Tag Archives: sales attendants



Marketing in Shops, Case in point Clothing Shops

February 4th, 2009

Shopping is not my favourite pastime.

Especially with inept sales peoples.

If they offend me I have a tendency to leave.

I can  come back later or go elsewhere to shop.

The typical conversation that you experience is:

I wander into a Clothing Store and

  • Staff Member 1: (Usually positioned on the door) Hey, can I help you?
  • Me: No thanks.
  • About 90 seconds later once your looking at clothes.
  • Staff Member 2: (Usually lurking around a vertain clothing area) Do you need a hand?
  • Me: I’m fine thanks.
  • I’m sure many of you have experienced this.  

Some like it, many answer automatically.  Why’s that? Because as soon as they ask, your barriers go up, hang on they’re trying to sell to me, no thanks.  Even if you want help your more likely to say no than yes.  I know what you’re thinkign you have done xactly that huh?

There is a simple fix.

Change your language! Be interested in me and what I want.

Some different approaches:

Acknowledging the customer is a person:

  • Staff Member: Hey there, Im Ben whats your Name?
  • Me: Alexander
  • Staff Member: Well hey Ben my job is to help you if you need it, so be sure to let me know or one of our other staff members would be more than happy to help.

Light Hearted:

  • Staff Member: Gee this weather is mint huh? or Yuck outside glad to be inside?

Help the customer:

  • Hey, I just wanted to let you know, we are having a sale on jeans 25% off this range. (Keep it unadvertised, so that people have to engage to find out specials in future.)

Ther are many ways, remember to acknowledge the person, try and build a repoir and then help them.  Like the doctor if your good I’ll be back.  

If you work in a clothing store (or any other consumer goods store) do not use the typical sales pitch, they are average and will lead to average results.

Be different remind yourself its all about the customer.  You will also learn more about your customers and will need a different approach for each and everyone of them.  If you can do this you will easily excel 🙂



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