Well – here we are in part two of the Tales From the Unknown MI Sales Rep. What wonderful words of wisdom, advice, or tom-foolery shall we discuss today? I think it would actually be a good idea to talk about something that is close to all of our hearts – whether we are a vendor or a store owner/manager – and that is sales… more importantly, the sales process and the sales person. We all know that a good sales staff makes a great store, and a great sales staff makes an amazing store – a store that performs above and beyond all expectation – and not only to the store owners and stockholders, but to the customers! If a truly great salesperson does what he/she should do, then they know their stores customers (and hopefully all of their friends) – their wants and needs – what they already have, their likes and dislikes, what they are passionate about, and how you can help them obtain the products they need to encourage their creativity in music making. If that sounds like too much to expect, well…I t isn’t – because when you look at the alternative… What does a bad salesperson bring to the table? (just read the last few sentences here and consider the polar opposite.)
Why do I care about some store’s salesperson? If my “job” is to “get the order” and just sell stuff, then my job is done, right? WRONG. Part of the vendor/store owner relationship is (or should be) making sure that your store is a good fit for my products. It’s important that your store represents my brand in a positive light. Can you give my gear a premium spot in the store, (and most important) does your sales staff have the chops necessary to proudly represent my products? Will you uphold the “value” my brand name deserves? Manufacturers pay a lot of money to get into the public eye, and in most cases they aren’t the ones who present them to the buyer. Those folks on the front lines are the store’s sales staff, and trust me that if I don’t think the staff can do that job well, then you won’t see my product in your store no matter how much money you throw at me.
Most times, if a store wants to carry my product, I will “secret shop” that store. I want to experience what shopping in that store is like. I want to see how I am greeted, what the store looks like on an average day, and what the overall “vibe” is. What I normally find is great store potential, but a sales staff that won’t cut it. Why are these “bodies” called “sales people” when they are key members of the “sales prevention” team?
OK – I’ve circled the airport, and now I’m going to land. Here it comes… ready? Just because a person can PLAY an instrument doesn’t mean that person can SELL an instrument. Read that again. One more time. Get that in your head in bold and 48-point font. It’s called a “sales floor” for a reason. SALES are supposed to happen there. But you know what I witness? Guitarists, drummers, band, or keyboard players who would rather show off their latest chops that they learned or telling a customer what “they think” about a brand or how something sounds. Are you kidding me? Are you freaking kidding me?!?!? Oh – and my all-time favorite– “I love these because… you know… all we have to do is take them out of the box, and they’re, like, perfect, man… It’s like they never break – these things just sell themselves.”Congratulations, Sherlock. You just told this customer that he might as well find the lowest price anywhere online and have it shipped. Ya know why, you idiot? It’s because you just told him it would be perfect and that he doesn’t need you.
(In my best Rod Serling voice) “Consider, if you will, a store ready to go out of business because their owners or managers don’t train their staff to sell.” You can teach someone facts and figures, and you can even get them to explain features and benefits, but what is hard (sometimes impossible) is training to be a good listener, and truly try to help people. Most sales prevention leaders are too busy trying to plan what they are going to say next, than to actually listen to the customer and get to know them. I have an assigned territory by my company to find stores that will represent my brand to the highest standard possible. The best salesperson in my whole territory doesn’t even play the instrument that he sells. He’s their top salesperson and he isn’t even a player. He just loves music and understands sales. He doesn’t back away from available sales training and he actively listens to his vendor reps. He NEVER tells his customers if something sounds good or bad – he asks them what they think, and what they hear – he reminds them what they came in looking for, and he does his best to fulfill that need. His customers love him and the store.
Store owners: take heed to what I am trying to say – you need to hire and train sales people – not performers: people that are teachable and know how to listen. Many companies don’t let new sales people engage with a customer without proper sales training. Why should you be any different?
