Write an article based on this "Throw out a celebrity's name. Become their friend. Flatter them with comments on their style. Create a sense of urgency. Close the sale."
Many humans are pretty basic when it comes to the art of persuasion. We all want to be fashionable, cool, and look good. If you say that Kobe Bryant or Kim Kardashian, for example, wears these exact brand of shoes, there's is a chance that that will perk up their interest. We often look to celebrities for cues on what's trendy, and this is the perfect time to put this factor to good use. That being said, for some people this can backfire. Try your best to read the customer. If they dress and act like they value being their own individual, you might want to stay away from the celebrities. Some people hear "Kim Kardashian" and they want to run in the opposite direction. We've all had experiences with salespeople that are sallow, unfriendly, and just don't seem to want to get a sale. What do we, as the customer, do in that situation? Leave, generally. To get that sale, be friendly and personable. Talk about your own shoe woes if it's fitting. Make yourself a person that knows a lot about shoes and has plenty of experience that just so happens to be selling them, too. If you are friendly and open, they will likely trust you more and return in the future. Customers need to be judged on their lifetime value, not the value of their current purchase. A high-roller that comes in spending $1,000 on one pair of shoes one time is less valuable than a lower-class customer that spends $50 on shoes once a month for the next few years. Keep this in mind when choosing which clients to gush over it's not as obvious as it seems. When they're debating between which shoes to buy (or if to buy at all), keep throwing out the compliments (so long as they're believable, of course). If they're wearing fancy shoes, they are dressing to impress. Flatter them by saying, "I can tell that you are very classy," etc. If they're wearing Nikes, they are probably a casual or sporty kind of person. No matter what they are wearing, praise them. Let them know they should trust their buying choices. Praise how the shoes look on, too. That is, if they look good. If they're trying on multiple pairs, let them know which one looks best on them and why. Don't be ridiculous. If you have customer that clearly just rolled out of bed, don't compliment them on their hair and makeup. Talk to them about a shoe that compliments their hectic schedule and lather on the flattery when it slips on their foot. They look like they're getting ready for the red carpet know, don't they? If you get a customer that seems to be dilly-dallying, you can try giving them a cause to buy and buy now. Either this special discounted price is going to be gone shortly or the shoe itself is about to be gone from the shelves. They can't wait if they do, it'll be gone. Try the "out of stock" trick. If you can see they are looking at a particular shoe, tell them you'll see if you have any more in stock. Go in the back, wait a few minutes, and come out triumphant! Tell the customer this is the "last" in stock and they are so lucky! When you close the sale, remember to thank your customer for their business. Give them a business card, let them know about any upcoming promotions, and tell them that if they have any problems at all, they should come back and you can work something out to make sure they're happy. Next time they need a pair of shoes (or friends of theirs need a recommendation on where to buy shoes), your name will be the first to come up. If possible, give them incentive to come in again. Have a promotion running where if you buy a product now, next month you can buy another pair at 1/2 off. Aim to turn your new customers into returning customers. And the more memorable you make their customer experience, the more likely this is to happen.