Retail F-Bomb

Lessons from the retail and high end home and body care worlds on how to making big sales. Hopefully you can gain some insight and spot some of these tricks of the trade the next time you buy something.

(This is obviously a satire of the retail world, of which I am a part of, but I will not deny the truth behind much of what I'm about to say)

Ingredients:
-Customers and a store

Directions:

1. Strike like lightning: Greet customers valued clients the second they step into the store; it doesn't matter if they look like they're "just looking" or trying to sneak a sample of lotion before running out, they're not getting away that easy. A simple "Hello, how are you" works. This breaks the ice

2. Hook them with pretty numbers: Everyone loves to play the "how low can you go game". The bigger the discount/sale number you can throw, the better. Size matters, and 35% and up is best. Start throwing numbers around right after asking if they need help finding anything.

3. Watch them like an eagle watches its prey: Don't hover too close, but be within earshot in case of questions and always be ready to offer samples and retrieve products; pampering leads to a false sense of security comfort and a greater openness to suggestions of complementary products and spending more money.

4. Let the music do it's work: Clients like to browse, if they need your help, they will typically ask; you don't want to come across as overbearing. Let the Ellie Goulding playing over the store speakers work its magic..trust me, it's still a mystery as to how it casts it's spell.


Ellie Goulding: Starry Eyed

Of course you need a Dubstep remix-


Ellie Goulding: Starry Eyed (Jakwob Remix)

5. Smile, Wink, Bieberesque Hairflip- Turn the Charm to 10: When the customer starts taking products off shelves, they are most susceptible to suggestions for complementing products. Getting the hand lotion? Why not try the exfoliating scrub as well? The perfume? Try the reed diffuser for your home (it doesn't have to make perfect sense). It's not guaranteed to work, but I've made it work on plenty of occasions. My units-per-transaction (UPT) and and average total price per sale love me for this.

6. Check them out at Checkout: The products, not the customer. The ringup process can be a grey, dreary moment for the customer, they are about to part ways with their money...and I can personally vouch for 99% of people when I say that people don't like to give up their money. So, strike up conversation, smile, laugh if they make a joke, and always say that one of the products they chose is one of your personal favorites. This doesn't necessarily have to be true, but relatability between client and company is key, and being the final face of the company the customer will see, this is one white lie that I'll let slide. Leave a good impression, keep the charm at 10 and make them feel special (because they are) and they will be much more likely to return for more.

He just found out he qualifies for a free travel bag

7. Shock and Awe: OhhMeeeGeee, guess what! "If you spend   $X    more, you can get   Y    for Free". Ding ding ding! You just dropped the retail F-bomb, but a good f-bomb! You say this at the end where you can see the subtotal for sales, and always with an upbeat, almost surprised tone. We run promotions almost constantly where if you purchase at or over a certain amount you get a free gift (typically $50 or $75). Usually I will only say this if they are within $10 of that target goal. The magic of this "shock and awe" is that it's an admittedly sneaky way to get people to spend more money for the promise of getting something for free, typically a cheap-to-produce mini gift set made to look fancy. Starting to notice a theme? Free is good; "free" is god-speak in the retail world.



Sorta like this...except with words and stuff

8. Send them off with kisses and flowers: Okay, maybe not that much fanfare (too expensive), but ask if they would like anything gift wrapped, let them know of any upcoming sales and always end with a "Have a Wonderful Day" done with absolute full eye contact. Sound creepy? Not really, but eye contact shows you're confident in quality and worth of what you're handing over to them in the bag and that you care and give a damn about them. Most people overlook the fact that a loyal customer base is the only way any business stays afloat, so ending on a positive note is always, always, always key.

9. Start the process all over again.

Selling stuff is a science, seriously.

All the best,

JP