Set a Course For Optical Success

In the ninth installment of Dr. Stewart’s Cold Start Series, she shares her best tips for practitioners starting an optical from scratch or looking to revamp their selection.
Photo Credit: iStock, Getty Images

What was my favorite part of creating my cold start practice, Look New Canaan? Without a doubt, it was picking frame vendors, frame lines, and eventually hand selecting each piece of eyewear. While my background as an optician and love of all things eyewear is unique and certainly made this process enjoyable, it can be very daunting to most cold starters. What are my top tips for practices starting an optical from scratch or looking to revamp their selection?

Who Are You?  
At Look New Canaan, we are passionate about technology, independence, and beautiful eyewear.  Every decision we made in the design and construction phase was made based around our vision statement, “Our vision is to transform patients’ lives through customized care, innovative technology, and exceptional eyewear.” This helped guide me to make my “wish list” of eyewear I wanted to have at Look.

We are fiercely independent and proud of that, so I knew the optical would primarily feature smaller, independent lines. Looking for mass produced, name brand eyewear? That is not our culture. Our community of New Canaan, Connecticut, is also filled with mom-and-pop, locally owned shops, and we love sharing that our practice also supports smaller brands.  

Where Are You?
Overwhelmed by the choices that are out there? Start thinking about what drives your practice model. Look around your community as well. Is your area dominated by chain and big brand stores? Are name brands important to your demographic? Your consumers may also look to you for those types of frames. Located in an indie, artistic community? Showcase lines that fit the creative nature of these patients. They may appreciate more colors and unique shapes than a more traditional setting.

What’s In a Story?
One of the cornerstones to our practice is storytelling. We love to tell the story of how and why Look was created, and we are also proud to share the story of the “why” behind the brands we have in our optical. Each line was selected for a reason and with a certain client in mind, versus a hodgepodge of lines that aren’t cohesive. I have tasked my optical team with knowing three facts about each line to help differentiate them. After all, to many of them, the frames can all look the same! Knowing quick facts helps my opticians tell a brand’s story and helps the client make an emotional connection to that frame. What are these facts? We will share where the company is from, a bit about the designer, how the line uses color, different materials that are used, how and where the frames are made, and anything else that will set them apart.

Dr. Stewart has worked with independent eyewear companies to create frames unique to her practice Look New Canaan.

Want to do this but not reinvent the wheel? Ask your frame reps! They would love the opportunity to share what makes their brand and lines unique, and they are the go-to experts on their products. We have created an office SharePoint site with a page for each brand we carry. In addition to typical information for that line (rep contact information, account number, etc.), we also have these facts listed in case we hire a new team member or need a refresh and reminder. I also encourage you to get creative when thinking of things to share about the frames with patients. Instead of memorizing them and rattling them off like facts in school, have your team weave them into stories and share what they love about the line. I love hearing from our patients that they have never had an optical experience like ours, and that our passion and love of our eyewear shows!

Be Creative
You are setting out to create a practice that is uniquely you, and creates an amazing experience — so why carry the same brands that everyone else does? I often hear from ODs that they HAVE to carry certain lines, brands or manufacturers, but I don’t believe this is true at all. While we do have clients who ask us if we carry certain lines, instead of being defensive (or worse, panic adding these to our optical), we just say no and carry on. There will always be patients who will choose to leave you in search of a specific brand, but there are plenty who are open to other choices. 

How can you change the narrative? Have an optical with fun, unique lines, and tell stories. If your passion about your products shines though, it is very hard to say no. I LOVE when clients say, “I’ve never heard of these lines.” That is exactly what we aimed for at Look New Canaan — to be different. We carry smaller, independent lines focused on quality, design, colors, and materials, which may not be as mainstream as a licensed brand, but that’s the fun.

Do It Yourself
Looking to truly create a unique experience? Create your own frame brand! There are many ways to do this and even more talented people to work with in the optical industry who are excited to help you set yourself apart.

We have created two lines that are exclusive to our practice: the Look Collective, an acetate line created by Travis LeFevre of LFVR Eyewear, and Look Luxury, a buffalo horn line created by Frieda Eyewear in Washington Depot, Connecticut. We offer patients the opportunity to buy the pieces we have in store, or work with our optical team to create a truly bespoke frame. That could entail a custom color, size, style, or design from scratch. I have also named each piece after a local landmark, which has been a huge practice builder.

The optical at Look New Canaan showcases the latest in independent eyewear.

Don’t Set It and Forget It!
Lastly, always be on top of what is happening. It’s easy to sit back and hope for success, but true optical profitability comes from always analyzing the latest trends and how to be better. We are continuously monitoring our turn rate and pricing and making frequent adjustments to make sure we are as profitable as possible. Work with your sales reps to make sure their line is properly represented, order frequently and often, make sure you go deep enough for each line, and be ready to make changes if something isn’t working.  

While setting up and managing an optical in a cold start (or any practice!) can seem daunting, it can also be an incredible source of revenue and profitability. Focusing on what you can do to set yourself apart and provide an incredible patient experience can truly set your cold start on the path to success.

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