YOUR PEOPLE ARE YOUR GREATEST ASSET FOR CONVERTING BROWSERS TO SPENDERS

One of the biggest challenges for retailers the world over is to get their salespeople to sell and not just serve.

As I mentioned earlier, the biggest disappointment for me when I mystery-shopped the tech retailers was how the sales people interacted with me. Enabling and empowering salespeople has to be the single biggest differentiator from online. 1 CONNECT:

On entering the store, customers should be made to feel welcome. Do that by smiling, making eye-contact with every single one and saying hello. This is not being pushy. This is what you’d do if a friend came into your home. You can still allow the customer to browse at their own pace and then return to them when they seem to be paying more attention to a particular product. Do not say ‘can I help you?’ — because you’ll deservedly get a ‘no’ almost every time and if you engage again after that ‘no’, well that’s being pushy.

2 CONSULT:

When the customer is clearly ready to be approached, go forward and then ask how you can help. The best salespeople are those that ask the right questions. When I hear of supposed great salespeople that can ‘sell coal to Newcastle’ I get very wary. I immediately think of Arthur Daly, the fast-talking pushy salesman. Using open-ended questions, take time to establish your customer’s needs. This helps to build personal trust and rapport in a way that can’t happen online.

Then present options to the customer that match their needs, focusing on the benefits of your options. In other words, what will your product do for your customer? For example, Velcro straps on a child’s shoe is a feature. But the fact that the children can close their shoes on their own, is the benefit. And the language of benefits is more enticing than features.

If you get objections about colour, size, price or whatever, remember an objection is not a rejection. The customer is letting you know that something in your proposal is not quite right. They aren’t necessarily saying they won’t buy anything. Ask them what in particular they are not happy with and then show an alternative.

3 CONCLUDE:

When the customers indicate that they are happy with your proposal, don’t be shy about ‘closing’ the sale. Take time to thank and reassure the customers that they have made the right choice and tell them about your after-sales service. Wrap or bag the purchase with care and wish the customer well.

DON’T FORGET…

Firstly, as online retailers continue to improve, they recognise that they miss the human interaction that bricks and mortar retailers can give. They try to emulate that with pop-up screens to engage in webchat, or to get customers to call them. Bricks and mortar retailers have a distinct advantage to make the customer’s experience a personable and memorable one. But customers are more savvy and well-researched, so product knowledge is a greater priority than ever before for retail salespeople. Their confidence and ability to convert will be shattered if the customer seems to know more than they do about their product.

Secondly, research thankfully shows that low prices are not the only buying motives. Retailers should not underestimate their ability to sell against a price disadvantage. While researching for this series of articles, I interviewed many independent retailers. I believe that professional sales training is a missed opportunity that as the market changes, has to become a top priority. What seems like common-sense in the tips above, is not common practice I’m afraid. Retailers, prioritise your own people and give them the tools they need to compete effectively.