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February: The challenge of changing wants into needs Here is the question for February from a business owner in Oklahoma: "A customer walks in our business. It often is someone that my salesperson knows by name. The customer tells the salesperson what they want. Unfortunately, the majority of times the customer winds up purchasing exactly what they asked for, and nothing else. I can't seem to get my salespeople to understand that we have to constantly be introducing our customers to new products as well as we have to be selling more than what they have asked for. What can I do?" |
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I always show customers at least 4 more new items comparable to the type and cost of the item they are looking for. I might say, “yes we have that Item but be sure to look at this new item that just arrived” Sometimes they buy both. Tell each salesperson that if you hear them suggest at least two-three other related or new items in the store to each customer they will receive some type of gift card or bonus at the end of the week. They must do this every day, to each customer, all week. Make it something affordable for you like a gas $10 gas gift card, $5 Starbucks, $5 Mc Donald's, etc. This is an expense write off for you and it should promote more sales. And if you have a clearance area, always have the salesperson ask the customer if they have seen the clearance items. I have generated at least one or two more sales that way and it moves the merchandise out. Sometimes we get into such a rut that we don’t think outside the box. It sounds that there may be a couple of problems.
Evelyn Jones H2 Go Scuba What I have found useful to promote add on sales is to add an incentive to the product or products you think need an extra push. This is especially helpful if you are paying your salepeople on salary or hourly rates. Add a spiff to the items you would like them to promote. Anither way is to promote a contest among the sales staff with a lucrative prize for the one who sells the most of whatever add-on item you are promoting. The prize could be cash or dinner for two at a nice restaurant in town, a gift card to a specialty store, etc.
Hope these ideas help
John Charvat
Carneros Floor Covering My first thought is to institute a commission arrangement, or some other means of rewarding increased performance. If sales people see a direct correlation between the size of the bankroll in their wallet and their efforts to increase sales, they MIGHT get the point. The problem is that your sales people, if not given incentives, will only view increased business as YOUR business, not THEIR business. It doesn't even have to be extra money that is used as a reward. On the most convenient parking spot at your place of business put up a sign that says "Reserved for Salesperson of the Month", and make a big deal out of "awarding" the spot each month to the sales person who shows the most increase. Give them a gift certificate for dinner at a nice restaurant or tickets to a show or sporting event. Tie the rewards into increased sales performance. Don't assume that the reward has to be hundreds of dollars. Any direct and immediate recognition, even if it's relatively small, can pay big dividends in getting your salespeople engaged in the process of increasing sales. They just need to see a personal benefit. Also, monitor the progress. Don't let one person begin to be the winner all the time, because that can be demoralizing for every one. Switch up the criteria occasionally so everyone stays challenged.
One thing that will come across loud and clear to your customers is that YOUR sales people are REALLY interested in THEM. There is nothing more frustrating to me than going into the big box stores for hardware, electronics, etc., and be met by a disengaged, disinterested sales person. I absolutely LOVE when a salesperson reminds me that the plumbing parts I just purchased may not be complete without extra parts I hadn't thought about, or makes suggestions about items that may make my project look or perform better. A good sales person doesn't have to push to make sales, they need to be concerned about the customer. When sales people are encouraged to assist customers and not be simply order-takers, and they are rewarded for their efforts, everybody wins.
Karl M Stearns You describe the employee as "my salesperson", but I'd suggest that she/he might be more accurately be called "my clerk". Clerks take orders, and salespeople un-cover and amplify desires. Perhaps the easiest way to promote such a change of identity/conciousness/behavior is to notice and reward appropriate action(s): in this case by acknowledging such behaviors as more time spent with the client (better title than "customer"), or spiffing up-sales and/or add-ons. (A spiff is a monetary bonus for selling a product). A listing/chart could be made, and made handy, which details common accessories which match the main item, such as: hammer -> tool belt -> nails. Many businesses conduct periodic new product seminars, sometimes conducted by supplier reps, which teach employees the benefits and selling points of new items. As a business owner, you must compensate employees for such training, at least by springing for the donuts. Dave Abraham
New Wheel ~ Hokie Spokes We have to change the culture of the store. Let’s stop being “the yes a have that item you’re looking for store” and start being “the store that will interact with its customer “. OK what does this mean? Ask questions like, what are we working on today? What is the project this weekend? These are the questions that will open up a whole new world to add on sales. Well today I am working on organizing my garage; all I need is 2lbs of 20penny finish nails to hang a few things. [$4.00 sale]. Well you know, customer Joe. Your father would have hung his stuff that way, but today Crawford makes all sorts of garage organizers, let take a look. 10 minutes well spent [$22.00 sale] You have now created a $22.00 sale and a service story that will be told ever time someone goes into customer Joe’s garage, bragging about the job he did organizing and the great service he received from your store. By the way if you’re selling paint and paint sundries, I bet this culture is already started in your store. Ask the questions Interior or exterior, Latex or oil, semi-gloss or flat, quart or gallon. You get it, we are customer driven, interact have fun with it, May your SALES be always full. William Wilson First I would have the employees try the new products first. give them a sample to try. see how it works for them they can get aquanteded with the new items. second give them some sort of incentive to try and push a new item . may it be lunch on the store for the one that sells the most or try giving a goal for the whole store to hit reward them it does not take much. next try a random walk by sales pitch, just randomly walk up while an employee is doing a sales and see if they are pushing the new items. If they are give them the recognition for doing so the perverbial pat on the back ego is a great motivator.
Good Luck
Steve Donnell
Donnell's
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