When a customer enters a store you have to balance the first impression. You do not want to be the sleazy salesperson who comes across desperate. No one wants to be sold to. But people who have money want to buy. Its simple really. The relationship between you and the customer has to be one that builds over time. Why over time? People who sell are problems solvers, teachers, they boost ego and make people feel better about spending there hard earned money. In some cases you make people feel powerful.
If you do it right, you will get the best feeling of helping someone and even better you will get more opportunities with return business and even better referrals. One customer will not make you rich, but the word of mouth or the broadcasting of the quality of service, products and how you, the individual represented the store or brand is what makes the difference. Salespeople with this in mind will outperform, outsell and out and about have a better reputation than the weasel sales person who most people hate. You know them there the ones who the moment you take one step the words " Just Looking" come shouting out like a shotgun blast to the soul. More on how to deflect that later.
To really know you did a great job do not rely on your boss to tell you. You know you did a great job when the customer says " Thank You" and offers to shakes your hand. You know you did and awesome job when a new customer knows you by name and says " Joe or Jane sent me". Not because they think you will give them a discount but because the impression you made was that memorable on someone else that you memorable.
Every transaction starts with the customer walking in. How they got there is sort of unimportant. If your are in a mall setting as I have been in for 25 years, Your company does the marketing. Some do a great job and some need to get there head out of the sand. Unfortunately unless you own the business, you don't control how the company portrays itself outside the walls. It may be print ads, commercials, radio or telemarketing hopefully social media. The company that I currently work for attacks with national television commercials and print ads along with a very aggressive in-store 350 phone calls a week approach to drive customers into the store. I actually am not a fan of this because it divides the employees attention between the customers in the store and the demanded quota of calls but leaders sometimes lead there troops into fields of land mine.
My belief is in you, the salesperson that is in front of the customer is what makes or breaks the sale. The size two supermodel on the poster gets you into Victoria Secrets but the size 12 sales associate who really knows how to properly measure bra size get that hard to fit woman in the right product is what makes the sale. The Sweet Commercial of the Jeep That gets you anywhere makes you want to purchase one. But the sales person who knows the tips and tricks and what add ons are necessary makes the customer feel comfortable and happy. People working with people makes retail storefronts work. Even in the world of Amazon and eBay People still chat, email and blog about the why the customer needs or wants this product or service.
Let me make the purpose of this Blog perfectly clear. It's not to help the companies! I'ts to help you be a better sales person so that you can take care of your self and those you love. I can go off on tangents because I believe when you are in any roll where you have to tell someone else what to do you need to know how to sell. As a teacher I had to sell kids on reading, writing and math and why it was important. As a Sales manager I had to sell employees to do it this way or try it that way. As a father I have to sell my child on why its important for her to eat all of her dinner. She is my hardest customer.
I've cut my teeth working in specialty retail from age 16 to 40. I have learned, working for a company will help you stay secure and barely make ends meet, but it will not ever and I mean ever make you rich. If you want to be rich, model those who are, make your mistakes on someone else's dollar and then make the leap into finding your passion that you will be willing to bet it all on. My belief is sincerity, honesty and effort will attract bigger business over time. You can scam a few but negative broadcasts always travel faster than positive.
I promise as I post blogs I will never lie! I will only suggest things I have applied and I will say what is on my mind in a professional manor. I will be a market affiliate. I will have things for you to buy. Why, because I practice what I preach. I'm a sales person. I sell.
