New feature aims to help folks in trenches
David Perry, Bedding Editor -- Furniture Today, February 19, 2006
Welcome to Mattress Retailing 101, a new feature in Furniture/Today's print and online editions.
Each month we will be sharing insights we have gleaned from leading retail bedding sales associates. We will cover plenty of ground in this feature, tackling everything from the importance of warranties to the prospect of selling Chinese-made beds, to the value of bedding brands.
We admit that there are a variety of opinions on how to handle these issues on the sales floor. There are many different paths to success in the mattress industry. The opinions we will be sharing with you come from sales associates who have found success on the retail floor. They represent their best thoughts on critical issues confronting bedding retailers today.
We hope the opinions you read here will spark dialogue on your retail floors, and will lead to fruitful discussions between producers, suppliers and retailers. Everyone wins when all key parties discuss these issues honestly.
Here's what Mattress Retailing 101 will do: Each month we will look at an issue or practice of widespread interest in the bedding industry. We will present a brief overview of the issue, summarize some key points made by our sample of sales associates, and then let the sales associates tell you their thoughts in their own words.
This new feature will be presented first in our print edition, and then will be added to the Mattress Retailing 101 section of our bedding Web site, which can be accessed at www.beddingtoday.com
It is our hope that sales associates around the country will visit this site regularly. New sales associates will find this a great place to get an overview of key issues and to see how seasoned sales associates approach those issues. We invite retail trainers to make this section part of their introductory programs. There is plenty of work to be done, given the relatively high rate of turnover on retail sales floors. We want to be part of the solution to that problem.
We also invite veteran sales associates to become regular readers of this feature. They can see how their selling strategies and tactics are confirmed or challenged by the insights we present.
Finally, we invite everyone on the retail sales floor to share their views with us. We look forward to continuing to stimulate thinking, encourage the sharing of best practices, and doing our small part to raise the level of professionalism in the bedding industry.
Together, we can improve selling opportunities for everyone, sell more mattresses, and help more Americans get a great night's sleep. Those are noble goals. Thanks for joining our crusade.
How top sales associates make things happen on the floor
Today's topic: How to find the keys to success on the sales floor.
Overview: There is a famous saying in business: Nothing happens until you make the sale. That is an especially appropriate saying for retail sales associates. Their livelihood depends, obviously, on how well they make the sale. But trying too hard to make the sale can, ironically, backfire. The road to success is paved with trust, honesty and friendliness. You might trick a consumer into buying a mattress, but that is not a recipe for long-term success.
Challenges: Everyone has bad days: problems at home, car troubles or just a case of the blahs. Top sales associates are able to leave those problems behind when they walk out onto the sales floor. Like a trained athlete, they prepare for success. They are positive and ready to greet each new consumer with enthusiasm.
Opportunities: Each new customer is an opportunity to make a friend. No matter how the last sales transaction turned out, the new one can lead to a successful result. If you are honest with the customer, you don't have to worry about playing any games. And honest communication builds trust with the consumer. Trust leads to sales.
What sales associates say:Put your best foot forward: "I am focused on the priorities today. You have to put your best show on. If something is bothering you, leave it behind and do the right thing. Make sure you are enthusiastic and ready to help the customer. The customer is going to be able to tell if you are not in a good mood. Make the customer feel comfortable."
Know your products to build trust: "The key to selling is knowing your product and being able to answer the questions of the customer on the spot to build rapport and trust with them. If they trust you, they will buy from you."
Sleep on the brand you sell: "I find that being honest, open and friendly with my customers is the best way to success when selling bedding. Consumers aren't stupid and it's a waste of time and energy to try to trick them into something. Because I sleep on the brand we sell, I can use my own personal experiences with certain features of the bed to help customers determine which features are best for them and which ones aren't worth paying extra money for. Above all, being honest and friendly with the customers seems to be the best approach."
Treat each customer like a friend: "I want the customer to feel comfortable and know that we are a company of integrity. I know how I would feel if I was the customer. Some people have come from a 'bad mattress experience,' and I help douse their prior fear. I treat each customer like a personal friend. I treat them with honesty and respect."
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