Local opticians host vision open day

Local opticians host vision open day

EssilorLuxottica teamed up with four optical practices to run VIP open days to help to help boost footfall and sales.

A panel of experts was provided to offer in-store advice to help visitors achieve optimal vision and style. Staff also arranged lots of fun activities and ran special offers for frames and lenses on the day.

Support was provided by EssilorLuxottica to help run and publicise the events with local PR activity and advertorials, to encourage people to attend.

Ellis and Killpartrick Opticians in Cheltenham took part and reported how the event resulted in the best single trading day in nearly 30 years.

Neil Vedmore, practice director said: “The VIP open day centred around offering appealing product promotions and expert advice which proved a big success.

“We offered discounts and upgrades, alongside expert advice from the EssilorLuxottica team around creating a timeless look with eyewear and achieving optimal light protection with photochromic technology.

“We are fortunate to be in a shopping mall so were able to set up tables with products outside the practice along with various “props” to gain interest.

“There were large balloon pillars, and golf clubs set up on a putting mat amongst displays of frames. The EssilorLuxottica team manned this area and used branded cupcakes and prosecco to entice passers-by which worked a treat.

“We received tremendous support not only on the day but also with the planning of the event. They put together some superb marketing material and visuals including digital invites for social media use, images for display screens within the mall and printed material for mailing and handing out to passers-by before and on the day.

“The day gave our patients, old and new, the opportunity to get expert advice and to try various products at a heavily discounted price.  The benefit to the practice was that these patients are now hopefully long-term purchasers of these products at future visits.  Many of the sales on the day were from walk-in prescriptions from new patients to the practice, attracted solely because of the promotion.

“The event was widely marketed using social media which I believe also raised the profile of the practice and made many new potential patients aware of us.”

Alan Pitcher, commercial director at Essilor Ltd said: “It’s great to hear such positive feedback following the VIP open day in Cheltenham.

“It is fantastic to be able to support our customers in this way, utilising the power of our brands and our experience within the team.  We were delighted to achieve these results, not only in terms of sales, but in the education of patients and PR for the practice.

“The team thoroughly enjoyed getting hands-on with the events and supporting all the ECPs that took part. We hope this is something we can develop and do more of in the future.”

Drage and Tozer Opticians in Sudbury, Sydney Goldwyn Opticians in Shipley and Walters Opticians in Gainsborough also took part in vision open days.