I work on weekends at the outlets for some extra money during the school year. My title is “Sales Associate”, yet most of the time it is restocking, folding, and standing around trying to find something to do for hours on end. But every now and then, there comes the time to lead a customer to a sale. I’ve taken the employee training program to do so, but I have found applying lessons learned in class have led to better sales tactics than the manual.
The employee manual for sales associate outlines a specific way to lead customers to buy products. First, you address them with a “Hi”, “Good afternoon” or “How are you doing” within the first two minutes of them walking through the door. Next, you are to approach them with a question such as “finding everything alright?”, “Can I help you with anything?”, or “Looking for anything in particular?”. These questions are supposed to lead to a conversation in which you can use your knowledge of the store’s products to recommend what they need to buy. Afterward, you try to “style” them by offering different styles of extra clothing that goes with whatever they are buying, therefore selling more product. The close is always a leading walk to the register to begin checking them out quickly and positively so they are ensured a great experience.
In my experience with this method, I usually lose most customers with the first question with a simple “I’m just looking” or “no thank you”. Rarely does the opening question lead to a sale. Sales Associates at outlets like me are usually just cannon fodder for the register and stocking. However, because of what we learn in class about finding the customer’s need, I have been making sales a different way. First, I try to find common ground with them, like a sports team, where they’re from, the weather, just any talking point. From there I assess what clothes are qualified for their interests and passions and begin to show them around. Once they see some clothes they rule out, I narrow down what they actually want to buy and pitch them to them, and they stay interested in what I’m saying because I’ve struck up friendship with them. This has even led to customers buying something they didn’t necessarily want but bought because they liked the experience I was giving them. The lessons learned in sales class have impacted my job very positively lately.
FrenchJA21 
andersonsa22 
riehljb21
Great job learning and switching to a sales technique that works better! I have noticed in my buying experiences that I appreciate the second approach a lot more. The first way often seems pushy as if the salesperson cares more about making sure I buy their product than fulfilling a need I have. I would much rather bond and build a relationship with someone first so I can know that they are genuinely trying to solve a problem and not just get their product off the shelf.
Very interesting stuff Ben. I agree that those questions those stores make you ask have little to no success. I am excited to see what alternatives end up working for you going forward!
This is definitely interesting. Usually, I am one of those people who likes to be left alone while shopping and not talking to the salesperson, but on the other hand, I think if someone approached me like you said later on like talking about a sports team or where I am from, I would definitely be more open and have a conversation with them. It is very interesting how something so simply can change someone’s outlook on a conversation.
Great Ben, love it. I think it is great when an employee in a retail store is eager to help and shows that they care about my experience as a customer.