Editorial

I’m constantly amazed at how many people I meet are walking around with dirty glasses. It’s the same with lenses in general: many people don’t realize how much better they could see.

Halifax-based optician Robert Dalton likens the situation to someone carrying around an 80 pound weight. “If I tell them I could make it forty pounds lighter they are likely to say, ‘oh, no I’m fine’. But when I actually do take 40 pounds away, the person loves how much better he feels. When it comes to lenses, people often say, ‘I like what I have and I don’t need to spend more money on something fancy.’ ”

The price/value ratio is a difficult one for many people to grasp when it comes to lenses. It’s not actually until the person is wearing the lenses that he knows it was money well spent.

Dalton finds that it’s easy to educate clients when he has personal confidence in the new technology, based on experience and knowledge. “You have to believe in it or you come off as defensive or pushy.”

Dana Sacco, owner of Rossland Optical in Whitby, Ontario, says that every sales rep who has witnessed a sale in her store is, “astounded by how much education I do. I take time to educate myself and let the customer know why the lenses are good for them and why they will want them. It’s true that some won’t buy, but the vast majority appreciate the time and the effort I put into explaining the options. I do advise not to oversell, however, because customer expectations must be realistic.”

Dalton notes that there’s a fine line between informing and pushing. “I like to tell people that the real danger is missing something that will be help to them, and when I explain the benefits in practical terms they warm up. Of course the clincher is when they put them on, and the profits multiply when they tell their friends and family about their high tech lenses.”

You can learn more about selling lenses in this issue’s feature story. And you’ll no doubt be interested in the new Licensed Optician branding campaign that will be unfolding as we move into the closing months of this year. We’ve got your continuing education and conference opportunities covered, as well as an article by JoAnne Sommers on marketing during a recession. There’s lots more, so happy browsing!

Thank you for spending your valuable time with us.

Paddy Kamen