I was highly intrigued by Pink’s philosophy on clarity.
Clarity, according to Pink, depends on contrast. As potential future sales people, this is a very important principal to learn very early on in the game. Pink says that seeing something in comparison will help us better understand than seeing it in isolation. As an avid shopper and retail sales associate, I can most definitely say that this is true.
Personally, the best thing that I think that you can give your customer is options. When working the sales floor at Bath and Body Works and so many scents surrounding the customers, giving them options makes it easier for them to choose the scent that they want and ultimately the best way to close a sale in this type of environment. Probably the best way to gain clarity in a situation like this is to let them peruse themselves, letting them compare and contrast things that they like and don’t like. In a circumstance that requires assistance, framing their choices in a way that makes their choice easier is the best way to close a sale.
Ultimately, our goal as sales people is to make our customer’s life as easy as possible. After all, shopping is a pleasurable hobby, right? 🙂
BoweryJE22
As a fellow retail worker I completely agree! When I am home and work at J.Crew I have found that often customers do not know what they want, but they sure do know what they don’t want. Giving them options allows them to communicate what they do not like and ultimately allows them to come to a buying decision.
I think this is how it should be in all sales situations. As a sales person i feel like you should be there for the customer to listen to what they are looking for and then guide them towards options you think may benefit them. Basically letting them feel in control will probably make them feel a lot better about the whole experience.