Selling on TikTok- Magic Beans

@mbeansdotcom

We get it – Infant car seats are so convenient! They’re so portable with minimal hassle, it’s no wonder parents love them! But you do need to be mindful, and we’re here to help! Check the link in our bio and book your virtual consultation today! #carseatsafety #magicbeans #carseat #infantcarseat #convertiblecarseat #babygear #smallbusiness #parentsoftiktok #infantsafety

♬ original sound – Magic Beans

While scrolling through TikTok last week, procrastinating on homework, I came across this video posted by Magic Beans. Magic Beans is a small business that sells adjustable car seats. During the video, a parent walks in with their child in a car seat. The salesman then attempts to sell the parent a new car seat, explaining all the ways his car seat is better than the one the parent is currently using.

The way the salesman initiates the conversation with the parent immediately causes the parent to become defensive. As opposed to opening with an introduction or a question, the salesman immediately tells the parent they are wrong. The parent, who genuinely has their child’s best interest at heart, is offended by this statement. They are now unwilling to see the advantages of the new car seat, instead feeling the need to defend the car seat they are currently using.

The conversation continues like this for some time. The salesperson explains why the parent is wrong, and the parent defends their choices. It is a very one sided conversation, with the attention focused solely on the car seat. The salesperson never once learns a single detail about the parent. Instead, the salesperson makes assumptions based on the observations he made in the first thirty seconds of meeting his customer. The only questions the salesperson asks the parent is at the very end, and even then, the question isn’t to learn anything about the parent, but to judge them further.

Throughout the conversation, however, the salesman did make attempts to empathize with the parent. He explains how he too is a parent. However, this empathy was taken too far when he assumed that the reasons the parent was using the car seat was the same reason he used that car seat: convenience. There are a whole host of other reasons why this parent could have chosen to use that particular car seat, something the salesperson could have discovered had he taken the time to know and understand the customer.

One thing the salesman did really well was move toward closing the sale. The salesman was certainly bold, and he was not afraid to ask for the sale at the end. However, the salesman has no way of knowing if this sale was the right decision for the customer. Once again, the salesman choices were based on his assumptions. I appreciate his confidence in his product and boldness when asking for the sale, but neither of those mean the product is right for the customer.

Overall, this sales conversation was filled with accusations and assumptions. This comes from the lack of questions being asked by the salesman. He focuses on the product as opposed to the customer. However, the salesman isn’t afraid to ask for the sale, and in the end does make the sale.