Great salespeople aren’t those equipped with pre-scripted patter – instead they’re people who have developed sales skills through self-awareness. As Alison Schiena writes, strength-based selling helps optical teams turn natural talent into stronger patient relationships, more confident recommendations, and higher sales.

WRITER Alison Schiena

Have you ever had a favourite salesperson – someone you’ll happily wait to see, even if they’re busy?

Or a hairdresser you refuse to replace, even when your fringe is dangerously close to your eyebrows? You’ll work around their holidays, their availability, and your own desperation because you trust them.

Choosing glasses – whether for vision or sun – is a far more important decision than a haircut. (And as an ex-hairdresser, I can confirm the old saying, that there are only six weeks between a good and bad haircut, isn't true. It’s about as accurate as telling kids to eat their crusts so their hair will go curly.)

So what makes certain people so trusted, so easy to connect with, and so memorable?

How do they know when to chat and when to give space?

When to educate and when to reassure? When to move quickly and when to slow down?

These people have developed a strength-based selling approach, and you can too.

In retail sales, especially optical, you often have just minutes to build trust before the customer walks out. The ability to adjust your behaviour to meet the needs of different people requires one crucial thing: A strong understanding of who you are and what you naturally bring.

Tom Rath, co-author of StrengthsFinder 2.0, put it simply: “You cannot be anything you want to be, but you can be a lot more of who you already are.”1

And this is exactly what strength-based selling is about.

It’s about bringing the best of who you are, your personal genius and natural energy, into your sales conversations and customer relationships.

Yes, we can all learn sales techniques. We can copy scripts, watch others, and attend training courses. But we’re human beings, not sales robots. Authenticity matters.

Brian Brim explained this clearly in Strengths Based Selling: “You must maximise who you are rather than trying to make yourself someone else. Trying to be someone you are not is exhausting and dispiriting, and it leads to mediocrity.”2

And even more directly:

“Who you are is who you should be. You’ll be most successful at sales if you make the most of who you are.”2

THE BUSINESS CASE FOR STRENGTHS

Gallup’s research shows that individuals and teams who understand and use their strengths are:

• 7.8% more productive as individuals,

• 12.5% more productive as teams,

• Deliver 14–29% higher profits, and

• Achieve 10–19% increases in sales.

For optical practices, that translates to stronger patient relationships, higher average sales per patient, better team engagement, and improved staff and patient retention.3,4

HOW TO IDENTIFY YOUR STRENGTHS IN SALES?

Gallup describes talents as recurring patterns of thought, feeling, or behaviour that can be productively applied.1

Talents are natural.

A strength is what happens when those talents are developed through learning, skill, and practice, to consistently produce excellent results.

If you want a full picture, you can complete the CliftonStrengths assessment at Gallup.com.5 But in the meantime, reflect on your own selling experiences using these questions:

Yearning. When have I served a patient in a way that felt so natural I wished every interaction felt like that?

Rapid learning. What do I pick up quickly in sales? Is it understanding the patient, the stock/product specifications, fashion trends, or working toward targets?

Satisfaction. When have I felt genuinely excited about the outcome for a patient?

Timelessness ( flow). When does time seem to fly while I’m helping patients?

Glimpses of excellence. When have I had a moment in a patient interaction and thought, “Wow… how did I just do that?”.

These moments are clues to your natural strengths.

THE FOUR CLIFTONSTRENGTHS DOMAINS IN OPTICAL SALES

Gallup groups the 34 CliftonStrengths into four domains.6 Each domain contributes something essential to a successful optical practice and the sales experience your patients receive.

A high performing team doesn’t need everyone to sell the same way. It needs a balance of strengths across these four domains.

Executing: Turning Decisions Into Action

People strong in the executing domain are the ones who make things happen. They bring structure, reliability, and follow through.

In an optical setting, these are the team members who:

• Ensure orders are accurate and on time,

• Follow up with patients when glasses arrive,

• Keep displays organised and stocked,

• Meet sales targets consistently, and

• Deliver dependable, efficient service.

Customers trust them because they know things will be done properly and promptly.

Sales superpowers: consistency, reliability, and getting the job done.

Influencing: Helping Patients Feel Confident In Their Decision

Those with strengths in the influencing domain know how to speak up, guide decisions, and ensure ideas are heard.

In optical practices, they are often the team members who:

• Confidently recommend premium lens options,

• Help patients feel excited about their frames,

• Explain value rather than just price,

• Promote new products or offers, and

• Represent the practice with energy and enthusiasm.

They help customers move from “I’m not sure” to “Yes, this is exactly what I want”.

Sales superpowers: confidence, persuasion, and helping patients commit to the right choice.

Relationship Building: Creating Trust And Loyalty

Relationship builders are the emotional glue of a team. They connect easily with others and create environments where people feel comfortable and valued.

In optical sales, these are the people who:

• Remember patients’ names and preferences,

• Build long-term relationships with patients,

• Make anxious patients feel at ease,

• Listen deeply before recommending products, and

• Turn first-time buyers into lifelong patients.

Patients don’t just come back for the glasses. They come back for them.

Sales superpowers: trust, warmth, and lasting patient relationships.

Strategic Thinking: Guiding Patients to the Best Solution

People with strengths in strategic thinking love ideas, information, and possibilities. They help teams and customers make better decisions.

In an optical environment, they are often the ones who:

• Analyse prescriptions and lifestyle needs,

• Explain lens technologies clearly,

• Compare options and outcomes,

• Think ahead about patient needs, and

• Spot trends in sales or patient behaviour.

They help patients understand why a certain option is best – not just what to buy.

Sales superpowers: insight, education, and thoughtful recommendations.

ENHANCING SALES THROUGH EMPATHY AND CURIOSITY

At its heart, strength-based selling is not about pushing products. It’s about understanding the person in front of you and helping them make a decision that genuinely suits their life.

When team members sell in a way that aligns with their natural strengths they become more curious about the patient, show more empathy, and feel more confident in conversations. As a result, sales increases are a natural outcome, because patients don’t just buy glasses – they buy confidence, comfort, identity, and trust.

COMMON SALES BLOCKERS AND HOW STRENGTHS CAN HELP

“I’m just looking.”

This often doesn’t mean “I don’t want help”. It usually means:

• “I’m not sure what I need.”

• “I don’t want to be pressured.”

• “I don’t feel safe yet.”7

A strengths-based approach focuses on connection first, product second.

Executing. “No problem at all. I’ll be nearby if you’d like a second opinion.”

Influencing. “We’ve just had some great new frames arrive if you’d like a quick look.”

Relationship building. “Take your time – choosing glasses is a big decision.”

Strategic thinking. “When you’re ready, I can help narrow things down based on how you use your glasses.”

TOO MANY OPTIONS

Customers today are overwhelmed by choice. Too many options often lead to no decision at all.7

Strengths help staff guide, not overwhelm.

Executing. “Let’s start with three frames that fit your prescription and face shape.”

Influencing. “This one really suits your style.”

Relationship building. “What matters most to you: comfort, fashion, or something that works for everything?”

Strategic thinking. “Since you spend long hours on screens, this lens coating will reduce eye strain.”

PATIENTS CAN’T VISUALISE THE DIFFERENCE

People retain information best when they hear it, see it, and most importantly experience it.8

In optical sales, this is critical. Patients need to try, compare, and feel the difference.

Strengths can turn this into a memorable experience:

Executing. Provide smooth, hands-on demonstrations.

Influencing. Create excitement around options.

Relationship building. Focus on how the patient feels in the frames.

Strategic thinking. Explain the functional benefits clearly.

TURNING IN-PERSON RETAIL INTO AN EXPERIENCE

Research consistently shows many people still prefer in-person retail because it’s more enjoyable, more personal, and it feels more real.9

Strengths help transform a routine purchase into a memorable experience.

Executing creates confidence. Everything runs smoothly, orders are accurate, and adjustments are precise.

Influencing creates excitement. Patients feel stylish, confident, and proud of their choice.

Relationship building creates loyalty. Patients feel known, remembered, and cared for.

Strategic thinking creates trust. Patients understand why a recommendation is right for them.

When all four domains are present, the practice becomes more than a place to buy glasses. It becomes a trusted advisor, a style consultant, a health partner, and a place patients enjoy returning to.

ROUNDING IT UP

One simple question can and will increase sales. Instead of starting with:

“What frames would you like?” or “Can I help you?”

Try:

“Tell me a bit about where and how you use your glasses.”

This single question invites curiosity, shows empathy, opens a conversation, and naturally leads to better recommendations.

And that is the essence of strength-based selling: Understand the person first and recommend the product second.

Because when your team sells from their strengths, sales don’t feel forced. They feel natural, authentic, and far more effective.

Alison Schiena, founder of See Clearly Consulting, is a certified Gallup Strengths coach with 27 years’ experience empowering leaders and teams. She specialises in helping leaders harness their unique strengths to foster collaboration, drive meaningful change, achieve organisational goals, and build an intentional workplace culture. Follow her on LinkedIn or visit seeclearlyconsulting.com.au for more insights on leveraging your team’s strengths to create thriving workplaces.

References

1. Rath T. StrengthsFinder 2.0, Gallup Press 2007.
2. Brim B. Strengths Based Selling, Gallup Press 2010.
3. Clifton DO, Harter JK. Investing in strengths, In: Cameron KS, Dutton JE, and Quinn RE, Eds., Positive organizational scholarship: Foundations of a new discipline, Berrett-Koeller, San Francisco, 2003:111-121.
4. Hickman A. The management practice that makes a difference. Available at: gallup.com/workplace/298661/management-practice-makes-difference.aspx [accessed Feb 2025].
5. Get started with CliftonStrengths. Available at: gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/en/252137/home.aspx [accessed Feb 2025].
6. The 34 CliftonStrengths themes explain your talent. Available at: gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/en/253715/34-cliftonstrengths-themes.aspx [accessed Feb 2026].
7. Winnegrad J. The 10 dumbest mistakes made in the optical business in five couplets of rhetorical opposites. Available at: linkedin.com/pulse/10-dumbest-mistakes-made-optical-business-five-jonathan-winnegrad, 2017 [accessed Feb 2026].
8. Fitting Box, 10 common mistakes to avoid when selling glasses on Shopify. Available at: fittingbox.com/en/resources/blog/10-common-mistakes-to-avoid-when-selling-glasses-on-shopify. March 2024 [accessed Feb 2025].
9. Resonate.cx, In-store shopping experience: Why customers keep coming back. Available at: resonate.cx/blog/why-customers-keep-coming-back-to-the-in-store-shopping-experience, August 2023 [accessed Feb 2025].