Peer-to-Peer on Strategies to Increase Second-Pair Sales
Lisa Frye ABOC, FNAO, is the optical director for InVision Ophthalmology in Birmingham, AL. A Shamir Peer-to-Peer champion, Frye enjoys sharing her experiences gleaned from more than three decades as an optician and “servant leader” for her teams. Below she shares her views on increasing second-pair sunglass sales.
STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS
Economic changes may impact our bottom line, so, now more than ever, it is important to strategize for success. One way to increase profit is by developing an intentional focus on growing second-pair sales. Practices that enjoy the greatest success often take a team approach to the process of offering multiple solutions to meet all the visual needs of each patient. This creates consistency in communicating intended messaging.
Who should wear sunglass protection? Everyone, of course. We assume that every patient has needs. With that assumption, the first step is being able to facilitate an opportunity to continue conversations that allow for education. This can happen at any touch point of our patient journey.
VERBIAGE
Our patients love to tell us about themselves. Find out what they do, how they live, and what priorities they may have about their vision. Ask open-ended questions. Ask how their current solutions are working. “Are there any situations where your current glasses/sunglasses do not perform for a specific task?”
Recommendations can only be made after specific needs are identified. For example: a patient states their progressives are difficult to use on their computer. After determining their monitor is positioned directly in front of their eyes, recommending an additional pair of glasses—computer progressives—led to a second-pair purchase.
DEMONSTRATION
Set up your education center. Show and tell how products perform and explain the benefits of what they will do for our patient. Take a patient who travels and is in every type of lighting from bright intense light, dusk or dawn. They would more contrast in other situations. This conversation may lead to a purchase of four separate types of sunglass lenses designed specifically for each task.
INCENTIVES FOR SAVING
Creating additional savings on multiple-pair purchases can help patients afford multiple solutions. Some eyecare professionals offer a discount on the additional pair. We have found we must be creative in today’s economic times. Allowing 50% deposit at order can help close the sale the same day. We also offer options such as Care Credit.
UTILIZING SPECIFIC DESIGNS
Shamir products are designed with specific applications in mind. Shamir Golf lenses are designed for helping a patient avoid interference visually for their golf swing, but they may also help taller people enjoy vision in other areas since their view of the ground can be improved by this design. Thus, we should make a recommendation for a second pair. Adding the Shamir Blue Zero option helps our patients block harmful blue light, and Shamir Glacier Expression AR definitely improves function and appearance.
There are many avenues to success. Explore them all and create an intentional focus for your office. Create wonderful imaging with fabulous frame offerings!
There is nothing better than sending a patient out with a new look that “represents” your practice. With intentional focus we will grow second-pair sales!
Erinn Morgan
Comments are closed.
