Understanding what goes on in the mind of a customer for many sales people is elusive but desired knowledge. What do they want? What do they know? What 
are they thinking?
Companies spend big bucks on consumer research. What colors do customers prefer? What product names are most likely to elicit interest? What music makes customers want to buy?
Sometimes big corporations can’t see the wheel for the spokes. You don’t need a PhD in Psychology to figure out what customers want. You just have to ask them. And then most importantly listen to their response.
A recent survey of customers discovered several sales person behaviors which turn them off from buying. More than a casual annoyance these behaviors were cited specifically as reasons that customers would not do business with either the sales person or the establishment.
If you recognize yourself in any of these scenarios, just play it cool, don’t freak out and understand there are some customers who won’t do business with you as a result of these behaviors. So if you’re hopeful to sell something … you may want to change your ways!
Customers say their some of their biggest sales turn offs are:
1 – “Being called buddy or pal …”
Or sport, ace or guy, or any of those quasi-cool names that come in and out of vogue. For many people the moment you call someone by one of these name substitutes you create a negative impression.
It’s been said that the sweetest sound to someone is the sound of their own name. And it’s true. Enter into evidence the “cocktail party” effect.
This effect is the ability of a person to identify and focus on one speaker in a room full of conversations. Think about a time when you have been at a party with a room full of people and many conversations going on enthusiastically over raucous party music. Do you remember what it was like?
Then from across the room you hear someone mention your name. For abilities which are continually being researched, the human auditory system can ignore most other incoming information and concentrate just on the conversation in which you’ve heard your name.
Scientists have studied this phenomenon and have many complicated and technical theories as to why this happens, but for salespeople the important point is simple. People are interested in conversations that are specifically about them.
But you’re thinking, “I have lots of customers. There’s no way I’m going to remember all of their names.” Well you don’t need to remember first and last names. First names are fine. Then there are many ways of remembering names; using them multiple times after first hearing them, using memory aids like association techniques are all helpful.
Also keep in mind you don’t need to know everyone’s name all the time. If you are working in sales, review your daily sales appointments for that day, so you are familiar at least those people with you have specific appointments. Same holds true for your service manager or any other department that is setting and keeping appointments.
And if in fact you have forgotten someone’s name, you have to just summon up your courage and say, “I’m sorry I’ve forgotten your name.” And then work on remembering it.
Sport. Buddy. Pal. When you call someone by one of these generic names you really send the message to them that they really are not important. Whether you mean it or not, consciously or subconsciously, customers interpret it as you don’t care specifically about them and that you really are just considering them another number on the way to your commission check. So, “Hey pal, don’t do it.”
2 – “Salespeople who are too much on my side.”
This raises customers’ suspicions immediately. Rarely do salespeople today say things like, “I like you. You have an honest face.” But some are still saying things almost as ridiculous. For example, “I’m getting to know you, so here’s what I can do.” Or “Let me go to bat for you with my manager.” (By the way the ‘I’ve got to go talk to my manager has been so vilified from the customer perspective that even if you do have to talk to your manager some customers think some sort of manipulation is underway.) “Here’s an insider’s deal” or “I want to give you a deal, it’s my manager I have to get past.”
Understand the “natural” dynamic between customer and salesperson especially in the initial phases of a sale. Avoid “saying” you are on the customer’s side. What you really want to do is show the customer that you are on his or her side. How can you do that?
- Hustle. Move quickly and with purpose. Show customers you are working for them.
- Listen with your eyes. When a customer is speaking with you. Look them in the eyes.
- When you are with that customer, be with that customer and not thinking of what else you could be doing.
- Find that motorcycle in the back that may truly fit the customer’s needs but so far others have been too lazy to pull out.
- Use the internet to research a motorcycle or product comparison.
- Get them the brochure you promised.
- Call them with the information they requested.
- Don’t let your ego stop you from asking another person for the answer to the question.
- Don’t be afraid to let them look around or comparison shop. If you, your store and your products and pricing are good. They will be back.
Customers are wary of salespeople. It’s the nature of things. You know you’re not that kind of a salesperson, but a first time customer who has never met you doesn’t. So don’t tell them how good, honest and on their side you are … prove it to them!
3 – Being told “if you have any questions feel free to ask.”
You are just trying to make the customer feel comfortable and welcome. But some customers out there are really jaded in terms of their shopping experiences. They perceive this as obvious and just a ploy to interact. They think thoughts like, “you’re a salesperson, and I’m a customer. Of course if I have questions I’m going to ask. Don’t state the obvious.”
So how can you deal with this jaded attitude? Tell them something they don’t know or that isn’t obvious. Like:
- How your store is organized. Your merchandising and signage probably does this very well (or at least it should) but one thing customers find helpful is a bit of orientation. Let’s face it, our stores do have a lot of stuff and for many, especially first timers or those that haven’t been in since you re-merchandised our stores can be confusing.Say something like, “Hi! My name is Mark and welcome to Big Deal Motorcycles. Just so you can navigate a bit the store is organized like this: new motorcycles are over here, pre-owned are here and …”The idea isn’t to be a Graceland Tour guide rather a quick orientation so that customers can spend time on their own looking at what brought them in, not confused and trying to find something.
- Show them what’s hot, different or unique. Another idea instead of telling customers who are shopping that they should feel free to ask questions is to show them what is the latest and greatest in your store.
- “Hi! My name is Mark and welcome to Big Deal Bikes. I know you probably want to look around a bit, but if you’d like to see the motorcycle that made this month’s cover of Cycle World, it’s right over there.”
- “I see you’re looking at helmets. I just wanted to point out that this particular helmet was just rated in Motorcycle Consumer News as being one of the best on the market.”
- “In case you might be interested in the rear of the store our owner has brought in three motorcycles from his collection. If you get a minute you should check them out.”
Of course these are just some examples and you will be able to come up with more on your own. Just remember that some customers really dislike being told the obvious. They may feel as if you are being condescending. Avoid that possibility by not being the typical salesperson. Don’t tell them what they know (i.e. If you have questions ask me) rather and tell them something they don’t know (how your store is organized or what special in your store).
4 – Staring at people as they move through the store.
This is of course a retail equivalent of stalking. Customers know that you are there to work with them. You know you are there to work with them. You don’t need to keep customers under an at-all-costs surveillance. They will not mysteriously be transported by the mother ship out of your dealership.
Relax. Go about your business
5 – Shaking hands too aggressively.
Ok, he-man, we know you go to the gym. You don’t need to show it by crushing your customer’s hand. It doesn’t matter whether your customer is a man or woman no one likes to be in a dealership and feel as if they are in some sort of carnival strong-man greeting contest. Don’t squeeze. Don’t twist. Don’t get too close. Don’t pump furiously as-if your customer will somehow begin spewing crude-oil making you the first human oil well millionaire. Just shake hands firmly, look your customers in the eye, smile and release. Say it with me now, Shake, look, smile and release. Shake, look, smile and release. Shake, look …
6 – Pinky rings.
Enough said.
7 – Hovering.
This is the body distance equivalent to staring at someone. Many customers, even if they have been in your store before like a little alone time. They like to see, touch and think on their own, uninfluenced and unhurried by the presence of a salesperson. Let them. And no, standing seven feet away and pretending to dust your fake ficus plant doesn’t count. Customers can tell when you are just doing busy work to stay in the area. Space is important. If a customer wants to look around your store by themselves let them. They will feel more comfortable about you and your store, and then probably ask better questions, moving them even closer to a purchase.
8 – Asking to help them too many times.
Michael Gerber, author of the E-Myth, did a bit of research and discovered why sales people ask customers, “May I help you.” Even after all that has been written and discussed about how that is an ineffective opening sales question, sales people still use it. Gerber concludes that sales people either subconsciously or consciously sales people ask that question because they know what the answer will be: “No thanks. Just looking.”
Why would sales people then ask that question? It gets them off the hook from an uncomfortable situation. Some people want to avoid: 1.) Talking to people who might be less than accepting 2.) Talking about products they are unfamiliar with 3.) Doing any work.
And sometimes sales people don’t have any other approach. So they keep repeating the same, “May I help you.”
Come up with other ways of interacting with customers. (Or check back with us. We’ll do some cool ones in a future column.)
9 – Steering to the expensive stuff.
Customers know that products come in all sorts of price ranges. They also know that some are a better value than others. Customers also know salespeople are often commissioned. And without properly gauging what a customer needs, immediately steering to the expensive items can turn some customers off. They feel as if you are more interested in your commission check than you are their needs.
Ask questions about what kind of riding or what kind of performance they need from the products. Use your skills to discover their needs. Then direct them to the right product that has the functionality your customer is looking for, regardless of price (and by the way it may be the most expensive item you have, but now you have done the work necessary to make the recommendation and customers will understand why you are showing them the big money item).
Do this and they will be back again and again and again. And this will be much better for you and your dealership than a one time high dollar sale.
10 – “When salespeople tell you to smile.”
You’re just trying to be enthusiastic. You’re just trying to communicate that shopping in your store is fun. Be careful. You never know what is going on in a person’s life. They may have just received bad news or are thinking about an important issue in their life. And actually what this communicates is that you are making a judgment about them and that they are somehow deficient.
Instead try mirroring their expression. Not in an over exaggerated, mocking kind of way, but rather one that shows empathy for what they are feeling. Then if you want customers to understand how much fun your dealership is, show them, don’t tell them. Smile when interacting with other employees, smile when you discover a cool product or tell a great motorcycling story, this will send the message that your place is fun and exciting and you will show them instead of telling them. And who knows even if your customer is having a bad day, they may just smile after coming to see you.
Understanding what customers are thinking is an important aspect of successful selling. Use these ideas to help you better understand what you do and how those behaviors can be interpreted and misinterpreted. Avoid these closing killers and remember your performance matters.
© 2009 Mark Rodgers All Rights Reserved.
