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Professional Selling
By Tom Reilly, author of Value-Added Selling (McGraw-Hill, 2003)
What a pleasure it is to be on the receiving end of professional selling.
I recently purchased a new pair of walking shoes. My running shoes days ended
years ago. I began my search at the mall chain store. The young (teenage) sales
clerk saw me standing in front of their display and said, "Do you know what you
want?"
"I think so. I'd like to try on this pair."
"What size?"
"The size that fits my foot. Would you like to measure my feet?"
"Sure. Have a seat." She used a foot-measuring device that was missing a few
parts.
She returned with a pair that I struggled with to put on. "No thanks, I think
I'll keep looking."
"No problem," she said.
I left thinking about how much money this company spends a year on advertising
to draw people into their stores and then entrusts this advertising goodwill to
apathetic employees.
Next, I went to a local running shoe store, Fleet Feet, in St. Louis. A sales
rep, Angela, greeted me and thanked me for visiting their store. "Have you been
here before?"
"No, this is my first visit."
"Let me tell you how we work. First, we study your feet and then find a shoe
that is ideal for your foot style. We start by having you remove your shoes and
socks and roll up your pant leg."
"Okay, let's go for it," I was ready.
She measured my bare feet every which way possible--length, width, height, and
shape. She plugged the measurements into her hand-held computer and promised to
return with a pair that matched my feet.
The shoes fit like they were made just for me. She asked me to walk around so
she could see how my feet struck the floor and my calves responded to these
shoes. I bought the first pair I tried on regardless of the style. I didn't ask
the price until we were at the register.
I told her about the problems my wife was having with her feet and Angela
invited me to bring her in to see how she could help. A few days later we
returned and went through the same scenario. My wife also bought the first pair
Angela put on her feet. My wife was so impressed that she said, "I'll take 'em,"
without ever asking the price. That may not impress you, but my wife is a coupon
queen, frugal shopper, who buys only after extensive searching. I was stunned.
It's no secret that shoes are more expensive at this specialty store but not
that much more, especially when the shoes feel the way they feel. What a
pleasure it was to spend money at this store with a professional salesperson who
was totally focused on putting me and my wife in the right solution to make our
walk through life a little easier.
Do your customers feel this way when they buy from you?
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