Superior Selling 8 Tips for Excelling as a Retail Sales Associate

Superior Selling 8 Tips for Excelling as a Retail Sales Associate If you want to excel at your job as a retail sales associate, youll need to take advice form the pros. Here are eight of the best tips to help you stand out. Are you a new retail sale associate whos wondering if youve got what it takes to make it? Do you need a few tips to help you close on sales and up-sell to your customers? The United States retail marketplace is worth more than $3.5 trillion, and exceptional salespeople can earn big. Whether youre on commission or just starting out at your local mall, this article is for you. Well cover the eight top skills for retail sales and give you some pro tips on how to make a great resume. 1. Friendliness If youre a naturally friendly person, you should have no problem excelling in retail. Every list of tips on how to be a good sales associate starts with friendliness. You might see dozens of customers during the course of your shift. If you can approach every one of them with a welcoming, positive attitude, youre on the right track. Building rapport with your customers is good for your store, too. When youre friendly, youre creating long-term customers who will spend more money with you. 2. Patience No matter what kind of retail sales youre in, not every customer encounter will end in a sale. You have to have the patience of a saint some days to help people who have a hard time making up their minds. Part of sales is having the patience to help your customers, even if theyre indecisive. You can make recommendations for clothing, for example, and offer to wait while they try them on. Customers want to be helped by someone whos giving them their full attention, so take a deep breath and dive back in. 3. Product Knowledge Youre going to be able to make more sales if you know what youre selling. If your store changes stock often, ask your manager to make a list of the items you should recommend. If youre selling food, try to sample some each week. When a customer comes in with allergies or a need for low-sugar products, youll be able to steer them in the right direction. Even if youre selling vacations or other luxury items, you should still learn as much as you can about your product. What would your customer have to pay online, or at another store? 4. Creating Value Youve attracted your customer with your patience and friendliness. Now its time to build value in their minds. They may come in asking for a cheap product. How are you going to help them buy something durable? You can start a conversation about features to create value. Instead of saying, this product is more expensive, just talk about its durability and warranty, if it has one. Other ways to create value are letting the customer hold the item and try it out, or doing a side-by-side comparison with another product. Dont pressure your customer, but do talk with them about investing in a long-lasting product. 5. Honesty Above all else, always be honest with your customers. Never lie about the price or functionality of a product or service. Itll get you in hot water and its not worth it. If youre trying to move up to management or wondering how to be a good sales associate, the answer is always honesty. When youre hired as a manager, youre going to be looking for solutions for brands. Specifically, how to merchandise your products and how to reach your customers more efficiently. You need to establish a track record of answering customer questions and pitching in around the shop. The best advice weve heard? Dont be on time, be early. 6. Up-Selling While youre making sales, you should always be thinking of products that you can recommend. If theyre buying a new bed, theyre probably going to need new sheets as well. And what about a new bedroom set to seal the deal? Some customers may not want to go with your recommendations, but youll never know unless you try. New salespeople might feel reluctant to up-sell, but its an important part of good retail sales technique. If youre nervous about seeming pushy, just keep your tone light and casual. The worst they can do is say no. 7. Attention to Detail Another essential part of how to sell retail is to maintain close attention to detail. You could gain leverage with a customer by pointing out sale prices or buy-one-get-one deals. Develop good work habits as early as you can, most companies want to hire from within. If you can focus on the details, you can make more relevant recommendations and close more sales. You need time and money to start a business, but conscientious and consistent employees are what keeps stores in business! 8. Closing the Sale You may have heard of the ABCs approach to sales: Always Be Closing. Its a good idea to ask for the sale, but you dont want to seem desperate or pushy. Talk to your customers like you would a friend. Dont rush them, just ask them if theyre ready to check out. If theyre still looking, theyll say no. If a customer is in your store, it means theyre thinking about buying. Working on commission can be nerve-wracking, but a natural and friendly approach will win out over pressure tactics every time. How to Make a Standout Sale Associate Resume Even if youre a beginner sale associate, you can still craft a stellar resume. If youre an experienced seller whos feeling stuck in your current position, read on for pro tips about how to sell yourself. Try to keep track of the contributions youve made to your store. Have you increased customer satisfaction through excellent customer service? Are you driving repeat business with your attention to detail and professionalism? Take the time to create a resume that highlights your talents and skills. You might be new at sales, but you learn quickly and take direction well. Those are both skills that look great on a resume. We have a wealth of articles on our website that are designed to help you find your dream job. Check them out and drop me a line with any questions or success stories!