| Patients are bombarded by brand messages from all sides in a media
saturated market. As a result, the optician is best suited, at the point-of-sale, to harness the power of brands by creating a series of "sound bytes
"that entice, describe and provide patients with an understanding of the
best that optical has to offer. Even the cynical patient will listen and understand what's important about those brands if the sound byte is short, fun
and resonates with the patient. Once a library of sound bytes are created,
everyone in the office can use them to better entice patients to see products, have the benefits described and try them for themselves.
As an optician, my first inclination is to tell a patient the features and benefits of the products I sell, however, I've recognized that it's too technical for
almost all patients and they
don't respond in the way I
thought they would. I now start
by talking about something with
emotion; it switches the conversation from "boring" optical to real
life. It changes the discussion from
"need" to "want" and that means
a more involved interaction.
CREATING "SOUND BYTES"
 From a review of the annual
conference of the Association of
National Advertisers, customer-driven marketing, where the
consumer engages with the
brand will replace traditional top
down marketing. Rather than
believing that a brand will sell
itself without your help, the consumer must be engaged in a discussion about the brand. That
means the logo by itself is not enough. It means an optician must know how to
entice a patient to consider a product, then what to say about it, all utilizing the
power of the brand and the marketing efforts of the manufacturer behind it.
The product's brand power helps make the needed connection.
Have you ever overheard a colleague say something so good to a patient that you wanted to write it down, paste it on the
cabinet and learn it so that the next
time you could say the same thing. That's exactly what optical sound
bytes are about. They are a never-ending series of snippets that make eyewear
interesting, enticing and fun. They tickle a
patient's interest and help increase a patient's
excitement about eyewear. The words are so delicious, you can taste them.
Sound bytes are short, memorable and fun. They also are relational. That
means that they are meaningful to the patients that are part of, or that you
want to be part of your practice. For example, a sound byte should be tailored to what resonates in your community. If you live near the mountains,
carry and talk ski goggles in winter, if near the beach consider that boarders
(surf, skate, snow) are very brand particular. Then create a sound byte around
it. Understand the brand power among this segment of customers.
Another example is to make a brand more alive with the sound byte. Tie a
frame brand to its retail location in local up market and fashionable store, e.g.,
"Have you been to the Adrienne Vittadini store in the Plaza? Classic looks
with a modern twist, beautiful chrome and glass, an entire look in styling." In
this way, the image of the store and its displays are complementary to the way
the patient will begin to think about their image in Adrienne Vittadini eye-wear, casually sophisticated styling of the brand's ready- to-wear line.
SUCCESS BY ASSOCIATION
Asking a patient if they'd like to try on James Bond sunglasses opens the
door to success. It's because that's what he wears in the movies. Association
with Mr. Bond evokes images of daring, intellect, honor and high energy. It
opens the door to a discussion about the fashion, high-quality and optics of
the Persol sunglass series. It also opens the door to discuss the suitability
of these frames as a pair of prescription sunglasses. So, what's next?
THE SOUND OF SOUND BYTES
The way that a sound byte comes out must be engaging, ask for some action
and be followed by everything else important about that brand. To continue
with the example of the Bond sunglasses, you must become a trained authority on Persol. This is true at the point-of-sale and the point of selection. Watch
the consumer as you speak and look for nodding and reactions that the
descriptions being used are resonating with them.
 Here are the components of a sound byte: a brand in the store, a brand
that improves the business' brand, one that
supports practice positioning, is aspirational in character, celebrities wear
them, fun, short and meaningful in
your market.
Using the same example, identify the manufacturer and its advantages as a sunglass.
James Bond perfectly represents the Persol
image: fashionable, stylish, yet sophisticated. The designs fit extremely
well, provide good coverage, have excellent quality crystal non-prescription
lenses as tints or polarized, are back surface AR coated, and have the unique
Meflecto temple, which encloses two
metal cylinders so the temples always fit
snug and comfortable. Be sure that they
are real Persol frames, look for the steel
Supreme arrow; that ensures that you received the real thing. Of course,
your prescription would be ideal in these as sunglasses. By suggesting they
try on the brand Bond wears, the brand becomes the image of style,
sophistication and hidden daring and competence.
Too daring? How about the quiet sophistication and classic lines of Brooks
Brothers? Saying: "Brooks Brothers is the brand worn by more U.S. Presidents than any other" speaks to the opportunities to relate to the 40+ year
old with classic eyewear designs suggesting crisp, quality and powerful. They
are the oldest retailer in the U.S. and well-known by most patients.
CELEBRITIES AND THEIR EYEWEAR
As an optician, I am often asked if we have "those glasses so-and-so was
wearing" so to help out, we cut and post photos of the famous and their eye-wear on a poster board in the store. Remember to learn which of the frames
people are wearing. A good source is the "Hall of Frames" section at the
front of each issue of 20/20 Magazine. Similar photos are part of fashion and
other optical magazines. Referring to these images opens the door for success through association.
Fashion magazines are an excellent source of the fashions in eyewear patients
will be looking for. Review the plano sunwear shown; it teaches how large
plano and Rx sunwear will be as well as trends coming for clear eyewear.
 Frame manufacturers also publish a review of their frames and sunwear
worn by people who are highly visible. Often, patients love characters or
actors and want to look like them or wear eyewear that they identify with.
Talk with frame reps for their "Hollywood Report" and use it to create
celebrity sound bytes.
Ray-Ban is one of the most well-known and top selling brands of sunglasses.
Owning a pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses is synonymous with comfort, style and
just the right kind of design. Many people who buy Ray-Ban sunglasses
remain loyal to them all their lives. They have appeared such recent movies as
"Big Momma's House 2," "Identity," "Men in Black II," "Once Upon a
Time in Mexico," "Sahara" and "The Dukes of Hazzard." If you can, ask
theaters for copies of the movie posters on display; it helps to merchandise
the frames. Want to know which eyewear was featured in the movies? Go to
www.brandchannel.com.
What do you think when you think Oakley? Ask the Oakley buyer i.e., the
15- to 34-year-old man and woman who wants to be edgy, is sports minded
and individualistic. From the Oakley web site "We ski a handful of deep
powder runs and are stoked after all the travel we have done to get here. The
next four days were great deep snow and snowing conditions most of the
time," wrote Seth Morrison about a ski trip to Mica Heli Skiing in Canada
BC. Films that featured Oakley frames include "Black Hawk Down," "Blade
II," "Failure to Launch," "Hellboy," "Mr. and Mrs. Smith," "The Fast and
the Furious," "X2: X-Men United" and "X-Men: The Last Stand."
Think Red Carpet when working with a customer to select a special pair of
eyewear. Glasses can make people feel special. If you adopt this as a goal, the
way you describe frames and lenses will change and patients will think differently about eyewear. It changes a need to a want and when it's a want, customers spend more.
So, to sum up, creating and using optical sound bytes gives customers
another way to think about brands in the office. That face-to-face, short, fun
and meaningful interaction can open all the doors to a more meaningful pair
of glasses. Brand bytes add to the identity of your practice and bring home
the power of that brand. However, just adding sound bytes can't be done in a
vacuum, there are a number of requirements for them to work.
MAKE BRANDS VISIBLE AND LEVERAGE THEIR POWER
Brands are all around but that doesn't mean that consumers understand
what that brand really stands for and the power that it might have. One
step is to develop a glossary of logos and their definitions. Good examples are on the Brands Portfolio web pages of each of the manufacturers you use. Also, ask sales representatives for a list. It helps you use the
same words the manufacturer uses and complements the good sound
bytes created.
To leverage the power of brands, make the brand real, make it visible, use
displays at point-of-purchase, have sufficient inventory (critical mass), use
logos on ads and direct mail, put signage in windows and on doors and link
it to the sound bytes with training.
ADD THE THINGS THAT MAKE BRANDS REAL
I remember standing in a taxi line while
attending Vision Expo West. The
women in front of me were trying to decide where in the world
they wanted to go that evening. Should they spend time in Paris,
New York, at the Luxor Pyramid, on
a canal in Venice, or watching the fountains at Bellagio? Each offers an experience that
makes the location real whether standing under the
Eiffel Tower or watching the performers in period
costumes in St. Marks Square. It's an example of
adding in all the things needed to make the brand
and the experience as real as possible.
For example, if selling a high-fashion name like Versace, have vendor approved materials, designed to tie in and
leverage the power of the brand to dress the window along with
frames. Be sure that the material is up to date for images and
models. Refresh the displays continuously and tie them to that
designer's season's campaigns. Make the brand real with items
that are a signature of the brand.
CRITICAL MASS
Critical mass is the right amount of inventory in the best selling styles and with
enough color depth so customers know you are serious about the brand. This
is especially important as new products are introduced and seen in advertising
by patients. They call, ask for availability and go elsewhere when unsuccessful.
How many is enough? It can't be the 12 piece minimum to show the
strength of the brand nor is it correct financially to over buy. Work with the
supplier to know what is appropriate for your market, balance it with enough
space to show it off correctly and consider the marketing goals for the product. The right amount is between the 12 piece mixed minimum and a 24 ophthalmic, 24 sunglass piece order. More makes a statement. Buy correctly.
USE MANUFACTURER LOGOS
Successful logos have characteristics that make them popular and memorable.
Use them like sound bytes. Make them visible and representative of the products and designers that are most popular. Use branded products that enhance
differentiation and add to the timelessness of the product lines so they are
long lived. Successful logos stand the test of time; look fresh and attractive,
and gives a distinctive feel to a company's image. Also, if the brands carried
are not able to evoke emotion, they will be meaningless to patients. Successful
brands evoke desired images in a patient's mind. That's the power of a brand.
In addition, configure ad campaigns and direct mail using the manufacturers' materials. Plan in-store events to further highlight your commitment to
bringing the power of those brands directly to your patients. An in-store event
gets patients up front and personal with the brand.
Here's what's needed to make the brands real in optical.
DISPLAYS AND POINT-OF-SALES
Place displays in strategic spots to enhance and freshen the appearance of the
office. They also grab a patient's attention or can be referred to when they are
making an eyewear purchase. For example, a display with a
sample AR or polarized lens helps to demonstrate the
benefits and enhance the eyewear for the
patient. This is important especially with
new staff since they don't always know or
remember all things that a patient may
benefit from and this gets attention and
acts as a reminder.
For best visibility place the display on
the right-hand side of where you are
working with the patient. In a left to right
reading world people scan left to right and displays
have a better chance of being noticed. Use POS displays with
eye-catching visuals and colors. Place them to highlight collections of the
hottest products. Choose displays that match the amount of available room
and be sure that customers can see over them if necessary.
Also consider printing the sound byte on a card and place it to the shelf
next to the brand or product. The same would be true for buttons or badges
that urge patients to ask the dispenser: "Let me show you the sunglass brand
that James Bond wears."
Questions asked about POS displays are: 1. Since we have limited space,
which should we choose and 2. How many are enough? The answers are dependent
on office positioning, however, choose the displays that support the product
and brand sales goals of the office. Coordinate the use of displays with product
collections featured and ones that you have sound bytes for.
Posters are large and can be dramatic in a dead wall space. Again be sure to
choose them based on having all the links needed so the brand shown gets
the most attention. Also, it's not great if the frame shown is very dramatic but
not carried in the store. If the poster shows it, have it.
BRAND SIGNAGE
Include brand signage on doors, in ads and collateral that communicates with
patients. From the Discover Card web site "Our research shows that 71 percent of our customers prefer to look for signage rather than ask which cards
are accepted." People might not want to come in and ask about a brand but
they can know by the displays and signage on doors and in windows. Check
with your vendors to see what variety of display and signage they offer.
Remember, consistency here is key. The signage, POS, sound bytes, sales
goals and critical mass must be in place to maximize the power of that brand.
Also, the use of signage of a powerful brand identifies the office as a source
for that brand and adds significantly to the marketing of the practice. Since
every practice loses patients each year (almost 19 percent of the population
relocates each year) and most patients live or work very close to the practice,
those lost must be replaced. All forms of visibility are important and the use
of brand signage lets new people in the area identify your office for the
brands you carry. The quickest, easiest and most economical way to attract
new customers is with signage.
SOUND BYTES
  Build a library of sound bytes that cover
frame and lens brands. Have a contest in
the office for the best sound bytes. Reward
staff with bites (i.e. lunch) for bytes. Assign each
staff member a brand, material, design, treatment, lens, etc. and the task to create a short,
memorable and fun sound byte. Record and print them on cards, post them
on cabinets and reward staff again when you catch them using it. It results in
sales as well as the patient benefits.
 Using polycarbonate, high-index, photochromic
and polarized lenses automatically absorb
100 percent of the UVB and UVA radiation. Research tells us that UV exacerbates the formation of cataracts. Moreover, UV is accumulated over a lifetime so
good protection from UV should start from childhood. Make them short, fun and meaningful.
Showing Versace frames and linking it to the clothing gives the eyewear this
same identity. The dress may be too daring but the eyewear is more affordable.
Virtually everyone loses his or her intermediate. The fun is explaining how to give it
back in progressives or near variable focus lenses. The original sound byte "We have new no-line bifocals for all distance
vision" is now taken for granted but still works.
TEACHING THE USE OF SOUND BYTES
With a toolbox filled with brand power and all mouths filled with sound bytes,
training staff is critical so the implementation is more successful than expected.
Practice and role-play brand and product sound bytes. Critique each other
about what was said after patients leave. Adopt the attitude that the end product i.e., the patient's eye health, eye care and eyewear, is what's important. That
way, you can have fun introducing this new technique of optical sound bytes.
IN-STORE EVENTS
Trunk shows have been around for a while in optical. Think of them differently now. You have more tools. Use them to expand the power of the
brands shown. They can help spread awareness of the office, make the needed connection between you and a customer, and with an invitation, show the
customer how special they are.
In-store events adds excitement to staff and patient alike, and certainly
increase sales. It also gets you closer with vendors and that's important
because a store constantly needs to bring new items to its customers. Be sure
to link all the facets of the event together i.e., enough staff, vendor reps, advertising, space, and the point-of-sale and sound bytes needed to talk professionally. Make it personal by calling those customers or patients that are well
known. Every office staff member has special customers in mind.
LINKING
Lastly, be sure the timing and actions of everything done that affects patients,
links together the right brands, logos, displays and training. That means ad
campaigns, direct mail; recall cards or ads placed in the Yellow Pages, the
sound bytes and the training about them are thought of as the links of a chain.
Each relies on the other for the totals strength. Has the vendor been contacted
for the latest collateral and materials, and am I so bold as to hold a trunk show.
CONCLUSION
Harness the power of brands by creating a series of "sound bytes "
that entice, describe and provide patients with an understanding of
the best that your optical has to offer. With a library of sound bytes
everyone in the office can better entice patients to understand products, learn the benefits they'd realize and try them for themselves. It
grows a business.
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