Optical Prism November 2019 | Page 31

Special feature any effort to improve the world, your staff should pass that information on to consumers. CHOOSING BETTER PRODUCTS FOR YOUR DEMOGRAPHIC You know your practice’s demographics better than anyone. By that same token, your sales representative knows which products are most popular with those demographics. Before you meet with your sales rep, tell them you’d like to discuss the products that perform well with adults over the age of 60, or whatever major demographic you’re trying to target. Framing your conversation like this means that each meeting is a more effective use of everyone’s time. It gives the representative a better idea of which products to recommend in the future and makes your relationship feel more like a mutually-beneficial partnership, rather than a salesperson-buyer relationship. Leveraging your sales rep’s unique product and market knowledge helps increase your practice’s profitability. with your sales representative means you can come to them with questions that you might not normally ask a more formal business associate. SET THE RELATIONSHIP UP FOR SUCCESS Sales representatives can be a key factor in the success of your practice. The trick is to treat them as a trusted colleague and advisor rather than a pest or necessary evil. If you build a positive relationship with your sales rep, you’ll have one more advantage to help your practice flourish. OP As Marketing4ECPs’ Senior Content Strategist, Kaia Pankhurst creates and implements content strategies for eye care practices all over North America. Outside of the office, Kaia is a musician, activist and professional wrestler. You can reach Kaia at marketing4ecps.com PASS SAVINGS ONTO YOUR PATIENT Part of your role is to provide your patients with the best possible value. Your sales representative can help you do that if you let them. Reps, particularly contact lens reps, sometimes have access to coupons, rebates, starter kits and other specialized offers. You’re far more likely to hear about these offers if you speak with your representatives regularly and build positive relationships with them. In turn, you’ll be in a better position to provide value to your patients. FILL STAFFING NEEDS Your sales reps visit most, if not all, the practices and optical boutiques in your area. That means they’re a source of untapped knowledge. Of course, your reps are unlikely to disclose information that could harm your competitors. But they may know who’s been laid off or just wants to move on. If you’re looking to fill a position, who better to ask than someone who speaks with all the practices in your area on a regular basis? Building a relationship Optical Prism | November 2019 31