Member Spotlight
This week's spotlight is Joe Burr.  Please keep this member top of mind this week for referrals. 

Member Anniversary
Dave Lathrop joined MABE 15 years ago this month!

Introductions 
Members introduced "the person next to them" and gave a movie recommendation.

• Some Like it Hot
• Law & Order (TV)
• Midnight in Paris
• Brides Maids
• Animal House
• Soul Searcher
• Shawshank Redemption (Several votes)
• 3 Mile
• Braveheart
• Kung Fu Panda
• Life is Beautiful
• Godfather & Godfather II
• True Grit
• You Got Mail
• Rain Man
• Dirty Dancing
• Kings Speech
• Rounders
• Green Street Hooligans
• Avatar
• Lincoln Lawyer
• Something About Mary
• Spaceballs
• Breaking Bad
• Lord of the Rings Trilogy
• Sunset Boulevard
• The Hangover

MABE Advice
Robert Busch asked for advice from the membership...
"There is a stigma that small, independent business people are more expensive than the big box stores.  I hear it every day, even from the doctor's that I receive referrals from.  I have struggled with this for 35 years.  What can I do differently?"

• In the absence of value, cost is the issue.  You need to share with the public that you offer both.
• Len's Crafters has to pay a lot more for the mall location.  And they have more overhead (salaries, shareholders).  Educating the public on this is key.
• Can you go to the doctors and explain it to them.
• We are the same and the problem is we care.  We spend more time with each client and it adds up.
• Do you tell the story you want to tell on the website?  And a handout at the store would help.  You can't tell the negative story.  You have to focus on the positive.
• We get a good response from promoting the family business story.
• You need a catchy slogan like "We are so fast you will freak". 
• People don't care about speed anymore.  Cost is the issue.  We are not the most expensive but that is the perception.
• Your competition is doing adds (2 for 1) giving the perception of cheaper.  You need to advertise on price instead of value.  You will need to follow their lead and perhaps match their offerings.
• Is this difficulty more pronounced now due to the credit crunch? 
• You need a purple cow.  Something different.  Beyond price.  Something to get you attention.
• Our industry faced a similar challenge many years ago.  We had a program attack the issue by presenting the myths of the industry.  Do a blog with those type of articles.
• If your frames were in the conference room of a law firm I guarantee you would sell lenses. 
• Our industry has become so technically advanced that you have to know what you’re talking about.  So it is hard to find somebody that can help.
• We offer the first visit free and ask “What are the negatives you have heard about the industry?”  We get the negatives out of the way fast.
• The fact that you don't accept insurance may distract potential clients.
• Can you carry the insurance desired, low-quality lenses as a second line?  A person would need to be hired to handle it.  May not be worth the hassle.
• We already offer freebies. 
• Have you approached your vendors about the issues?