Well the market is tougher, the customers are more confused, there are more businesses fighting over fewer dollars and there doesn’t seem to be a lot of light at the end of the tunnel.
2011 will be about doing a smarter job with fewer customers, causing customers to buy from you and from your store and ensuring they enjoy the experience enough to want to return for the same great service and maybe tell a few friends and family at the same time.
Course Outline
9.00am - 4.30pm (incl course material and morning/afternoon tea, lunch is not included)
Competency
Today’s customers know more, expect more and have more choice. Sure, your store may offer exclusive lines, quality merchandise and competitive prices. That’s great. But even these traditional advantages may no longer be enough. Attracting new business and gaining customer loyalty are essential. Therefore, customers need a reason to shop at your store rather than somewhere else.
Engaging
Common sense may tell us that engaging customers should be a simple and relatively straightforward task. Either the customer comes to you, or you go to the customer. Why then do so many salespeople find it such a challenge? As you will discover, the answer involves a little psychology and a little choreography, both key ingredients for opening the sale.
Hopes and Dreams
Probing - At this point in the selling process you’ve engaged the customer with a great opening line, schmoozed a bit and used the transition question to find out why the customer has come into your store. Now it’s time to ask a few questions, so you know what product(s) to demonstrate.
This crucial step is often what separates a great salesperson from a mediocre one, because very few customers and salespeople have probing sessions prior to showing merchandise.
The Demonstration - Now that you’ve gathered important information about what your customers are shopping for and why, the next step in the selling process is to show (or “demonstrate”) the best match from the merchandise selection in your store. This is the most creative step, the step where your level of competence shines through and you show customers that you’re the expert they expect and deserve. That’s why it’s called “The Showtime Step.”
Adding-On - Good salesmanship and quality service go hand-in-hand with complete customer satisfaction. That means your job isn’t quite finished even though you may have brilliantly demonstrated the merchandise your customers hoped to purchase. There’s something missing other than the close, because you haven’t ensured complete customer satisfaction and maximised the sale. Remember, your customers don’t know what they don’t know. You’re their expert guide, and your ability to suggest additional items they might want or need is an integral part of your job as a salesperson.
Concerns and Closing
Concerns - Customers may voice questions, concerns or objections about the merchandise at any time during the selling process. They may not like it. They may think the price is too high. They may have a budget that’s too low. You get the idea: Concerns and objections are a big part of selling. Just remember that objections do not always result in lost sales. If you have the right skills, you can address the issues and, in many cases, fully satisfy your customers.
Closing - The reality is that some customers may be reluctant to make a buying decision without first being prompted by a salesperson. In other words, they’re unlikely to say, “I’ll take it” unless a salesperson asks them if they’d like to make the purchase. Now consider the fact that some salespeople are hesitant about asking customers to buy. Not a very promising combination, is it? But cheer up. The good news is that you don’t have to be a grand master at chess to avoid this type of stalemate. Just treat closing with the respect it deserves.
Building Loyalty
Why is it that when customers make a purchase in a store they’re usually the ones who say thank you before leaving rather than the salespeople? It seems a little backwards. Aren’t customers the ones who are spending the money that helps keep the stores open and the salespeople employed? No wonder the rate of returns has skyrocketed! There’s no relationship, no trust and no appreciation.