​Avoiding Techsplanations

Sometimes the things we know the most about are the hardest to explain. I once spent some time talking to a sales VP for a company that made highly sophisticated medical devices, and he said something that struck me: “Our best salesperson is the one who knows the least about the product.” It seems strange, but there’s a good reason for it: the sales rep didn’t get buried in the technical explanations of how the equipment worked; instead, he focused on what it did better than other devices of its type.
 
The same rule applies when we talk about eyeglass lenses. We may know exactly why this one works better than others, but explaining it to patients may cause their eyes to roll into their heads, or make them feel like you’re just trying to intimidate them into buying a more expensive pair.  It may be obvious to us that a wider distance zone with lower peripheral astigmatism is a good thing, but it probably isn’t to them.
 
Instead, focus on top-line benefits and keep them as simple as possible:
 
Not good

• ​“Wider fields of clear vision.”
• “Reduces reflections by 90%.”
• “They have a topcoat that repel oil and water.”
• “They have very large intermediate and near vision zones.

Good

• “You’ll almost feel like you’re not wearing glasses”
• “The sharpest, crispest vision you can get.”
• “You’ll be impressed by how easy they are to clean.”
• “They’ll let you see your whole computer screen clearly without having to crane your neck.”

Every now and then, of course, you’ll encounter a patient who wants to know how the lens or coating delivers the benefit.  In that case, it’s good to have a sentence or two about the technology in your back pocket. But unless the patient asks, just stick talk about the benefit that the patient will experience.