Everyone thinks that a sales job is easy, and that you just have to stand there and let the customers choose what they need. However, without a good presentation and a little boost, the customer will only look around and get out of the store. If that happens often, there might be something wrong with your approach to this job.
Ask the right questions
“No thanks, just looking” are the four words every sales person doesn’t want to hear. If it happens often that you approach the incoming customer and ask “Can I help you?”, be sure you will get the answer you are afraid of. Instead of giving the customers the chance to blow you off, try in your products. This can be done by simply asking some more specific questions, like “Are you looking for tops or pants, today?”. Whichever the answer is, you will lead the customer to your products and they will spend more time in the store, eventually ending up buying at least something. The same rule can be applied in any store of any niche.
Good advertisement
Sometimes, your good selling skills are not enough. From time to time, good advertisement will help you achieve your goals. Instead of leaving your store dull and only filled with products, invest in some good wall advertising. Various posters and signs with catchy phrases and attractive images will help salespeople do their jobs better. Rely on quality printing services to help you realize your marketing idea and put it on the wall. Additionally, colorful and even mysterious billboards around the town will help you get the attention of customers, and lead them to your store (even if they come just to find out what you are selling).
Don’t sit behind the desk
If you are complaining about sitting behind the desk all day, you are doing something wrong. Sales job does not require sitting at the desk the whole day, you have to interact with people and persuade them to buy your products. By sitting behind the desk while the customers are roaming the store, looking, you are missing out on the opportunity to help them find the things they need, and you are risking them leaving the store empty-handed. Also, it is somewhat considered rude, since it is your job to present the products and “entertain” the customer. However, this doesn’t mean you should often wander somewhere unknown. You should be at everyone’s disposal all the time.
Don’t be afraid of rejection
Spending hours giving your best to persuade the customer to buy a certain product can go either way – they might buy it, or they might not. If you manage to close the deal, good job! If you get rejected, it is not a big deal. Rejections are not something you should be afraid of, nor should you take them personally. You might just be off to a bad start, or it’s just not your month, but that shouldn’t discourage you. You should stay persistent and positive, or think of new ways to advertise your products, that would persuade your customers that you are the best option.
Strong internal drive
It is difficult to do a job that doesn’t seem appealing to you. Even though this is hard to admit, you need the internal drive to help you be the best at what you do. We all want a dream job that satisfies us on many levels, and if you don’t feel good about your sales job (at least a little bit), it might not be the right job for you. Your sales will be low, no customers will be satisfied and you are risking losing the job quickly. However, maybe a certain niche doesn’t interest you, so why not try with a different one and see how different products inspire you. It will be a lot easier to upgrade your skills and sell something you like.
If the sales are decreasing, don’t think of it as just a bad season. Take a good look at your skills and presentation and see if there is something to be fixed. You have to believe in yourself and in the product you are trying to sell. When you do, closing deals will be a piece of cake.
