If as an independent practice owner or manager you think of your typical patient, chances are you are thinking of an older presbyope. And why not? Their optical needs are more complex, they buy and spend more, and with an increasing population, they are an ever-growing market. However, almost 10% of the population – and more in cities – are aged between 18 and 24. New research shows millennials spend an average of £738.96 a year on new clothes, shoes and accessories.
Here are a few tips on how to retain that crucial teenage/young adult demographic:
1 Realise the potential
There is a market that is being neglected by traditional optics. Don’t make the same mistake. That child you’ve looked after since their first eye test aged six, seen every six months since and taught how to wear contact lenses has now turned 18, is off to university and is buying online or visiting their local multiple. Identifying these individuals and making efforts to retain their custom can go a long way.
2 Stock appropriate products
Simple and seemingly obvious but it’s natural to tailor your store and your offering to the clientele you see most often. What that means, though, is that a younger person walking in will sees lots of kids’ glasses and most of the rest of the store dedicated to older peoples’ frames. It’s no surprise then that they take their custom elsewhere or online.
3 Consider offering student discounts
Everywhere else does it and students expect it. Someone turning 19 now has to pay for eye tests and the full cost of spectacles and contact lenses that were heavily subsidised only a few months ago, and in many cases will now actually be paying for things themselves (rather than it being covered by their parents). Even a relatively small bill can seem large when it’s the first time you’re paying. Softening the blow with student discounts will help them see what they’ve saved, not what they’ve paid.
4 Offer reasonable payment options
Offering to spread the cost of purchases over a few months on a direct debit is another way to help, and the non-payment rate is surprisingly low. Something slightly more controversial is offering a discount on professional fees (for example, the cost of an eye test), but many opticians have had great success with this, and it’s a great way to draw students in.
5 Have an online presence
This doesn’t have to be too complicated to begin with – a decent website and focusing on Google reviews are an easy way to start. It is shocking how many independent opticians have only a handful of Google reviews, and given that research shows that 84% of people trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation, it’s crucial you’re actively pursuing these. Of course, this attracts all patients and not just younger ones but the younger you are, the more likely you are to refer to and be influenced by what you read online. When you’ve got the basics sorted, look into digital media marketing to expand your online presence.
6 Target your student recalls
Imagine you’re a 19-year-old at university and you run out of contact lenses. You call your trusted childhood optician and they tell you they can’t supply you any because you’re overdue for a contact lens check, or that they don’t send contact lenses in the post. Your next step will be an online company who can do both of those things and you’ll never be back to your trusted childhood optician again. Instead, work with them. Students are likely to be back over holidays and in the summer and so call them proactively to book in checks so they’re up to date while they’re away.
7 Make it convenient
Streamline deliveries directly to their term time address. Make it easy for them to stick with you and make the idea of switching their custom elsewhere a leap into the unknown, seemingly fraught with hassle. For contact lenses especially, direct debit schemes are a great way to do this, but again, work with your patients to make it convenient by being flexible when it comes to increasing and decreasing supply in line with their usage patterns. It may require a little more admin on your behalf, but it pays off.