By Naomi Reiter
Friday, January 7, 2011 4:19 PM
NEW YORK—In
VisionMonday.com's last
Quick Poll, we asked which marketing channels ECPs plan to use most. Find out where a whopping 68 percent of respondents reported that they plan to focus their resources in 2011.
By Naomi Reiter
Thursday, December 16, 2010 12:15 AM
NEW YORK—The holiday season means something different for each ECP, and
VisionMonday.com has a little something for everyone:
Gift giving. In the latest edition of
High Visibility: Last Minute Gifts, Senior Editor Deirdre Carroll features cool products for under the tree from MODO, Oakley, and LensAlert!.
A streamlined busy season. Having trouble keeping up with all your appointments this holiday season? Take a look in
Online Trends at Schedgehog, a new web-based application, free for patients, that connects patients desiring same day or same week appointments with recent openings in physicians' offices by making the appointments visible as they become available on both a website and, importantly, on a mobile device like an iPhone, Droid or other smartphone.
Helping those in need. Meet the winners of the World Sight Day Challenge Student Contest in
A Greater Vision. These young people were chosen based on proven leadership skills in managing their World Sight Day Challenge campaigns as well as the content of their 500-word written essays describing their interest in helping people in developing countries access quality eye exams and glasses.
A little holiday cheer. This eyewear elf rocks out to holiday classics in frames from the ‘50s through the ‘90s. Watch now on
VM WebTV. Happy Holidays!
By Naomi Reiter
Thursday, December 9, 2010 12:15 AM
NEW YORK—‘Tis the season to see and be seen, and the optical industry is stepping out on a global scale. Representatives of VisionSpring’s newly-formed Eye Care Leadership Council were recently spotted at a Night at the Theatre fundraising event that included a performance of the Tony Award-winning musical, “In The Heights.” The event was in support of VisionSpring’s work to develop rural entrepreneurs among women and men in underserved communities around the world to create jobs and provide glasses to the poor across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Find out which NFL Super Bowl winners were also there in
Scene & Heard.
Over in Japan, a record-breaking number of Japanese and international attendees stepped out to attend the 23
rd edition of the International Optical Fair Tokyo (IOFT) 2010, according to the fair’s organizers. Read more in
Meetings.
Optical professionals stepped up to vote and the EyeVote results are in.
Vision Monday and
20/20 Magazine are pleased to announce the selections in the 2
nd annual EyeVote Readers’ Choice Awards, a special survey aimed at identifying readers’ favorite products and companies of the year. Take a look at respondents’ “favorite” products in six distinct categories in
New & Noteworthy, as well as which respondent won their choice of a $500 American Express gift card or a trip to Vision Expo East 2011!
Also in
New & Noteworthy, Senior Editor Deirdre Carroll walks through the styles sunglass aficionados want to wear every day. Download the latest
Style.Pages poster just in time to step out in these delectable shades.
By Naomi Reiter
Monday, December 6, 2010 12:15 AM
NEW YORK—This holiday season is a whirlwind of fashion, philanthropy, and Federal activity. In the latest edition of
Bold Face: Ruggedly Handsome, Senior Editor Deirdre Carroll showcases three manly gentlemen and their masculine sun styles from Marchon, REM, and Sama.
And in
Scene & Heard, the Brien Holden Vision Institute hosted a special event in San Francisco to honor its major donors and to celebrate the achievements of Optometry Giving Sight and its impact on blindness prevention and low vision throughout the world. Great job!
There’s a new Act in Washington: In an effort to stimulate small business investment and job creation, the government signed into law the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010. Included in the legislation are some provisions that could significantly lower taxes in the near term for labs. Find out how you could benefit in
Laboratories.
Don’t forget to weigh in on
VM’s latest Quick Poll. Half of ECPs that responded to our
November 2010 Quick Poll reported that their 2011 budget is going to focus on marketing efforts. Which marketing vehicle do you plan to use most in the coming year? Vote and let us know!
And be sure to watch this week’s sponsored Video of the Week, “Alison,” the latest in the What to Eye Wear video series from Silhouette Optical, now playing on
VM WebTV.
By Naomi Reiter
Wednesday, December 1, 2010 4:34 PM
NEW YORK—Technology is everywhere these days, helping folks improve just about every aspect of their lives—and eyewear is no exception.
By Naomi Reiter
Monday, November 22, 2010 12:15 AM
NEW YORK—No matter how tight a ship you run, there is always new information to help you streamline and grow your business. For example, today’s trunk shows are new again, according to what retailers and ECPs told
Vision Monday in the recent “Today’s Trunk Shows” feature. Suppliers confirm that trunk shows are on the rise, and that taking part in the events means building better bridges with their accounts, getting a feel for the industry, and expressing the brand’s point of view to customers. Read more in
Retailers.
This is new for Senior Editor Deirdre Carroll’s
Bold Face series: For the first time, no actors, actresses, nor musicians are featured in the latest edition of
Bold Face: Multi-Dimensional. Instead, remarkable people are shown in their super, high-tech 3D frames. Want to learn more about emerging 3D eyewear technologies? The latest
Vision Monday
cover story is dedicated to the subject.
New numbers are out! Take a look in
Jobson Research for the Optical Business Barometer, which illustrates an October dip in independent ECPs’ attitudes about business.
And in
New & Noteworthy, learn about Nouveau Eyewear’s brand-new project Bona Bolo, which means “see the ball,” that is already working hard to screen more than 2,000 children in South Africa for vision problems. Since its April launch, the campaign has brought much needed health care to 1,450 South African children and counting.
By Naomi Reiter
Thursday, November 18, 2010 12:18 AM
NEW YORK—Times are changing quickly, and we think for the better. For example, optical trunk shows seem to be in flux, with a sharpening focus on deepening relationships between brands and customers. Find out more in
Retailers, and if you are planning a similar event of your own, take a look at
Vision Monday’s trunk show checklist to get started.
The way we view entertainment is also changing—the buzz surrounding the fast-emerging field of 3D is intensifying as entertainment companies, electronics manufacturers, retailers, and eyeglass suppliers join the race to provide content or hardware to satisfy the demand for 3D movies, sports programming, and games. Download our 3D Glossary of Terms to help you navigate and define the emerging world of 3D in
3D Eyewear.
FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE ACTION ALERT: The Senate is poised to vote on the "Paycheck Fairness Act," which, if enacted, would change the factors HR professionals use to compensate their employees and encourage employees to publicly disclose their colleagues' wages. Read more in
HR Corner.
Finally, many optical companies and ECPs are changing their focus and raising their profiles by reaching out to their “local” audiences. Find out who is already doing it in
High Visibility: Staying Local, including Safilo, ClearVision Optical, A&A Optical, and South Jersey Eye Center.
By Naomi Reiter
Monday, November 8, 2010 12:15 AM
NEW YORK—At
VisionMonday.com, we like to provide a healthy mix of industry insights and engaging entertainment—and when we’re lucky, the two converge. That’s what happened at the 15
th Annual Accessories Council Excellence Awards on Nov. 1 at Cipriani 42
nd Street.
Vision Monday was there to check out the most influential figures in the accessories space, including those from the optical industry, as well as style icons such as Iman, Christina Ricci, and Kanye West. Take a look at images from the event in
Scene & Heard.
You don’t have to be a grown-up to be a style icon—at least not an emerging one. The latest edition of
Bold Face: Wee Ones highlights three young stars that are developing a style all their own while sporting eyewear from Marchon, Dita, and Luxottica.
On the business side of
VisionMonday.com, our last
Quick Poll revealed that in 2011, ECPs plan on budgeting for online marketing more than investing in personnel/training or inventory. Check out the
Quick Poll Results, and take a moment to let us know if you agree by commenting on our
Facebook page or
Twitter profile. And be sure to cast your vote in
VM’s latest Quick Poll, which asks which emerging eyewear technologies you anticipate your customers showing interest.
Also, numerous statutory and regulatory changes affecting employee benefit and compensation plans have become effective in 2010, and you should be taking steps now to ensure compliance with those provisions before December 31. To help, we’ve provided a checklist of key compliance issues for 2010 in
HR Corner.
By Naomi Reiter
Wednesday, November 3, 2010 5:14 PM
NEW YORK—In
VisionMonday.com’s last
Quick Poll, we asked ECPs where they were budgeting their 2011 spend.
By Naomi Reiter
Thursday, October 28, 2010 12:15 AM
NEW YORK—The optical industry is getting down to brass tacks and gearing up for 2011. That doesn’t necessarily mean bad news for business—just a comprehensive look at where we are and where we want to be. While some news isn’t so good (the number of uninsured in 2009 hit a record 50.7 million—find out more in
Personnel File), things are looking up as companies look ahead with new initiatives.
VSP announced the launch of two major initiatives recently, one concerning updated reimbursements for progressive lenses, the other a program promoting in-office lens finishing and stock lens sales. Read the exclusive interview with
Vision Monday Group Editor Andrew Karp in
New & Noteworthy.
Even the most seasoned business person can spice up their presentation skills. To help, author Anne Miller offers five ways to engage and involve presentation attendees beyond the basic PowerPoint. Take a look in
Laboratories.
And here’s some good news: Fresh on the heels of
Vision Expo West,
Vision Monday is finding that business is bouncing back. Although the optical industry is still recovering from the recession, Expo was energized with an upbeat mood about business as attendees filled classrooms and crowded the exhibit hall. Those attendees we spoke with conveyed that their investments were loosening up compared to the earlier part of the year.
Be sure to let us know where your business investment plans stand by casting your vote in
VM’s Quick Poll, which asks what you are budgeting for in 2011.
By Naomi Reiter
Thursday, October 21, 2010 12:15 AM
NEW YORK—The optical industry is falling back into its busy season evaluating budgets, attending meetings, and giving back. The economy is still struggling, but ECPs are looking at all angles to find ways to optimize their businesses.
According to recent survey results, 25 percent of U.S. workers say their employers tie some of their pay to performance targets. Should your practice consider providing an incentive or reward to employees? Read more in
HR Corner.
The economy—and its impact on consumers’ attitudes about eyecare and eyewear—was top of mind during a meeting of the Corporate Optometry Professional Advisory Panel, hosted by CIBA Vision. Find out what topics, ranging from the recession’s impact on eye exam rates to what’s next in health-care reform, were covered—the meeting took place prior to
Vision Expo West.
Look who’s tweeting about World Sight Day! Held globally on Oct. 14, thousands of optometrists, optometry students, and industry professionals took part in the fundraising campaign coordinated by Optometry Giving Sight. Check out what they tweeted about the event in
New & Noteworthy.
October is also when our thoughts return to breast cancer awareness. This
High Visibility: In the Pink rounds up just a few of the optical companies—including Charmant, Sama Eyewear, Wiley X, and ClearVision Optical—helping the cause.
By Naomi Reiter
Wednesday, October 20, 2010 2:15 PM
NEW YORK—World Sight Day was Oct. 14, and thousands of optometrists, optometry students, and industry professionals took part in the fundraising campaign coordinated by Optometry Giving Sight. Here's what they tweeted about the event.
By Naomi Reiter
Wednesday, October 13, 2010 12:06 PM
NEW YORK—Prior to this year’s Vision Expo West,
VisionMonday.com’s last
Quick Poll asked if ECPs like you planned to use the Vision Mobile app at the show.
By Naomi Reiter
Friday, October 8, 2010 12:53 PM
LAS VEGAS—Take a look at some of the tweetable tweets coming out of Vision Expo West 2010, and
Vision Monday's 1
st annual CLICK Conference.
By Naomi Reiter
Thursday, September 30, 2010 12:15 AM
NEW YORK—Another year of SILMO wrapped up Sept. 26, and organizers reported that despite some major transportation issues in Paris during the event, overall visitor attendance increased 4 percent, to 33,065 total visitors, at the show’s new Paris-Nord Villepinte exhibition center venue. Read more in
Meetings.
SILMO took advantage of social media and other web and mobile tools, pointing to the emergence of mobile media and the rise of an "apps culture"—which raises questions about how mobile will play a part in future communications from eyecare professionals. Take a look at the numbers and how this could affect your practice in
Online Trends.
And on
VM WebTV, French eyewear designer Alain Mikli, known for his signature zyl frames and his unique creations, presents a real behind the scenes look at how he creates a collection: The new Matt collection.