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Donna Artz asked me on my Facebook Fan page how to turn a sale around that is going down the tubes.
This is the kind of training I do all over the world as part of the Bob Phibbs Experience and can be a complex thing to teach but, address the basics first.
If you’re having a tough time during a sale, pull back and see if there were physical cues things weren’t going well. For example, were either their or your arms crossed?
How about your legs or theirs? Closed body positions show mistrust.
If it is you, you could be unconsciously telegraphing you are afraid of the customer, the product doesn’t do what you say it does or you are wanting to protect yourself because you feel it is so expensive.
If it is the customer who is closed, it shows they do not trust you. Until you get that conquered the sales process is stuck. Try handing them a sample, asking more questions about where the item might be used or using what I call Windows of Contact to find common ground.
You may be trying to sell a person who likes to be seen as independent and risk-taking as if they only select a product that makes sense, is a good value, on sale or popular -which doesn’t work very well.
As a sales trainer, when we playback what went on during a sale, we often find it is a clash between personalities that causes customers to not buy from us, not the lack of need for your products. Or a discount…
David, a friend of mine recently visited a furniture store and told the salesman he was looking for a couch. Being an Amiable personality, David was listening to the guy (an Analytical) tell him everything about how the wood was chosen, how the Dupont fabric resisted stains, how much money he was saving, the “no tax” additional discount, and the fact he could take it home that day.
The information overwhelmed David, tripped his “idiot switch”, and prompted him to inform the salesman that he’d have to think about it.
The guy said to him, “What’s wrong with you, are you sick or something?” Which made David laugh as he walked out the door, never to return.
All David needed to know was how the couch would fit in his house, the salesperson was giving him far too much information and snapped.
The trick is knowing before you or the customer snaps what the signs are and then subtly dealing with the personality in front of you.
This is covered extensively in my book from Wiley The Retail Doctor’s Guide to Growing Your Business.
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This post was mentioned on Twitter by TheRetailDoctor: New blog post: Retail Selling Tips: How to Turn a Sale Around http://www.retaildoc.com/blog/retail-sales-training/tips...
bob, i think i may be guilty of the too much info sin.
i sell high end fashion and know everything there is to know about a product, and i often think that educating the customer on the quality will sell the product. what i need to find out more about is how to appeal to the emotion that brought them in the door in the first place.
Right on Donna, good self-observation. To the right customer, that approach can be spot-on-it’s the ability to talk like the customer needs to hear us, that will make the sale. Look for more of these insights in my new book coming out in April. Thanks for posting!
Bob,
I learned in some training program, can’t remember the name, to always “ask permission.” When showing a carpet sample, I ask if the color and texture suits them. Then I ask permission if I can tell them about about the stain protection and wear warranties. Most clients will say yes. My sentences are concise. I back up my info with the info on the back of the label.
Always introduce some humour, sometimes I say, “I know your baby will never throw his bottle across the living room…or your kitty never throws up.” This usually gets my client to look at me and we have eye contact.
Works for me!
Linda
LOVE THAT! Great example. I keep toying with a posting about humor but it is difficult to tell people “how” to do it just being open to the moment like you are is important. Thanks for your comments!
Bob,
Excellent examples here – making sure you know what the customer wants is key before launching off into a sales diatribe.
The body language cues are interesting as well – but as an always cold person, I often cross my arms to keep myself warm – not to close off – how can folks tell if someone is physically protecting or if it’s symptomatic of something bigger?
-Heather
OK so if you came in my store with arms crossed Heather, honestly, I probably wouldn’t be as likely to see you as approachable. Just sayin…
As to behavior, I think what is important is to notice the changes from the points in the sale where you are building trust, laughing, etc and when you get to the features and benefits, delivery or close of the sale. Does that make sense?