The Selling Sherpa

Sales Tip: One "my friend" is more than enough.

I was in a retail store and there was a problem with the way my purchase was rung up.

The cashier called over the manager who, in the course of five minutes, called me "my friend" about a dozen times.

Practically every person I have asked about this say they feel uncomfortable when a salesperson uses that phrase a lot.  They call it too salesy, uncomfortable, offputting and inauthentic.

Is "my friend" part of your regular sales patter??  You might want to re-think that.

Using it once might be okay....any more than that and you risk alienating the person you are trying to attract.

© 2011 Patrick L. Williams, The Selling Sherpa™

Sales Tip: Greeting your customers is not optional!

I walked into a specialty store near where I live.

The woman at the counter was busily chatting away with someone who may or may not have been a customer, because the friendly conversation had nothing to do with the store or what the customer wanted....it was all basic chit-chat.

I know this because I had about five minutes to stroll around the area and listen to it without once being acknowledged.

There wasn't even a last-minute thanks for coming in as I strolled up to the front door and left.

Will I go back?  Well, yes, probably...they are the only store like it in the area.

But I know a lot of customers who wouldn't even consider going back.

If you are in retail, you must greet your customers, even if it means stopping a chat for a moment to do so.  Otherwise, they will probably walk out without making a purchase.

(Also, there are a ton of studies that prove stores who greet and acknowledge every customer tend to have less shoplifting.)

© 2011 Patrick L. Williams, The Selling Sherpa™

SALES TIP: Limited editions SELL!

If you can create a limited edition of ANYTHING, it will probably sell well.

Now I am not talking about just throwing a "Limited Edition" sticker on the same run-of-the-mill offering you always have available....I mean a genuinely limited run of a speical product.

For a great example, you should take a look at BANDmade Books.

They collaborate with bands to create unique editions from recycled materials.  The results are amazing!

Get together with your creative team and see if there is a way to create (legitimately) a limited edition or exclusive version of what you offer.

© 2011 Patrick L. Williams, The Selling Sherpa™