Well, the good old sales statistics and our experience tell us that only 10% of people buy more than one pair of glasses at a time. This low number may suggest that functionality is not compelling enough to inspire clients to invest in many pairs of eyewear.
Fashion, on the other hand, is exciting and empowering! We offer the world one of the most impressive and impactful accessories of all. Eyewear sits front and centre on one’s face and it has truly become the “IT” fashion accessory with online meetings and video production. Businesspeople, coaches & fashionistas are investing big time in their look from the neck up! This is a prime time to market and to create the “Fanatical Fashion Fans” in your optical dispensary. These fans may not enter your optical boutique as fashion eyewear obsessed clients, but you can certainly create them! Most people that I style did not come to me because they loved their eyewear and had many pairs, they were referred to me because they disliked their specs and dreaded the process of trying to find glasses that looked good on them. Here are three easy steps to start the conversion from window shoppers to fashion fans.
1 – Focus on the Power of Their Individuality!
Eyewear, like every other accessory, is personal to your client. Focus on the power of their individuality and the expressions made with their footwear and wardrobe choices. And then, match the eyewear to what you see. The eyewear choices should invoke a stand tall, confident stance just as a great fitting jacket or a killer pair of shoes would. As they try on frames, keep an eye on their body language as it will give clues to whether it was a “love it” or “leave it” style. Once a client experiences a personalized styling session that is all about them, relating the trends to their personal Spec Style, they will see the value in having more than one pair and the cash becomes a little less relevant.
2 – Invest in your Inventory!
Think differently and stand out from your competition. Eyewear styles that all look the same in shape and colour will not have your clients spending their cash on a second pair, let alone a third or fourth. If you want to sell multiple pairs of glasses, you need an array of options that look and feel different in vibe and colour. Invest in a new collection or two; it will reinvigorate YOU and it will be your enthusiasm that will excite your clients. We have so many beautiful independent eyewear brands available that you can easily curate a collection for your dispensary that allows you to style and offer a variety of completely different looks toy our clients. Work with your independent frame companies and ask them to help you with a new look in eyewear that you embrace and love. When you feel confident, you are an inspiration to your people.
3 – Offer a Transformational Styling Service!
There is no better time than now to offer personalized styling sessions to your clients. You don’t need to attract hundreds of new people to grow your business; you can sell more to fewer, creating a transformational experience for them. Designate a welcoming, fashion forward area for your clients to relax and feel special through the eyewear selection process. You don’t want to simply meet “minimum requirements” in customer service and get them out the door. Finding the best eyewear for your clients will require a bit more of your time and fashion savvy expertise and will be time well spent. Set the tone in a well-designed area and make your offer of many pairs, communicating the “why” they are perfect for them and “when” they will wear the specs. The right pair can be powerful and make a big difference in how someone looks. These fanatical fashion fans become friends and they become ambassadors of your business, easily referring their like-minded friends to you.
Be Spectacular!
– Originally published in Optik Magazine