SOCIAL

  the way i see it

Create a Spending Spree

Make a trip to your optical feel like a vacation

MARC R. BLOOMENSTEIN, O.D, F.A.A.O.

Not to take anything away from some real sharp and talented O.D.s who really know practice management, but I believe I have the answer to making more “paper” in our practice.

Now, I know what you’re thinking — you’ve read my past columns and found my irreverent takes on all that is sacred in the exam lane to be really nothing but total manure. Yet, that’s all a façade for the absolute genius that lies deep within my pores.

Vegas, baby

It hit me this weekend as I ventured out to Las Vegas. Ordinarily, I live by the maxim, “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas,” however, not this time; I could not wait to share this pearl with all of you.

Traveling outside of your hometown seems to always have the feel of a vacation, which I believe stimulates a synaptic euphoria that reduces our cognitive abilities to spend less: inhibitious spendus! Think about it. When you go on vacation, you always spend more than you planned, right?

Treat yo’ self

Use my Vegas jaunt as an example. The temptations are plentiful. The hotels are dimly lit to confuse the senses (is it day or night?), there are no clocks, and the carpet is a regurgitation of shapes and colors to make you look straight out — not down, where you might miss a chance to spend money. They must pump something into the air that induces a psychotic spending frenzy. “Yes, that Louis Vuitton bag is a necessity — and I will take two Zegna suits, please!” Curse you, Vegas, with your stores open until midnight.

Vacation destination

Are you following me? This is what we need to do! We need to make going to the optometrist’s office feel like a vacation for our patients.

My head is spinning with ideas. For example, to promote sunwear sales, I am thinking grass skirts and a hibachi cooking skewers of meat by the optical. Turn the lights in the office up to 800 watts, have all the employees wear Bobbi Brown’s Beach perfume and sunglasses, and hand each patient a lei. Or, a Vegas theme can be accomplished with gaming tables and “Players Cards” with which patients earn points every time they use one in the optical.

Make it rain

Now, my Vegas excursion had me saying, “Sure, why not? We’re on vacation!” If we could parlay that attitude into our offices, we could easily have our patients doing all their shopping at their exam visit. “I will take two moist heat compresses, some lid foam, and, since I am getting three pairs of glasses, throw in some lens cleaner and a few cleaning cloths, too!”

Who knows, if you play it right, they’ll spend all their vacation money and more at your office. (You’re welcome.) OM

DR. BLOOMENSTEIN CURRENTLY PRACTICES AT SCHWARTZ LASER EYE CENTER IN SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. HE IS A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE OPTOMETRIC COUNCIL ON REFRACTIVE TECHNOLOGY. E-MAIL HIM AT MBLOOMENSTEIN@GMAIL.COM OR, TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE, VISIT TINYURL.COM/OMCOMMENT.