Here's the Plan: Promoting PALs

PALs blend good looks and technology. Image courtesy of Younger Optics

Having a business plan for promoting PALs at your practice makes life—and profit building—easier

By Karlen McLean, ABOC, NCLC

Your practice already carries and promotes PALs. But there are many more styles and designs in the market-place or ready to launch.

Here's a practical PAL promotion plan that ensures that every player in your practice is filling the right role.

Driving Promotions

As demonstrated by Mark Allred (l), owner of Sight Systems of the Carolinas, and Jim Wise (r), sales representative for Vision-Ease Lens, you can achieve 24/7 promotion in many ways, including a delivery car that features a lens brand and your business. Some other suggestions for outside-the-box PAL promotions: Lightbox displays in windows, which stay lighted all night and attract the views of passersby any time. While lightboxes typically spotlight frames, why not feature some PAL lens beauty shots and branding in your lightboxes, too?

SALES CONSULTANT: SUPPORT

Before the lens is dispensed, the practice must work with the sales representative to get the ball rolling. A successful launch and ongoing PAL promotion takes several steps, notes Dee Galvin, a sales consultant for Essilor of America. "First, we need a commitment from the practice's decision maker," she says.

Then, rather than simply making a purchase, tap into the deep wells of information these professionals have at their disposal.

Next, it's time to train the staff on the lens' technical information.

ECPs are a product's brand ambassador and P.O.P. materials assist in the presentation process. Images courtesy of Hoya

Lens and lab representatives can help run and track numbers and promotions for PAL products. Image courtesy of Seiko

When launching and promoting a new PAL design, staff members attend PAL training seminars with their wholesale lab and the lens manufacturer. This helps the practice expertly impart the importance to overall visual health and comfort.

Another method of building knowledge and mastering product presentation is roleplay. A little rehearsal comes in handy when a new PAL takes center stage.

Also ask lens company representatives for full access to materials that can enliven the office, including dispensing mats, brochures, mailers, and posters.

In addition, tap into your rep's business savvy. The development of business plans is a requirement for many of these professionals. Ask about how these plans can be applied to your practice.

OPTICIAN: PRACTICE BRANDING

Once the product is in place, the opticians have the responsibility of becoming a practice's brand ambassadors. Finding the special features of each lens, and selling its unique value, is a solid plan for success.

"Since our PAL brand of choice is a premium lens brand not sold by the chains, it can be sold as just that, a premium brand," says Susan Smith, LDO, of Vision Specialists of Longwood in Longwood, Fla.

Dispensing mats are an accessible visual aid at Vision Specialists of Longwood. Pamphlets are used to help explain lens benefits and differences. Hands-on demos are also used, including a pair of plano-top PALs with the peripheral blur area diagramed with a marker to help patients visualize how PALs work.

Smith observes: "Many patients ask about a commercial they've seen or a poster in the office, but don't usually pick up a brochure. We need to show them; they're wonderful sales tools."

Savvy practices also utilize their rep and lab to help run and track numbers and promotions. "If we're given a certain promotion with percents of sales over the prior year that we need to beat, those figures come from the rep or lab," Smith says.

Customized PALs offer a high-definition viewing experience. Image courtesy of Ophthonix, Inc.

OD, MD: TEACHER

At the practice of Bennett Romanoff, MD, the doctor utilizes lifestyle questionnaires to ensure patients receive the visual answers to all they need. Lori Swartz, LDO, at Dr. Romanoff's practice, explains "Product knowledge is very important in our business. Patients need to be educated on the details of the products they're using.

"Confusion due to too many lens choices is common. The best way to cut through the clutter and make a positive impact with patients is the doctor's recommendation.

"When we get the chart from the doctor, who brings the patient to the optical, he'll normally write ‘progressive AR’ on the chart," Smith says. "It becomes more of a necessity to the patient versus the optical staff suggesting it."

REGIONAL CHAIN RETAILER: INCENTIVIZED GOALS

Optical One, a multi-store retailer based in Indianapolis, approaches selling PALs by focusing on internal-driven details. The company standard dictates that 65 percent of all multifocal sales will come from PALs. Training staff members is the key to meeting this goal. The company has a training program on all aspects of the eyecare experience, with three chapters specifically on PALs covering materials, measurements, fitting, and processing.

Optical One CEO Jack Gunion says, ""Selling PALs is just one element in our incentive compensation program. We don't use a good, better, best approach to PALs. There are too many variables. But we do use packages to increase PAL sales, and our central lab processes PALs and utilizes our molding equipment to increase our profitability." EB