Nov. 4, 2015
Independent optical dispensaries, including those owned by independent ODs, rank far down on the list of places where consumers turn to purchase plano sunwear, findings of The Vision Council’s VisonWatch 2015 Plano Sunglass Report suggest. Some $1,579.7 million were spent on plano sunwear at sunglass specialty shops, compared to $155.6 million spent on plano sunwear at independent optical dispensaries. Some $713.9 million was spent on plano sunwear purchased at drug/grocery/mass/warehouse club, while $228.3 million was spent on plano sunwear at optical chains. Another $163.3 million was spent on plano sunglasses at sporting goods stores, and $33.6 million was spent on plano sunwear at flea market/street vendors.
According to The Vision Council’s VisonWatch 2015 Plano Sunglass Report, slightly less than 10 percent of plano sunglasses are purchased at independent optical dispensaries. The majority of sales, about 45 percent, were purchased at drug/grocery/mass/warehouse clubs.
The primary question is how can we do better? Here are five actions to take in your office today to improve your sunglass sales.
1) The doctor needs to prescribe sunglasses in the exam room. The majority of patients will do what the doctor prescribes, so doctors, in the exam room, explain to the patient why it is in their best interests to purchase sunglasses, and prescribe them. The prescription of sunglasses to every patient with cancer in the family and every AMD patient, as well as every blood-related family member of someone with AMD, should be something that is occurring routinely. Making the case for polarized sunwear for anyone driving during the daytime is another easy case to make. And what about the fact that 80 percent of all UV damage to the retina happens before the person’s 18th birthday. That should be an easy case to make to parents of children of any age. Prescribe sunglasses.
2) Every patient coming into the optical needs to have a polarized sunglasses demonstration against sunglasses that just darken. Patients need to experience the difference between polarized lenses and lenses that just darken. Patients think that all sunglasses work the same way when we know that is not the case. Experiencing the difference is far more powerful than just explaining the difference.
3) At least 25 percent of your frame board should display sunglasses. You need to show enough product to convince the patient that they can find what they want in your optical. It’s amazing, but patients do not know that you can make sunglasses with just about any frame on your board. Tell them. Make sure you have vinyl stickers on clear lenses stating these can be made into sunglasses, as well.
You also need to move product around so that your frame displays do not look the same every year. Sameness equates to staleness. If you have a frame board that you use to display sunglasses, this year create a ribbon of sunglasses at eye level across all of your frame boards to draw attention to the sunglasses.
4) Place marketing messages strategically around your office about the value of polarized sunwear. Emphasize how sunglasses give you protection, comfort and safety. Use real-world examples, and make the point with pictures. Shocking pictures (but not too shocking) make the point more powerfully than words.
5) Utilize marketing messages including scripts that explain to patients why they should purchase sunglasses from you. This point is essential. Your doctors and optical staff should be very comfortable with this message. If not, then there is work to be done. Doctors and staff need to believe that patients are better off buying from you than down the street. Do your homework and identify credible answers to why a patient should buy from you (Hint: “To keep us in business” is not a good answer). Once you’ve created the perfect script for this, then role-play until delivering the script is second nature.
If you take these actions today, your sunglass sales will increase. If your sunglass sales increase, then your patients are receiving better care.
Don’t put this off, get it done today.
