Thanks to Mark Askey at Just Looking for their addition to the Blockbuster comments of a few weeks ago.
Retail salespeople need to remember that the biggest thing they sell the customer, is the company they work are working for. I call this Selling the Box. A good retail sales person sells the benefits of working with his company as well as the benefits of the products. Sometimes this is done more obviously, like when you talk about the return policy or your money back guarantee. But sometimes it is the subtle things like creating an environment of helpfulness without being pushy that bring the customer back for more. Or actually knowing enough about the products to help the customer feel more satisfied that they are making the right decision.
How very true that is. When you think about the stories you have told friends about your retail experiences, they probably fall into one of two categories:
- What a horrible experience I had at store XYZ
- What a helpful experience I had at store XYZ
Sell the box!
