The Optical Vision Site

FREE Stuff- Google Call Phone

I just used the new Google Voice ‘call phones’ that works with our gmail account. It was great! Clear voice, no static, went through just find and for business, it might save money. We use google apps for business as well. Free calling in the USA and Canada, International calling will be starting at 2 cents/ minute to Japan, Britain, Germany and France.

Vision Expo West Steals And Deals

New Eco Bag From ClearVision

Shirley and I are booked and ready for Swag at International Vision Expo West coming up soon! Hopefully we will be stocking up on reusable bags from Hoya, water bottles are good (haven’t scoped any out yet, but Live Eyewear was giving them away last year), If I had my wish list (iPad, camera and moped) I know keep dreaming!

Some great show specials are available from our sponsors:

To find out all exhibitors Steals and Deals follow Vision Expo on Twitter and Facebook and you will get daily updates!

iCoat  Company will be offering a limited time Special Stock Lens Package, only for Vision Expo attendees, at a value pricing that will save buyers hundreds of dollars. Buyers can either select from a pre-selected stock lens inventory or they can mix and match the powers they use the most. FREE STUFF-free cleaning cloth, AR lens cleaning solutions and various giveaway items.

ClearVision has a lot of show specials which include: NEW ClearVision Eco−Bag filled with an Ellen Tracy Necklace, IZOD Watch and Op Water Bottle. underwater digital camera or Nintendo Wii, IPod Touch (32 GB) or Amazon Kindle, Netbook or a digital SLR camera, Purchase BCBG Dream, the cause-related limited edition sunglasses, to raise funds for Susan G. Komen for the Cure® and receive a BCBG Scarf!

Free Parties, great for networking and meeting new people and saving money on eating out! This opening night one looks fun, Opening Night Blush Bash,Wynn Las Vegas – 9:00 PM – 11:00 PM. Enjoy an exclusive invitation to Vegas’ first boutique nightclub! Flash your show badge at the door to receive free admission and a glass of champagne inside Sin City’s hottest night spot. After the party, Blush staff will stamp your hand so you receive free admission to Blush’s sister club Surrender.

Free CE’s at Vision Expo West

Every day this week International Vision Expo Conference organizers are giving away 6 hours of Free CE during Vision Expo West 2010.  Each day has a different “topic”. Day 1 focused OD Board Certification Courses. Day 2  focused on Visionomics. Next will be Frame Buyers Certificate & Boot Camp, Total Office Pricing and Spanish courses. Don’t miss out on this opportunity, go to the International Vision Expo Facebook Page to enter this contest.

The “rules” are: International Vision Expo & Conference is pleased to offer five (5) free Continuing Education scholarships between Monday, August 9, 2010 and Friday, August 13, 2010. One winner will be chosen and announced by 11am EST the following day based on submitted entry information. One entry per person, per day. The scholarship is valid for six (6) free hours of Continuing Education at International Vision Expo West 2010, a $230 value.

Groupon- The New Trend Of Consumer Purchasing

Every time I turn around today, somebody is telling me about Groupon. My friend Ginny uses Groupon at least once a week and she has friends who use Groupon Groupies. For those who didn’t know (like me) Groupon is a collective buying discount service. There has been other types of collective buying services over the years but apparently Groupon is the hottest trend because they have made it simple and social.

What happens you subscribe and get one great deal for your local business community via email everyday. Here is the deal: The discount is not good until a prescribed amount of people decide to buy it. To make sure that ‘amount’ needed is met, subscribers are pushed to to recommend it to their friends. All the links via Twitter and Facebook are on the site so it’s just one click. Plus they have a refer a friend program in which you get $10.

So instead of the retailer making one sale, they can make many sales off of one great deal. In eyecare, I can see this when you want to push out a lot of dead stock, promote contact lenses or even eye exams.

For a retailer, the eyecare professional it is free! To get involved all you have to do is sign up and they do take a percentage off of only the products that are sold. That means it is virtually risk free, they only make money when you make money. What I find the most intriguing, the target audience is the hardest audience to reach the GenY and GenZ market who are wired in and have spending money. Check out the demographics.

Groupon Groupies are young and smart

Groupon Gropies have money and jobs

Groupon Groupies are single women

This can be a wonderful opportunity for eyecare professionals. The benefits:

• Desirable demographics, young, employed, educated and active online.
• Potential for viral marketing and social impact.
• Reach a specific targeted audience of potential that are attracted to coupons
• Potential of high referral- Groupies email, Twitter and FB your offers onto multiple friends.
• Even if they don’t buy your groupon, millions of people will see your name (free advertising)
• Grouponer’s have to buy, they purchase in advance, these are not looky loos. They are already a customer, all they have to do is walk in the door- once they do that it gives you the retailer the opportunity to add onto the sale.

What do you have to lose? Get your name out, get new patients, fill up slow times, sell out old stock, promote referral business and why not?

Eye Care Summer Merchandising Tips From Fashion Optical- FREE

Sunwear Display

Every person walking in your door should be aware that you sell sunglasses! Consider moving them to a more visible location, and merchandise them properly. Fashion Optical Displays offers a free download “Summer Merchandising Ideas” on their website to help you make the most out of your seasonal displays.

To download their free MERCHANDISING TIPS sheet, click here

20/20 Basics Creating Niches – Free Optical Webinar on May 6

This looks like an interesting optical webinar from the editors of 20/20 and is very appropriate for the above topic on selling Unique eyewear as far as creating niches.

With the competition the way it is today, it’s essential to stand apart from the crowd. Optical consumers need a reason to buy from you and not the guy next door or across town. Always remember you’re not just competing with other optical businesses. Your competition is also the department store that sells designer sunglasses, the sporting goods store stocked with sports glasses, and the drugstore full of readers. Indeed any retail establishment is competition.

So how do you bring optical customers in your door and, most essential, get them to spend money? For a start, check out this quick 20 minute “Basics” presentation followed by a Q&A session where your questions can be answered instantly. Click on this link to register. It takes place May 2010.

Optical Vendor Promotions – Hollywood, Indy500 and Makeovers

Kissing Marilyn Monroe

We love promotions and freebies and we know you do as we got a lot of comments and requests for more information when we did the Vision Expo East Free Stuff post.

Here is information on optical vendor promotions that a few of our sponsors are doing that we think are good fun and great value. What do you think? We like your comments as it helps us to blog on subjects that are of most interest to our readers.

Signet Armorlite Kodak Win a Trip to Hollywood – $50 gift cards and admission tickets with purchases of Kodak progressive lenses. Hey you might even see Marilyn Monroe, we did!

The iconic Coppertone ad!

VisionEase is running an “Extreme Makeover” promotion with their Coppertone Polarized lenses. What an iconic brand this is! Did you know Jodie Foster was the child model for this???

Click here for more details and participating VisionEase labs and maybe winning a spa visit or even better a complete practice makeover!

ClearVision Optical knows that the Indy 500 is one of the most watched sports events of the year and you can win an all expense paid trip to see it plus there are lots of other prizes including Izod gear. Another iconic brand - Click here for more details on the ClearVision Optical Izod Indy Sweeps.

Social Media Eyes-Free Website Building

Build a Website For Free

A surprising number of individually owned optometry and ophthalmology practices still do not have websites. These practices have relied on existing customers and word of mouth to keep business going. Common objections to building a website include cost and difficulty.  There is no longer any excuse. Building a website can be free and easy.

There are many programs and companies out there to assist with the creation of a website. Sorting through many search engine results can be overwhelming and confusing, so be sure to read all of the terms and conditions. Beware of hidden charges for adding features to your site. A reputable and easy to use program is Yola. This program is free to use if you keep Yola as part of the domain name (web address). If you would like to customize your web address it costs $19.95 for one year.  Paying the low fee to personalize the web address will help draw more traffic to the website and make it easier for customers to find the correct business online.

Yola, and many programs like it, provide customers with easy to use templates for building a website. It is not necessary to know HTML code or other complicated algorithms. These sites are designed to allow the creator to choose the features and tools that work best for them. There are customizable forms, maps, and even a program to show open appointment times. This results in a unique look for every website.

With a few digital pictures, and a couples hours of time, every practice can have an incredible looking website.

Article submitted by Crystal Blaker, founder of CB Consultations CB Consultations (314)749-1939 for more information contact CrystalBlaker@gmail.com or visit www.cbconsultations.com