Marketing 101 by Elizabeth Slater - June 2019

As it is already the month of May, retail businesses are seeing more customer and it seems like a good time to remind you of methods of interacting with customers that can and will increase sales in your business.

Once the customer has walked in the door, it is up to us, as salespeople, to discover what their needs and wants are so we will know what and how to sell to them.

Some time ago I created a handout for the seminars I do, entitled, D.A.R.E. To Sell. This became one of my most popular handouts with retail sales people because of the easy to implement tips on sales.

D.A.R.E. is an acronym for:

Don't Assume • Ask Questions • Reach for the Sale • Explain Benefits

Don’t Assume …

Ask Questions…

Questions should be asked of your customers as their visit proceeds. Long before the end of the visit you should know their interest in your products, what they are looking for today and what they might need at a later date.

• Establish a rapport with customers along the way by creating a personal relationship. People connect first with people, then with the product or company.

• Once you have made the connection with a customer it is easier to make the sale.

• Discover what is important to your guests; what they like and what they know

• Find out what they came into your business on this day. Some customers may be quite confident in their opinions and tastes, while other may need more help from you to find the products they want and need.

• Allow for a two-way conversation. Let your customers do most of the talking, unless you have something technical to explain to them. Even then take breaks to allow them to ask questions or make comments

• Use the information you have collected from your customers to help them create a closer relationship with your business and your products.

Reach For The Sale…

By reaching for the sale, I mean, ensuring that you have given your customers all the reasons why they should buy your wares. You can 'reach for the sale' by reminding them of the things that they may have forgotten or not paid attention to the first time you said them.

• Summarize the value

• Remind customers of what is important to them about the product or service

• Point out that they won’t find the products you carry or service you deliver anywhere else in the county.

Explain Benefits

There are lots of benefits your customers receives buying your products or using your services. Make sure they know the benefits that are most important to them.

If price is important to your customers remind them that you have a guarantee on all your products. Or mention a sale you are having.

Note: Talk in terms of special or preferential pricing rather than discounts

The word discount can lower the value in the minds of consumers, whereas special pricing is more of a bonus for them.

Let customers know that you are almost sold out of the product (only if you are).

Have a great selling season this year and make every interaction count.*

A tip of the glass from me to you

*If you are interested in scheduling Sales & Customer Service Training for your sales staff, drop me email atE@inshortmarketing.com