Looking for a California Marathon to run in March?
The official webpage for the Surgical Artistry Modesto Marathon is www.modestomarathon.com

CEP Compression Running Socks and Sigvaris Performance Compression sock sales at the Santa Barbara Marathon Expo (November, 2011) Recap

One day expo on a Friday 11-11-11.  I was there for the whole day.

Comparison of sales of CEP and Sigvaris and various types of CEP socks (colors, sleeve vs full sock, sizes, men, women)

by Calvin Lee (with the help of Tammy Wu)

These are random musings, which serve as notes to myself to help me provide better customer service.  If these notes help anyone else, I am thrilled.  Disclaimer:  nothing here is medical advice, please see your doctor in person.  I do have a vein practice in Modesto, and feel free to call me for an appointment:  Modesto Veins (209) 551-1888.
 

Second time carrying Sigvaris Performance Socks!  This event was the second time that we sold the Sigvaris Performance Socks.

>> First time was at Fresno Marathon (Two Cities) a few weeks before this one (Link is for Expo Data) <<

I've carried their Sigvaris Recovery socks for a long time.    I've also carried the CEP running socks for a while in the office, although I carried the Sigvaris Recovery sock first, then the CEP, and now I've added the Sigvaris Performance sock to my list of socks that I sell in our office.  This is the first month for me with Sigvaris Performance Socks.

Who we are

Tammy and I are recreational runners who live in Modesto, California (USA).  Tammy grew up in Georgia, and I grew up in New York. 

We enjoy making web pages.  Some of them quite bad (perhaps like this one).  We also happen to be surgeons.  Tammy is a plastic surgeon and I am a Trauma/General surgeon - but this doesn't mean we know anything special about running.  We have a practice together called Surgical Artistry.  And Surgical Artistry is the founding title sponsor of the Modesto Marathon.  We wear compression stockings daily for work and while running, etc.  We sell Sigvaris and CEP running compression socks in our Modesto, CA office (209) 551-1888:  www.surgerytoday.com

Our personal page on facebook is: www.facebook.com/modesto - feel free to contact us or "friend" us.  Our business facebook is:  www.facebook.com/modestoplasticsurgery

Dr. Calvin Lee in Santa Barbara Marathon Expo wearing and holding the Sigvaris Performance Compression sock.

Comparison to Last year's compression sock sales at Santa Barbara

This was my first year at Santa Barbara.  A customer told me that there were no CEP's available locally in Santa Barbara and she was so looking forward to seeing CEP at this expo.  I was glad to be there.  She purchased two pairs of socks!

The type of customers who buy compression running socks in Santa Barbara

Fewer new patients to compression in Santa Barbara as compared to Fresno.  I noticed though that more doctor and nurse types had purchased stockings from me.  They do ask about the differences with Ted Hose.  There are a ton of differences - the most important is the amount of compression.

Other compression sock vendors

• Zensah sleeves were available for sale from the Santa Barbara Running Store.
• There was another vendor who was selling compression socks, the CEO of that company was there himself.  He specializes in Tri's rather than just Marathons.  He said that this was the first marathon where he was present.  He said he was from Germany.
• There was no other vendor selling CEP socks or Sigvaris socks.  I was the only one carrying these socks!! Just like at the Fresno Marathon Expo where I sold CEP socks and Sigvaris socks.

My pricing on the CEP compression socks and Sigvaris Performance socks:

I priced them the same.

Benefits of Compression socks for runners

I've had to go over the benefits over and over at this expo because most of the customers haven't tried these socks before.  Unlike Sacramento's CIM expo, where the customers already have tried these, or they have friends that have, the customers here were mostly new to compression running socks.

• Graduated compression socks offer faster recovery for your calf muscles.
• Increased circulation
• Less lateral vibration to protect injury to achilles tendon and calf muscles
• Keeps you warmer when you are cold and cooler when you're hot.
• Decreased leg/feet swelling with the full sock
• Less cramps
• Possibly less shin splints
• Possibly faster race time
• Less chance of getting blood clots in the lower legs
• Less chance of developing varicose veins and spider veins

I like the last reason because I am a vein surgeon.

How many Compression socks did I sell in the one day that I was at the expo (this is really half the expo)

I sold 21 pairs of socks - including sleeves, Sigvaris, CEP.  I only had black Sigvaris compression socks.  I only had black CEP compression sleeves.  I had progressive black, progressive white, green, and pink CEP running compression socks.

Here's the Main Essence of my compression sock sales (Santa Barbara) notes:

DATA comparing the different types of compression socks and sleeves:

Most of the Data here is for CEP socks.   I only carried Sigvaris black compression socks - no White or Sleeves for Sigvaris.  All options for CEP were available at this expo.

Conclusions from the Santa Barbara Marathon Expo, selling Sigvaris and CEP compression socks.

• Sigvaris got the upper hand this time.  It is probably due to some of my influence, but I tried to stay neutral.  But I had marketing material from Sigvaris.  I had run out of all of my CEP marketing material at this point.
• It was a cold temperature.... I think there's an impression that the Sigvaris might keep the runners warmer because it was slightly thicker material.  This may or may not be true.  I did not influence this.
• Many shoppers wanted to try something new thus Sigvaris got better sales?
• Even more women than men at this expo buying socks.  I'm not sure if this is true for all vendors.  We are a plastic surgery office and perhaps more women stop by to say hello to us.  But it is not very obvious at the expo that we are plastic surgery related.  So perhaps there are more women buying compression socks at expos all around?
• Pink and Black aren't the predominal CEP sock sales this year compared to sales last year that I've remembered.
• Sleeves were not popular at my sales.  But I also have the attitude that I prefer socks whenever possible.  It is possible that my attitude had rubbed off on the buyers.
• Size III CEP is the most popular
• Size SM Sigvaris is the most popular.  Last expo, MM (Fresno) was the most popular size for Sigvaris.
• I will have to consider getting white Sigvaris socks and also Sigvaris sleeves in the future.

Thank you for reading this website.  Can't imagine if this would be interesting to others...  but if so... enjoy!

Fresno Marathon - click the link to compare results from the Fresno Two Cities Marathon.  I had sold 21 socks in Fresno as opposed to 20 socks in Santa Barbara.
Next stop:  Sacramento for the CIM (California International Marathon) in a few weeks.

Please visit these other great links:

Running Links:

• mph conversion to pace chart
• CEP / Sigvaris compression socks (and Sigvaris - we sell these in our office)
• Nike Women's Marathon Review - by Calvin Lee

Non Running Links, other website type interests of ours:

• Modesto Plastic Surgery
• California Plastic Surgery
• Malpractice insurance California
• Breast augmentation for Runners - considerations for runners.  Webpage info by Dr. Tammy Wu.
• Where is Modesto, California?
• Spider Veins - varicose, treatment, etc.
• Botox Modesto
• Juvederm Modesto
• Back Pain Modesto
• Running Socks Modesto

(209) 551-1888
Located in Modesto, CA
Services in Plastic Surgery, Veins, Acupuncture, and General Surgery

Modesto Plastic Surgery

email clee [at] surgerytoday.com  (feel free to contact me!)

our facebook page:  www.facebook.com/modestoplasticsurgery

Looking for a California Marathon to run in March?
The official webpage for the Surgical Artistry Modesto Marathon is www.modestomarathon.com