Beauty Store Business

AUG 2013

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SAY "HOWDY" Your skin, only BBetter. Introducing derma e® BB Crème This all-in-one beauty balm is loaded with active plant stem cells, anti-aging peptides, healthy vitamins, antioxidants and mineral color correctors. Goodbye flaws. Hello great looking skin. Moisturizer Brightener Anti-Aging Treatment SPF 25 Primer Concealer Foundation Light and Medium Tints 100% vegan • cruelty-free gluten-free • gmo-free no parabens, phthalates, petrolatum, mineral oil, lanolin or artificial colors All retailers receive FREE sales and merchandising support. Call 800.521.3342 or visit us at www.dermae.com/bsb to receive product samples and literature. 58 August 2013 | beautystorebusiness.com Upselling starts the minute a customer walks into your store. Address the individual in a way that creates a personal bond that leads to more buying. Maybe the greeting is as simple as "Hey, welcome to our store." But the actual words matter less than the spirit behind them. Both your voice and your body language should communicate to customers that you are glad they are there. "It's not so much what you say as your tone of voice," says Bob Janet (bobjanet.com), a marketing consultant based in Matthews, North Carolina. "Make your words sound sincere." Avoid the old standby "May I help you?" Not only is the customer likely to think and say "no," but it betrays more interest in selling merchandise than in filling the customer's inner needs. If you are not currently serving someone else when a new customer arrives, adds Janet, follow your greeting with a cheerful question that includes sales information. Here's one example: "Are you here today for [a featured item] or the special department we have for [a merchandise category]?" This communicates new information and allows the customer to respond with a direct statement of current need. Now, how about that customer who wants to be left alone? Maybe you pick up this attitude from the person's body language, accompanied by a statement such as "I'm just looking." In such cases, Janet suggests having a prepared comeback ready. Here's one example: "Take your time. I am here all day for you." Another reply might be: "Great! My name is John. If at anytime you have any questions, I'm right over here willing to help." Whatever the customer's mood, it's important not to hover. The customer who feels rushed will turn negative on your store right away. Says Janet: Look upon browsers as people who are collecting information for future purchases. And here's a bonus tip: Busy with another customer when a new person walks in? Follow up your cheerful opener with a line such as "I'll be with you in a couple of minutes." FIND NEEDS Greeting the customer with enthusiasm was just the first step. Next comes determining the customer's real needs— springboards to success that are more important than your store's quality merchandise and service. The value of those latter factors lies not in their features but in their use by a customer. "The magic in selling arrives when you stop thinking of yourself as a salesperson of merchandise and services," says Dr. Wolf J. Rinke (wolfrinke.com), a management consultant in Clarksville, Maryland. "Think of yourself as being in the business of meeting the needs of the customer. The only way to do that is to get your mental attention away from you and your store, and focused on the customer." Suppose the customer in response to your opening greeting indicates an interest in a certain item. Remind yourself that the real topic is not that merchandise, but the related underlying customer need. Rinke suggests responding with a question that will help uncover that need. Here's one example: "Let me ask you: What was the last [xyz] you purchased? What was the reason you bought that particular [xyz]?" Perhaps the customer will respond with a statement of how the merchandise was used in a home or business setting. That customer activity, in turn, will suggest the real use of the merchandise. You will then consider how various related items of merchandise can satisfy that need. The customer might also respond to your question with a statement such as "It was the highest quality available at the time" or "It was the least expensive one I could find." Either answer gives you a clue into the customer's current needs. "Past behavior is usually predictive of future behavior," says Rinke. If the customer selects a lower cost item, acknowledge the value of the item and its attractive price tag. But also go on to emphasize how a higher-priced, better-quality item will satisfy the customer's needs better by lasting longer, being easier to use, or performing at a higher level. A statement such as this will help reduce resistance to price: "While it may seem high-priced at first, when you look at the following benefits you'll see that you get more for your money." Then state the benefits. Here, as in any discussion, forget about touting merchandise features. Instead, translate those features into benefits that will better

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