Sunwear Selling Strategy

**PAkev** · 05-01-2001, 03:02 PM

Well I believe I am all geared up for the summer with new sunwear inventory featuring performance lines from Maui Jim, Costa Del Mar, Carerra, Nautica, and a few other opthalmic suns.

About 30% of my sales have been ophthalmic sunwear within the past three weeks. I've found my plano performance lines a good tool for perking intrest which lead to an ophthalmic RX sale but have only been able to move a few off the displays to folks interested in plano sunwear. I am in an ophthalmology office which does not persue LASIK and we don't see a whole lot of contact patients. However, I strongly believe that I can capture some folks buying from the mall kiosk a mile up the road by offering superior professional service.

What strategies do you use to sell plano sunwear.

Kevin

**Vicki** · 05-01-2001, 03:33 PM

This may not help your immediate needs but we have done very well with a small ad taken out in the yellow pages under "sunglasses" No one in our area has an "actual ad" and the only listings are for Sunglass Hut, etc. It's not a big ad at all, just a small one but that has brought in so much business for us. Alot of "plano" people don't even think about optical shops since they don't wear glasses. I don't understand it but hey I don't understand alot of consumers thoughts! ha

You are right in offering better service being able to capture the sunglass market. Sunglass Hut can't adjust any sunglasses. So if Joe consumer wants a pair of $220.00 Maui Jim's but they are loose the sales clerk can't help him. Being able to do those little adjustments and having the optical knowledge on the lenses makes a big difference. Being able to describe why Maui Jim is different from Nautica, etc and not just reading the information from a pamphlet builds confidence in the customer. I use alot of the POP from the different companies along with making different scenes with the sunglasses. Example, for summer I make a little beach scene with some small stuffed bears wearing shades. It's cute and draws attention and awareness.

Hope some of this helps,
Vicki

**Pete Hanlin** · 05-01-2001, 04:04 PM

We took a corner of our optical (about 45 square feet) and put up a partition that's topped with palm leaves (found at a local Lowe's store ready to be discarded). We got a stuffed parrot, some bamboo mats to cover the walls, and some fish netting for over the window.

Anyway, the result is a "Tiki Hut" looking display that stands out. It creates curiosity, so patients "check it out." Inside, they find all kinds of POP for Raybans, Revo, Nautica, Nike, Costa, etc.

Still, I can empathise- its hard to move plano sunwear from an optical shop. Oh, it really helps to have a polarized demonstrator (I think ours came from Younger).

Pete

**Texas Ranger** · 05-01-2001, 05:23 PM

We actually sell a lot of prescription sunwear by having a good supply of plano sunwear, about 40% of the time, folks want their rx in the plano style. that's OK too, we also downplay selling clip-ons. people want stylish sunwear! The OD next door does quite a few contact lenses but his folks seem to want to run over to sunglass Hut of Walmart...amazing isn't it!? Maybe your doctor could help promote sunglass wearing a bit more.

**happymeal** · 05-08-2001, 12:02 AM

This may sound bad to some of you, but there are couple things
that sometimes work for me. Call it mental judo, but i will throw
sunglasses into any conversation, adjusting someones glasses
I might comment that I sit on my sunglasses the same way. Something fun to do, I had a pair of Ivory Cazal, gradient tinted
sunglasses, very Elvis like, I might show the customer something really outrageous to get them talking or, put them on myself and make them laugh. Also, as a side note, check out Bucci Sunglasses, great stuff, nice price.