In the first part of this series, we heard from retail sales experts on the importance of knowing your product and understanding your customer to help drive sales. This time, our experts address two issues that at first may not seem directly related to selling, but in fact can make a huge difference in your performance: appearance and attitude.
Take pride in your looks, says Sean McPheat, founder of sales training firm MTD. This applies to both your own image and how you set up your event cart. Though looks aren’t everything, our visual senses do play a big role in shopping decisions. Presenting a clean, organized and welcoming image can encourage more shoppers to stop by your event—and buy your product. Keep a warm smile on your face, and take care to wear clean, crisp clothing each day. Keep your event cart neatly organized, and wipe it down regularly throughout the day.
Start your shift with the right expectations, says Bob Phipps, author of The Retail Doctor’s Guide to Growing Your Business. Your attitude can have a big influence on your sales results. For example, if you go into an event thinking no one’s going to buy your product, you’re less likely to truly engage with customers—and your fears of low sales are likely to come true as a result. On the other hand, if you approach each event with the mindset that you’re going to have a fun with an event and enjoy talking with customers, you’re more likely to sell more product—and actually enjoy your work. So do your best to stay positive each and every day. Even if yesterday’s sales were lower than expected or a customer made a rude remark, today is a new day, a new set of shoppers and a new chance to meet your goals.