March 2007

BIZ TIPS: Sales Tips and Techniques

The success of the selling process relies heavily on the ability of the salesperson to relate to his customer. This includes the ability to develop a rapport with all types of people in a short period of time. Trust is an important element of the relationship established between the salesperson and customer. When the customer feels comfortable with a salesperson and believes he can trust his work, a positive sales atmosphere is established. The selling style of a salesperson can often determine the likelihood that a good rapport and positive sales atmosphere will be created with customers. A variety of methods are commonly used to help salespeople complete this process smoothly. The following tips and techniques will assist the flower shop salesperson in communicating and selling more successfully.

• Dress appropriately. Salespeople should be professionally dressed and easy to identify as shop employees. An apron, smock, or shirt in the shop colors is a good choice. The shop name and/or logo could be printed on the garment. Additionally, the employee should wear a name tag. This gives the customer a sense of security and bonding to the salesperson.
• Get the customer’s name and use it. People in general respond well to the sound of their name. Respectful use of a customer’s name (in the form of Miss, Mr., Ms., or Mrs.) during the selling process is an effective way to capture his or her attention. Unless the customer is young or familiar to the salesperson, first names should not be used.
• Mirror the customer’s moods and actions. Body language is an important part of any form of communication. During the sales process, the salesperson should be aware of the physical cues being expressed by the customer. Most often, it is desirable for the salesperson to mirror the behavior of the customer. For example, if a customer speaks softly and slowly, the florist should repeat this manner of speaking to some extent (versus overwhelming this individual with exuberance). Mirroring the customer’s moods and actions includes being sensitive to his or her needs. For example, the salesperson should empathize and express sorrow to the customer ordering sympathy flowers. This technique might seem awkward in some cases, but in actuality it is a common behavior used unconsciously in all forms of communication.
• When selling flowers, use wire service selection guides to help customers make choices. To simplify the selling process, help the customers make decisions in a logical sequence. Select flower color first, design type second, and flower type third.
• Describe products with expressive adjectives to make them seem more appealing. Instead of a “basket arrangement,” sell a “delightful spring bouquet in a hand-crafted wicker basket.” Use titles or themes for arrangements and other products, such as “Bears and Berries Bouquet,” to help describe and sell them.
• Do not bluff when providing product information. If customers ask questions which a salesperson is not qualified to answer, he should seek assistance from other shop personnel. Distribution of misinformation is detrimental to the image and reputation of the business, as well as the individual.
• Practice up-selling. This commonly used sales technique involves persuading customers to spend more money than they had originally intended. If a customer entered the shop intending to spend $25.00, a few glowing descriptions of the larger, more elaborate bouquet which costs only $5.00 more will easily boost the sale to30.00. Up-selling also includes selling related products as companions to an item. For example, increase the value of a bud vase for a new baby by tying on a small stuffed animal.
• Do not practice locker-room behavior on the sales floor. Do not eat, drink, smoke, or chew gun. Personal telephone calls and loud shop chatter in the presence of customers should be avoided.
• Use humor as a sales tool. Most people respond favorably to a bit of light humor in what can otherwise be a dull or uncomfortable transaction. Of course, there are situations in which this approach is entirely inappropriate. But in most cases, unless a salesperson becomes too comical,
  a sense of humor works as an asset in relating to customers and selling products.
• Have fun while selling. Good salespeople are those who truly enjoy their work and the people they meet everyday on the job. Slow, uninterested, and unenthusiastic salespeople fade from the customer’s memory quickly, but exceptional salespeople are remembered for years to come.

The importance of good salesmanship is often overlooked by retail florists. Customers who walk into a shop, or call on the phone, are frequently taken for granted by salespeople who assume that they will buy something automatically. Selling entails much more than ringing up sales on the cash register; therefore, to be effective, it requires the right person with the proper training. Although the sales process, both on the telephone and in person, varies with each individual customer, there are standard steps which, when followed, provide a logical flow of discussion. Salespeople should be encouraged to follow these steps and to use accepted selling techniques to improve the total number and total dollar value of sales. Most importantly, salespeople should always remember that they are the key contact with the shop’s customer base and that their performance can make or break the image and success of the business.