How to be a Successful Salesperson
There are two types of people in
this world: followers and leaders. As a salesperson it is your job to be a
leader. If you are a master at sales you should be able to read your customer
and weave a story about your product to fit their amusement so enticing that
they believe it was their personal idea and they cannot live without that
product. As Lau Tzu, an ancient Chinese philosopher of Taoism, stated “The best
leaders are those their people hardly know exist.”.
To bring
the sale to a close and have a enjoyable experience for both you and your
customer you must do five simple steps.
Dress Appropriately. This is common sense for most people,
but others will struggle with this idea. Here is some motivation: according to Business
Insider first impressions are formed within seven to seventeen seconds of
meeting someone and fifty five percent of a person’s opinion is determined by
physical appearance. The way you dress could well be the deal breaker between
the two thousand dollar sale and a walk out the door.
Have good body posture.
If you are slouching over a display case or slinking around the floor you will
not exude confidence. Customers will catch onto this and will be less likely to
follow you or trust you. During face to face meetings, 93% of people's judgments
of others are based on non-verbal input like body language. How you stand,
sit, and shake hands communicates a lot more than what you say. Eye
contact is included in this. To build a trusting relationship with another
person your eyes should connect about 70 to 80% of the time. This shows your
customer two things. First: that you are listening to their story and what they
wish. Second: that you like them. While you should make eye contact, do not
stare, or excessively blink. Too much blinking is suspicious. Adults normally
blink around 15 to 20 times per minute. When under pressure, or stressed,
blinking increases (Bill Clinton’s blink rate during his deposition was at 92
blinks per minute)
Greet and read the customer. In order to welcome the client a
general “Hello” or “Welcome to (enter store name here)” will suffice. This
instantly tells the purchaser that you are there to help them. You are
essentially their waiter/host while they are in the gallery. Next, figure out for
whom they are shopping for by asking leading questions such as “what brings you
to Kirmse’s?” or more directly “Who are you shopping for and how can I help?” By
asking questions such as these you learn what type of customer they are. There
are essentially four different types of purchasers.
The first, buys for others. If they
are shopping for their ten year old daughter who is likely to lose her bracelet
in a couple of weeks then gain their trust by steering them to a less expensive
item so that they are more willing to buy it. If a customer is shopping for
their significant other you can deliver your own expert advice about pricier
pieces: this added knowledge will often sway their opinions about the product.
There has been many a time that I have been forced to choose a necklace to
surprise someone’s fiancé.
The second, buys for themselves.
These people are some of the easiest to sell to because they know their taste
and they know their budget. All you have to do is wait it out, present all of
the pieces, listen, and be pleasant. Remember though that customers usually lie
about their budget and will typically spend a bit more than they state if they
are taken by the piece.
The third, waits for others who are
shopping. If you get stuck with the elderly gentleman that simply wants to know
your life story as his wife shops find him a stool and like an ex-couple
politely, but firmly, move on. You do not need to babysit him. In fact he will
probably be happier now that he can simply sit and wait rather than have to
maintain conversation. UNLESS you have no other customers to attend to….. then keep him happy so his wife is
comfortable shopping for a long time, knowing that he is engaged and content)
It’s a truly skilled saleswoman who manages to take coin from the waiting
husband.
The fourth, “just looking”. There
is no “just looking” person. They entered your store for a reason.
Subconsciously they are there to buy something. It is your job to continue to
ask leading questions until you find that one person they forgot to get a gift
for, or the birthday that they forgot.
Present the product. In
order to give off all of the superb qualities of your product you must truly
believe in it. Make sure that you believe
100% in your product. People either follow leaders or are leaders. Make
sure that they are following you. If there is any hesitancy or dishonesty in
your sales pitch customers will sniff it out like a dog to meat and will
instantly jump off your bandwagon. Furthermore, The customer is NOT always
right. Often times customers will tell you that they know everything there is
to know about your product and that you are selling something fake or too
expensive. Although they may be an expert on that type of thing; you are an expert on your merchandise.
One time I was taking care of a lady who was trying on a pair of Amber
earrings. She clearly adored them, and also clearly wished for a discount.
After several hours of requesting for a cut in the price I finally gave her the
last NO. She went on to say that, as an avid Amber collector, she recognized
these earrings as pseudo-Amber and again demanded a discount. I remained calm
and professional, and held my ground that they were true Amber, and eventually
she bought them at full price.
Take it to the cash register.
Once your client has found a couple of items that they like begin to lead them
to a “close”. You might say “would you like me to set these over by the counter
as you continue to look around?” or “Will you be paying cash or using a credit
card?” this brings up the idea that they will actually be making the purchase
rather than just ogling and drooling over the items.
If done correctly,
you and the customer should have an enjoyable experience. No one should have to
feel bullied or bullied into a sale. In the end customers will be appreciative of your expert guidance
and the knowledge they’ve gained. They will then leave your store with
their purchase, and good words on their lips to spread your excellent
reputation
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