Pretty much everyone who works retail is a sales superstar right before and after the holidays. It’s the nature of the last minute shopping that happens every Christmas, and how the couple of days after Christmas have become big shopping days.
Beginning this week, customers will be back to shopping as they did before the holidays. The people coming through your door have an interest in what you sell, but they definitely have less purchase intent than they did over the last few weeks.
Not that they won’t make purchases, but customers just aren’t in the same buying mindset as before.
That’s why it is so important not only that your staff’s mindset changes, but that they get back to the proactive engagement approach they need in order to be post-holiday superstars. Here’s how to make that happen.
1. Watch and listen for employees stuck in the holiday crush sales approach.
In the last week before Christmas it was easy for employees to start “helping” shoppers instead of engaging them, and it worked because the customers needed to buy something for someone. It won’t work going forward. Unfortunately, sometimes people don’t even realize that this is what they’re doing. This is why your observation and feedback is so important.
2. Focus your Take Fives on moving beyond the holidays.
Champion the post-holiday customer experience. Remind your team how important it is to engage customers in conversation, and to proactively get products in their hands and on them. Take time to practice/role-play with each person to get her back to her superstar approach.
3. Play the Three and Three game.
Here’s a fun way to get your team focused on the key back-to-the basics behaviors and actions. With the Three and Three game the goal is to learn three things about every customer, and get him or her to hold or try-on three products. Simple enough. This also gives you some specific opportunities to observe and coach your team.
So let me, will your team be post-holiday superstars?
Here’s how to use this article to impact your business
Discuss with your leadership team how quickly your staff is getting back to their post-holiday superstar ways. Discuss these three tips, and determine what actions you’ll take this week to help your team deliver a more engaging and productive superstar experience.
