Interesting tidbits about frames you carry
can help boost loyalty to your brand, too.
This article originally appeared in the February 2016 edition of INVISION.
One of the pleasures of meeting someone for the first time is getting to hear his story. Everyone loves a good story, and you can use that fact to pique interest in your frames (and increase sales).
You don’t have to be a natural storyteller to tell a great frame story. Your frame reps and company websites can help you learn the stories of all their brands. Here are a few examples of ways to weave these into your interactions with customers.
➤ “Mitch, you mentioned that you are a little hard on frames and need a frame that will last. Let me show you a frame that our customers who are just like you really appreciate. The Flexon frame was first introduced in 1988 as a titanium frame that is lighter, stronger and more comfortable than its competitors. It is called ‘the frame with a memory’ due to its ability to return to its original shape.”
➤ “Sarah, I see you have a Vera Bradley handbag! Don’t you just love this brand? Did you know that Vera Bradley started as a luggage company and that its foundation has raised almost $26 million for breast cancer research? Let me show you the new Vera Bradley frames we just got in.”
➤ “Joshua, you said that your grandfather was a tailor. You have something in common with designer Marc Ecko! His grandfather was a tailor, too. In fact, he has a line of frames, Marc Ecko Cut & Sew, that were designed to resemble the lines of a pair of tailor’s shears. There is even a pair of scissors on the temple.”
➤ “Ray-Ban is a great example of an old thing that is new again. Can you believe that Ray-Ban has been around for almost 80 years? If you are a fan of Katy Perry, I’m sure you saw her wearing her Wayfarers in the Teenage Dream video, or Bruno Mars and his ape friends rocking their Ray-Bans in The Lazy Song.”
Many people are interested in celebrities and would enjoy knowing which frames were seen on the red carpet. Or maybe you have your own great story of a time that you got a compliment on your fantastic frame. If you do, tell it! (By the way, did you hear the one about the lens that got framed?)
Share some of your favorite frame stories with us and we might include them in a future column.
REBECCA JOHNSON
is an enthusiastic and motivational ophthalmic staff trainer, a nationally recognized speaker and author, and executive director of GPN. Her honors include the AOA Paraoptometric Special Service Award and VisionMonday’s “Most Influential Women in Optical.” Contact her at rebecca@gatewaypn.com.