Sixty-three percent of independent optical retailers said selling sunwear for children was a major challenge for them, making it the biggest challenge for independents in Jobson Research’s 2010 Kid’s Eyewear MarketPulse. Twenty-nine percent called it a “minor” challenge, and 8 percent said it was not a challenge at all.
We know that 80 percent of all ultra violet damage to the human eye occurs before a person’s 18th birthday, yet how many children are wearing UV protective lenses outdoors? Obviously, we need to do better. The first step is to address the problem from a business process point of view. What are the processes needed to have a successful program resulting in a majority of the children in the practice receiving UV protective sunwear? Here are the top 10.
1) A measurement system identifying how many children’s sunwear are purchased
2) Daily, weekly, monthly, yearly goals for children’s sunwear sales
3) A reward system for staff for achieving the children’s sunwear sales goals
4) Internal office signage telling the need for sunwear for children
5) Internal office signage explaining the difference between polarized lenses and those that just darken
6) Doctors in the exam room prescribing sunwear for children
7) Optical staff explaining the need for sunwear for children
8) At least 20 percent of the children’s frameboard devoted to sunwear for children
9) At least three pricing tiers for children’s sunwear
10) A one-price bundle containing sunwear with contact lens purchases
How many of these processes do you have in place in your office? How many of these processes have you linked together in your practice into a seamless presentation to every patient coming through the practice? The more you do, the better you’ll do.
(We’ll bet you’re already thinking about how to use these ideas to increase your adult sunglass sales as well.)
