I've sold cashmere sweaters, matte velvet blazers, broken-in chinos, corduroy jackets, little black dresses and basic tees. I sold them because it was my job, but it was easy to sell something I would buy (or want bought) for myself. J. Crew wanted a lot of green for its garments, but customers got what they paid for. The quality and design of the merchandise was excellent and J. Crew made sure its sales associates were aware of the quality-cost ratio. For me, selling a $200 blazer at J. Crew was easier than selling a $15 cheese ball in high school for fundraisers.
I used to think I was bothering people with the product at previous retail jobs. At J. Crew I realized I was adding to their wardrobe. It’s easy to sell a product when you can stand behind it. But can you sell well when you don’t see the usefulness for your customer? My dad has been selling funeral and burial packages for over 10 years. It’s a hard sell because people want to ignore the reality of death. People like the vacuum cleaner salesman better than my dad. But he is absolutely convinced that the customer will benefit from his product. He knows that a customer with a pre-arranged funeral plan can mourn for their loved one at death rather than worrying about a casket color.
It is not the likeability of the product but the salesperson’s confidence in what he sells that can make or break the deal. How many people don’t see the value of what they sell? Would numbers improve if your sales team liked what they sold?
--Jackie H.
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