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Post by RED on Apr 1, 2006 1:05:41 GMT 1
A new thread to try and help others maximize sales.
I was reading something on the net yesterday about perception and how it can influence us to influence our customers. Basically in a nut shell it said that if we go in with the perception that this customer can not afford the best or middle range then we would mechanically push them to wards the lower range goods and not bother showing them the higher value goods.
If you go in and let them choose what they like, even though they may find them too expensive then the next step down is the middle range goods. Only then would you introduce the rock bottom stuff if you wanted to clinch the deal.
This reminded me of something that happened to me last summer. My wife and I were looking to buy a dining room table and chairs and went shopping in jeans and t shirts.We went to a well know furniture store where we were met by a sales assistant. We told him what we were looking for and he showed us the cheapest stuff you could think of. He must have thought that by the way we were dressed we did not have much. After showing us several sets he got a bit bored and made an excuse to go to the phone but he never listened to what we were asking for.
Then we were approached by a completely different sales person who listened and did not make any judgment. He showed us an Italian carved six placing table with 2 carver chairs, priced at over 1500 pounds, he got the sale and also the commission. The face on the other sales rep was a picture when we went to the desk to arrange delivery.
So maybe it is worth bearing this in mind when we go out on a sale. It was only on reading the bit about perception that I remembered this from last summer.
I am going to put this into practice as of Monday, probably get no sales but hey, give it a try.
Any one out there use this technique or any other tips.
Red
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Post by greenpesto on Apr 1, 2006 1:53:23 GMT 1
Actually Red ... you are correct!!!
What this means is that we are all guilty at some time of getting 'bogged down' with the promo offers & if we are honest with ourselves it is 'US' that get the problem about 'Price' when the customer may not have any pre-conceived ideas as to the cost!
( Excluding stupid CLG phone quoting ... naturally! )
We always remember customers saying .... "It's too expensive" ... but ... we usually forget those that accept the price or even comment that they where expecting to pay more!! ( Not as often perhaps ... but ... it does happen! )
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Post by Augustus on Apr 1, 2006 9:13:43 GMT 1
I guess everyone has their own way of doing things, but I do 'try' to let the customer go for what they want first.
But I have been guilty this last week of making the mistake of pointing out the structure of the new book. - result - most went for classic or premium fabrics without even looking at the top end ones.
So - I've learnt a simple lesson there.
I also think that most have done the 'judge the book' sales call.
A few weeks back I went and quoted 2 rollers and a vert. The lady thought it was going to be around £3k !!!! I think she had been ripped off paying £800 for a single vert 10 years ago.
So, she had her blinds and last week ordered an awning ( total still less than the £3k ) .
We are always told at meetings to go for the top and then sell down the range if needed, but can we honestly say we do it everytime ?
Are we just hung up on problems that we forget or have created an appathy with the company that we don't care that much anymore ?
It's still up to us to make the most of each call we goto , take away everything else - we are salespeople and our job is to sell.
P.
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Post by russell on Apr 1, 2006 10:07:23 GMT 1
red
h\o know what i earn of course they do the other full time agent also does it makes no differance with my self gen noone can whack me with a stick i could set up on my own tomorrow but why would i and AGAIN my point is im not suggesting av value should be the same all over the country but neither are house prices etc so the average price here is twice further up so theres bound to be a bit more income but not that much as we have bigger outgoings .forget not i worked in nottingham and my best customers came from broxtowe radford and carlton not exactly great areas
as for being knocked over the head im awnings trained a specialist electric roof trained{we dont do at the mo}shutters soon etc i think the company like succesful agents that pull forward even when the goings bad and dont blame all around for their misfortune
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Post by farmer on Apr 1, 2006 11:21:23 GMT 1
I guess everyone has their own way of doing things, but I do 'try' to let the customer go for what they want first. But I have been guilty this last week of making the mistake of pointing out the structure of the new book. - result - most went for classic or premium fabrics without even looking at the top end ones. So - I've learnt a simple lesson there. I also think that most have done the 'judge the book' sales call. A few weeks back I went and quoted 2 rollers and a vert. The lady thought it was going to be around £3k !!!! I think she had been ripped off paying £800 for a single vert 10 years ago. So, she had her blinds and last week ordered an awning ( total still less than the £3k ) . We are always told at meetings to go for the top and then sell down the range if needed, but can we honestly say we do it everytime ? Are we just hung up on problems that we forget or have created an appathy with the company that we don't care that much anymore ? It's still up to us to make the most of each call we goto , take away everything else - we are salespeople and our job is to sell. P. Motters, i thought we were Advisors, do you not advise the customer that the £500 vertical might not be suitable for the blackout effect she wants ;D ;D |
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Post by Augustus on Apr 1, 2006 12:22:43 GMT 1
She paid just over £300 for her blinds and I got another £2k worth of business from being honest with her !
+ a referal over the road once they were up !
You can be too honest sometimes - but it does pay off in the long term.....
P.
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Post by RED on Apr 1, 2006 13:05:27 GMT 1
red h\o know what i earn of course they do the other full time agent also does it makes no differance with my self gen noone can whack me with a stick i could set up on my own tomorrow but why would i and AGAIN my point is im not suggesting av value should be the same all over the country but neither are house prices etc so the average price here is twice further up so theres bound to be a bit more income but not that much as we have bigger outgoings .forget not i worked in nottingham and my best customers came from broxtowe radford and carlton not exactly great areas as for being knocked over the head im awnings trained a specialist electric roof trained{we dont do at the mo}shutters soon etc i think the company like succesful agents that pull forward even when the goings bad and dont blame all around for their misfortune Russell I thinkyou misunderstood what I was trying to say. I was not having a pop at you. Just trying to say that 7ks worth of orders at 350 pound average order value is less work than 7ks worth at 200 pound order value. I myself do not feel I am to badly off at the moment and will be going on the Shutters course soon as well. It is not the best of areas that I live in but manage to get a good amount of sales to make a living. I myself do push for further sales like yourself. As I said, It is in your own interest to do so. Red |
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Post by euroweb on Apr 1, 2006 22:20:26 GMT 1
You can never judge a customer !
Today I had two sits in a row, I actually tried to sell them the same thing 3 blinds in baige clouds as it turned out, is it just me or does that happen all the time ?
First customer not badly off, husband and wife both working, have money, but 'she' only interested in the 3 for 99 (she is a sales manager) finally managed to upsell (is this really upsell, marketing not working here or is it just me selling it :-) her to 3 clouds for £165 or at least in the form of a quote she promises she will order in mid april once she gets her sales bonus (what are those ??)
Next customer, turn up at the premises really run down area, really worried about parking my car there, go in measure up, certain they will want the 3 for 99 but no they go for exactly the same as my previous customer 3 clouds baige, but they pay cash up front and place the order there and then at full price.
Imagine who I like more . . . .
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Post by Blind Scout on Apr 2, 2006 0:20:36 GMT 1
Similarly, unless made obviously at the introductions, I never guide customers to any particular fabric, I let them loose on the book(s), while if possible I measure windows. I then price fore what they choose, and if price is a problem, guide them to other similar fabrics that may in cheaper price tables or on sale/offers.
Went to one house recently, in an area with high unemployment, and followed same procedures. The wife was not at home, ladies night out, but husband choose a more upmarket fabric. Sale seemed to be heading for a quote, so I started to show alternative ranges. varying from clouds up. However, wanted wife to see fbric so I offered to have samples posted out. The folowing week I was invited back, they ordered the more expensive fabric, and increased number of blinds to 4 stumbling on a 5th, I converted that by offering the 5th at 1/2 price (it was a smaller window) as the others were all over 2m with one over 3m.
On speaking to the customer, a competitor had also come in, and without measuring, pulled out 3 samples with words along the lines of these are our buget fabrics, you can any of these for £xxx, but that one iis out of stock.
One of the things I have learned ovber the years, is you cannot judge a book by the cover. Don 't assume what the customer might need. Look at the window, ask pertinent questions and offer helpful advice or solutions the customer is happy with. Yes and only yesterday after looking at the window and bringing out the venetian samples, I hear the infamous words, "are these all 3 4 99". After showing her the relevant range aand explaining that the window was over the width for the offer, I was told to f*** off, you're just a conman. So after the usual plesantries, and leaving the price on my card I F'dO. Well it was a concrete lintel and you get some customers you just can't please like the onbe who wants clounds because she likes it, and after fitting, goes over them with a fine tooth comb picking up every small blemish and demanding replacements.
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