How to subliminally sell in your store.

On an unconscious level, people make decisions about whether they want to buy from you.

One way to put the odds in your favor is by appealing to the senses.

How does your store smell? Fresh? Do you smoke? If you do, just remember that 80% of us don’t smoke…and nobody who doesn’t smoke likes the smell.

When you first come into the store in the morning, do you notice an odor that soon goes away? It didn’t go away, you just got used to it.

Is your store lighted well? The brighter, the better. We use full spectrum lights that are bright & make our vacuum cleaners “Pop”.

Do you have music? What kind? Is it popular? Is it too loud?

Remember, you’re creating an atmosphere in your store. An Experience. That’s why a hamburger costs $2.99 at Burger King, $7.99 at Applebee’s, and $11.99 at a fine restaurant.

Closing the sale.

You see, before I was into the marketing & advertising of my retail store, I sold vacuum cleaners in customer’s homes. I did it for the better part of 20 years. I had a huge advantage over most other salespeople; I had absolutely no skill. Everything I learned came to me hard. The reason I consider this “no skill” thing an advantage is this; Salespeople with natural talent, and outgoing personalities, don’t have to put forth an effort to sell. They grow dependent on their natural skills. There is very little learning taking place. Years of studying sales & years of trial & error teaches you a lot. For example: Most champion bodybuilders were small when they were young. Most people who are naturally strong don’t body build or take up a martial art. Why should they? There is nothing for them to overcome.

Anyway, I studied hard & continue to this day. Most sales comes “naturally” for me now only because of years of effort. What I know, I’ve earned.

Now about closing. Closing the sale is simply the last step, like crossing the finish line in a marathon. When you cross the finish line, it isn’t that step that got you there, it’s every step you took up to that point.

Anymore, my only close is “Is that O.K.?”, and 95% of the time, they say “yes”, either right then or after they talk about it.

Why? Because they see the value of what they are getting. That’s my job, matching the offer to the customer.

This section of the newsletter isn’t about technique. It’s about how to do the actual close.

Whatever you do, don’t change the tone of your voice, the rate of your speech, or anything else when you ask the customer to buy. This is just a conversation & should sound like it. If the customer perceives any tension on your part, they will think there is something wrong.

Also, I like to tell the price upfront. It sounds risky, I know. But think….if you tell the price up front and they don’t balk, if they don’t wave their arms in the air & yell “$500 for a vacuum cleaner? Are you Mad??!”, then you have an easy job ahead of you.

When I was selling in-home (the last several years) I would tell them the price upfront. Why? Because it was a lot. I would say “Before I get started showing you this, I just want you to know the price. With everything included it comes to $1,989…that’s a lot of money isn’t it?” (what are they going to say? “No”?) They say “Yes, it sure is”. Then I said “This better be one heck of a machine for that much money, don’t you think?” and almost always, they would say “It better be” or something similar. Now, what’s the easiest thing in the world for you to do? Show value.

In my case (in in-home selling) about half way through my demonstration, they would say “You know, when you told me the price, I thought you were crazy. But I can really see the value now”… and that was only half way through the demonstration.

In the store, I do it a little differently

I ask if there is a price range they have to stay in. If they say “We can’t go more than $200”, I know what to not show them. If they say “I want something good, but I wasn’t thinking of anything over $500” I know that there is not much of a stretch between $500 and the $699 vacuum I’m thinking of showing them.

Then I say “Here are 2 vacuum cleaners that I think would to give you what you’re looking for. This one is $499 and this one is $699. The one for $699 has a few more features (and it’s always the one already plugged in). Let me show it to you & then we can compare them O.K.?” They always say “O.K.”

Then I show the more expensive machine, and they almost always buy it. Why? Because it’s not twice the price of what they said they were comfortable with. And they already came in expecting to pay as much as $500. So I’m really only making a $199 sale (the difference between $500 and $699).

The key here is; after they know the price, showing value to justify the price is pretty easy.

And again, when I mention the price, I sound like I’m talking about the weather. It’s just not a big deal.

“But Claude, What if they stick to their guns & want the cheaper machine?”

So? A $500 sale isn’t that bad. But what I do then is compare the two machines side by side. I let them use both, to have them feel the difference. I usually give a little more with the more expensive machine. By that I mean I pile on a few more freebies. Now they are comparing two different packages of product. This is their second chance to buy the more expensive unit.

But what if they want to discuss it?

I let them. But first, I may give a little more; another dozen free bags, another attachment, a longer warranty. That way, they now have something else to say “Yes” to.

Then I ignore the fact that they wanted to “think about it” and let them tell me that they want it now. If they aren’t saying things like “Well honey, it’s up to you, but I think it looks O.K.” (a sure sign they are buying) I’ll give them a few minutes alone.

Sometimes it just needs to “soak in” that they are making a (to them) large purchase.

As long as they are asking questions (about the machine I’m showing them) I know that they are adapting to & getting comfortable with the idea of owning it.

Don’t sound eager. Sound like you are simply thinking about what is best for them. It helps if you really are thinking of their best interests.

Please don’t call me and say “But Claude, I sell carpet. How does this apply to me?” Change the word “vacuum cleaner” to “carpet”. Change the price to reflect what you sell at.