COMMUNITY
Start a Christmas Tradition
Looking for Christmas-themed community involvement? How about a Giving Tree? Customers buy $10 boxes off a tree on your sales floor. Each box contains a surprise, from plano sunglasses to eyeglass cords to gift cards and you donate the proceeds to a local charity. At that price, customers can buy them in bulk as gifts, while you support a local non-profit and bring a flow of new customers into the store.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Jump the Queue
Facebook gives priority to individual over business posts in the News Feed, so getting followers to see your content can be hard. But there’s a way to regain control of your Feed. Clicking on the See First feature under the Following button ensures your chosen posters appear at the top of the feed. Encourage staff to do this so they never miss a post. And spread the word to patients. (Feel free to experiment with invisionmag.com posts on FB).
SOCIAL MEDIA
Put It in a Pie Chart
Want to take your social media efforts to the next level while educating your clientele in a way they’ll remember? Think infographics. Whether charting the evolution of frame fashion, providing tips on lens cleaning, or educating patients on blue light, try these free infographic sites: piktochart.com, venngage.com, and easel.ly.
WELLNESS
Take a Tech Break
Annoyed by anything that slows you down? The problem may be your gadget addiction. “Be grateful that real life moves at a slower pace … an extra minute or two won’t make or break you,” writes psychologist Larry Rosen, author of iDisorder.
MARKETING
Face the Holidays
To ensure their holiday cards stand out, Optical Arts in Toledo, OH, customizes them with a photo of the client wearing his or her new glasses. In terms of attracting attention, it beats another shot of Santa’s grizzled visage.
CUSTOMER SERVICE
The Wait Is Over
Want a more inviting waiting area? Start with its name. “We don’t have a waiting room, we have a ‘Welcome Center,’” says Michael Harris of Professional Family Eyecare in Coldwater, OH. “We want our patients to immediately feel invited.”
OPERATION
Limit Your Carriers
Setting goals for 2018? How about winnowing the number of plans your practice takes. “This lets your staff focus on understanding procedures better and developing relationships with their counterparts at those companies,” says an advice column on American Express’s Open Forum.
SALES
You Say Give-Inchi…
If a customer mispronounces a brand, don’t correct them. Apple’s service manual says it hurts sales.