In today's world nothing spreads faster than bad news! I cannot tell you how many complaints about doctors we see on our google alerts. It's actually scary, nothing is sacred! Have you ever tried googling your name? It is important to keep tabs on your reputation, good and bad. If you respond, you can turn a negative into a positive and gain new … [Read more...]
Cause Related Marketing (CRM) is a very powerful tool in business and in which increasingly more companies and non- profits are leveraging . Not only that, studies have been conducted to show that cause related marketing has helped to increase a company's profits. Cause Related marketing is growing and the projections are $1.55 Billion on cause … [Read more...]
One of my favorite sites is About. If you are looking for retail information, they have everything! One of the great tools they offer is a retail Mark-Down Calculator , a handy, simple online calculator which you can use to determine your profit and loss of mark-down items. I am a true believer in marking down items instead of returning. Why … [Read more...]
'Learn the magic of creating traffic stopping stores, stores that help create compelling and distinctive experiences for the customer. Like the experience of entering a store and be surrounded by light, color, texture, and sound, and be transported to a different place. Learn to create interactive sales rooms (not showrooms) to engage the customer … [Read more...]
Total Net Sales ÷ Square Feet of Selling Space = Sales per Square Foot of Selling Space You are renting a 1000 square foot space for $5.00 a square foot or $5,000 a month in rent. In addition, you have utilities, insurance, maintenance, cleaning, taxes, water not to mention stock and employees. Your sales are $300,000 per year which makes your … [Read more...]
Probably one of the most frustrating and irritating things about running your own business is inventory control. How much do you carry, how do you organize, what to buy, what do the customers want and the most important how to sell and turn merchandise? After years of teaching inventory management the number #1 thing you must remember about your … [Read more...]
Question #2 from one of our Subscribers: How do other owners handle the issue of professional or neighboring business discounts? I've been told that I am too generous with my discounts to neighboring stores by my family and friends and then when i purchase something from their stores I am charged regular price !!! What is the proper … [Read more...]
Do you focus on getting and tracking appointments? Having a full appointment book should guarantee a measure of success and profitability in an office. It also helps determine your break even point, i.e. having 50 appointments a month to pays the bills. The crucial question- is appointment setting shared with all staff? If is isn't you might … [Read more...]
Making yourself different from the competition is all about managing customers expectations and giving them not only what they expect and a little extra. At one time you would have gone to Starbucks because they offer free WiFi. Now even the smallest diners or cafe's offer Free WiFi. Before you embark on your 'Standing out From The Competition' … [Read more...]
Are You Booked all day with eye exams or vision appointments? Do you and your staff focus on getting vision appointments? Having appointments means you have patients coming in the door, very important for profitability. Potential Income: (Example) Working 5 days a week and a total of 8 Vision Appointments/day = 40 Charge $100 an … [Read more...]
I pulled out this old information I had on Customer Complaints. (Optical patients) This is old information came from TARP Worldwide I would probably say it is still true today, except unhappy customers (optical patients) now go on the internet and tell 1,000's of people. TARP Worldwide is a customer experience agency. For more than 35 years, … [Read more...]
Last year, a major research company conducted a consumer survey on eyeglasses and contact lenses and I would like to share some of the more interesting highlights with you and suggestions on the opportunities these finding offer to optical retailers. There are some new demographic segments that you might like to know about also as these terms … [Read more...]
After hearing from optical retailers and optical suppliers how much the Internet has effected their business, I thought I would do an article on what motivates the consumer to purchase on line. Should you be offering this services as well? After reviewing many optical websites- very few offer this service. You can set an appointment, find out … [Read more...]
I just returned from a vacation in Thailand which is a great place to visit. I already knew Thailand was famous for good deals on items like silk clothing, purses and jewelry but did not know that Europeans shop in Thailand for eyeglasses as well. As I strolled along the high street in Kata Noi, Phuket I noticed that optical stores were as … [Read more...]
Recently I was speaking with an optometrist, who for the first time mentioned the Internet was becoming competition. Lucky for him, it just started to hit him, wherein 10 years ago, I remember losing our first customer (optical retailer) because our products were on Ebay. Eye Bogglers 14,079 Eyeglass items were listed on Ebay- 68,247 … [Read more...]
Recent Comments