My second Saturday job as a teenager was as a sales girl in a shoe shop.
Big difference from the previous set up in the attitude of the other full-time sales assistants here. While the Woolworth customer could virtually guaranty not to be bothered by a full time sales assistant’s offers to “help”, at this place it was a completely different story as everyone was paid a basic wage plus commission on individual sales.
So now I had to learn the art of tactfully yet firmly standing my ground when another, older assistant tried to cut in on a would-be customer (read: potential sale = commission = more money in someone's pocket).
I also heard some of the most appalling lies about how good such and such a pair of shoes looked on ‘madam’; made her legs appear longer, ankles slimmer, feet smaller/ narrower, etc., and how these shoes/ boots/ sandals will "feel like a pair of slippers before you know it", and "we have just the handbag to go with them for you!"
They absolutely loved the opportunity to sell the RWBs (basically discontinued lines that had flopped) because they got huge commission on those in comparison to the regular ranges of shoes.
Those sales assistants weren’t nasty people by nature; they just seemed to change mentality and click into a different gear the moment a prospective customer walked in the door. They'd 'size them up' and estimate what they thought they could get away with.
I wouldn’t mind betting that at least half of those people never came back...
Which brings me to where to draw the line in selling:
It doesn't matter what your reasons are: This sale will make you sales person of the month; this sale will pay the office rental for the next two months; this sale will pay the salaries for the next three months... Whatever.
Never try to either force a sale onto an uncertain customer or oversell to anyone - it might temporarily get you out of a jam and you might be able to con somebody once but never twice. It isn’t fair, you won't build a good relationship with that customer and it won’t work to your company’s advantage in the long run.
Happy selling!
Linda
PS More tips and pointers athttp://www.sellingforbusiness.com
Where to draw the line in selling - To learn more about this author, visit Linda Mattacks's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
 |
Related Articles |
|
 Mind mapping A fun way to start on your business plan
|
| |
Lots of people don’t like doing a business plan. It’s a daunting task- all these scary headings and forms to fill in. One great way to make a start is to mind map a business plan first. It’s like being a kid in art ...
|
|
Drawing the Line on Rude Customers
|
| |
I know, I know . . . the customer is always right . . . or at least should be treated as if they’re always right. But, when and where do you draw the line?
|
|
Where to draw the line in selling
|
| |
Do you want a quick sale or to build long term relationships with profitable customers? The choice is yours.
|
|
Lesson #2: Know Where to Draw the Line
|
| |
 Spielberg is a hands-on director, known throughout Hollywood for liking things done right and done his way. Everything from the film’s budget to a specific camera angle had to have Spielberg’s seal of approval. But,...
|
|
Discover the Secret Multiplier
|
| |
Here's a rarely considered way to multiply the effectiveness of every one of your prospecting techniques. It's simple. Have each one lead to every other one.
|
 |
Related Businesses - Evan Elite Authors |
|
The Evan Elite Authors program is currently in beta phase. For details please contact us.
|
|
|
Linda Mattacks
(Visit Linda's Website)
"Linda Mattacks is one of those rare
professionals who combine deep
strategy-awareness with a thoroughly
practical approach to business marketing.
What's more, she is as much a hard-nosed
and sales-driven results seeker as she is
an intuitive people person who understands
what makes everyone tick. She has built a
wealth of experience in sales training,
business research, marketing campaign
planning and project management. Linda has
helped organisations of all types and
sizes in the UK and Europe to learn more
about their customers and markets, and
turn that knowledge into revenue. Her
mature and human manner has won her both
business partners' and colleagues'
complete trust, which has opened many new
opportunities for all involved.” - Jaakko
Alanko - MD McCann-Erickson, Business
Division, London, England ... Linda
Mattacks M IDM (the Institute of Direct
Marketing) is a trainer and mentor. She
has developed Selling For Business, a
course that combines the sales, research
and contact marketing skills that enable
individual entrepreneurs and small
businesses to compete successfully with
large organisations. Please visit www.sel
lingforbusiness.com for more details
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
![[Get Copyright Permissions]](http://license.icopyright.net/images/icopy-w.gif){kind=small}
