BUSINESS
SCRIPTOPEDIA
DITCH THE DETAILS
AVOID INDUSTRY TERMS, AND FOCUS ON BENEFITS
MARK HINTON
WHEN discussing products with consumers, the majority of optometrists and opticians miss dispensing opportunities when choosing words such as “polycarbonate” and “zyl plastic,” among other industry words and phrases, and then wonder why consumers walk with their prescriptions. The answer: Consumers don’t care whether a lens is “polycarbonate” or a frame is made of “zyl plastic” (unless they ask) because these terms hold NO value they understand and are confusing to them, often leading to distrust in the business motive.
People recall between roughly 6% to 8% of whatever they are engaged to hear you say. That’s it! This is why consumers call to cancel their optical order after they leave. Post-purchase cognitive dissonance sets in.
Consumers buy benefits. Specifically, they want to know what’s in it for them if they purchase what you prescribe.
With that in mind, the following script directs the consumer to the advantages, so he or she can’t say, “No.” OM
OPTICIAN TO CONSUMER
“Jack, we’re so happy you chose us for your eye health care; patients always appreciate that we will maximize their vision benefits plan for their very best advantage and savings, and we’ll do the same for you today, too!”
Homework
Create an “Industry Term Jar” to be used for three months. (It will take three months to break old habits.) Specifically, each team member receives $50 in “play” money per month. Each time a team member overhears a fellow team member use an industry-term, such as “polycarbonate,” when discussing a product with a consumer, that fellow team member must place $1 in the jar. At the end of each month, the team member who has the most money left receives a gift card as a reward.
| MR. HINTON is CEO and president of eYeFacilitate. Email him at mark@eyefacilitate.com, or to comment on this article, visit tinyurl.com/OMcomment. |
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