Lead Sales Advisor
The holidays are fast approaching, which means bigger crowds in the store, more samples to prepare and more promotions competing for shoppers’ attention. With 10 holiday seasons under her belt, we asked Lead Sales Advisor Fran Perciful for her tips on surviving the holiday rush and keeping shoppers engaged.
To start, Perciful reminds us of the importance of taking it one customer at a time. “Sometimes it gets a little crowded around the cart, but all you can do is speak to and acknowledge each person as they come up to the cart,” she says. Once acknowledged, many people are willing to wait for a sample.
What to do while those samples are cooking? Naturally, it’s a great time to talk about the product—but also to develop a rapport with shoppers. “A lot of times shoppers want to talk about what’s going on in their lives. Over time, you get to know them and they enjoy seeing a friendly face and someone to talk to every once in a while,” says Perciful.
Of course, there will be challenges from time to time—whether it’s running out of product or dealing with the occasional unhappy consumer. Perciful suggests building a good relationship with store and department managers to help minimize problems and to remember that “every day is a new day. You just have to put those issues behind you and start fresh.”