HAVE YOU EVER made something that should have been easy difficult? Maybe you overthought it, or you were afraid to try. Or you were worried what someone else would think.
Salespeople tell me all the time, “I tried that and it didn’t work.” But my observation is that people often try something once, fail at it, and then give up. They’ve proven to themselves that something new does not work.
You have to want to make the effort and put in the time and practice to build new habits, especially when it comes to what I call “needle movers.”
Needle movers are actions that put money in the cash register immediately. The three big needle movers are closing, adding on and wowing clients. These should be easy, but we make them hard because of fear, lack of experience, or lack of selling skills.
It’s time to get over that fear of change. Have your team write 10 new closes, and make sure they’re not statements. For example:
Statement: “That is a beautiful diamond.”
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Close: “She’s going to love wearing that beautiful diamond, and you’re gonna be glad you gave it to her.”
Then have them write 10 lead-in lines for add-on sales. Do not say, “Can I,” “May I” or “Would you like?” Clients can say no to all of these. Examples of lead-in lines to create add-on sales are:
“We have what matches.”
“This is part of a set.”
“She won’t wear this without the matching.”
“Tell me something else she’s always wanted but you haven’t purchased yet.”
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Then, have your sales team write 10 lead-in lines to create a sale from scratch. This is what you say to a client when they’re waiting for a battery or repair. Examples include:
“Guess what’s in the vault?”
“Gotta show you my favorite.”
“Guess what just came in.”
These must be said with passion and enthusiasm. They allow you to wow the client and change their experience while they wait. Remember: You have to do something to make something happen. Clients buy on impulse all the time.
Practice with your team and make these phrases come naturally. Start all of these presentations with a lead-in line, and the rest will happen by itself. Clients do not get mad when you show them something gorgeous.
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But you have to hold yourself accountable, and there has to be consistency. For some reason, it’s easier to fall back on old bad habits than keep good ones. Winging it doesn’t work. Practice with each other over and over until the simple truly is simple.
Creating is better than waiting. Get comfortable with your sales skills. Be the sales associate your client wants you to be.
