The Optical Vision Site

The 7 P’s Of Marketing For Eyecare Professionals

Eyecare Technology Helps In Getting Your Message Across: Photo:EyeStarTV

The 7Ps: People, Product, Price, Promotion, Place, Packaging and Positioning are the fundamental elements for successful marketing. The dynamics of these seven elements are constantly changing in marketing eye-care practices. Hence, in order to sustain optimal results for marketing efforts, eye-care practices must continually evaluate evolving market trends and adopt new strategies.

People

Providing eye-care is fundamentally a people business. Patients evaluate their satisfaction level not only based on the quality of treatments and products, but also on perceptions, communication and personal interactions with the eye-care provider. However, in the fast pace environment of eye-care practices, it is not easy to maintain the level of communication and interaction desired by both patients and practitioners.

Products

In today’s competitive eye-care market, it is imperative to present the correct products and services with values that meet or exceed the needs and expectations of the customer. With countless options on the market, how can you inform your patients about the right ones?

Price

In any given market, price is a function of value, competition and affordability. Leaving room for flexible pricing is essential for a successful marketing strategy. In the eye-care industry, effective marketing of elective and cosmetic procedures and products is crucial to boosting the revenue of a practice. Customers are especially responsive to price adjustments on these procedures and products but often lack a systematic way to receive the information.

Promotion

Promotional strategies are imperative in effectively presenting the benefits of products and services and answering to the needs and expectations of customers. In the eye-care industry, patients have higher and more specific expectations than average retail customers. They pay attention to factors such as training and experiences of the eye-care practitioner, latest treatment technologies and newest eye-care products.

Place

The location of promotion must be relevant and accessible to the target customers. A change in where promotion takes place can have a profound impact on the customer’s decision to purchase.  When it comes to promoting your eye-care practice and the services and products that it offers, there is no better place to do it than at the practice itself, where patients consider their eye-care options and make purchasing decisions.

Packaging

Thoughtfully designed packaging captures customers’ attention and sets you apart from competitors.  In the eye-care industry, packaging is how patients perceive your practice and the products and services that it offers as they walk through your doors. With EyeStar TV, you can get rid of clutters of old magazines and brochures and impress your patients at first sight with the newest and the best in marketing techniques. EyeStarTV allows you to convey more relevant information to your patients while creating an efficient, progressive image for your practice.

Positioning

Positioning is a question of how to establish a name in the minds of existing and potential customers. In other words, why should the customer choose you? Customers from different backgrounds, age groups and income levels have different needs and desires. As a result, they respond differently to various marketing strategies. Through customized video programs,

Final Thoughts

To stay competitive in today’s ever-changing market, you need to be innovative and effective in marketing your practice. Ask these questions as you develop your marketing strategies: Who is the audience? What messages are to be conveyed?  What kind of impression is to be made? And finally, what is the ultimate goal of these strategies?

Submitted by Paul Salsberg of EyeStar TV ; eyeStarTV is a comprehensive digital turnkey signage system developed by eye-care practitioners, skilled IT experts and marketing professionals with over 15 years of experience.

Optical Patient Testimonials – Run Over By a Pickup Truck and Lived to Tell

Testimonials are great marketing tools and it is a good idea to have optical patient testimonials from your own optical practice. You can also  supplement these with real testimonials from your optical vendors particularly when you are talking to your optical patients about different lens materials and lens treatments.

One of my favorite lens materials is Trivex as it combines so many different benefits. I looked onthe PPG Trivex website and found testimonials. I particularly like the one below:

Photo by Taylour Stephens

Run Over By a Pickup Truck and Lived to Tell

“When our office manager got her glasses made with Trivex material – her first drill mount – they were so light she forgot she had them on. One night on the way home from her son’s graduation she put them on her lap and took a nap and when she awoke she got out of the truck and went into the house. The next day she found her glasses on the driveway. They had been run over by the truck when her husband left for work. The frames were completely flattened and the screw that attaches the temple to one of the lenses was broken off. Other than a few marks from the black top the lenses were intact. Instead of putting the lenses in new frames we kept the glasses as they were found to show our patients how durable lenses made with Trivex material are.”

“Trivex material seems to take the prescription better than polycarbonate when we are surfacing it. It’s so much nicer to drill. The patients are very pleased with the vision because they don’t have the distortion that you sometime have with polycarbonate.”

— Judy Gyton, lab manager, Gardner Optical, Franklin, Pennsylvania

A Little Extra Plastic for Premium Eyeglass Lenses

The premium eyeglass lens companies made a smart move when they introduced the personalized plastic cards that accompany the optical patient’s premium lens purchase. Not only does it make the customer feel better about the product but the added Rx information makes it a very useful item for the optical patient. This way they have a record of not just their Rx but the lens name and design. After all the optical consumer is coming up with a little extra plastic themselves (if they are paying by credit card) and the guarantee card along with their lens purchase is reassuring.

The cards shown here are from Hoya Lens, Kodak Unique Lens and Shamir’s Autograph.

Anything you can do to help the optical customer feel reassured about their eyewear decisions and purchases is good. This industry still has a long way to go as far as consumers perceived value of eyewear as they have been conditioned to think it is expensive. I personally send my eyewear to West Coast Lens in Yorba Linda, California and when it comes back to me wrapped in tissue and silver cord, it makes me feel good. I know the work will be good too because of the care that has been taken in the presentation.

A little extra plastic and presentation goes a long way when it comes to perceived value.

Dad’s Don’t Want Ties! Get Dad Eyewear for Father’s Day

Classique Oliviero Contini POP

A lot of unwanted ties will be bought between now and June 2oth (Father’s Day) and most of them will be left in the gift box or the dresser drawer. Better to get Dad something he really needs and will wear like new eyewear! Two billion (yes billion) dollars will be spent on Father’s Day gifts this year  and the optical industry should be getting a bigger share. Consumers are looking for guilt free gifts because of the Big Recession and eyewear is the perfect guilt free gift for the modern father. Dad’s don’t want ties!

Now is the time to put out some good looking point of sale with Men’s Eyewear, like this example from Classique featuring the Oliviero Contini collection, and a strategically placed sign or two with “FATHER’S DAY GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE!” You gotta put out the bait to catch the fish!

Happy Costa Del Mar Customer

Polarized sports performance sunglasses are always good, especially for Dad’s that like fishing like this guy from the Costa Del Mar Scrap Book. Big fish!

Modern Fathers – Influence Children’s Eyecare

I was recently in the U.K. visiting family and remembering why I left the U.K. for Southern California all those years ago, the incessant rain! While I was there I read an interesting article in the U.K. Times Magazine about how British fathers have changed. It got me to thinking about how the changing role of fathers affects everything else and of course the optical industry.

We still think of the mother being the most important decision maker for the family especially about health related products and services such as eyecare, eyewear and eye exams.

As the article points out “Men are so much more involved than ever before. Modern dads are different. The modern father’s life includes more time with his children than previous generations. There has been a widening of the definition of masculinity to encompass nurturing – if you ask fathers what they value about what they do, they still rate being the breadwinner, but caring for the children will be very highly scored.”

Understanding that modern fathers are more involved  with the health care of their children including eyecare is important. It is also an opportunity as far as marketing optical services to this growing category.

Great Eyeglasses Elvis!

This picture of Elvis Presley, wearing a wonderful pair of double bridge eyeglasses, and daughter Lisa Marie was in the original article. Best Image Optical and Tura’s Goldfinch Collection are  good sources for Men’s Vintage eyewear 50′s and 60′s era if you are interested in marketing to men and differentiating yourself from the everyday male look.

Source: Fatherhood Institute and The Times Magazine (U.K.)

Comments – Optical Readers and Multiple Eyewear Sales

Hilco Readers Display

The Optical Vision Site readers often make very good comments on some of posts but as we publish three articles a day, the comments tend to get buried.  Therefore, we thought it would be good to re-post a few comments that our optical blog readers have made.

Today we are highlighting comments about optical readers and multiple eyewear sales:

1. Robert Rettberg

In your article “eyecare profitability” you stated that “letting them purchase their readers from the drug store”. Have you been in drug store lately? They sell readers, contact lens solutions, cases, cords and all sorts of accessories. Make more sense to have a very nice small display of readers to choose from at $29.95. It is poor retailing to send someone out of your store for something you could easily carry and make a good profit on. Look at all the large and successful chain retailers, the ALL carry readers.

Rons Optical - Eye Candy

2. Jonathan Julian

Everyone is concerned about price! What we opticians must do is sell value! What price is good vision, good vision at night, good vision driving, etc.? What price is comfort with good vision-light weight eyewear, strength? What price is dispenser competence, that professional who knows how to resolve issues and competently adjust eyewear?
It is this competence that puts the value in the price of eyewear. It is the integrity and competency that puts the value in price be it retail at $33.00 or $4500.00 a unit. Perceived value always determines price . . . not always on the first try.

I like what Marsha has to say about assumptions on what people will spend and where!

3. Marsha Humphreys

You are so right! I have a little customer who is 70+ and she comes in every few months to check our our newest sunglasses. Her husband bought her a little rolling suitcase for her eyeglasses when they travel! She has at least 75 pair! Some w/reading, some plano. Price range is at $350 – $1150. In South Dakota no less! Who says we don’t know fashion in South Dakota!

Pictures: Ron’s Optical and Hilco

Road Warriors- Opportunities For Eyecare Professionals

Road Warriors

Road Warriors are people that basically spend their time travelling on the road, whether in a car, a train or airplanes. Both Shirley and I are experienced road warriors. As glamorous as it may sound to many people, it is a hard life. You are never home, and when you do come home, you spend your time, cleaning, shopping, unpacking, re-packing, picking up email, paying bills all in a little space of time, like 2 days. The only advantage is true road warriors are not effected by Jet Lag, because they many times are on so many time zones the body never knows whether it’s coming or going.

As a road warrior, I am always packed. I have doubles of everything to make life much easier. What we  warriors buy that you can promote and sell: 2nd pair of  eyeglasses and sunglasses, cleaning cloths, eyeglass repair kits, small magnifing glasses, eyeglass retainers, flashlight, extra contact lenses and cases. I will also tell you, I have much of the below products in my car as well and I don’t even drive that much!

How To Promote

Get a clear plastic picture frame and put up a sign ROAD WARRIOR SPECIAL’ and group some of above in a little area. Should only take up about a 12×12 inch section.

Where To Get

• Amcom: Cleaning Cloths, Retainers, reading glasses, magnifiers, FlipUps, screwdriver kits, contact lens cases
• Hilco- Lens cloths, readers, cleaners, eyeglass retainers, screwdrivers, magnifiers, sunclips
• Nanofilm- AntiFog lens cleaners which are great for cleaning computer screens as well.
• Rons Optical- Contact Lens cases, magnifiers, eyeglass holders, repair kits
• Live Eyewear- Over RX eyewear, Cocoons -great to take along as an extra pair of sunglasses.
• Jonathan Paul- Fitovers and duality eyewear, great for sunglasses
• SwitchVision- Interchangeable lenses, is one pair of glasses with many types of lenses, so the wearer is always prepared for any weather conditions.

For those who are are going on a trip the below is a list of recommendations from Travel Experts:

1. Extra medications in case your flight is delayed (Medications must be in original bottles, not replacement bottles or plastic zipper bags.) For Carry on.
2. A list of your medications,
3. Travel-size toiletries in 7.5″ x 8″ plastic zipper bag (3-ounce bottles or smaller) for carry on.
4. Travel clothesline- I carry dental floss and clothes pins not the clothesline, extra long shoestrings work just a well.
5. Partial roll of toilet paper- a definite must for those times you may be sitting on the tarmac for hours. ( I take 2-3 depending on how long I will be gone and what country)
6. Travel-pack tissues- I actually carry handi-wipes which is what they use for babies, no tissues, TP works just as well.
7. Two band-aids- I carry more than that!
8. Hand Sanitizer- I take on vacations only.
9. Tiny mints and/or gum for in-flight dragon breath- Altoids are the best! And I carry on toothbrush and toothpaste.
10. Change of underwear- I always carry on no matter how long I am gone, so not an issue.
11. Electrical adapter(s) all adaptors or electrical stuff you may need for ipods, cellphone and laptops, cameras. hearing aids.
12. Curling iron if you use one (Tell inspectors about it.)- forget that, don’t curl your hair!
13. Small pad for notes, pens, pencils, paper clips, rubber bands – are in my rolling desk.
14. Business cards or address labels.
15. Copy of your eyeglasses or contact lens prescription, passport, travel info and copy of credit cards (hidden away in luggage. I have been ripped off before and to have all this information has saved me major headaches. I could write a book on this alone! You should have been there in my last adventure- Peruvian Standoff in Tujillo, Peru, with me, the police, the taxi-driver, the D.A. the neighbors and the bandits holed up in a house and nobody spoke English!
16. Eyeglass repair kit (The kind with the mini screwdriver and screws.)
17. Extra batteries if you wear a hearing aid
18. Small roll of plastic tape to repair a ripped luggage- I have a 1/2 roll of duct tape, you can’t miss, but only when I am going out of the country.
19. Large plastic zipper bags, and reusable bags are great as well.
20. Safety pins – always have.
21. Plastic magnifying glass- of course!
22. Deck of cards- I travel with 2 decks of cards when going on vacation.
23. Paperbacks and travel guide- a definite must, crossword puzzle book as well

Sleep And Eye Health- Opportunities For Eyecare Professionals

Audrey Hepburn: Breakfast At Tiffanys

I started this post because after reading this article on the untapped market for eye health supplements, I realized that many offices may not realize the opportunities that go beyond lutein, fish oil and the like. Sleep disorders are a huge market potential that 1.) Effect eye health 2.) Can be helped by the optical professional 3.) Offer an opportunity to increase income while helping your patients feel better. 4.) Set  you apart from your competition 5.) Open up a new markets

There is quite a bit of research about the benefits of sleep, eye health, glaucoma,  My suggestion: Make this a monthly topic of discussion in staff meetings. It a knowledge, preventive medicine and  customer service issue. The more you can help your patients, the more referrals you will get.

Eye Bogglers

• Estimated people with insomnia: 10%- 20%
• About 50% of adults over 65 have some type of sleeping disorder
• Estimated Americans with Sleep Apnea- 20 Million
• It is estimated that the average untreated sleep apnea patient’s health care costs $1,336 more than an individual without sleep apnea. If approximations are correct, 17 million untreated individuals account for $22,712 million,or almost 23 billion in health care costs.
• Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) affects 9% of women and 24% of men between the ages of 30 and 60 years old
• We found that overall, about two-thirds of high school students are getting insufficient sleep on an average school night,” said study author Danice Eaton, a research scientist at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. Eaton added that females, blacks and students in higher grades tended to get the least shut-eye.

Hilco Beauty Sleep Mask #165-0000140-00

• Fun and Fashionable Sleep Masks Eye Catching Shut Eye Sleep Mask
• Breakfast At Tiffany’s Sleep Mask Silk Satin Eye Mask!

Bottom line: At least 20% of your patients have problems sleeping. That 20% can mean additional income, 20% can mean new markets, 20% can mean new referral sources, 20% can mean additional opportunities to form strategic alliances, 20% can mean loyal long term patients.

Think about it, S

Resources

• National Sleep Foundation
• Can Sleep Issues Effect Eye Health?
• Vitamins To Help You Sleep Better and Cure Insomnia
• Sleep Apnea A Risk For Developing Eye Disease
• Natural Remedies For Insomnia
• 42 Tips To Help You Sleep