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It’s the culmination of 40 years of business insight and fostering a dedicated staff.
A new sales philosophy could absolutely transform your optical business.
Pounding out that frustration via her bike, a good meal and a face mask has her ready to tackle the next day in no time.
It may be a century old, but its brand is sharp and modern.
Hyperlocal social networks keep you connected to the customers that really matter — your neighbors.
Become a standout partner with your lab to make your lens ordering and dispensing so much easier.
For the other 48% of you animals are a big nope.
It now affects one in three U.S. children and it is projected that half the world's population will be myopic by 2050.
"I am just so excited to see VEE back. I love NYC!"
Travel helps you become more generously-spirited and appreciative of your blessings.
Also what to look for when contemplating a mall lease … or any lease really.
Styles that nod toward the past and diagnostics that are all future.
You can have a successful and fulfilling career in the profession of optometry by applying these simple messages.
Including knowing when to cut bait on a lost cause and a nifty little trick for checking a candidate's references that is completely above board.
School’s out: time to focus on Rx goggles, sunglasses … and back-to-school.
School nurses make great community partners and can be a fantastic funnel of kids into your practice.
It’s likely no coincidence that National Donut Day and Father’s Day happen in the same month.
Red, yellow and blue eyewear keep style the primary objective.
One of Detriot’s own gets an eyewear license and focusing on kids' eye health.
A half-dozen eyecare businesses talked INVISION through the demands and rewards of catering to tourists and other out-of-towners.
Put your own little stamp on frames, displays and wall decor, while patients can take their pressure and remove clutter at home.
How many of these do you use … or even know about?
An increase in luxury brands have made the list.
She was never called and where are his glasses? How would you handle this?
Including a day to celebrate and reward loyalty.
He got tired of just screening patients and sending them to a GP.
Like applying an immediacy filter to scheduling and rewarding staff name-checked in positive online reviews.
Does your business have a treatment protocol and plan in place for those on state or federal programs?
Here are 5 tips to help you make the most of it.
Along with retail’s continued growth and how Circadian rhythm disruptions affect aging eyes.
More options are available for optimizing the brain/vision connection for any patient suffering from a traumatic or acquired brain injury.
Follow these easy and inexpensive tips to create loyalty and teamwork.
If what you’re doing isn’t working, switch it up.
Look anywhere on social media and there are those that would have you believe any number of factors are killing independent eyecare. This is what your...
Many offer it only after employees have some time with the company.
We had trends so strong this month, the freshest made our new product round up.
Like what compromises to make when good sales help is slim pickings.
Because on the surface one is permanent and the other fleeting.
Shrinking our footprint never looked so stylish.
This valuable biz intel will help you target your marketing and tailor your services — and it’s already at your fingertips.
"That story about websites was enlightening."
Is your reception area making the right impression?
Humor boost mood, morale, team performance AND your bottom line, here’s how to get more of it in your business.c
Unable to keep on her mask during a pandemic and vaping in the office was a bridge too far.
Ray-Ban led the way.
When durability is what you’re after, these Atomic 22 frames deliver.
Including stylish readers built into a smartphone case and a frames case your customers will want to actually use.
And when she needs a break from the hustle she’s got a healthy rowing machine addiction, comfy pants and date with some Angry Birds to blow...
Opening this stunning corner optical allowed her to express her creativity.
Grin and bear it? Go over him? Or replace him and his line altogether?
The best of spring’s new offerings all in one place, plus where you can find them.
Because even The Fresh Prince knows grooves can become ruts.
Like knocking the dust off, kicking your recall into high gear, and planning your warm weather events.
It rarely works well and there is a better alternative.
And we’re sharing their creative and somewhat fantastical ideas with you!
These optical styles keep it light, but they are anything but light on style.
But if things go awry Chicago’s cultural melting pot of food and entertainment provides endless possibilities to unwind.
For the rest of you, its more like a “Sorta” and a “Would love to, but …”
We’ve rounded up the best-in-class CRMs and patient communication platforms to make it easy and seamless for your business.
"Change is not death ... it is a part of life."
Just treating dry eye doesn’t make you a specialist, so this Virginia practice decided to go above and beyond.
The metaverse is a natural evolution of how we have developed technologically.
Black Optical’s Oklahoma City location leans into its team members to keep it ahead of the pack.
Successful disruptors don’t change the rules, they exploit the weaknesses and defenses of the competition. The same weaknesses and defenses the competition created in the first...
Like advice on how to get something … anything … done on Fridays and freshening up your exterior for spring.
Including eggs, taxes and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Including some fun temple charms for add-on sales and battling the foe that is fog.
Without mistakes how do you ever learn?
From subtle to bold and everything in between.
After the holiday hustle, it seems customers played it conservative the first month of the new year.
Sow seeds for backup pair sales and be a better manager by not managing.
Offload these unnecessary tasks and devote more time to your customers and planning.
Because branding your practice has now become an essential component of a successful social media marketing strategy.
It wasn’t anywhere near a parking spot.
This Tennessee practice came up with a warm, inviting look and keeps it consistent.
Demonstrating the connection between cognition and vision to measure patients’ processing ability has delivered a serious return on investment.
But many of are intrigued by the idea…
They’ve expanded in Indianapolis without losing sight of their community spirit and strong belief in nurturing staff.
Pleasant surprises all around as independent brands reign supreme.
Including the ongoing increase in Glaucoma and why some suffers choose to forgo treatment.
Like preparing for March Madness, giving a little TLC to your VIPs and implementing a complaints policy.
Get your KPIs and ambiance right while wearing a sweet ‘unique’ tee.
Like did you know there was a Doctor’s Day? Well you will now.
After all a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down.
In fact, these steps will help you will build whatever it is you want to build.
Plus Walmart saved $20 million by making one small change, what small change could you make to save big bucks?
With Covid surging again, what is everyone doing now regarding masks and frame sanitizing?
And her bad habits are spreading. How should staff involved in billing handle the situation?
Make sure you’re covering these basics and then consider a robust e-commerce presence could be the secret to success in 2022.
But the real story is these new products details.
As dry eye becomes more common, addressing it with these products and treatments allows ECPs to build a dry eye treatment specialty within their practice.
It’s an age old question … and no surprise many of you vacillate back and forth.
If you’re not using data to make decisions, you’re using emotions, and that’s bad business.
It’s a red alert! These rosy hued frames are really turning up the heat.
These versatile retail tools can boost business, community engagement and social media traffic—and start conversations.
Like the legalities of claiming you sell at “wholesale” prices and what exactly constitutes spamming?
We asked INVISION readers what they do differently when catering to older patients.
A practicing doctor, his “other” business helps support independent ECPs. And when he’s not working hard, he’s playing hard.
But clock-watching employees and insurance plans best watch out for his alter-ego: Eye Dr. Doom!
While a small minority have more open book policies.
Staying on top of what works and what doesn’t so you can drive bigger sales in the new year.
Including a new COPE-Approved Myopia course and how the U.S. ranks worldwide in healthtech advancement.
The pandemic taught us we can live on less, even thrive on less. We share the ideas and thoughts gleaned from ECPs, industry consultants, business best...
Make way for high-tech lenses, cutting-edge construction and smart-tech on a broad range of frames.
Including giving seniors their due and focusing on the heart.
Like a reminder about the all-important follow-up and scoping out your competition.
It’s not a novel idea anymore. It’s just commerce.
Owner and optician Valerie Afriat first learned to love fashion at her parents’ Montreal clothing factory in Montreal.
Like how to sniff out info on business you may want to acquire and when and how to greet customers.
Once they were satisfied with the basic elements, they went to town branding all kinds of merch.
We all have something we’d like to accomplish, January 1 is just as good a date as any to start.
"I get ideas from anyone and everyone."
Sales were a little slower and all over the place.
They offer an exam, own-brand frame and fitting in half an hour for less than $150.
We’ve added in a touch of quick lens change action and biobased plastic just for fun.
She’s the applicant the owner’s been dreaming of — he couldn’t just let her slip away!
For Better or Worse, January has become about goal setting for the year ahead.
We are not professional athletes, but we are eyecare professionals, and together we can get to second base.
If you want nothing to change in 2022, then stop reading and have a nice year.
Too bad about the temper.
From smartphone apps to VR headsets to subscription-based models, doctor-reviewed visual assessments from home are booming.
Successful business owners are always looking for good people.
Sometimes its just semantics and sometimes a clearer way of phrasing things can cause less embarrassment.
But fashion may be … Every time you hear the word “selling” replace it in your head with “styling” and see your multiple pair sales flourish.
Our Brain Squad shares the 'hows' and 'whens' of their rejuvenation strategies.
Large or small, one thing seems certain kindness is contagious.
Must be the season of warm tones and frames that are just begging to be touched.
When you know, you grow.
Like the perils of asking family for investment money and what you can and cannot do when it comes to letting go of an employee with...
It’s getting hot in heeere!
Never before have marketers and business owners been able to understand their marketing efforts and make calculated, data-driven business decisions.
Here’s our 2021 Holiday Gift Guide curated by OpticianNow!
Like Shamir goes racing and Zeiss gets glasses.
After all, a great new year starts with a great New Year’s Day.
Don’t forget your delivery people this holiday season and an accent wall as part of your seasonal merchandising? You betcha!
Like waiting on that first cup of morning coffee and building a little gratitude into a simple act we’re all doing more of anyway.
51. In what state is your store or practice? COMMENT: The 2021 Big Survey attracted responses from ECPs in 39 states and Canada. California contributed the...
Salaries By Region Salaries By State (States with 10 or more responses) Salaries By Market Type
46. Give us your ‘elevator pitch’ for people unfamiliar with your business or profession. Along with a few helpful reminders that striking up conversations with strangers...
41. What is your exit strategy? 42. What’s the current state of your retirement/pension plan? It’s badly underfunded 19% It needs a modest boost 24% On...
32. How old are you? 20-29 3% 30-39 23% 40-49 30% 50-59 25% 60-70 16% Above 70 3% 33. What are the most overrated things about...
21. Do you offer … Private label 33% Medicaid/value brands 49% Color contact lenses 68% Low vision aids 18% Dry eye treatment services 55% Nutraceuticals 27%...
The number of Americans suffering from diabetes-related blindness is expected to nearly double by 2050 but we have the means to help stop this silent killer...
Would you confront them, call the cops or play it safe?
9 optical and sun styles that offer square pegs, round holes and everything in-between.
But the end result is an important and useful tool for ECPs that didn't actually kill me.
It’s a pretty wide spread of brands with no runaway winner.
"Love the Hot Sellers area..."
Now they’ve got the therapeutic tools they need — and they have a heck of a lot of fun!
The other 56% prefer a myriad of other more organic and sometimes creative approaches.
10. What service, line or category has been your “hero” over the last 18 months? As the diversity in the selected responses below shows, ECPs leaned...
1. On a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 is “very pessimistic” and 5 is “very optimistic,” how would you rate the outlook for the...
Luckily, it's nothing some favorite movies, spicy ramen and a little disk golf can’t make right.
It is likely many of your prospective patients understand the importance of correcting and protecting their eyes — but they think they can’t afford it. You...
It’s a multi-billion-dollar industry that’s ‘starving for designers.’
Clear up fall fashion with see-through elements and fun flair.
When you run unto clients out and about there is always something about their glasses to look at.
Less is more for these optical styles for all sensibilities.
"It also provides a ton of inspiration for our business."
Cider Monday? Sign us up!
The remaining 47% of you live and die by them and quite frankly wouldn't shut up about all the good they do.
Bags, cups, trays, cases and big mouthed bulldogs, what every you need to contain with eyesore flair we got it.
It all comes down to something known as the 'familiarity principle.'
They offer independent frames, state-of-the-art optometry and a strong community ethos.
And of course, be sure to check out the newest gorgeous frames this season.
Like when was the last time you turned off your phone? Guarantee you’re overdue.
Including inventory, spiff research and a simple holiday social media idea.
We spoke to five eyecare business owners asking them to tell us about their experiences as a one-person-band and why they decided to give fiercely independent...
Whether it’s retiring, handing off, selling up or otherwise moving on, when the time comes to say good-bye to the eyecare business, you’ll need a plan....
Including why you should keep investing in employee training even if it feels like they keep leaving.
MDs, ODs, physical and occupational therapists, rehab facilities, athletes and more send patients their way.
OVVO seems to be the month’s sleeper hit.
What are the implications for the team and for future hiring?
Click on through to read their answers and catch the bug.
As better technology and application development become more sophisticated, these devices are no longer a future fantasy.
Work these bullets in to your business model and expect growth far more rapid than average.
Honestly, the fact that they even ask is crazy.
Yes, this is an Editor’s Note about being anxious about being anxious.
Does your practice have ANY bells or whistles?
Like an Italian mega-influencers new eyewear line and good news for retail sales.
Even when there always seems to be one. more. thing. to. do!
He does the designs himself and keeps it ‘simple, classy and to the point’.
Regardless of your customer’s budget, popular designs can be theirs.
The other 38% are fierce supporters of what they deem a more livable wage.
Gogosha Optique’s discerning clientele get a guided tour of expertly curated, and often exclusive, handcrafted frames.
Plus a FREE social media posting calendar that does all the hard work for you.
Like the perfect time to pounce on customers to increase your chance of a sale.
Reaching consumers has never been easier, but it’s also never been harder to get their attention.
Like improving your photography skills and getting on top of your taxes early.
Including Halloween, Audrey Hepburn and zombie Contact Lens Warnings.
From full on pops of color to just a splash of flourescent the future’s so bright.
You’re just not using it effectively.
Including a troubling trend of parents opting out of eye exams for their kids.
If you’re not regularly goal-setting the business of your business you can’t forecast your growth.
Engagement, connection and online sales will keep your brand as an eyewear and eye health biz top of mind.
The old standbys seem to have been the safe bet.
Cutting edge materials, better moisture retention and increased comfort mean the market could reach more than $3 billion this year.
But between starting it and finishing it, things once again took a turn.
Going above and beyond is no longer remarkable … it’s expected.
Instead, budget for them — plus other tips for spending less, managing wisely and selling more.
Says one reader: "INVISION Magazine is the only magazine I keep and don't use at the bottom of my birdcage!"
Is there any way to renegotiate this mess?
Safety specs no one would be embarrassed to wear and kids' frames up to the indestructible task among them.
Including how to build your own board of advisors and keeping your confidential information confidential.
His accounting offers a spot of hope, a nod to fate and gratitude for all the steps along the way.
"Greatest magazine ever written for small optical businesses."
These 7 practices know how to keep their branding firmly in their customers’ hands.
Luckily a little coffee, physical activity and travel keep the Acebos going.
The associate OD’s wife was supposed to be doing an audit; now she’s a potential whistleblower!
And like musicians, they give away merch to create brand loyalty.
First and foremost: Eyecare is not a job, it’s a noble career.
These edger and finishers mean you can forget those lab delays and become a one-stop-shop.
Hint: You’ll be more present, have more patience and better energy.
It includes a hammock, towering pine trees and getting back to nature.
Performance features ensure these frames offer style in motion.
Most commonly cited reason? You want to give the staff a break from you!
From the necessity of social media to electronic patient communications and online sales to inspiring an entirely new product line.
Ask yourself … Can you navigate those percentages solo? Are you content with your practice's current state? Your quality of life? Do you own the business...
They hail from Brooklyn to Seattle and points in-between.
Also some tips on how to get your advertising to resonate with a younger audience.
Their commitment to care and comfort shines through in countless details.
SOMA’s mid-century modern aesthetic and Palm Springs vibe overlay its ‘Old Boston’ bones.
Every issue of INVISION highlights optical businesses at the top of their game but our America’s Finest reveal issue really gives a lot of bang for...
There is a perception among some that independent eyecare practices and optical businesses are a dying breed. At INVISION, we never believed it. Our whole raison...
Sandi Eveleth’s Eye Care Marketing Club on the Clubhouse app offers an unscripted space for ECPs to learn and swap ideas.
1ST Place: A Proper View, Winston-Salem, NC OWNER: Andrew Bradbury, OD | URL: aproperview.com | YEAR FOUNDED: 2018 | AREA: 1,785 sq. ft. | EMPLOYEES: 2...
Such as add-on impulse buys and personalization tools.
Sunglass sales were hot and customers seemed more willing to spend.
NICHE Eyewear Boutique Vancouver, BC, Canada Valerie Afriat was born and raised in Montreal. She has been wearing glasses since the age of 7 and hated...
Including the acquisition of a beloved independent brand and a new nationwide ECP and consumer campaign.
Plus celebrating the elixir of the gods… coffee!
Is it bipolor lenses and latex surgery?
Marketing opportunities abound this season.
It’s not just for job hunting, but a hugely effective and under-utilized hub for targeting patients.
From super cute to young sophistication, these frames have it covered and are seriously fun.
The world is online and you have to keep up. As long as are willing to embrace the direction eyecare is moving, you'll be able to...
The remainder of you seen no value in it.
They don’t just illuminate frame displays; they create a whole vibe.
We love an improvement on an already standout product.
And not just about what to sell them but how to sell them as well.
And she did it during a pandemic!
These glasses make sure your patients always win.
Private label accounts for 70 percent of their business, and a ‘clearance’ outlet keeps stock moving.
She’s even been frozen out of after-work drinking sessions!
They’ve been open since the 1930s, their building dates to the 1880s and their medical offerings are state of the art.
Plus nothing says summer like hot dogs and … Christmas?
Including looking toward a productive future.
Like whats going on with kid’s vision and vaccines.
Despite conventional wisdom, sometimes bigger is better.
Of course, family, faith and friends play their part too.
You may have the best pediatric products and services in the industry, but they won’t get you far if you fail to engage your littlest customers.
The do-dos and don't of patient frame repairs.
The guardians of family eyecare are primary care optometrists.
This reader’s bladder is also their enemy.
Because though inertia is comfortable, it is unproductive and ultimately unfulfilling.
Including displays for your littlest customers' glasses and an eco-friendly post-dilation tool.
Sunglass sales are heating up despite a spat of shutdowns.
The remainder are keeping it close to the vest …. or already invested!
She counts to-do lists, friends and sunsets for holding it all together.
Attending VEE or not, determine your winners and loser and a plan for summer sales.
Well, we asked and, boy, did you guys come through…
Plus incentives for employee handbook knowledge and whether or not landlines are still a ‘thing.’
Prescription-ready Bluetooth sunglasses, patient recall efforts and germ-free polishing are the latest in optical must haves.
See who’s who and what’s what with the help of these sunny name tags.
She couldn’t find a show that met her needs, so she built her own online.
Like using the sun to your selling advantage and getting customers to spend on ‘fun.’
The 63% that do cite all the benefits.
How to maximize the value of your tech and their connection between patient, doctor and optician.
Consumers’ demand for convenience has accelerated, will you accept and respond to those changes?
Like Child Vision Awareness Month and National Sunglasses Day.
From exam lane through point-of-purchase, here are several opportunities to awe patients and customers with the all the equipment and products they interact with and touch.
Island paradises, France, Italy and exactly where you are topped your answers.
Soft, fresh colors are back and we’re ready.
Fun decorative accents, fog free glasses, cleaner air, and lubricated eyes can all be yours.
Including how to handle crazy online reviews and if the time is right to refinance.
They prove if you want a frame designed right … do it yourself.
Tired of going with the flow, he learned there was still so much more to learn about his chosen profession.
They’re the task-juggling, hyper-competent, indispensable cog in the eyecare wheel.
Most people still seem on the fence about VEE and I really have enjoyed the slower pace. Is this my new normal?
Including how to ask yourself helpful questions and why you should hire a matador.
50% report using or planning to use it and while platforms vary, the benefit to the patient is invaluable.
In a small business, the owner, or individual responsible for leading employees, creates it.
It’s easy to get education out in front of some new eyes and go ‘viral’ … no dancing required.
A light, contemporary, art-gallery-inspired space that proves everything is bigger in Texas.
Two separate studies share their results, as well as details on the World Council of Optometry’s just releases Myopia Managment standard of care resolution.
It was a wide spread of brands with sunglasses — and sun Rxs — starting to pick up.
Their color scheme and logo get them noticed. The frames do the rest.
It is America’s most spent-on holiday after the winter season after all!
A doctor’s departure has hit staff members' wallets—and they’re pushing back.
Don’t make an ass out of yourself and your “expertise.”
Out of the mouths of babes...
Still my #1 eye industry magazine ... and I don’t see that changing anytime soon!
When asked what one professional skill they’re working on this year, it was by far the most popular answer.
