By Joseph Mireault
Optical Retail Entrepreneur, Podcast Host, Certified Business Coach
How do you attract more customers to your optical store? The answer might be right in front of you. In this episode of Revenue RX: Optical Retail Wins, I’m sharing insights from my journey in the optical retail world—and beyond—that helped me uncover hidden opportunities. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel to make a difference in your business.
Sometimes, the smallest changes, if done with intention, can yield the biggest results.
When I took over the store, I wasn’t just facing competition—I had eight other optical stores on the same street. Outspending them wasn’t an option, but out-thinking them was.
I wasn’t an optician or an optometrist; I was an entrepreneur, and I knew my first challenge was visibility. One rainy day, a bright yellow DHL truck drove by, and I thought, You can’t miss that thing! That’s when the idea hit me: if the truck can grab attention, why not the store? I got permission from the landlord, bought the paint, and turned the store into a bright yellow beacon.
Innovative (and Cost-effective) Marketing
But I didn’t stop there. I had a yellow Toyota FJ Cruiser at the time, and I figured, why not turn my car into a rolling advertisement? I wrapped it with the store’s name, address, and phone number, and suddenly, my daily commute became a mobile billboard. Every day, as I drove the same route my customers took, I was marketing the business—creating impressions, rain or shine, without lifting a finger.
Foot traffic was another challenge. There was a busy bus stop right outside the store, but it faced away from the building, with people lining up with their backs to me. Across the street were parking meters, and I saw an opportunity. Every morning, I parked my branded yellow SUV at one of those meters.
For just $4 a day, I had a prime advertising spot—right where people waiting for the bus could see it, and directly across from my competitors. It was far cheaper than a bus stop poster, and it gave me visibility all day long.
Even with all these efforts, I quickly learned that just being visible wasn’t enough. One day, I asked a passerby if they knew where the nearest optical store was. They looked confused and said, “No idea.” They had just walked right past my store—past the bright yellow paint, the sandwich board sign, and even a bus stop poster. That’s when I realized I needed something extra, a small touch to tie everything together.
One day, I saw a party nearby with someone carrying a helium balloon, and I thought, That’s it! A balloon catches the eye like nothing else. So I tied a bright balloon to my sandwich board outside the store. The effect was immediate. People who had missed the sign before now noticed it, and once their attention was on the balloon, they saw the board, the yellow store, and everything else. It was all connected. When I asked someone again where the nearest optical store was, they pointed right at my place and said, “It’s the one with the balloon!”
This episode is packed with lessons from moments like these—ways I found to stand out without breaking the bank. I didn’t just rely on paint and balloons. I also built innovative marketing partnerships.
I also learned the value of taking advantage of slow economies. During the recession, other businesses cut back on marketing, but I doubled down.
Running a business isn’t easy, and I know how tempting it can be to get stuck in the day-to-day operations. But I focused on working on my business, leaving my well-trained staff to handle customer care so I could keep coming up with new ways to attract customers. It’s all about staying creative and finding your own “balloon”—that one thing that makes your store stand out and draws people in.
Because what got you here today won’t get you where you want to go tomorrow.
Keep your eyes wide open, stay creative, and remember—innovation is simply doing new things.
Joseph Mireault
Joseph was the owner and president at Tru-Valu Optical and EyeWorx for 16 years. During his tenure, he consistently generated a sustainable $500K in annual gross revenue from the dispensary.
He now focuses on the Optical industry, and as a serial entrepreneur brings extensive experience from a variety of different ventures.
Joseph is also a Certified FocalPoint Business Coach and looks to work directly with ECP’s in achieving their goals.
Through his current endeavour, the (Revenue RX, Optical Retail Wins podcast) he shares the challenges and solutions of running an Optical business.
