The trouble here was that in his effort to follow instructions the clerk had allowed himself to lose sight of the fact that he was selling shoes and not sympathy. Certain types of good customers there are who like to talk. The experienced salesman learns the knack of listening without encouraging a long yarn that will take his time and prevent him from serving the next waiting customer.
As with the customer so with the salesman there is sometimes a tendency to drift to things that have no relation to the sale he is trying to make. Remember that the sale is a courteous business transaction and not a social visit. Stick to the sale and make it pleasant business from start to finish.
TALKING IN POSITIVE TERMS
“You wouldn’t want a nice pair of canvas shoes, would you?” ventured the clerk. And the answer suggested to the customer was, “No, thank you.”
The salesman is not interested in knowing what the customer may not want and it certainly is not part of his job to suggest “No” to the customer. Consider the effect on the customer’s mind of the same idea expressed in positive terms rather than negative. “We have just received some new styles of pretty canvas shoes that I know you will be glad to see,” and then the salesman is on his way to produce a pair. When put in some such positive form there is less than one chance in ten that the customer will not remain and be well pleased to look at the shoes. Then a new sale begins from that point on.
“You did not ask for tan shoes; you asked for black,” says the inexperienced salesman. Although what he says is absolutely true, it is bound to set up in the mind of the customer a feeling of antagonism which will have to be overcome later before the clerk can number this man among his friendly customers. Anything that suggests a negative thought in the customer’s mind must be faithfully avoided. It is bound to kill confidence and enthusiasm.
“Don’t you like that style? Why not?” The reaction on the customer’s mind as a result of that question will probably be that he did not come in to explain his preference in style but to buy himself a pair of shoes. Take advantage of the point he has made, that he does not care for the style. It is evident that you have misjudged his taste. Make a positive suggestion out of it by letting him understand that you are interested to know first how the shoe is for fit and that you have a different style that you believe will meet his ideas on appearance and quality.
To ask a customer “What size do you wear?” might give him the impression that the salesman does not know his business. If he is the kind of man who keeps those things in his head, he will probably mention the size by the time the shoe is removed from the foot. If he does not, the experienced salesman will carefully use his measuring stick and then confidently start off for the stock. There are, in fact, some stores that have established a special rule among the salesmen that the old shoe is not to be referred to for size, but that the measuring stick is to be used at once. To repeat for emphasis: Most men do not buy shoes often enough to remember all the details of size, style, materials and the like. They are not experts but come to the salesman to receive expert service.
DON’T ARGUE
Following the thought of suggesting only positive ideas is the important point to avoid argument with the customer. Argument is negative, and does not serve to get the customer in a buying frame of mind. He may make some statement that is absolutely without foundation concerning quality, make or price. Whatever it may be the salesman can do nothing better to strengthen himself and the reputation of his goods than to give the customer the true facts in the form of confident suggestions rather than sledge-hammer blows of argument. For example: