Wash Cycle? Rinse Cycle? Sales Cycle!

But one of the most interesting (and scary!) is one that I hear far too often, and I wonder how people make it in this industry whenever I hear it. It is the idea that the sale begins with the phone call, and ends with the delivery of the product into the customer’s hands. And if the customer does not pay? Not my problem; that is why we have a credit department. Defective product? Complaint? We have a return department for that, and a complaint department for the other.

Really?

So where exactly do you think your company will get the money to pay you from, Chippy? And do you think there is a bottomless pit of potential customers out there and you do not need repeat business?

Wake up, my friend. Come back from la-la land and join the real world.

Try this one day: go to a store, get someone to help with what you are looking for. Ask and answer their questions and find that perfect item together (though you may already know what it is, amuse me). One thing is certain, if the salesperson is on commission, they will walk you to the cash and then, 90 per cent of the time, they will thank you and walk away, hungry for the next sale.

Want to see what the speed of light looks like?

Stall the cashier for a moment then tell them you have decided not to buy. Leave the merchandise on the counter and walk empty-handed past your salesperson. They will either come running to catch you and find out what happened, or go to the cashier to do the same.

The point is, until the product is in the bag and the money is in, there is no sale. You are not done. And even then, the sale is not guaranteed. Because everyone wants satisfied customers, returns are always a possibility even if there is no reason for it at all. And certainly, the repeat is not a sure thing.

So here is today’s “cold call”. Actually, two of them. The first is to follow-through on every single encounter you have starting now. And the guy who said it never begins or ends is right, because it all starts before the sale and ends when one of you dies or you retire. During the process, do not allow a moment for your customer to have questions pop in his or her head where you are not readily available to answer, even if it is done by phone or email. That takes care of the first part of the sale.

Second, most transactions today happen missing one very vital piece of information: a phone number. If you are not getting one now, suggest to your manager that you start a VIP program where members will get a reward for joining (discount, gift cards for every $100 spent, etc), and all you need is a name, email address and phone number to join. It is free to sign up. Give people something for free when they would have bought anyways and they will line up to join. It does not end there, however. You are now ready to do something far too few merchants do today: follow-up on a sale, add value after the cash is in the bank. Imagine buying a pair of sneakers at a store and getting a call a week later to see how the marathon went. Or a tent and getting a call after you returned to make sure it kept you dry. Or a big-ticket item, like a house, and your agent rings you to make sure you are settling in alright!

This simple action will separate you from the crowd, and will have people telling everyone they know of exactly the right person they need the next time they want to buy. And you can bet they will be back, too!

Have a great Sales Week!

(Questions? Comments? Looking for ideas or answers to problems? Send me an email: salesxchange@gmail.com)

- Paul Simard is a Pointe Claire native who has worked in retail sales and as a sales coach in the Montreal area since 1989.