Top bedding salespeople connect with customers
David Perry, Executive editor -- Furniture Today, September 22, 2003
Larry Miller, who runs an impressive sleep shop chain called Sit 'n Sleep in California, has a great quote elsewhere in this issue on how to establish rapport with the customer.
"The consumer has a favorite subject," said Miller. "And it's them."
There's a great deal of wisdom in that observation. One key in the selling process is to establish a bond with the consumer who stands before you. A good way to do that is to get the customer talking about herself. Sure, that sounds easy enough. But too many of us want to talk about ourselves rather than focusing on the all-important customer.
Several of the bedding sales associates who shared their success secrets with us for a series of special reports — one of which runs in the bedding section in this issue — talked about the ways they establish rapport. Call it the Art of the Greeting.
Here are some examples:
"If children are with the customer, I include the kids in the conversation," said Cindy Gurnik, assistant manager of P.M. Bedroom Gallery in Brookfield, Wis. "I tell mom and dad the kids are nice and well behaved. I talk about sports if someone is wearing a sports team shirt."
"I might say, 'That's a nice looking car you drove up in. It's a perfect day for a convertible. Do you like it?' " said Maddy Haworth of Today's Bedroom One, based in Fishers, Ind.
Casey Lloyd of R.C. Willey, based in Salt Lake City, said, "Notice something that puts them at ease. Kids are instant rapport builders. Smiles are contagious. Tone of voice is essential."
Each of those approaches relies on the power of observation. Top sales associates look carefully at their customers and find something to start the conversation rolling. And that leads to rapport, which leads to trust, which leads, ultimately, to sales.
Those three sales associates were among the three dozen who took the time to share their selling strategies with us. That strong response gave us plenty of insightful information to share with you this year. And it's helped me realize the importance of hearing from retail sales associates, who tend to be bedding's unsung heroes.
A special thank you to my friends at Rhodes and R.C. Willey — particularly Joel Lanham of Rhodes and Bill Child of R.C. Willey — for sending me the comments of their sales associates.
Also sending in the responses of several sales associates were Today's Bedroom One, VanDenBerg Furniture of Schoolcraft, Mich., and P.M. Bedroom Gallery.
To all of you who shared your insights with me, I say a heartfelt thanks. May you continue to experience success on the sales floor. I welcome your comments at any time.
