The last thing customers want is a pushy salesperson. Try consulting to encourage a sale instead.
It’s temping to spit out your best pitch the moment a customer walks through your door. But doing so could start you off on the wrong foot—and might even cost you the sale.
So, instead of jumping right into your spiel, try consulting with the customer to figure out what they really want. Once they see you as a consultative partner, they’ll be much more likely to take your advice and—hopefully—make a purchase. Here are a few ways you can achieve customer loyalty through consultation.
Talk with them, not at them.
Immediately throwing out the best offers and product recommendations might not be the best approach for every customer. Instead, strike up a conversation with the customer to really understand what they’re interested in and how much help they want from you in the process.
Take time to listen.
Once you’ve asked a few questions to get them talking, take time to really listen. Identify what’s of value to them and you’ll be able to make better recommendations. If you don’t think your store is truly the right place for what the customer is looking for, go ahead and tell them so. Selling a customer what they don’t really want will only encourage them to take their business to another retailer in the future. And that leads to our final tip…
Don’t fudge your answers.
One of the biggest things to remember when talking to your customers is to always, always be honest. Believe it or not, most people can immediately tell when you’re fudging answers. There will be times when you might not know an answer, but instead of making something up, let your customer know that you’ll do everything you can to find the correct answer for them. This will build trust and encourage them to come back again for your help.
Want to know how you can implement this consultative mindset with other members of your sales team? Check out our blog that explores the consultative approach we take with our partners!
