Michael,

Excellent observations about many, if not most, people's behavior, when it comes to dental and vision care. It's generally REactive -- and then, usually only when it's really bad -- rather than PROactive.

I read your post just before leaving to see Tom, and I thought you had an interesting point about the ad, so I mentioned it to him. He disagreed -- we weren't targetting people who were functionally blind, after all! ;-> (Just f.y.i., the 5 symptoms given in the ad were Computer-related Eyestrain, Ghost Images or Trouble Focussing, Unusual Light-Sensitivity, Constant Scratchiness, and Floating Spots.) He makes a good point, too, though I wouldn't have so readily dismissed your observation (no pun intended). Who knows...?

Interesting suggestion about using flyers to get his name in front of people. I'll have to think this one over and discuss it with him.

One point of clarification about the subscription fee idea: is that fee for the "on call" service?

As for the cleaning fluid, I know he's mentioned it before, but I'm not sure how hard he pushes it.

Thanks for chiming in, Michael. I was hoping you would.

Regards,
Chris

> Chris:

> Optician's are like dentists... NO-ONE cares
> until THEY think they need one.

> It will take a LOT of marketing to educate
> people to use one. Even people with bad eyes
> will NOT go to one - just like people will
> NOT go to a dentist even with bad teeth or a
> bad tooth-ache (not until it is unbearable).

> Children are VERY self-conscious. And
> wearing glasses is about the worst thing
> that can happen to them - in their opinion.
> Kids don't want to be called four-eyes and
> cop the rest of the baggage that goes with
> wearing glasses. They wll have a high
> resistance to any "tests."

> Parents don't want to discover their little
> precious is not perfect and has defective
> eyes. And won't take their child for a test
> "just to see" if anything is
> wrong. And only the responsible parents will
> take their child if they think there is
> something wrong.

> And if the parents actions are anything to
> go by - fob the kid off to day care so they
> can get back to work - then the market of
> responsible parents is way way down.

> Something which I haven't seen mentioned in
> this thread is: You ran an ad which had to
> be read, targeting people who had bad eyes.
> So the very people the ad may have been
> meant for, couldn't read the ad.

> Coupled with the "there's nothing wrong
> with me, and if there is I don't want to
> know" attitude most people have, it is
> not surprisng the ad did not do too well.

> Also, if you want to be the optician people
> come to to get new glasses - like if their
> old ones break - then running an ad which
> talks about eye problems won't do any good.

> From all appearances, Tom's business is a
> "I'll go to it when I need it"
> business. Exactly like a dentist (how often
> do you, or anyone reading, go to a dentist
> just for a checkup?)

> So in that sense, any marketing needs to be
> designed to let people know he exists for at
> time they may need him.

> Hugh Gaugler showed his flyer a few months
> back. This flyer generated a lot of business
> and did NOT bother with wants, benefits,
> etc. It targetted people by asking them to
> call him if they needed some work.

> Modifying it to suit Tom, the flyer would
> read something like this (from memory):
> Hello,

> My name is Tom Browneyes. I provide all
> kinds of eyewear services from eye tests to
> filling prescriptions and replacing and
> repairing glasses. If you need glasses, have
> glasses that need some work, or would like
> your eyes tested, please call me.

> Sincerely,

> Tom Browneyes
> 555-5555 A few other things...

> Remember in The Great Ideas Letter, the bit
> about the store that analysed its trading
> hours coupled with revenue?

> Could Tom spend one of the closed/off days
> doing all mobile work?

> Could Tom charge a subscription fee to
> provide his services - pay now, and a larger
> sum, and you get FAST priority service.

> Does Tom try and get people onto a regular
> supply of glasses cleaning fluid?

> Michael Ross