ColumnistsOct 19, 2022
The PR Adviser: The 4 Superheroes of the Customer JourneyColumnistsNov 01, 2022
10 Sales Tips for the Holiday Season
Thinking about your sales approach and implementing subtle changes can make a big difference in effectiveness, Peter Smith writes.
Peter Smith is an industry consultant, speaker, sales trainer, and author. He can be reached via email at TheRetailSmiths@gmail.com.
With sales beginning to show signs of slowing, it becomes more important than ever that we maximize every opportunity to satisfy customers and close sales.
The sales process is a matter of small degrees in the right direction. With each positive action, you increase the likelihood of improving your own sales results and your customers’ positive experiences.
Whether you are a seasoned and accomplished sales professional or new to retail, thinking about your sales approach and implementing subtle changes today can make a big difference in your effectiveness.
Here are 10 tips to help with your sales efforts this season.
1. Get out from behind the furniture
The only reason to be behind a counter is to remove products to show a customer. Since that should never happen until you know what is most important to them, get out from behind the cases to welcome the customer and establish a rapport.
Removing barriers between you and your customer signals, both literally and metaphorically, your openness to making a connection.
2. Pay attention to open body language
Always approach a customer from the front and ensure that your body is open and welcoming. Your torso should face the customer and your hands should be visible.
Never approach the customer from behind and limit any approach from the sides.
From an evolutionary perspective, we want to know what’s coming, and we want to know that it poses no danger to us.
3. Make Eye Contact
In your greeting, and while you are engaged, ensure that you are maintaining eye contact with your customer.
You don’t have to lock in on his or her eyes to the point of being creepy, but four-second blocks of eye-contact will maintain a positive connection.
At times of non-contact, if you have moments of mutual verbal agreements and/or laughter—something like “That’s right. I totally agree”)—that can serve similarly.
Note, if you can’t recall the color of the customer’s eyes, your eye contact was not frequent enough or sustaining.
Related stories will be right here …
The sales process is a matter of small degrees in the right direction. With each positive action, you increase the likelihood of improving your own sales results and your customers’ positive experiences.
Whether you are a seasoned and accomplished sales professional or new to retail, thinking about your sales approach and implementing subtle changes today can make a big difference in your effectiveness.
Here are 10 tips to help with your sales efforts this season.
1. Get out from behind the furniture
The only reason to be behind a counter is to remove products to show a customer. Since that should never happen until you know what is most important to them, get out from behind the cases to welcome the customer and establish a rapport.
Removing barriers between you and your customer signals, both literally and metaphorically, your openness to making a connection.
2. Pay attention to open body language
Always approach a customer from the front and ensure that your body is open and welcoming. Your torso should face the customer and your hands should be visible.
Never approach the customer from behind and limit any approach from the sides.
From an evolutionary perspective, we want to know what’s coming, and we want to know that it poses no danger to us.
3. Make Eye Contact
In your greeting, and while you are engaged, ensure that you are maintaining eye contact with your customer.
You don’t have to lock in on his or her eyes to the point of being creepy, but four-second blocks of eye-contact will maintain a positive connection.
At times of non-contact, if you have moments of mutual verbal agreements and/or laughter—something like “That’s right. I totally agree”)—that can serve similarly.
Note, if you can’t recall the color of the customer’s eyes, your eye contact was not frequent enough or sustaining.
4. Smile
It has been reported that smiling improves your likeability and warmth by 9.7 percent.
Psychologists have long reported that mutual smiling is a strong indicator of harmony between two people and, let’s face it, that’s a solid base to build trust and connection.
Make sure your smile is authentic—usually not that difficult if you enjoy people—as fake smiling is less convincing than no smile at all.
5. Ask open-ended questions
The more you get your customer talking, the more involved in the process they will feel. There is no better way than to ask open-ended questions.
Salespeople really should have a go-to list of important open-ended questions, such as “Tell me what’s most important to you about this purchase?” and “What have you bought for her previously that was a big hit and why do you think that was the case?”
6. Listen with intent
Once you’ve asked your questions, listen, and then listen some more.
Concentrated listening and observation of your customer’s body language is the gateway to unlocking even the most subconscious of needs.
Distracted listening (looking disinterested or looking away while your customer is speaking) is massively detrimental to a shared experience.
7. Present three options
When you are presenting product, give the customer three options. Having a choice matters a great deal, but the more options you present, the more difficult it is for the customer to decide.
In your three options, have the lowest price be at the customer’s stated budget. The third option should be double the budget. And the second option should be right in the middle of the lowest and highest prices.
That’s called the contrast principle, and history has shown the middle option is selected most frequently.
8. Pay attention to how you say the price
Since we read from left to right, we always put greater emphasis on the first number we read, or hear, when price is being quoted. To that end, resist the urge to quote a rounded-up price; $1,999 should never become $2000.
The second important point is to use the fewest number of syllables when quoting price.
For example, one thousand six hundred and fifty dollars (11 syllables) is a very different price in our brain than sixteen fifty (four syllables).
Practice stating prices using fewer syllables.
Since we read from left to right, we always put greater emphasis on the first number we read, or hear, when price is being quoted. To that end, resist the urge to quote a rounded-up price; $1,999 should never become $2000.
The second important point is to use the fewest number of syllables when quoting price.
For example, one thousand six hundred and fifty dollars (11 syllables) is a very different price in our brain than sixteen fifty (four syllables).
Practice stating prices using fewer syllables.
9. Ask for the sale
Always ask for the sale. Do it with confidence and a smile on your face.
State the price without apology or qualification.
And make sure your voice does not have an upswing at the end (as though you are asking a question) as it comes across as less than convincing.
10. Be prepared to turnover customers
There is no salesperson on the planet who will be liked by every customer.
People make unconscious decisions about whether they like or dislike someone within one-tenth of one second of meeting them.
To that end, having a turnover strategy is critical on a sales floor.
If you feel like you are personally not connecting with a customer, appropriately and subtly hand them over to a colleague and move on to the next opportunity.
Here’s to your success in the upcoming season. Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn or email me with any questions or comments.
Always ask for the sale. Do it with confidence and a smile on your face.
State the price without apology or qualification.
And make sure your voice does not have an upswing at the end (as though you are asking a question) as it comes across as less than convincing.
10. Be prepared to turnover customers
There is no salesperson on the planet who will be liked by every customer.
People make unconscious decisions about whether they like or dislike someone within one-tenth of one second of meeting them.
To that end, having a turnover strategy is critical on a sales floor.
If you feel like you are personally not connecting with a customer, appropriately and subtly hand them over to a colleague and move on to the next opportunity.
Here’s to your success in the upcoming season. Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn or email me with any questions or comments.
More on Columnists
The Latest
MajorsDec 11, 2023
Bucherer Is Now Carrying This High-End Diamond Brand in US Stores The retailer, recently acquired by Rolex, is stocking Rahaminov Diamonds at its stores in New York, Las Vegas, and elsewhere.
GradingDec 11, 2023
Smithsonian’s Jeffrey Post to Receive 2023 Bonanno AwardPost is being honored for nearly four decades of contributions he made within the Department of Mineral Sciences at the museum.
IndependentsDec 11, 2023
This Houston Independent Will Close Just Before Christmas Lesley Ann Jewels, owned and operated by Lesley Davis, opened in 2016.
Brought to you by
The Most Important “C” in Diamonds: Confidence!Without the ability to instill confidence within the industry and directly to the consumer, a diamond holds very little value.
TrendsDec 08, 2023
Pantone’s Color of the Year Is Warm and FuzzyThe peachy hue also marks the program’s 25th anniversary.
Weekly QuizDec 07, 2023
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge with this short test.
AuctionsDec 08, 2023
Sotheby’s Sold All Mary Tyler Moore’s JewelryThe 21 pieces up for auction, including Tiffany & Co. jewels and a Cartier watch, garnered more than $430,000 across two sales.
CollectionsDec 08, 2023
Piece of the Week: A ‘Strong & Precious’ Brooch Centered on a sunny heliodor, the “Links” pin was designed by Ukrainian jewelry artist Inesa Kovalova.
Brought to you by
If It’s Custom, Make It PlatinumWith holiday proposals right around the corner, encourage your customers to go for platinum when making the big purchase.
MajorsDec 07, 2023
Lashbrook Sues Manly Bands for Allegedly Copying Designs The wedding band company is also accusing its former customer of removing watermarks from Lashbrook images for its own use.
Policies & IssuesDec 07, 2023
The G7’s Long-Awaited Statement on Russian Diamonds Is Here It provides a timeline for the implementation of new restrictions, but no details.
MajorsDec 07, 2023
24 Karat Club of New York Welcomes New MembersThe organization has elected 12 new additions.
AuctionsDec 06, 2023
A Yellow Diamond, Hollywood Jewels Stand Out at Sotheby’s Additional lots will be offered in the Fine Jewels online sale through Dec. 7.
GradingDec 06, 2023
GIA Debuts Revamped Graduate Jeweler ProgramBy mixing creative and practical skills, the new course hopes to fill the industry’s bench jeweler gap.
AuctionsDec 06, 2023
Verdura Cuff, Burmese Sapphire Shine at Bonhams Several other colored gemstones joined the pieces in the top 10 list.
FinancialsDec 05, 2023
Signet Jewelers’ Q3 Sales Down 12% The retailer is still expecting a strong holiday season with improving demand for natural diamonds.
CrimeDec 05, 2023
Police Continue to Investigate Murder of Colorado Jeweler Peter Damian Arguello, the owner of Peter Damian Fine Jewelry & Antiques, was shot and killed in an apparent robbery last week.
MajorsDec 05, 2023
Tanishq Continues U.S. Expansion With 2 New StoresThe Indian jewelry giant has opened locations in Houston and Frisco, Texas.
SourcingDec 05, 2023
Grandview Klein Awards Two Scholarships in NamibiaEach student was provided with the full amount of tuition for the Namibia University of Science & Technology.
SourcingDec 04, 2023
David Prager To Leave De Beers in 2024Ryan Perry, who has been with De Beers since 2002, also will be leaving the company next year.
WatchesDec 04, 2023
Chrono24 Debuts the ‘Dow Jones’ for Luxury WatchesThe watch seller’s new index tracks sales data from 14 brands, including Rolex and Patek Philippe.
MajorsDec 04, 2023
David Bouffard to Leave Signet, RJCThe industry veteran will step down from both roles in April 2024.
TrendsDec 04, 2023
Amanda’s Style File: Decadent DecemberTanzanite, turquoise, and zircon are all options for December babies, who sometimes “get the birthday shaft,” Amanda Gizzi writes.
Lab-GrownDec 01, 2023
Lightbox Teams Up With Brand Founded by Former Tiffany ExecThe lab-grown diamond brand also collaborated with the website The Future Rocks on a collection launching today.
FinancialsDec 01, 2023
Movado Lowers Guidance Again After Q3 Sales DipThe company said it is facing a “challenging retail environment” but is prepared for the holiday season.
CollectionsDec 01, 2023
Piece of the Week: Muzo’s Emerald and Argyle Pink Diamond NecklaceIt’s the hero piece of the newest "Green Jewel" collection, a collaborative offering from the two mines.
AuctionsNov 30, 2023
This Pink Diamond Reigned Supreme in Hong KongThe 15.48-carat fancy intense “Pink Supreme” topped Christie’s fall jewelry auction in Asia, while a Patek Philippe led the watch sale.
MajorsNov 30, 2023
Claire’s Hires Former Bath & Body Works Exec as CFO, COOChris Cramer, who also spent time at Gen Z intimates brand Parade, will take on the dual role.
