Sales Training Archives - The Visionaries Group

Effective Email Keywords
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Effective Email Keywords

Sales Training, Social Media, Web Design

Effective Email Keywords

Does your practice email customers and patients? If not, you most certainly should. In a world of virtually unlimited choices, customers have the flexibility to shop wherever and whenever they want. If you aren’t reaching out to them on a regular basis, rest assured, someone else is. At the same time our in-boxes are inundated with more email than ever. It is estimated that nearly 300 billion email messages are sent out every single day. That is roughly 3 million email messages every second. So, with that mountain of emails out there, how do you get your message opened and read? According to a recent study by email marketing firm, Adestra, here are the most and the least effective keywords to consider in composing your email subject lines. What has worked for your email campaigns?

By Eyes4U|2017-05-22T11:11:15-07:00November 12th, 2013|Sales Training, Social Media, Web Design|Comments Off

25 Skills For Excellent Customer Service
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25 Skills For Excellent Customer Service

Practice Managment, Sales Training, Social Media

25 Skills For Excellent Customer Service

In this day and age customer service makes or breaks a business. We have choice like no other time in our history as to where we conduct business. We can order shoes nails, nylon, and nectarines from every corner of the globe and have them delivered as soon as tomorrow. So why do we choose one business over another? For some it is all about price. Who is the cheapest? For some it is all about convenience. Which store is closest to my home or office. For most of us however, it is all about the level of service we receive at wherever we chose to patronize. Most of us have no problem spending a few dollars more or driving a few extra miles when the place we like best treats us well. Why do people choose to do business with us? Are you the cheapest? The closest? Or do you provide the level of customer service and expertise that make your practice worth the money or the drive?

The folks at Customer Service Heroes put together this infographic on the 25 Customer Service Skills you (and us) need to get ahead and stay ahead. Which of these do you practice and which will you institute?

By Eyes4U|2017-05-22T11:11:15-07:00October 22nd, 2013|Practice Managment, Sales Training, Social Media|Comments Off

First Impressions

I saw this photo on a social media blog recently and it really struck a chord with me. Not because I am a casual dresser or even have a sizable tattoo. It really hit home by the visual effect of the gentleman dressed as both a doctor and what might be perceived as a biker in the second photo. The point is driven home that first impressions are so very important in how we think of people and of places.
On the online forums, a week doesn’t go by when someone isn’t asking about the cheapest place or method in building a website, doing advertising work or even remodeling their practice. I love to save money as much or more than the next guy or gal. However, I also realize most times you get what you pay for. Want to buy a new computer? Think that $300 lost leader will be as fast, as powerful or last as long as the $1200 model near the top of the line? Hardly. Think that $13,000 Smart Fortwo has the passenger comfort, acceleration, and handling of Lexus LS for $60,000 more? I think not. You may not be able to afford the best in everything, but that is no reason to buy the cheapest in everything either.

Take your website for example. Practice after practice is online asking peers how and where to build the cheapest website, while forgetting that their website is their most ardent ambassador to their practice 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In an era where 8 out of 10 people will look at your website before ever walking through your […]

By Daniel Feldman|2017-05-22T11:11:31-07:00May 8th, 2013|Practice Managment, Sales Training, Social Media|Comments Off

What is the Internet Telling Your Patients About Contacts?

Recently, I was doing some online research related to a project for a client, and stumbled across a website from the UK. The information this website posted was absolutely terrifying, and made me wonder what else is out there, for public viewing, and how little most of us know about this ‘mis’ information.

The site I found is www.contactswithoutaprescription.com. It lists links to other sites that sell contact lenses without an Rx as well. On their front page, in plain black and white, was the following: Is it perfectly legal to order contacts on-line without a prescription if you live in the United States? It is not legal for a US based company to sell and ship contacts to a US address without a prescription. That means a possible alternative source to buy contacts, like many prescription drugs, could be outside of the United States…..The UK (United Kingdom) for example has different trust levels with consumers and different governmental laws. They evidently trust that people have been to the eye doctor at some point in the past and know their base curve and left and right eye powers and wouldn’t spend good money on contact lenses that don’t fit or don’t correct their vision properly.

Umm…WHAT???? So, not only will these sites allow you to order your contact lenses without a prescription, I suppose guessing at the base curves and powers, they also insinuate that we as ECP’s don’t trust our patients as much in the United States. Nothing about health care issues, about the possible adverse effects and ramifications of wearing lenses you haven’t been fit […]

By Nikki|2017-05-22T11:11:31-07:00December 18th, 2012|Practice Managment, Sales Training|Comments Off

‘Tis The Season To Be (Jolly) GRUMPY

The holidays are here, again. One thing you will discover, no matter if it is in your own office, driving around town, or out running errands of your own and making purchases at other stores…people are GRUMPY. And it is very easy to fall into this same bah humbug mindset when you are surrounded by bad attitudes. So, while taking care of your own customers, some of whom might be a bit…testy….keep a few things in mind about WHY they might not be feeling so Christmas-cheery.

The pressures of gift buying, both on the wallet as well as the psychological ones (will Aunt Edna like her purse? Will little Johnny tear the head of the stuffed animal I bought him?).
The emotional issues that come up when families get together (rivalries, old slights, etc)
Maybe a bad experience or loss of loved one has affected them.
Feelings of loneliness are more prevalent during the holidays.
They don’t celebrate the holidays and are tired of having it shoved down their throats.

Think of your own situation. We all have some of the above to contend with during the holiday season. So, how do you take this negative attitude and turn it into a positive, both for your customer and your bottom line?

Make them feel special

One of the best ideas I’ve ever seen is the one some retailers and restaurant chains are now using to sell gift cards. If the consumer spends a certain amount on a card, they get a bonus card for free, somewhere in the neighborhood of 10-20% of the purchase. Use this same concept in your office. Offer something for ‘free’ to everyone, […]

By Nikki|2017-05-22T11:11:31-07:00December 11th, 2012|Practice Managment, Sales Training|Comments Off

Thanks But No Thanks

So, looking through one of the optical forums the other day I came across this posting. The name of the author shall remain anonymous, however I have heard the same sentiment expressed multiple times…certainly enough to write this.

Thinking of putting up a sign in the office that basically states we don’t want to adjust or work on glasses no purchased at our office. Special circumstances like out of state etc will be made but I can’t have my staff spending time on these products at the expense of loyal patients. Anyone have a good way to word it?

My suggestion for a sign?

Yes, it is disappointing when someone buys from another retailer. It’s often more than disappointing. The first question to ask yourself is why did you lose that sale? If it was a pair of glasses or sunglasses purchased online, more than likely it was over price (or perceived price). We all know we can buy almost anything online cheaper than in a brick and mortar store. The difference most of fail to remember at the time we do buy online is the service we receive at local store (hopefully).

Let me ask you a question. What is the most famous amusement park in Southern California? Disneyland? Is Disneyland the cheapest amusement park in Southern California? Hardly. So, if it is all about price…how does Disneyland stay in business? What is the most famous ski area in Colorado? Vail? Aspen? Once again is either of those two ski areas the cheapest? Not by a long shot. They, like Disneyland thrive because they have created an experience that goes beyond price.

Are […]

By Eyes4U|2017-05-22T11:11:31-07:00August 21st, 2012|Practice Managment, Sales Training|Comments Off

SELLING IS EVIL!!

C’mon, admit it! It’s ok to say it, we all know it: Selling is evil, it’s just plain evil. It’s awful and horrible. It’s despicable. Seriously, it’s just atrocious and immoral. And, it’s beneath you!

It would have to be all those things according to what most of you, as eye care professionals, tell me. When asked, in one of my surveys, to define selling, here are some responses from some of your peers:

“Selling is pushing someone to purchase something they may not need.” “Selling is convincing a person to buy something from you.” “Selling is persuading a person to buy an item you’re trying to profit off of.” “Selling is trying to get money from someone to buy something they don’t want or need.” “Selling is trying to deceive someone to get their money.”

These are actual responses.

Now ironically, and no matter what you do for a living, Selling is necessary. If there weren’t any sales, 99% of us wouldn’t have jobs. So, selling a product and/or service is necessary. But is it really a necessary evil?

Well, it probably is if you subscribe to one of the definitions above or have a negative perception in your head about what you think Selling is. And you probably do because negative perceptions and definitions about Selling is all that’s been taught to us.

Most of us accept the notion that Selling is all about persuading someone to buy something… Selling = Persuasion. So let me ask you this, do you personally like to be persuaded? Yeah, neither do I. And neither do most people.

So if Selling = Persuasion and most people don’t like to be persuaded, […]

By Robert Bell|2017-05-22T11:11:31-07:00March 19th, 2012|ECP, Sales Training|Comments Off

So, Why Aren’t You in Jail??

An optometrist was very eager to give me his opinion on “selling”. His attitude was that “selling” cheapens and degrades the profession of optometry. Optometrists and their staffs should not be salespeople. Optometrists should be the best doctors they can be and their staffs should be a reflection of that.

Agreed! 100%!! Optometrists should be the best doctors they can be and their staffs shouldreflect that. Absolutely! Unequivocally!

He went on to say that people like me, who teach selling to eye care professionals, should be ashamed of themselves; that we appeal to the lowest common denominator of money-grubbing optometrists. Ouch! It’s not the first time I’ve heard this from someone who’s never attended one of my workshops.

“Doctor, are you telling me that you’re dedicated to the health and comfort of your patient’s visual health? 100%?”

“Yes, of course,” he replied.

“Wonderful! Would you happen to know the percentage of your patients that purchase more than one pair of eyewear from you?”

“Maybe 5 or 10%, if I had to guess.”

“How many pair does your average patient need?”

“On average? Three pair.”

“So, your patients are leaving with less than they need? Hmm, so how is it that you’re not in jail?”

I shared with this doctor the following information: A woman won a $2.1 million settlement against her cardiologist for failing to give her an aspirin. Yep, an aspirin! It was to be given to the patient before an angioplasty. But, because the patient received less than what was needed, she developed gangrene and lost a foot.

Think about this: If you put your trust into the hands of any other kind of physician… a cardiologist, an oncologist, an orthopedist, etc., and they gave you less than what […]

By Robert Bell|2017-05-22T11:11:32-07:00March 8th, 2012|ECP, Sales Training|Comments Off

Taste The Sale-Let Your Tummy Do The Talking!
Taste The Sale-Let Your Tummy Do The Talking!

Sales Training

Taste The Sale-Let Your Tummy Do The Talking!

Have you ever described a frame as ‘grape’ or ‘melon’ when presenting it to a customer? Chances are you haven’t. But, in the world of eye wear, words are a very important factor in how you present products to your clients. There is a reason why a multi-million dollar industry exists simply to come up with correct descriptions of products, and you can use this same strategy in your sales techniques in your optical. And it’s easy!
Think of your favorite yummy foods…That black frame? It’s not black! It’s licorice! The brown zyl you are trying on a customer? Caramel, chocolate, coffee, mocha, or root beer. Fruits, desserts, and other delicious food items are great ways to personalize colors for your clients. What sounds better? “Here, Mrs. Jones, try on this blue frame” or “You have to try on this delicious blueberry frame, Mrs. Jones…it’s a perfect complement to your casual jeans days!”
Another great way to change your customers’ thinking about color is to use precious gemstone references, and other ‘rich’ terms. Black frames can be midnight or ebony. Red frames can be ruby or garnet. And don’t forget the metal tones. Rather than simple ‘gold’ or ‘silver’, I discuss these with customers as ‘warm metals’, ‘cool toned metals’, ‘sterling’, and ‘platinum’.
Making your frames sound downright decadent is really easy once you begin to think of the colors you offer as something other than the traditional names we’ve always called them. You will have fun coming up with descriptions, it gives the impression of added value to the frames, and your customers will have a much more enjoyable […]

By Nikki|2017-05-22T11:11:32-07:00December 8th, 2011|Sales Training|Comments Off