Up to 50% of women and 15% of men experience varicose veins, especially as they age. In addition to cosmetic problems, untreated varicose veins cause pain and may result in leg ulcers and blood clots. For years, consumers turned to support hose or a vein-stripping procedure which required an in-hospital stay.

But new treatments have appeared on the market. Consumers can choose to have varicose veins treated with lasers or radio waves. Both treatment courses offer outpatient, quick and painless service. To meet a projected rapid increase in demand, manufacturers are now producing and marketing new equipment to vein specialists throughout the U.S.

A study by Millennium Research Group indicates that manufacturers can expect industry-wide equipment sales of at least $200 million by 2013.

Remind your health care clients that a good marketing campaign should include an educational component. By explaining the benefits of new procedures to patients via TV, print, or online marketing, your clients can reach a potential market that may have previously been reluctant to treat a vein condition.

[Sources: Millennium Research Group release, March 2009; Songini, Marc. "Varicose vein device girds for market, funds", MassHighTech, 1.2.09]

Part of excellent customer service is keeping on top of what’s going on with your clients and their business. But, sometimes conversations can stall or you just can’t seem to get enough information out of them. The Wellesley Hills Group released an article that is comprised of 15 open-ended questions that are guaranteed to get clients talking and you more informed of their feelings, concerns, and goals. Additionally, these questions may be used to delve deeper into a relationship with a prospect or business partner.

“As you ask any open ended questions, bare in mind that a most difficult task is not sounding too salesy when asking questions,” write article authors Mike Schultz and John Doerr. ” Find your own voice when asking the questions.”

The questions are broken down into three groups: Questions in group one help to build rapport, the second aid in learning clients’ aspirations and afflictions, and the third set of questions uncover the impact of meeting or not meeting goals. The following are the first questions, and for the second and third sets, click here.

Five Rapport Generation Questions: Ask these open ended sales questions to help you get to know your current or potential clients and establish an understanding of their current reality.

1. What’s going on in your business these days?
2. If the Wall Street Journal were to write about what was going on in your industry (or your business) in the last few months, what would they say?
3. How has your business changed in the last few years?
4. What’s it like doing your job these days?
5. Can you help me to understand what’s happening in your world these days?

History repeats itself – especially when it comes to the candy industry. A recent New York Times article notes that many of today’s favorite names in candy – Mars,  Tootsie Pops, and Snickers – got their start during the Great Depression. The article also points out that candy companies, especially those that  sell mass-market treats, have noticed a big increase in sales during the past year. The overall industry, excluding Wal-Mart, reported a 1.7% increase in revenues between 2007 and 2008. Industry watchers speculate that consumers who are out of work or feeling pressured financially still want to reward themselves. While an expensive latte or a custom high-end chocolate is out of reach, nearly everyone can afford small sweet treats.

Some candy manufacturers are promoting the health benefits of dark chocolate while others are marketing the improvements they’ve made to their sugar-free products. Are there candy manufacturers or retailers in your market that could improve sales with the new marketing strategies you can bring to them?

[Source: Haughney, Christine. When Economy Sours, Tootsie Rolls Sooth Souls, New York Times, 3.24.09; National Confectioners Association]

Forty-two percent of recent eyeglass and contact lens buyers report influence from online media, the same percentage as traditional media, revealing the increasing power of the Internet on purchase decisions, according to the Spring 2009 Ad-ology Media Influence on Consumer Choice survey.

Among 45-54 year olds, 23.5% were influenced by manufacturer Web sites and 13.2% by search results. In addition to price and quality, the most important factors to this age group were knowledgeable staff (77.7%), product availability (71.9%), and store/optometrists’ variety/selection (71.7%).

Fashion/style-related Web sites influenced 35% of 18-to-24-year old purchasers and 30.5% of 25 to 34 year olds. These two groups were also more influenced by search results or sponsored links than older purchasers, and were more likely to buy online.

Consumers surveyed were almost equally split in regards to where they prefer to purchase eyeglasses and contact lenses. Approximately 49% prefer purchasing from their eye doctor/optometrist’s office, and 46% prefer to buy from an optical store.

“Although just over five percent of U.S. adults said they prefer to buy online, that translates to a market of more than 11 million potential customers,” said C. Lee Smith, president and CEO of Ad-ology Research. “Even those buying from optical stores and opticians are influenced by online information, making store Web sites and online marketing critical,” Smith said.

Other key findings from the survey:

• Approximately 40.8 million Americans adults researched eyeglass styles and contacts online recently
• 18 to 24 year olds were most influenced by social media, with positive reviews “significantly” influencing 14%
• Fashion/style-related Web sites influenced 35% of 18-to-24-year old purchasers
• Of traditional media, television, direct mail, newspapers, and yellow pages had the most influence on U.S. buyers

The Media Influence on Consumer Choice survey is conducted throughout the year by Ad-ology Research to study online, traditional, and social media influence on buying decisions.

The 64-page downloadable report, Media Influence on Consumer Choice: Eye Care and Vision Correction, is available for purchase through Ad-ology.net, and includes 27 data charts, consumer-spending estimates by market, and additional marketing insights.