sales skills introduction
Selling with a positive attitude
By making the selling process an interactive and memorable experience, an independent can be successful even in the era of the internet, advises Christine Knott, MD of training specialist Beyond The Box.
The last few years have seen some major changes in the retail industry and for some, the role of salesperson has been challenged. The cause is the invasion of the internet and the emergence of many TV shopping channels. The internet is here to stay so in order to survive retailers have to change too. Many retailers perceive the internet as a threat, the reason that business has fallen, because customers are transferring to online shopping. We all know that some customers are scouring sites looking for a bargain following a visit to their local retailer to get the information they need to make a choice.
Better than the internet
Whilst customers are coming into the store, whether it’s to browse or buy, customers are still your captive audience and as such you are in a position to create a sale rather than lose it to the internet. There are still many things that work in the retailers’ favour.
The internet cannot hold a conversation, identify needs, create desires and present a selection of options with justifications to buy. You won’t be able to convert all who visit, some will still choose to buy from the internet, but your passion, enthusiasm, desire to help, your advice, and the service you offer will be enough to dissuade some customers from shopping online. Remain positive and remove any negative thoughts of lost sales and time wasters. Our thoughts are betrayed by our body language and they will be picked up by the customer. Not a great way to start the sale. The internet is not for everyone though. In today’s market customers have a choice and they still choose to buy from shops because they enjoy it. They like the experience it gives them, and the more they are stimulated during that experience the more likely they are to buy from you. That’s why they visit shops, to buy, not to be sold to. Few enjoy hearing the ‘sales patter’ or any hint of a script. Today’s shoppers are past that. They want to enjoy the experience and that means enjoying the interaction with the sales person as well as handling the product. They want to play with it, listen to it, and enjoy it, they want to see the product ‘live’.
Seeing is believing
So what can you do to make your stock come alive? Handling the box or the packaging is nowhere near as exciting as handling what’s inside it. Handling leads to ownership and the sale is on its way. OK, so not all shops are huge and space is limited so sound rooms and cooking areas might be out of the question for some retailers. There are still things you can do. Next time you find yourself examining the remote control, pass it over to the customer quickly. Introduce as many cross-sell items into the demonstration as you can. Show how a TV fits on a wall
IndependentElectricalRetailer 6 SalesTrainingGuide12
Christine Knott
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