Refreshing your sales routine

[lara]

I've been temporarily moved to another store to fill in as 2nd key, and my god, it's like I'm starting from scratch all over again. My speed, patterns, etc are all tuned to the clientele of a much faster, busier city store with well-defined customer patterns, and I'm used to getting someone's purpose, suggesting product, FAB and e-layering everything, confirming their purchase, linking and upselling, making the sale and sending them off happy and satisfied in ten minutes or less.

Now I'm in a quiet freestanding store on a street that has more foot traffic than destination shoppers, the trade is weather-responsive (i.e. it rained cats and dogs today and I barely saw a person until well after two in the afternoon), there aren't any shopping patterns beyond Monday=dead/Saturday=busy and I'm struggling to switch my technique over to suit the much slower, more leisurely shoppers and purposeless browsers. Today my figures sucked, my AHP/AUS was in the toilet and it was generally just a really flat experience.

I'm being positive and taking this as an opportunity to get myself familiar with the products all over again and get excited about things I might have passed over or ignored in the past, but man, I'm so disappointed at how badly I'm doing. Crashing from an average IPT of 3.8 to 1.3 is just painful.

So, yeah. Do you have any tips and tricks to help me switch it up? I need to break my sales patterns and I've made little in-roads here and there, but I really need that extra something. Help me!

 

[redambition]

hang in there girl! you are excellent at what you do, so don't let this get you down.

try not to stress over your sales goals too much - i know this is easier said than done.

 

[pixichik77]

I would suggest you try to engage the browsers in a very low key, low pressure way, and attempt to get EVERY SINGLE PERSON who walks in the door in a chair. Do entire makeups on them if there is no one around. Someone will buy, or remember how much time you spent with them and return. My favorite way to do this and not seem like a used car salesman (which I did once) or someone to be taken advantage of for free makeups : tell them this is a new store/ or you are new to the store, and you are still trying to familiarize yourself with the layout/products/etc. That flips the situation from "you doing makeup on them to make them buy" to "them doing you a favor and helping you out (and they may like something so much they buy it)". Puts them in a better mood, and makes them more likely to buy. Another key to this tactic is to keep it on your terms... don't let them start telling you, "I want a smokey look" or whatever.. it's hard to explain, but give off an air of you playing around and trying things/combos you haven't tried before... they will be less likely to try and take over (or get up and leave)

 

[calbear]

I FEEL YA!!! This is not easy. I know exactly what you are goin thru.

#1 you have to sit everyone down. You have to be confident in your actual makeup skills and rely less on just being able to talk someone into something - they now have to be shown and prooved to.

#2 you can't ever let someone be just a onesie. You have to push for everything cause there will not be another chance. The lack of foot traffic means you have to maximize hardcore.

#3 Remember all your add-ons to boost every sale. Foundation pump, sharpener, bag, mirror, etc. Every dollar is SERIOUSLY important. We all know about the obvious ones like brushes but don't let anyone forget the brush cleanser or extra sponges.

#4 Review your price points. Make sure your 'favorites' are gonna help you make your goal. Pro - longwears vs lipglass, creamsticks vs regular lipliners.

#5 concentrate on skincare - it's a high dollar product. The browsers and meanderers are big on 'skin'. It's something they can relate to and will use and come back to you for more. Especially if the crowd is not into bright colors and aren't really sure about the makeup.

I hope this helps - if i remember more - i'll post again

 

[chocolategoddes]

Quote:

Originally Posted by calbear I FEEL YA!!! This is not easy. I know exactly what you are goin thru. #1 you have to sit everyone down. You have to be confident in your actual makeup skills and rely less on just being able to talk someone into something - they now have to be shown and prooved to. #2 you can't ever let someone be just a onesie. You have to push for everything cause there will not be another chance. The lack of foot traffic means you have to maximize hardcore. #3 Remember all your add-ons to boost every sale. Foundation pump, sharpener, bag, mirror, etc. Every dollar is SERIOUSLY important. We all know about the obvious ones like brushes but don't let anyone forget the brush cleanser or extra sponges. #4 Review your price points. Make sure your 'favorites' are gonna help you make your goal. Pro - longwears vs lipglass, creamsticks vs regular lipliners. #5 concentrate on skincare - it's a high dollar product. The browsers and meanderers are big on 'skin'. It's something they can relate to and will use and come back to you for more. Especially if the crowd is not into bright colors and aren't really sure about the makeup. I hope this helps - if i remember more - i'll post again

you're good.

 

[Gblue]

my friend moved to sydney not long ago and will be getting paid next week. she'll prolly bump up your numbers

as will i when i go and visit her.

are you sure its just not the post x-mas blues? it might pick up from the end of this month.

 

[ms.marymac]

I think there is great advice here. I have also been in that situation! It sucks. One thing I can add is no matter how frustrated you feel, do not let people sense it. Leave it at the door and be positive even if you have to be in denial. For some reason people can pick up on "I need to make $ vibes", no matter how slick you try to be.

 

[calbear]

Just thought of something else -

Build a clientele -
If you get someone in the chair and they aren't sure of a product (if you can) give them a sample and tell them to come back to see you and tell you how they liked it. If they come back - they will look for you. Even if they don't buy it - they will want to talk to you about the product and if they are there they might just pick up something.

If you are out of a product - give them a card with your name on it (even if it's handwritten) and tell them to call back and check with YOU to see if it's in. Put it on hold for them or whatever to get them to come to you (good cs - as well)

 

[pixichik77]

2nd the samples! This really helps and really works, especially if you believe something will work for them, and they are not sure...

 

[lara]

Excellent advice, everyone!

Sampling isn't an issue; the group I work for is seriously sample-driven. I'd say at least a third of my sales originate from focused samples and phone follow ups. Handing out cards is a great idea though, I'm supplying cards with nearly every sale and reaffirming to everyone that if they have any issues or questions to call me.

I bounced my figures by driving more in-chair demos, as well as taking the opportunity to do things I didn't have the facilities for in my other store like hand massages, mini-facials, mini-manis, etc etc etc. It's nice to be back in 3.5-4.5 IPT territory, let me tell you!