IcareLabs Blog

Keeping up with the latest trends in optical sales can be tricky. Should you continue to focus on baby boomers, who as recently as 2015 were responsible for as much as half the revenue of retailers? What about the nation’s 77 million millennials? Should you focus your attention on their optical needs?

Well, if the trade magazines and advertisers are correct, the answer is a resounding, “Yes!” Everywhere you look, there are warnings about digital eye strain, articles on the dangers of high-energy visible (HEV) light, and new product launches for lenses that protect us from such new threats.

And, it makes sense when you think about it. Today’s generation spends more time than ever exposing their eyes to all kinds of digital screens, in addition to sunlight exposure.

What is Digital Eye Strain?

Digital eye strain is the temporary discomfort that follows two or more hours of digital device use. Electronic devices like televisions, computers, smart phones and tablets can cause digital eye strain, especially when they are used simultaneously or when switching repeatedly from one device to another. Symptoms of digital eye strain include:

You've made sure that you and your staff are educated about the many important features and benefits of high-end designer eyewear, protective lens coatings and the latest digital technologies available for your patients' ever-changing eyeglass needs. 

I remember my experience with my first pair of progressive prescription eyeglasses. I was not in the eyewear business at the time. The sign read "2 Pair for $49" and I needed new glasses. When the optician told me my shiny, new glasses would be $400, I was a bit taken aback, to say the least.

Fortunately for me, the eyecare professional was able to explain my options and the reasons for the price in a way that educated me and helped me appreciate the quality product I was getting.

So, how do you do that? How do you communicate to your patients in a way that changes their perceptions and makes them happy they came to see you?

Just in case you missed it, there's a great infographic in the March 13, 2017 issue of Vision Monday. It gives great information you can share with your patients about factors that can effect eye health. "Studies have shown that eyes are definite windows to our overall health."

Remind your patients that annual eye exams are an important key to healthy living, and that many health issues may be identified and/or predicted during their eye doctor visit.

The Email Conundrum

It's easy and very economical. Just fire up your favorite email program and in minutes, you've got a shiny, new marketing email ready to send to your entire database of eye care patients.

But, before you click "SEND," you pause. You're wondering what your patients really feel about your marketing emails. Afterall, you have your own opinions of marketing emails that pour into your inbox each and every day. What makes us think marketing emails from us make anybody feel differently?

There's a new study published by Fluent called "The Inbox Report 2016: Consumer Perceptions of Email" that might give us some useful perspective on the issue.

The study was based on a survey of nearly 2,000 consumers from 18 years old and up who live in the United States. The report provides new data and analysis on questions like how often Americans check email, what impact emails have on consumers’ purchase decisions, the motivations behind subscribing and unsubscribing from email lists, and more.

The Baby Boomer Eyecare Market

In these days of growing competition, both online and in your local market, it’s important to constantly be thinking about and looking for new ways to stand out in the crowd. You may have worked very hard to establish your practice with the basics – great customer service, competitive pricing and quality products. Wonderful! Do you find that doesn’t seem to be enough? Do you still see your numbers shrinking?

As we’ve suggested in this blog before, it might be time to look for other markets you can go after. Are you learning about Millennials and how to attract their business? Have you taken a look at putting some focus on sports eyewear or children and youth?

In this article, I’d like to make you aware of a great series of feature articles that Vision Monday is presenting that focuses on another important segment of the market, senior citizens. Millennials have taken the lead as the largest group of consumers. However, Baby Boomers are not far behind. And as this segment ages, the number of Americans at risk for age-related eye diseases is increasing.

Online Shopping on the Wild Wild Web

In the past few newsletters, we’ve included articles on how to better understand and appeal to Millennials. The hope is to provide some ideas that will help you capture some of this unique, new generation of consumers. One aspect that is important to understand is the online shopping habits of Millennials.

There’s a great article in the newest Eyecare Business Magazine that gives the latest statistics about online eyewear sales, and how Millennials have helped propel online Rx eyewear. In addition, the article gives some great advice on how to make your brick and mortar business better compete with the online eywear providers.

As you well know, being in retail business these days comes with some interesting challenges that entrepreneurs like yourself never had to consider. Today, Internet savvy consumers are doing their research before you ever get a chance to talk to them. Consumers with a desire to shop local small businesses, or those who are looking to be loyal patrons to a shop down the street are becoming harder to find as a more "global" approach sets in.

So, you’ve worked hard to get your website and social media to a place where you can be found, and people can learn all about your optical business and it’s products and excellent customer service. Things are going along just fine. People are starting to follow you, like you, share your posts and visit your website.

Suddenly, a customer posts a bad review on your social media page!

It’s not the end of the world. Sometimes negative reviews happen. However, there are some things you need to know to make the best out of the situation. And, if all goes well, you could actually spin a negative online review into a positive one for your optical store.