TOUCH ME

I was in a big-box retailer the other day considering their selection of LCD TV’s. I had my eye on 1 of them with a built-in DVD player, but the current screen settings made it look as though it was out of frame. It’s like when you go to the movies and you can see a little strip of the top of the scene at the bottom of the screen, except it was along the right side of the screen.

A clerk strolled up, asked if he could help (which, by the way is one of the worst greetings used by retailers) and I asked if he knew how to adjust the screen on the LCD TV I wanted. He replied you probably need the remote control to do that and it was somewhere in the warehouse. Then he drifted back (literally taking small steps backwards out of the area) and left me alone there in the aisle.

You have probably already guessed no purchase was made there that day.

Look, as a customer, I just want to know that you really want to help me make the right purchasing decision. If you show a little care and concern, if you touch me in a positive way, you will probably get the sale.

The same thing is going on with your customers. They want you to care about them, have some concern about their needs, and to touch them in a positive way. And, after you’ve made the sale, continue to touch them every now and again just to check on them and see how they are doing.