Try this - take at least 5 people (no max limit, the more the better) and tell them to stand in a circle and look at the ceiling. Instruct them that counting is cheating, and that they should start to raise their hands when they think one minute has passed. Typically, you will start to see hands going up around the 30sec mark, and in most instances, all hands will be up by the 50sec mark. Now, do the same thing, but instruct the people to look at one another and engage in casual conversation. You may have one person being very conscious of the drill, but in most cases, the entire group will go way past the one minute mark without raising their hands.
I first saw this drill used in the restaurant industry to illustrate that when a waiter says to a table "I'll be with you in just a minute", that that minute can have two very different perspectives. I have used it several times since then to illustrate the power of conversation. In traditional retail stores, customers may wait while you grab different sizes, finish phone calls, help other customers, or maybe even just finish straightening the store (please put your customer first!!). How different would that wait be, if you had engaged that customer in such a way, that instead of staring at their watch or checking Facebook on their phone, their mind is spinning thinking of what they will contribute next in the conversation you were having.
When I interview people, my favorite question to ask is "What is the difference between a customer and a client?" Websters defines them as this:
cus-tom-er: noun. One that purchases a commodity or service.
cli-ent: noun. A person who engages the professional advice or services of another.
I summarize it by saying that a customer is every single person that steps foot in your store (even employees, or service people), and a client is every customer that you engage in conversation with. We work with clients.
Who do you ask most for advice? Fashion advice? Decorating advice? Relationship advice? Professional advice? I bet you were thinking of a close friend or relative for all of those. When you hire, train, and motivate your employees, don't put undo pressure of "selling" on them, because it will definitely come out in their customer approach. Reaffirm the reasons you hired them, and tell them to go make friends with every person they talk to. Striking up that conversation will open your customers up to a relationship where they will actually engage you seeking your advice. All that is left for you, is to remain a friend and be genuine and honest. If when your client leaves the store, they are thinking about you, your conversation, and their purchase, you did it right! My favorite moment, is when a client pops their head into my store with no shopping agenda at all, and says "This happened to me the other day, and I just had to tell you!!" That is a REAL connection!
I first saw this drill used in the restaurant industry to illustrate that when a waiter says to a table "I'll be with you in just a minute", that that minute can have two very different perspectives. I have used it several times since then to illustrate the power of conversation. In traditional retail stores, customers may wait while you grab different sizes, finish phone calls, help other customers, or maybe even just finish straightening the store (please put your customer first!!). How different would that wait be, if you had engaged that customer in such a way, that instead of staring at their watch or checking Facebook on their phone, their mind is spinning thinking of what they will contribute next in the conversation you were having.
When I interview people, my favorite question to ask is "What is the difference between a customer and a client?" Websters defines them as this:
cus-tom-er: noun. One that purchases a commodity or service.
cli-ent: noun. A person who engages the professional advice or services of another.
I summarize it by saying that a customer is every single person that steps foot in your store (even employees, or service people), and a client is every customer that you engage in conversation with. We work with clients.Who do you ask most for advice? Fashion advice? Decorating advice? Relationship advice? Professional advice? I bet you were thinking of a close friend or relative for all of those. When you hire, train, and motivate your employees, don't put undo pressure of "selling" on them, because it will definitely come out in their customer approach. Reaffirm the reasons you hired them, and tell them to go make friends with every person they talk to. Striking up that conversation will open your customers up to a relationship where they will actually engage you seeking your advice. All that is left for you, is to remain a friend and be genuine and honest. If when your client leaves the store, they are thinking about you, your conversation, and their purchase, you did it right! My favorite moment, is when a client pops their head into my store with no shopping agenda at all, and says "This happened to me the other day, and I just had to tell you!!" That is a REAL connection!
Comments
Post a Comment