With less than a week to go until Mother’s Day, any store that sells Mother’s Day products will begin to see more and more male shoppers. If that’s your store, here are ten tips to share with your team. For the rest of you specialty retailers, these are still good reminders for maximizing your sales opportunities.
1. Assume every man who walks into your store between now and Sunday is there to buy. Remember, we create more sales when we begin by assuming the customer is a buyer.
2. Don’t ask if he needs help. You know he’s there to buy something and that you are just the right person to assist him. Instead of saying “How may I help you? or “Can I help you find something?” say something like, “Welcome. I bet you are looking for the perfect Mother’s Day gift.”
3. Take charge of the sale. There’s a lot of truth to the stereotype about men not asking for directions, and a lot of us won’t ask for help in a store, either. Most men need your help whether they’re willing to ask for it or not.
4. Involve the children if they’re shopping with dad. While this sounds obvious, it has happened to me when I’ve been shopping with my girls more times than I can count. Once the kids are excited about a particular gift, dad is sure to agree.
5. Discover a couple of things about Mom. The more you know the more you can help them pick out the perfect gift. And isn’t helping dad and kids buy the perfect gift the reason you’re there?
6. Mirror the pace at which he’s shopping. If he’s clearly looking to purchase something quickly, speed up your pace. If he’s taking his time, don’t rush him. Let’s be honest. Sometimes we men aren’t the most patient shoppers in the world. Speaking for myself, the longer I’m in the store the less likely I am to buy something. That runs counter to how most people shop.
7. Avoid asking him how much he wants to spend. Whenever I’m asked that I always say, “I don’t want to spend anything, but I doubt you’re giving away stuff.” Most men want to buy the best gift for the least amount of money. Help him find that and the amount he wants to spend will take care of itself.
8. Start big and work your way down. Yes, that helps our sales, but it also helps Dad and the kids be heroes on Sunday. I don’t think many women have ever said, “I wish this diamond was smaller” or “I didn’t really want this handbag and a wallet.”
9. Recommend products, but don’t give them too many choices. This is especially the case if dad’s not too comfortable buying the products you sell. I’m fine picking out an iPhone for my wife, but ask me to select from too many different necklaces and I’ll struggle to make a decision.
10. Offer to help the children pick out a small but special gift just from them. This is such a nice touch for the kids, and it’s a nice way to add-on. Gotta love those win-wins!
So let me ask, which one or two of these will help you sell more to men and make a lot of mother’s happy this Sunday?
