Hi all,
For those of you who haven't had the chance to meet Darris (or Chad, for that matter, but you'd better be able to keep up! ;)), you need to do so for your personal and professional edification.
As Darris explained, during the course of the week he gave the press (which was constantly harrassing us- guess they recognized us as prestigious OptiBoarders D)) the quote "Image is Everything." I initially gave him more than a little grief over this statement.
However, on the plane trip home I realized something. "Image is Everything" is the same as "Perception is Reality." For example, the beads that get tossed on Bourbon Street sell for $1.50 a dozen at the French Quarter. On Bourbon Street, they sell for $7.00/dozen. Reality states that there is no way moving those beads 5 blocks can increase their value by 466%. However, people gladly pay the inflated price (to obtain certain images).
I was being completely forthright when I said I learned more on Bourbon Street than anywhere else last weekend... As a retailer, I learned that you always need to ask "How does that make me money?" That question would seem fundamental, but how often do we get caught up in the aesthetics and pleasantries of business and lose focus on what keeps us IN business- profit!
So, next time I think "That brand-label frame is only popular because of the name... it's no better than the no name stainless steel frame... humbug!" I'll remember that image IS everything (or most everything). If a patient WANTS to pay me an exorbitant amount of money for a sunglass with a certain name, daggonit I'll let 'em!
Pete "Gotta visit San Angelo- the 'located in a depression, fish smelling, lake burning capital of capitalism'" Hanlin
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