My frame inventory has changed quite a bit over the past few years. We were known for having cool and unique frames that couldn't be found anywhere else in town. We had exclusives on most of our frame lines. It was easy for us to differentiate ourselves from the competition. We always had the fun and funky stuff. We were "the" place to go to get the coolest frames.

It is now very difficult to stand apart from other practices (brick and mortar or virtual) with the presence of online sales and specialty frames now appearing in more and more optical shops. It's difficult to be "exclusive" these days. Does it even matter to have product that no one else around you has anymore?

We have been caught in this scenario several times: a shopper is in our optical looking at a cool frame, takes out their smartphone and shows me a picture of the exact same frame online for what I paid for it at cost. "Can you match this?" Gulp. I can only take the "our price covers a year warranty, plus you will get the best service ever with us" argument so far...is it really worth the $150 saved?

Hmmm. I'm really not interested in doing online sales on my website at this time. It's cool to have convenience for our patients, but there are always going to be more websites with way more product than I could ever put on my site.

There are hundreds of frame lines out there. We get used to the reps in our areas and assume their product is all there is out there. But if you were to drive around and check out optical shops in your area, you would discover the product looks almost identical to yours. How do you stand apart with your inventory? It's time to expand your horizon and seek out some special and unique lines once again. You will have to do a little more work than what you've had to in the past, however, to be "the" place again.

How? How do you stray from the big brands in our industry? It's tough. We have consumers looking for those brands. They see them in every magazine. You have to make a decision. Throwing the white flag up and selling the brand name could make you popular with your patients...maybe. But, you risk ending up being just like the optical down the road. And, putting an online optical feature on your website could get a handful of patients to conveniently get their frames with you instead of the one with over 10,000 frames...maybe.

I'm not sure how your website will match the product and pricing of the competition though.

Two years ago (in light of the online frame craze) I was very obsessed with carrying only product that could never be found online or down the road. I would get a handshake agreement from my reps supporting this. However, this product would soon appear in neighboring opticals. Then, I would google the frames and see the exact same ones online for a much lower price than what I could afford to sell them at. What the...I want my handshake back!! I would address this with my reps, but it was apparently out of their control. Things were changing for yours truly. I needed a new plan of attack.

After some soul-searching and major brainstorming, I implemented a system in our optical to regain a little more control and "coolness" again. We came up with a 70/30 rule with our frame inventory. 70 percent of our optical happens to be non-exclusive, brand-named frame lines. Throughout this process, I learned that brands are not the enemy. Don't fight it. Consumers are going to wear core product and they will relate to a familiar name brand. It's okay. You need to accept that.

You still have to communicate with your rep, however, to make sure you have a little bit of diversity from your competition down the road. Frame lines are typically deep. There are tons of frames that come with that brand name. If you carry 14 to 20 of them, that is probably only 10 percent or so of that total line when you factor in all the colors that one frame comes in. If your rep can keep those 14 to 20 out of the shop down the road, you kind of have different product. If you are seeing the exact frames within 15 miles of your shop, it's time to break up with that rep. There are too many lines out there to not compromise at least that much.

When carrying popular brand names, you have to work differently than in the past. You have to fall deeply in love with them. Become an expert with these frame lines. If you have the same frame brands as your competition, you can still differentiate yourself with deeper product knowledge. I require a Brand Training with my reps to brainwash us with each frame line we carry of theirs. We can have similar products as others in our area, but if we understand the materials, designer, fashion, and company history of those frames, our patients have an entirely different experience with us. We know our stuff. I even have my reps email me any "outside of the optical industry" news on the brands. If a popular celebrity is spotted in a magazine wearing that brand name dress or pair of shoes, my rep emails me the link to that article. I use that information with my patients. They love that connection. Brand names should become more personal with connections. Make brands become an adjective (confident, whimsical, sassy, trendy, etc.) that patients can relate to or aspire to be (that's what I want to become).

Opticians need to strive to be better than a brand. If you know your stuff (certified/licensed) you become qualified. When you know your products (the story of the brand, the materials, the quality) you become dangerous...and different.

This leads me to the 30 percent of our optical. Branch out of your comfort zone and find some sweet frames that are unique and definitely exclusive to your area. You can do this easily with some shady research and investigation. It's actually pretty fun!

Enter Vision Expo time. A month or so before the event, I look at the conference website to see what frame companies will be represented. I then go into deep investigation mode. I research at least 15 frame companies I am unfamiliar with. When I search their websites and fall in love with the look of these frames, I do something kind of cool: I google that frame line with the name of a hip metropolitan city located far away from my hometown (the big cities typically have the coolest and trendiest frame lines, sans popular brand names). A few optical shops will appear that have these frames at their store. I will then call that optical, tell them who I am (a manager in the industry), where I live (far away from you...not competing with you), and ask for the nitty-gritty info about the frame line: How does it sell? What demographic buys them? Are they easy to adjust? Are there a lot of backorders? How often do you see your rep? How long have you had it? How is the overall quality? What's their customer service like?

It's amazing how excited opticians and managers get when they talk and brag about their shop to a total stranger. They are flattered you looked at their website and complimented them about how cool their optical looks. We usually chat for a few minutes (don't take more than 5 minutes). I always end with: what are your two favorite lines in your optical? Boom. I get a couple other new ideas.

After my fun research, I make a list of 5 to 8 frame lines to check out at Vision Expo and pay that company a visit. If I'm not attending the show, I figure out how to contact them and place a conservative opening order (14 to 22 pieces) to ease them into my inventory. I make sure to get an exclusive on these. I love sharing the news with my patients that we just brought in a new line from Europe that is found in only a few opticals in our entire state. Wow. This place must be "the" place to be...

Some patients like wearing what everyone else is into. Or, they love knowing they can get their trusted brand at your practice.

Great; look no further. You can deliver. They're staying. You have cool stuff that they've heard of. Not only that, but you are an expert on the brand they and love it as much as they do...maybe more. Cool. This is a great place!

Oh, but look over here...these hand-made frames just arrived. We have been trying to get them for a year and a half, but they are so exclusive. Only four places in the entire state are able to sell them. Our patients love them because they have intricate details, amazing colors, and fit so comfortably. Can't you just feel the quality? Don't you just love how light they are and how beautiful these colors look together? I like them because we love frames that are unique and special to compliment the patients that wear them. You won't see people wearing this frame around town...here, try it on, I know you'll love it like I do.

Don't fight the exclusive fight. Things have changed. Work differently. Know your product like the back of your hand and fall deeply in love with your frames. You are the expert. That can't be replicated online or in a sterile environment. Start off with the 70/30 rule. Do it right and inch towards a 30/70 ratio. You're cool enough, right?! RIGHT?!

Remember, the brand is not the enemy. And, the exclusive thing? It's you. It's your practice. You are "the" place to be.

Tim Slapnicher, ABOC, CPO is currently the practice coordinator at Rivertown Eye Care in Hastings, Minn., where he lives with his family. He uses his experience of teaching kindergarten to bring a fresh perspective to management in the optical industry.