Sales tips for winning shopping guides

[China Glass Network] How many times have you walked into a store to buy something, but found that there is no service staff in the store, even no one has checked out? Or you saw the guide, but they seem to ignore your existence? Perhaps they think You just stroll around and don't buy anything. Or you find yourself encountering a sloppy shopping guide, he wants to help you but can't help, or worse, meets an aggressive shopping guide, can't wait to sell everything in the store to you.

No wonder many people will try to avoid shopping guides when they buy things. Sherry Lotz, an associate professor of retail and consumer science at John & Doris Norton School at the University of Arizona, said that in a small study in 2009, most shoppers They all said that they didn't want to go to the store to avoid bad customer service. A common concern is that shopping guides “forced” merchandise to get commissions or reach sales targets. Rhodes said that consumers in this study "do not believe that shopping guides are based on customer interests."

But when it's good, customer service is a magical panacea that allows customers to be satisfied with what they have bought long after they leave the store. In order for customers to have this positive feeling, the shopping guide must use the positive reinforcement strategy, make creative suggestions, and be able to put themselves in the shoes of the customer. These reserves must be rich.

In the past, keen shopping guides were often proud of their ability to “read” customers. Modern sales techniques emphasize that it is better to ask questions than to guess. The guy wearing a sports baseball cap may be buying branded shoes. Claudia Coleman, a 56-year-old private shopping guide and a necessor at the San Antonio store in Neiman Marcus, says you have to listen to customers and ask them what color they like, what they like, and what they do. What work, through these questions can understand their needs.

Some things can help customers get a lot of help with shopping guides. One of the most important ones is to open their minds. Once you have contacted an efficient shopping guide, many customers will only recognize this shopping guide and will not cooperate with others. Usually, they will make an appointment in advance.

Jay Jackson, who specializes in talent management in Arlington, Va., relies heavily on Chris Sharma, the Nordstrom fashion store at Nord Tysons Corner in Virginia. Jackson said that I can buy nothing without him. Closer he came to the store and asked Sharma to choose a shirt and tie for his new suit.

The 48-year-old Sharma has been the champion of Nordstrom for ten years, creating more than $1 million in annual sales for the Nordstrom Washington DC store, where politicians and parliamentary lobbyists are frequent visitors.

He will also walk around the store during the appointment of a customer. Closer he helped a home customer to return the goods. He said, I will help customers who buy a pair of $10 socks; maybe one day they will think of me when they want a suit. Sharma’s compensation is derived from net sales. Nordstrom said that sales people either earn hourly wages or take commissions, which one is more lucrative. Salespeople earn an average of about $40,000 a year, but the company says many people have earned six figures.

To be a good seller, you need good memory and attention to small details. Sharma will remember that a customer has a blue pinstriped shirt in the closet, so he will recommend something else for him. He dared to make some good-natured jokes about the ignorance of some aspects of fashion, but he is also good at catering to the customer's self-esteem. He told the customer that if they wear the clothes of his choice and are not praised by others, they can return them. This gamble he rarely loses.

When Jackson came closer to the store, Sharma looked at the blue suit and went to the shelf to find shirts and ties. Jackson is waiting at the cashier. A few minutes later, Sharma came back with a bunch of things. He spread the shirts and ties one by one and briefly talked about the merits of everything. Jackson bought most of the items that Sharma picked. He only bought a red tie. He felt too fancy.

Coleman, who is responsible for women's shopping guides at Neiman Marcus, is actively building long-term relationships. She said that a suit that doesn't fit is as important as it looks. Coleman said that I have studied courses in the sale of clothing and merchandise. I also know how to make clothes; I will stick to my opinion; you can pick out the right clothes from the shelf, and that dress is special. Sometimes she will let the customer try on the clothes while letting the tailors comment on the side.

Many of Coleman's customers will attend the same charity events and celebrations, and she will carefully record who bought the clothes and gradually became famous. If someone wants a skirt, but Coleman knows that another lady has already bought it, she will say, I am sorry, the dress is sold out, and then recommend other clothes for them.

Recording all of this dynamic information is a challenge. She takes notes carefully and memorizes the date and the items she buys. But she never named her name. Like other shopping guides, Coleman will send a thank-you letter after selling something, and she will usually go a step further, call or text a message asking the customer what the item was buying, or causing the customer to have a new item in the store. Attention. She will send a picture of the new item to the customer after she has permission: she wants to know the customer's interest in advance, but does not want to fill their phone or inbox with large files.

Nordstrom said the company does not have formal customer service training. The company says that we want to hire sales—people who like to sell; we hire people who have affinity, goal-oriented people, who love fashion and have the ability to care for customers. Neiman Marcus said that each of our shopping guides is trained to attract customers and ask the right questions, and more importantly, they are very good listeners. Neiman Marcus provides online training tools, and the guides will learn about special events and new product presentations during regular meetings.

Barry Snowbarger, 43, is a senior shopping guide for the Design Within Reach furniture store in Manhattan. He is often ranked in the top five of the chain's preferred shopping guides. He rarely asks "What can I help you with?" Snowberg said that the customer's previous reaction would be "I just stroll around." He said that when they came in, I would "read" their body language; if they walked straight in, they could see that their purpose was clear, and I would say, "You seem to be looking for a specific product, I can Can you find it for you?" Sometimes he will also say, "Hello, what wind is blowing you today?"

Snowberg said he often chats with customers to understand their lifestyles, interests and needs. He will be familiar with the introduction of new products and designers, so that he will be authoritative during the conversation and gain the trust of customers. He said that sometimes he would even visit the customer's home, look at the customer's wardrobe and help them out. In January of this year, Snowberg was promoted to the position of manager.