I recently returned from a field visit to our Franchise Partner in Ghana, Freedom from Hunger http://www.freedomfromhunger.org/. One of the biggest problems their HealthKeepers (the local name used for Vision Entrepreneurs) face while selling VisionSpring eyeglasses is credibility.

Because of limited access to eyeglasses and information regarding eye health in the country, it is difficult for communities to believe that reading glasses can be purchased “over-the-counter”, i.e. without a prescription from a doctor. It is also particularly hard for people to accept that a woman who one day has no job is, after a few weeks of training, qualified to conduct vision screenings and distribute reading glasses and the other health-related products they carry in their basket.

Disbelief on the part of community members has emerged as a serious obstacle as people are sometimes reluctant to believe that the HealthKeepers have the knowledge to properly sell non-prescription reading glasses. This can hinder the confidence of HealthKeepers, who need to believe in their own abilities in order to be successful saleswomen.

One way that Microbusiness for Health (the name of this particular Freedom from Hunger program in Ghana) has addressed this issue of credibility is in the way in which they choose HealthKeepers. Each woman must fit a profile that Freedom from Hunger feels will instill confidence in their communities. This profile is based on a series of factors, including level of education and their image within the community.

Another vital component to gaining credibility is through marketing. All HealthKeepers are given uniform aprons and baskets (the colors are yellow and maroon) with official logos from Freedom from Hunger to use on their sales campaigns. VisionSpring assists in the marketing push by providing templates for banners that promote the use and benefits of eyeglasses, as well as official Vision Entrepreneur identification cards.

Perhaps most crucially, VisionSpring and Micro Business for Health provide close training and support to make sure that HealthKeepers feel confident in their role as eye-care salespeople. We’ve found that the little things count the most, such as making sure the HealthKeepers know how to the hold eye charts properly, so that they don’t fumble during a vision screening. We teach them basic eye care vocabulary so they feel comfortable discussing issues of near vision loss and non-prescription glasses. And we also try to drive home the importance of professionalism, so that their communities respect and value their work.

Finally, each HealthKeeper carries letters of support with them when making sales: one from Jordan Kassalow, founder of VisionSpring, one from Daniel Mensah, the director of Microbusiness for Health, and one from me. Although these documents are rarely requested, they are crucial in building the HealthKeepers’ confidence.

In our work around the world we have found that these small things are the key to building credibility and trust in communities, and to helping ensure the success of our Vision Entrepreneurs. But it’s an interactive process – we learn from our partners and the Vision Entrepreneurs themselves what works and what doesn’t. Then we just try to adapt as quickly as possible.

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