War. War Never Changes. Seemingly stuck in an unending battle. People that were once friends have changed sides, and are now working for the ‘other side’. Brother against brother, with the larger side having an inescapable grasp around the throat of the opposition. You’re the opposition, by the way. At least, we hope you are. With all of the mergers going on, there’s a … [Read more...]
War of the Words
What makes you use a product? Is it because you woke up one morning, and decided that “You know what, I’m going to go find a lens I’ve never heard of, and just start using it”. Well, no, that’s not how we work. We like being made to feel comfortable. To feel safe with a product. We want it to be familiar. That makes it easier for us to use their products. That’s why you’ll see … [Read more...]
Where’s My Support?
So after going through an exam and spending the past twenty minutes hearing the customer's life story, it’s come time to take them out to see what eyewear they want to pick out. Then come the words you really don’t want to hear: “I don’t need glasses. Can I just have my prescription?” You’ve gotten this a lot recently. People just want the prescription - when you KNOW they … [Read more...]
Patient Loyalty
As I’ve mentioned before, my daughter has recently joined the ‘glasses club’, as she calls it. As we’re out and about, this can sometimes start conversations with other people. Usually, they’ll say that she looks cute in her glasses, and the conversation about eyewear moves on from there. As a side note - people never tell me that I look cute in my glasses - what’s with that? … [Read more...]
Happily Ever After?
Building a lasting relationship with your lab. Everything you wanted to know about your lab, but were afraid to ask. As optical professionals, its critical to have a great relationship with our patients. A relationship based on understanding and caring. Inter-office relationships are also crucial in providing the best possible care through cooperation and unity. But let’s … [Read more...]
You Can Make It
With all of the uncertainty that we have going forward in this industry, your best hope for survival is really down to one person - you. I’m sure you knew that lesson was coming. When it comes down to it, these are business decisions that you need to make, and you need to make sure that you’re well-informed about the way things are, and where they could go. To … [Read more...]
Survival Guide: Frames
If you’re currently in a situation where you carry a large number of big-brand frames, what can you do to get yourself out of there? Obviously, you don’t want to just swap to any frame line - you need to research what your options are. When doing that research, however, what kind of things do you need to be concerned about? You want to make sure you’ve asked the right questions … [Read more...]
Winter is Coming
For those of you unfamiliar with Game of Thrones, allow me to give a very brief summary of the plot-line, as I feel it is startlingly similar to what's going on in the optical industry at present. Picture it: you have one extremely wealthy and powerful family (or company) that is seeking to rule everyone else. In their quest for that, any competing families are either bought … [Read more...]
Give your Eye Care Practice
The Benefits of Social Media for your Eye Care Practice Technology & social media have transformed the way the eye care industry markets itself and the way practitioners are able to communicate with their patients and work colleagues alike. But, with so many available to choose from, which social media platforms are best for you? What are they good for and why should you … [Read more...]
The 12 Ways of Business
Budget-based marketing ideas for your small business Tis the season for reflection and contemplation about many things in life… which could/should also include the life of your small business. This time of year can certainly be challenging for a number of reasons, as it pertains to sales and growth. The majority of shoppers are in other retail and merchant outlets searching … [Read more...]