Sparkle up your dispensary with accessories

Want to jazz up your office and make a little extra profit at the same time? The approaching holiday season is the ideal time for your patients to do a little browsing while they are waiting.

Add some seasonal music, and you'll be surprised at just how easy selling accessories can be this time of year.

At one time it may have been considered ridiculous to try to sell jewelry in an optical office. That, however, has changed.

There really isn't anything more interesting and easy to sell than a beautiful display of attractive eyewear retainers. We're not talking plain old cords and chains here. Today's eyewear retainer designers are truly jewelers-keeping fashion, function, and materials in mind when designing the latest fashion.

Consider grabbing a small branch from a tree, planting it firmly into a decorative vase, and hanging a glorious assortment of retainers from it. They should be sparkly and beautiful.

Retainers made from semi-precious stones, freshwater pearls, and sterling silver are available. More masculine versions include those made from wood, sterling silver, and climbing cord. Take a look at Scojo New York's handmade cords and Corinne McCormack's eyewear retainers. Hilco also has some exciting retainers from which to choose.

Cases

Stuffing stockings just became easier when you put out adorable glitzy cases for the little girls and fun, flip-top plastic cases for the boys.

Astucci has cute MiniBag cases with little handles and chains dressing up the funky bright prints or leather-like purses. Make the case mechanical and bright and every little boy will want to have one. The best part about selling eyewear cases is that your patients are going to be using them to protect their eyewear.

Eyewear cases aren't just for kids either. Adult eyewear cases, available in all sizes and categories, can be the perfect gift for that "difficult to buy for" partner, parent, or sibling. If your office is located in an area for active types, showcase eyewear cases with clips that can be attached to belts or backpacks. Create an artsy display of Passionate Brush soft and hard eyeglass cases with original artwork transferred to them. The display could include iPods and cameras, which also would benefit from being stored in these classy cases. Complete the display with the addition of matching microfiber cleaning cloths.

Readers

Many patients with presbyopia may not need prescription eyewear, but need help viewing things up close.

In the United States, many of these people are inclined to shop the drug stores and big box stores, but it doesn't have to be that way. Having attractive readers of better quality than can be found in non-optical stores will make you an instant hit.

And truthfully, people relying on readers like to have them all over their house, office, and car.

The reader display can get quite bright this time of year. Avalon's Bookmark readers come in vivid colors and designs such as red checkerboard and vanilla tortoise.

The reader display also should include sunreaders. Now is a perfect time of year to showcase these for people's winter travel to warm places. Little foldable readers such as Cinzia's pocket-sized models pack away easily into their own cases that are small enough for a tiny clutch or pocket in a sport coat.

If readers are to be accessories, then people should buy them to coordinate with their attire. Try placing a fuchsia-colored pair of readers on top of a pink silk scarf to get the fashion point across.