary, and/or a poor fit for your clientele.

4. Set up a system for board management.

Each week, pull an inventory report of sales and reorder frames sold that haven’t been in stock for more than six months. Reordering frames you have sold every week or two will ensure you can repeat top sellers again and again. 

5. Create a plan to increase your offerings.

Adding telemedicine or virtual consultations is free and will set you apart. This can help break down barriers to entry and extend your geographic patient base by offering introductory consultations. A face-to-face suggestion to make an in-person appointment is more impactful.

6. Add delivery options to your website and Google listing.

Curbside pickup, Uber/Lyft delivery, and mailing options provide convenience for busy clients.

7. Create a social media goal list for 2024.

Items to consider for the new year include a post-versus-video ratio or a goal number of posts per week. Allocate a social media “captain” on your team and define their social job duties and deadlines.

8. Set up a social planning program such as Planoly or Later.

Add important dates for your business, such as anniversaries or birthdays. Add sales and holidays to ensure they don’t sneak up on you.

9. Expand business ads and commerce on social media.

Establish an advertising budget for the first quarter of the year and allocate funds for social media ads. It can be a few hundred or a few thousand dollars. Doing this early in the year will show the return on investment and give you more confidence and spending power in the remaining three-quarters of the year.

10. Explore e-commerce.

If you do not currently offer online sales, you are missing out. Research if a small do-it-yourself setup of “top sellers or favorite frames” through Shopify or Squarespace works for your business or price out hiring a company to do it all for you. Remember, starting small is better than not starting at all!