Listening With Your Eyes And Your Ears

by Bob Phibbs, the Retail Doctor

Ever wander into a store, spot something you really like, start imaging how it would look in your home and just as you’re about to turn over the price tag, a clerk comes up and tells you how expensive it is? At that moment, your dreams and excitement were probably squashed and the practical side, “you don’t really need this” took over. How did that feel?

Think it was harder or easier to make a buying decision after that?

When people walk into your lighting showroom, they will naturally want to start imaging how their home would look with new lighting options. You’ll see it when they stop at one particular display and ask about shade options. You’ll see it when they continue to play with the controller or run their finger across the finish of the base.

You’ll also hear that practical side when they say how they really don’t need anything fancy; it’s just for the bedroom or “some day”. Great salespeople look at those opportunities to help the person indulge themselves.

Don’t spoil those dreams of the higher priced goods by talking about limitations, price or any other possible challenges. Let them dream.

Buying upscale lighting is more of an impulse than a need. Sure they want more light or light directed a certain way – but there are several inexpensive options. It is your job as a professional salesperson to help them make the upper end products a rational decision. While features and benefits, compare and contrast and even if you offer 0% financing all can help with making it a rational decision, the customer needs to believe they are worth it.

Ways to help you do this is based many times on the second part of the sale, the Window of Contact. If you saw someone drive up in Mercedes-Benz to your showroom and they said, “We have champagne tastes and beer budget”, you would know they probably have champagne tastes and champagne budgets. Selling them anything less will make A sale but not THE BEST sale.

When you follow their eyes, that’s where their hearts are. When you just follow their words, you may be leaving lots of money on the table. Money they would gladly have spent to see their home with the lighting options they fell in love with before the practical side said all they really needed was a fluorescent fixture.

Master the art of hearing with your eyes and you will be able to give the customer what they truly wanted in the first place, instead of settling for the practical. And guess who’ll benefit from using their eyes?

Good selling!

© Bob Phibbs 2004 All Rights Reserved