I recently had the opportunity to style the hosts of a lifestyle show called The Social on CTV. (For my friends in the U.S. who may not know, CTV is the top-rated television network in Canada.)
I was given just five minutes with each host to select frames that I would showcase during an “Eyewear Style” segment. Yup, I only had five minutes with each of the three hosts!
I had little time to ask them any questions. And I was not allowed to show them what I had selected before the cameras started rolling. (I couldn’t even use a mirror!) The producers of the show wanted to surprise these ladies with my selections on national TV.
So the pressure was definitely real.
I met with the hosts prior to the show. However, they were dressed casually so I had no idea what they would be wearing when we went “live.” I had to rely on my years of training.
I took into consideration their facial features and personal coloring. I assessed the way they walked into the room, the tone of their voice, and how they engaged with me. In that short period of time, I determined their style personality and selected the perfect frames.
The big reveal in front of a live studio audience was a big hit. Each of the hosts had great reactions to my frame selections during the seven-minute segment. One host even bought the two pairs I had selected for her.
How did I pull it off? And how did I do it in such a short time? It, actually, is fairly easy if you know what to look for.
I developed a styling sales strategy more than 20 years ago. I’ve been utilizing in my retail business – Perceptions Eyewear – ever since. It is called the Spec Style personality framework. The more I use this styling process and continue to study people and their fashion preferences, the more my process improves and my client confidence increases.
Honestly, I learn something new every single day to be better than I was the day before. The only catch? It takes practice!
Eyewear is centric to expressing ourselves – our vibe and persona. When you learn to speak the language of your patients, they feel like you understand them. This is the magic that converts patients into buyers.
Plus, the handover from optometrist to team member is seamless as you are both talking the same Spec Style language. When there is consistency, the patient gains increased confidence in your recommendations. You are all on the same page and the sales journey has started.
Here are my Top 5 Assessments in 5 Minutes.
- Personal Coloring
- Hair Style
- Body Language
- Facial Features
- Patterns, fabrics, and designs in clothing style.
Each assessment is important. However, it is the combination of all five that gets you to expert status and increases your capture rate in the first five minutes.
The cool thing about this sales strategy is that everyone has more than one Spec Style personality. This system paves the way to offering multiple pairs of glasses to your clients. When faced with a difficult choice, they’ll sometimes just buy them all!
As a bonus, offering styling expertise immediately differentiates your clinic from the big box stores and online options. It gives you a huge advantage over the competition and gives your clientele a great reason to stay and buy.