SALESLight ’Er Up
You’ve invested thousands of dollars in your lighting system but there’s still no way to compete with that squillion-watt lightbulb in the sky, especially at this time of year. To take advantage of this, The Optic Shop in Tampa, FL, has installed a mirror outside its building and encourages customers to test drive its eyewear in natural conditions. “The better lighting will show color variations and nuances,” says the store’s optician, Sue Hayward.
SALESCash, Credit … Close
When a client asks, “What’s your cash price?” tell them it’s the same as a check or credit card and then follow up with, “Is that how you’d like to pay, with cash?” “This is a sign that your client is ready to be closed but wants to see if you think it’s worth it,” says sales trainer Shane Decker.
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MANAGEMENTIdentify A Metric
When business slows it can be hard to keep staff focused and motivated. If that’s an issue at your optical at this time of year, Dr. Alissa Irons, owner of BLINK in Albuquerque, NM, recommends implementing a variation of Peter Drucker’s famous dictum: That which is measured, improves. “So we talk about a metric, maybe more sunglasses sales that day, and we see the enthusiasm around it,” she says.
APPOINTMENTSWhat’s Up Doc?
When patients miss appointments, you can send them a stern note… Or opt for humor, which tends to keep everything positive and still acts to prod the memory. Dr. Texas Smith of Dr. Texas Smith and Associates in Citrus Heights, CA, takes such a route. “If patients cannot make it in for appointments, we will send them a packet of carrot seeds to hold them until their next exam. Never saw a rabbit wearing glasses,” he notes.
STAFFMake It A Picnic
There’s something of a siren quality to the summer months, with blue skies and warm weather beckoning at staff’s attention.That’s not always great for productivity. “With the nice weather here most days, it is very hard for everyone to not want to run outside for lunch and not come back,” notes Ann-Marie Weaver of the Optimal Eye Care in Lewis Center, OH. Their solution? A picnic table placed in the back of the office. “That has definitely helped us get our touch of sunshine while we eat our lunch,” she says.
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COMMUNICATIONSNot Sorry
Being humble is nice but a lack of assertiveness in your emails can make it hard to set a professional tone or have the effect of diluting an important message. The solution? Just Not Sorry, a simple free Gmail plug-in that identifies qualifying words and phrases like “I think,” “just,” “I’m no expert,” and “sorry” so you can rework them. Even doing this as a one-off exercise can be beneficial to test your tone so that you better understand the impact your writing has on people. Find Just Not Sorry here: invisionmag.com/062105.
MARKETINGHere Comes the Fun
Customers will always spend on “fun” — although they often need reminding that their local optical is a place to score some of the best products to ensure they can fully enjoy the current warm weather. “Get your patients ready for summertime fun,” urges Melanie Jenkins of Spring Hill Eyecare in Spring Hill, TN. “With summer sports starting, have Rx-able swim goggles, sports glasses” and other products your customers will eagerly invest in.Sorry, Not Sorry and More Tips for June
