It’s worthwhile to market premium sunwear, in addition to other eyewear, to post-LASIK patients, according to the 2013 Vision Council Report: Eyewear Habits of Refractive Surgery/LASIK Patients. When it comes to premium plano sunglass purchase intent, it seems as if surgery patients are more likely than the general population to be interested in buying a pair of high-end premium plano sunglasses at some point in the next six months. Just over 7.6 percent of recent surgery patients are extremely likely to buy a pair of high-end plano sunglasses within the next six months. Another 12.7 percent are very likely to make a high-end plano sunglass purchase. The corresponding numbers for all consumers are just 3.9 percent and 7.8 percent respectively. Unlike other products, purchase intent for high-end plano sunglasses (along with intent for eye exams) is higher among recent surgery patients when compared to consumers who had a surgery procedure more than one year ago. This is a sign that many new surgery patients are interested in protecting the recent investment they made in their eyes by getting an eye exam and wearing protective sunwear.
Patients think that all sunglasses are equal. How do you address this with your patients? Do you explain to patients why the sunglasses in your office are “better” than sunglasses purchased in the local drug store? Do you have an elevator speech justifying the value of buying sunglasses in your office rather than over the internet?
Here are six areas describing why sunglasses purchased in your office are a great value for your patients. You should have signage and scripts for your office staff describing each of these areas.
1. Polarized lenses (versus lenses that just darken)
2. UV protection
3. Glare elimination
4. Scratch resistance
5. Color shifting
6. Ease of cleaning
Now that we’ve addressed general marketing of sunglasses, let’s address targeted marketing. Which patient populations do you want to target for sunglasses? Let’s start creating the list.
• Refractive surgery patients
• New contact lens fits
• New cataract surgery patients
• Patients who drive during the daytime
• Patients who like to work in the garden
• Patients who like to do outdoor sports (e.g.: hunters, bikers, runners)
Your action plan for this week is to have an office meeting to expand and refine this list. Then, create a targeted internal marketing plan for each of these populations. Your plan should include highlighting sunglass solutions for each of these populations through the use of internal signage and staff/doctor scripts. Engage your sunglass vendor staff to help you put together your internal marketing plan. Put a numerical goal on how many sunglass sales you want to have over the next month, the next quarter and the next year. Track your progress. And, don’t forget to celebrate with staff your success.
