Selling is one of the hardest things you may have to do in your business. Why not let your client experience do the selling?
If you are like me, you don’t want to be the used car salesman, or the cashier that has to ask everyone about opening up a credit card, in your business. Sales can feel icky if approached like that. Both for the customer and for you. Something I picked up from working in a retail clothing store changed my perspective on how to sell.
I worked for Life is good for 10 years in their retail store in Portland, Maine. From summers during tourist season to eventually store manager. Throughout that time we would have some training or upper management would offer some insights when they visited. One of those things was “suggestive selling.” That may not be the proper term but hear me out.
“Suggestive selling” is when you make suggestions on other items that are similar to ones that they are looking at. Think like colors, graphic themes, or fit. This required you to engage with the customer and get to know what they are looking for so you can make suggestions. Most often people just need to be reassured their choice is valid and then are more open to other suggestions. The attention to the customer’s need is the key. You can’t offer suggestions if you don’t know what they want.
So how do you apply this to your own business’s products or services? Here are some ways you can let client experience do the selling:
- Make sure you get to know your potential customers before they book with you either via a phone call or questionnaire.
- Providing resources for them to understand what you do and how it can help with their needs.
- Offer other options they might want to consider while making a suggestion for the one option that might work best. Even if it is a lower priced offering.
- Anticipating pain points for clients during the process and providing information and resources to ease their anxiety before it even arises.
All of these things, and more, can be built into your process to create multiple touch points that reassures your clients they are making the right choice. Remember it is always about your client.
