REBECCA JOHNSON is a 30-year veteran in the eyecare business. She is the executive director of Business Consultative Services for GPN and owner of EyeTrain4You, an ophthalmic staff training and development company. Contact her at rebecca@eyetrain4you.com
People spend big bucks for beautiful hair and nails. Give them a chance to do the same for their eyes.
My sweet husband and I just celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary. I will never forget his reaction the first time he looked at my checkbook register after we were married.
“Oh my gosh!” he said. “Hair salon … $180? Nail salon … $40? Stein Mart … $125? Tanning … $35? How much money do you spend to look good?” My answer, “Honey, you didn’t think this just happened on its own at my age, did you?”
I have long since stopped the tanning appointments, but I still splurge on my hair and nails and shop for good deals on designer clothing and accessories without feeling the least bit of buyer’s remorse. I like to look as good as I can; after all, first impressions matter.
Now, let’s put this into perspective when it comes to eyeglass selection. Your eyes are the first thing people see when they look at you. Isn’t good eye health and attractive eyewear worth just as much as you spend on your hair and nails?
Your customers want to see well and look great, and as eyecare and eyewear professionals, that’s our job: to make sure that they see well and look great. If you fail to offer your customer the best options because you’re concerned over whether they have the money to pay for a better, more expensive frame, you’re doing them a disservice. I don’t always buy the most expensive item, but I like being given that opportunity.
The same goes for second and third pairs. Who wants to wear the same shoes or carry the same handbag every day? When you help customers realize how easily they can change their entire look with different pairs of eyewear — and how specialty lens options can help them see better at night or while working on a computer — they’ll realize they have as much reason to build an eyewear wardrobe as they do to fill their clothing closet.
Did I mention that I pay $60 to get my dog groomed? Let your customer decide how they want to spend their money, and you will see an increase in both your sales and your customers’ delight.