How do the best retail salespeople build a career that is not dependent on the “luck of the ups”? How do they stay busy all day long when traffic is slow in the store? They build a base of loyal customers that ask for them when they visit the store. You know you are on the right track when your customer refuses to talk to anyone but you. Here are a few tips on building customer loyalty. Enjoy!
Earn Loyalty- There are no magic words that a salesperson utters that earn a customers’ loyalty. It’s who you are and what you do that earns you your customers’ loyalty. If you want loyalty then give it first. Focus on your customers’ needs. Ask them questions that fully uncover their needs. Always do the right thing for your customer even when it costs you money.
Build Trust- Building a high level of trust is an important and critical first step on the road to building customer loyalty. When you are building trust and you do not understand or did not quite hear what they said re-frame the question. Mrs. Jones help me understand this better, what I hear you saying or the way I understand what you want or what your trying to do is. Re-frame the way you understand the issue. Now you are earning trust! Focusing on your customers’ needs is the beginning of earning your customers’ trust, eventually the sale, and ultimately their loyalty.
Be Creative- Often what customers think they want is not what they really need. This is why you have a job. If customers knew what they needed and did not require the advice and the guidance of a skilled professional you would not be needed. Think outside of the box when helping your customer. Your creativity helps position you as an expert that your customer sees as a resource for future purchases as well the current one. This is a step towards building customer loyalty.
Get Physical- When you are presenting your possible solutions and your customer shows interest start moving the furniture. Bring the end tables over to the sofa. Find the lamps and place them on the end tables. Your willingness to help the customer visualize their new room demonstrates that you care about them which will separate you from your competition. Please put the furniture back after you earn the sale and your customers’ loyalty.
Draw the Room- It does not have to be on graph paper. Sometimes it is more effective when you just sketch the room out on any piece of paper. Ask lots of questions about the dimensions of the room. If you can get your customer to take the pen away from you and finish the drawing you have just earned a sale and possibly your customers’ loyalty. When did you last sketch a room with your customer?
Thank You- Sending a hand written thank you note to every customer you work with will help you to develop customer loyalty. I have lost sales when I was in retail, sent the customer a thank you, and almost fell over when they came back in, asked for me, and bought! Buying the very items I thought they had bought somewhere else. It is what I call the Cinderella Syndrome. I sent the thank you note despite the fact that they did not buy from me. The other salesperson failed to send them a thank you note after they bought! The difference in the level of service created doubt and dissatisfaction with my competitor. They needed to feel appreciated and they eventually bought from the salesperson that gave them what they needed. Surpassing your customers’ expectations is the key to earning your customers’ loyalty.
Be Prepared- Customer loyalty is the equivalent to a PHD in selling. You must review the basics everyday. If you are going to serve your customer then prepare for the opportunity. Learn the basics and constantly improve. Michael Jordan was one of the best basketball players ever. Almost everyday he shot free throws from the line. He always paid attention to the basics. When you are focusing on creating customer loyalty you must remember that your goal is not accomplished by making a sale your goal is only accomplished when you have served that customer so well that they respect and trust you so much that they demand you by name whenever they shop for furniture. You do not have to know all of the answers. You must be willing to drive your customers’ satisfaction meter past satisfied all the way to loyalty. Your motto should be “Whatever it takes.”
Serve- If everything you say, do, and think is focused on serving your customer, they will feel your sincere desire to help them and reward you with the same loyalty that you gave them. Are you giving enough?
Action Step- The incredible Jeffrey Gitomer wrote an entire book on customer loyalty. Go to Amazon.com and order it today! It is called “Customer Satisfaction is Worthless, Customer Loyalty is Priceless” by Jeffrey Gitomer.
Wishing You Success!
Pete