STATISTICALLY SPEAKING, OVER 70% of the shoppers who walk through your door and leave without making a purchase don’t come back.
The reasons for their disappearing act can range from the product they wanted not being in stock to not being greeted or assisted sufficiently by an associate. Whatever the reason may be, the most common theme is a lack of customer experience. The good news is you can still get them back! All you need is a little effort and creativity. Here are four ways to overcome missed sales opportunities.
Build a Relationship
People do not typically buy jewelry for themselves; they are often looking to give a gift to someone they love. So, it isn’t unusual for a customer to struggle with uncertainty about their final purchase. Train associates to ask for a cellphone number or email address. They can start to build a relationship after the prospect has left the store by sending a message with a picture or live video of an item or two the customer was most interested in. This will let them know the associate was listening and allow them to share what they found with their significant other or a trusted friend who could play a pivotal role in helping them towards coming back ready to buy.
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Weekends Are for Wishlists
Most store traffic happens on the weekends. Have your sales associates get in the habit of building handwritten wishlists during their interactions with prospective buyers on Saturday and Sunday. These lists should be collected for the manager at the end of each weekend shift and reviewed weekly. On Saturdays, sit down at open with each associate who put wishlists on your desk and see who they can reach out to for a follow-up.
Create an Individualized Follow-Up Strategy
Review collected wishlists with your associates on a weekly basis to see what opportunities
are still out there. Develop individualized follow-up strategies for each customer by asking a few key questions:
- What were the customer’s objections? If pricing was an issue, give them a call or text to let them know about a current sale.
- Was the item they were looking for out of stock? See if you can have the piece transferred in from another store. Reach out to the customer and offer this as a solution.
- Is there another diamond or fashion piece available that could fulfill the customer’s need? Perhaps you’ve received new merchandise or discovered something on hand you didn’t think to pull while they were in the store. Reach out and let them know!
Show the Customer You Care
Never fear the follow-up call. Approach it from a customer service standpoint. Let the consumer know you’ve thought about them even after they left the store. Present them with the research you did and the creative solutions you found since you last saw them. They will appreciate your willingness to go the extra mile. And even if your efforts do not produce immediate results, keep in mind that a “no” now does not mean “no” forever. Show the customer you care about their needs, and they will remember how you helped them the next time they are in the market for a special piece of jewelry.
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