Insights From Our Editors

How Much Do Consumers Spend on Over-the-Counter Reading Glasses?

You have the opportunity to sell more progressive eyeglasses, findings from The Vision Council VisionWatch 2014 OTC Readers Sales report suggest. In the 12 months ended June 2014, sales of over-the-counter readers generated $419.4 million in sales from purchases by U.S. consumers 55 and older. Some $302.6 million in OTC reader sales were generated from consumers ages 45-54.

Your patients want to buy from you. That’s why they come to you. The core question is: Are you helping them? Are you giving your patients reasons to buy from you rather than purchase goods somewhere else? A great place to start is with OTC readers.

You can use in-office signage, computer screen savers, scripts staff use with patients … there are many things you can do. The best in-office approaches give information to everyone – patients as well as those accompanying patients.

Here are two marketing messages we created to start you thinking about how to do this. Both marketing messages have the same content, but each uses a different visual. Since the message is the same, which one has more impact?

The three key marketing lessons to take from these two examples are:

1) Pictures of people have more emotional impact than inanimate objects. Use people in your marketing messages.

2) Benefits sell, features not so much. From the patient’s perspective, it’s always about me. Make sure to highlight how the patient will experience pain if they do not follow your advice, and the benefits they will enjoy if they do.

3) Always have a direct call to action. Without a call to action, a significant number of people will not act.

Your action plan for this week is to design and implement a marketing message in your office that helps patients buy reading glasses from you. Give your patients reasons to buy from you.

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