connection (#2)
how a quality greeting and introduction sets the tone for success
We just talked about WHY we might need a PROCESS to help keep us on track for success in selling Better Sleep. If it’s been a bit since you read the last post, here are the six steps we previewed that make up the basis for a successful sale:
Greeting: getting to know the customer as a human, ensuring that they perceive you as one, too.
Needs Assessment: asking questions to understand precisely WHAT the PROBLEM is that needs to be SOLVED.
Demonstration: showing the proposed SOLUTION to the customer’s PROBLEM.
Addressing OBJECTIONS or CONCERNS
ASK FOR THE SALE (closing)
Follow up and ask for referrals.
Today, we’re going to talk about Step 1: the Greeting.
We’ve all been there. The awkward pause. The ‘I don’t know what to say to this person’ look on the salesperson’s face. And then it just tumbles out.
‘How can I help you?’
Nope.
‘What are you looking for today?’
Not quite.
‘I’m so glad you came!’
Getting there.
Let’s talk about those first moments of connection, when the tone is set for the rest of your encounter with this customer.
First, let’s think about what’s happening in the mind(s) of the customers coming into your store. Were they eager to come to the store? NO. Were they excited to hear more about the latest technical specs of the products in your store? NO. Did they wake up thinking that nothing could be more fun than to walk through a very small mattress store? ABSOLUTELY NOT.
Your customers are on guard coming into your store. Whether you’re in a standalone mattress store or in a furniture store. They know that they’ve just signed up to be dropped feet-first into a shark tank. They’re worried about whether they will be able to find out whatever information they were in search of, before they’re able to get away with their very lives.
Let’s face it. Furniture stores and Mattress stores NEVER see a crowd. Crowds are easy for your customer. They indicate something of value is present. They offer safety. When was the last time you went into a furniture store that you don’t work in, only to find the entry crowded with hungry, bored sales people? They’re not waiting, they’re lurking. It’s not inviting. It’s threatening.
Think about it. You’re not TRYING to be a menace, but when customers walk into the store, that’s how many of them will perceive you. There are that many BADLY managed stores out there, and each of your customers has experienced MANY of them.
So, the object is NOT to be a MENACE?
Partly. It’s how to make a HUMAN connection with a stranger, making them feel safe, at-ease, and willing to communicate the problem they brought with them.
One of the things that helped me zero-in on making better connections was on a job interview I went on in my late twenties. I had been a department store buyer, and I was looking for a way to launch into a better-paying career in sales. After a few minutes, the interviewer stopped me short and told me that I was not going to get the job. He said that I had an impressive resume, lots of skills, and was apparently a swell fellow. BUT, he said that in his experience, the best sales people he had worked with liked to talk about themselves. He noted that I was clearly a very private person. He went on to say that people like to talk with people who will talk about themselves. It opens them up. It gives them permisson to speak.
With that in mind, here’s your chance to soften the tension in the store by offering something about yourself. Let’s pave the way for your customers to WANT to talk to YOU.
Rather than talk about the weather, maybe you tell a self-deprecating story about how you reacted to the weather today? Maybe that story includes something that’s not obvious about you, like getting the kids ready for school, a meal you ate last night, or something fun you just did. Each item of yourself you reveal offers the opportunity for this stanger in front of you to mirror you. They are subconsciously driven to balance the conversation and offer something of themselves.
What are we doing here?
You’re treating them like a HUMAN, rather than a piece of meat. You’re slowing things down a bit, to allow their defenses to drop at least a little, and giving them a reason to engage. You NEED them to perceive you as a fellow HUMAN, rather than a PREDATOR.
Sometimes, the Greeting is just that— an acknowledgement, and a hello that will eventually lead to more conversation. This is often the case if there are other customers you’re working with, and you want to welcome them, and let them know that you’ll be right with them.
Think about the people you like to talk with. Nobody likes to talk with a know-it-all. You know, that person that goes on incessantly about things that are important to THEM. You know you’ll never get a word in edgewise. Finding the balance between enough sharing and over-sharing takes some practice. Do that with REAL people. You’ll get the reading quickly. If their eyes squint or their noses wrinkle, or they begin to look away, you’ve gone too long. Find that sweet spot that allows them to relax, and let them talk, too. Use your hands. Smile.
Once you’ve made that connection, it’s a good idea to take a breath, and remember what we’re at this point in the process for: to make a personal connection with your customer, AND to make them feel HUMAN.
If they’re new to the store, now’s a good time to give them the lay of the land. Talk about your store’s WHY. What about your store makes it special? Why did this person wander into it? Expose the organizational pattern of the store or department. Make them feel like NONE of this is a MYSTERY.
By now, you should have noticed that their shoulders have relaxed a bit. You’ve encouraged them to smile by smiling AT them. They know their way around. They should be much more likely to tell you WHY they came in at this point.
Good!
How does that FEEL? Did you at any point feel like you were trying to steal from this person? Did you feel good about yourself? Did you feel better about your customer? Did you feel more confident to move to the next steps?
That’s what we need here…. the confidence and the PERMISSION to move to the next step. Remember- there are no shortcuts. Your customer will tell you when they’re ready, when you’ve made them comfortable to do so.