EYE FOCUS | SPECIAL FEATURE
into the room, asks you how you are
and then immediately says that you’ve
got the flu and to go home and rest easy.
So you leave, without the chance to
actually describe your symptoms and
head home.
How do you feel about this exchange?
Chances are you don’t feel great -
after all, the doctor didn’t actually
discuss or evaluate your symptoms!
Can you really trust that they
actually recommended the best
treatment for you?
Introducing Prescriptive
Needs Analysis
What if your doctor had asked you
to describe your symptoms and then
performed a quick exam on your
mouth and throat?
If they had come back saying, “I don’t
see anything major, probably just a
cold or flu...”, does your perspective
on the interaction change (even if
their recommended remedy doesn’t)?
This approach - where the doctor
asked for your symptoms and
examined you - is an example of
prescriptive sales in action.
Sales conversations are not
dissimilar to the interaction you had
with your doctor. By uncovering
needs, you open the discussion to
introducing the right products and
the benefits that they provide.
Ask the Right Questions,
Recommend the Right
Solution
In the optical world, a customer
rarely knows precisely what they
really want. Instead, they rely on
your expertise to help guide them to
the right products to suit their needs
and desires. Being able to uncover
their needs will allow you to unlock
the right solution. In so doing, you
have a natural sales conversation that
feels good for everyone involved.
Let’s look at how we can leverage
prescriptive-based sales to uncover
the needs of someone looking for a
new pair of glasses.
Start With Broad Questions
• Are you planning on wearing these
glasses every day or are these going
to be for a particular application
(such as reading or for driving)?
• Where do you think you’ll wear
these glasses the most - indoors, at
your computer, outside, etc.?
• Do you have any allergies to
certain metals or plastics?
Then Get Narrower
Based on the customers’ answers to
the questions above, you can then ask
some more specific questions that
will help direct you toward the right
brand or style. For example:
• Would you be interested in looking
at brands that use reclaimed
plastic as their frame material?
• Do you want to have a few different
styles so you can mix it up with
different looks?
• Do you also need a pair of
prescription sunglasses or would
you prefer a pair of glasses that
work both indoors and outdoors?
Let’s take this a step further...
why don’t we prescribe lenses
based on eye disease conditions?
For example: Glaucoma patients
suffer from diminished vision,
blurred vision so we can “prescribe”
personalized, digital progressive
lenses with anti-reflective coatings
to assist with vision deficiencies
based on their eye disease.
Cataract patients experience a
clouding of the lens, resulting in
loss of vision over time. Again,
an opportunity to “prescribe or
recommend” new technology lenses
and coatings based on their visual
issues. Also prepare cataract patients
for glasses life after surgery. While
they may end up with almost perfect
vision after the surgical procedure,
they may still require a prescription,
reading glasses but every patient will
require sunglasses to ensure ultraviolet
protection.
We could go into every eye disease...
but I think you get the picture!
Making a Great
Recommendation
Based on their answers, you
should be able to make a confident
recommendation on digital lenses
specific to their needs. Most
consumers have no awareness of
the vast technology we now have in
ophthalmic lenses and our ability to
educate them will drive a higher end
sale and a happier customer.
Either way, by asking open-ended
questions that are less sales focused
and more person-focused, your
conversation flows more naturally.
Best of all, the resulting conversation
feels like a conversation, not a sales
pitch. Put the prescription to practice
and watch how much better it feels
(and how much easier it is to make a
sale). EF
Trudi Charest is the Co-Founder of
Marketing4ecps, a digital marketing
agency for eye care professionals in
Canada. Trudi is also a Licensed
Optician and has an extensive
history in eye care. Trudi can be
reached at www.marketing4ecps.com
or at [email protected].
EYE FOCUS | September Digital 2020 27