When a customer first walks into your store, you're probably eager to go straight to making that sale, but you have to be careful that you do not come on too strong.  The way I have always worked with customers, which I consider a no-fail technique in my book, is by starting with a greeting - "Welcome to the store" or the like.  It’s best not to say “Can I help you” right away because most people are not looking for anything specific.  It may make them feel awkward or rushed when asked.  You should always make good eye contact and offer them a compliment or two, then back off and look  busy but always keep a close eye on the customer.  As soon as you see the customer focus on a particular item, that’s the time to slowly move in.  Start with "Let me know if you have any questions” or “this item is very popular".  Then back off again and wait.

Once a customer shows an interest in a particular product then the race is on.  You roll up your sleeves and get in there to SELL.  For example, whenever I have a customer interested in rugs, I like to start by unfolding them and spreading the rugs out in every direction possible.  Have them fully open so they can see the detail of the designs.  You can hold one up and even hand the customer a corner so they can feel the material and weight of the product.  Make sure you politely take control of the conversation. 

When speaking with customers it's important to keep the focus on selling the product.  Try not to be like the Encyclopedia Britannica or a self appointed expert/know-it-all on everything textiles.  Most customers don't like the “nose in the air” Art Gallery mentality and we as Americans are generally self-absorbed.  It’s okay (and actually helpful) to have some basic product knowledge, but you need to remember that the general customer doesn't want to hear a detailed history.  They are probably more concerned with how the rug will fit in their home.  The size, color match, and how much their friends will be impressed are probably the key factors in determining if they purchase or not.   You will find that most of your customers are not really that interested in how the yarn was spun, the intricacy of the textile dyeing process, or that someone worked their ass off on a slow and tedious time-consuming weaving technique. 

Bullshitting and false statements will not help you make a sale!  It is very important to never, I repeat, NEVER misrepresent any of your merchandise.  However, by choosing your descriptive words carefully you can increase your chances of a sale.  For example, rather than saying “machine made” you could say “power loomed” or rather than saying "brown", you could say "adobe color".  If you have a product that doesn't use real leather, instead of saying "not real leather or fake leather" you can use alternative words like "faux leather" or my favorite - "vegan leather".  By using more appealing descriptive words you make the product seem a little more valuable and can probably get it sold quicker and at a higher price.  Another useful tip: when a customer asks if any textile or product can be washed, it’s always best to say “We recommend dry cleaning”.  Many of our products can actually be either hand washed or machine-washed, if done properly, but by recommending dry-cleaning it keeps the customers from returning any damaged products due to their own washing error.

Now this is also very important: It's a fact that when it comes to the Country of Origin, Central and South American countries like Mexico, Guatemala, Ecuador, & Peru, are more popular and more easily accepted by customers than other countries like China and India. You need to AVOID any talk of politics or country comparisons.  Using the same appealing word technique, “Made in India” can be softened by saying “Imported  Indian”.  You must never remove any tags or misrepresent the Country of Origin, it is a serious offense.   Always answer truthfully and try to not fall into any discussions about this.  You should move on quickly to another subject and concentrate on the product design and the product itself.  

When working with the customer you need to make sure you keep on talking and spreading product out until you have made a sale. But even after you make the initial sale you're not done yet!  Then it’s time to get some "add on" purchases.   These are suggestions by you that are complimentary items they can add to their order.  Your customer already has the intention to buy something (that's why they walked in your store!), so getting them interested in buying smaller items should not be too difficult.  You can say something like, "How about this other sized rug to go with the one you selected?" - "We have the design you chose in these items as well." - "How about some pillow covers to accent the room?" - "It’s a very good price and we can ship it to your home if it's more convenient for you.‘'

If you are able to follow my selling and customer service tips I'm positive that you will have gained a repeat customer.  By the time they are ready to pay they will be so pleased with their shopping experience that they will probably be thinking about when they could come by again.  These are the customers you want and need.

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If you have any questions please give us a call at 1-800-351-7847 or better yet, visit our huge “Wholesale Only” 2 acre showroom & warehouse located 6935 Commerce Avenue in El Paso, Texas.

Happy Trails,

Dusty Henson

Co-owner/Co-founder

www.ElPasoSaddleblanket.com