The Original Title of This Editor’s Note Was “Hello World!”

I HAD ORIGINALLY TITLED this editor’s note “Hello World!” due to my unbridled enthusiasm for my Vision Expo West travel plans. But between starting it and finishing it, things once again took a turn. I should know better by now not to get too ahead of myself. Lately, even my contingency plans require contingency plans.

As of the printing of this issue, I am still planning on heading to Las Vegas and attempting to adopt my next normal … cautious optimism, jaunty waves from six feet away, animal print masks, several 4-ounce bottles of hand sanitizer stashed on my person, and the assurance of my booster shot awaiting me in October. After all, for the lucky among us, life goes on. And so too must business.

Connecting with your patients and customers remains of the utmost importance, especially in light of the ongoing infection rates. If you’re looking for some new social media ideas — or a swift kick in the butt to get started — turn immediately to page 46 and read up. My favorite tip: “Create and Follow a Calendar.” Turns out we can help you with that too! Just turn to Eye Pro Gear on page 42.

If, like me, you’re braving the public and headed to VEW check out our Fall Buying Guide on page on page 56. It’s like an extended version of our Latest Releases feature curated with 15 of the most exciting new introductions for autumn/winter 2021. Even if you’re not traveling, it’s the best way to make sure you’re keeping your frame boards fresh.

If you’re full speed ahead on industry events, or perhaps looking for something more intimate to first dip your toe into, INVISION is hosting its own live event in October. The EyeInnovate agenda is really shaping up — check it out at invisionmag.com/eyeinnovate — and we’re hyper-focused on providing attendees with the sort of marketing content geared toward immediately growing your business in a safe environment. I am very much looking forward to hosting

INVISION’s first in-person event … and I really hope Delta doesn’t make me eat my words between writing this and getting it into your hands…

Best wishes for your business,

Five Smart Tips From This Issue

October kicks off the last quarter of 2021. You’ve got some planning to do. (Manager’s To Do, page 20)
Wonder how your ECP peers feel about raising the minimum wage? We asked. (Intelligence Cover, page 63)
Need to kickstart some fresh ideas? Try embarrassing yourself. (Tip Sheet, page 64)
You already own the one piece of equipment that can make you a lot more money. (Columns, page 70)
Business cards are cool but have you tried a fun, business-branded cleaning cloth? They’re creative, useful and keep your biz top-of-mind daily. (Benchmarks, page 80)

Deirdre Carroll

Having built a career in service journalism, Dee has been covering the eyecare industry for over a decade. As editor-in-chief of INVISION Magazine, she is passionate about telling independent ECPs stories and can be reached directly at dee@invisionmag.com.