“If ten people walk into your store, how many wind up buying,” I asked the dealer from Connecticut during a coaching call.
“Around three,” he replied.
“That’s a 30% close rate, which means that 70% of your walk-ins are not buying. Which means 70% the time, energy and money you spend getting people to walk in your door is wasted.”
Unfortunately, this dealer is not alone.
In fact, studies show that the average floor dealer only closes around 30-35% of walk-ins. Most dealers could transform their business if they simply converted more door swings into closed sales. So how can you do that? Actually, it’s not very hard if you’re willing to do what the majority of dealers don’t: ‘WOW’ your customers.
Let’s look at some ‘Wow’ strategies, starting with what your walk-ins experience when they step into your store. I’ve visited quite a few flooring showrooms and it’s common for them to be crammed with too many displays, and/or so silent it’s depressing, and/or smell like glue and dust. These conditions do not ‘Wow’ the customer; in fact, they do the opposite. In part one of this series I covered these problems, and what to do to fix them. For example, curate your products so your showroom is more open, and not cluttered with floor-to-ceiling display racks. Have background music playing so your store isn’t dead silent. Bake cookies or bread, or get a popcorn machine so your store smells good.
Make your customers feel welcome.
Have a beverage bar and offer them a drink of their choice. You can even use a laminated beverage menu for an even greater ‘Wow’ factor.
Greet your walk-ins right away and use scripts. I’ve walked into so many showrooms where no one greeted me for several minutes, even when I was the only person there. When I was finally greeted it was with the standard, “How may I help you?” or “Can I help you find something?” These are the opening lines used by everybody, so there is no ‘Wow’ factor. They also give the customer control of the sales process, and introduce premature price and product discussions. Train your sales people how to immediately take control of the sales process, create differentiation, and position themselves as trusted advisors. Use scripts, and role play them during your sales trainings.
Use testimonials everywhere. What others say about you will ‘Wow’ your prospects far more effectively than anything you say about yourself. Online reviews are the place to start, especially on Google. Next, have testimonials on your website, including video testimonials. Display testimonials in your showroom where everyone can see them. Hand out printed testimonials.
In-home measures are often a gigantic missed opportunity to ‘Wow’ customers. Wear shoe covers. Dress professionally. Carry a laptop case or briefcase. Get permission to measure and inspect all of her flooring. Give her tips on getting the longest life out of her floors, even the areas you’re not replacing. Give her a free bottle of spotter with free lifetime refills.
After the sale send her a hand-written thank-you card. Do a post-installation follow-up visit and deliver a nice gift bag, or invite her to your showroom to pick it up.
If you do these things, you can easily increase your closed sales from three out of ten to four or five without spending another dime in advertising. Imagine the impact would that have on your bottom line. See, many dealers are running around with their hair on fire trying to find that magical advertising strategy which will deliver a ton of customers to their door, when in reality, they could create the transformation they’re looking for by simply putting in the effort to ‘Wow’ their customers.
To Tons Of Customers!
Jim Augustus Armstrong is The “Coach”
Jim Augustus Armstrong is the President of Flooring Success Systems, a program that equips dealers to double their profits, cut their work hours in half and beat the boxes! Many dealers have totally transformed their businesses and their lives for the better after joining Flooring Success Systems.
See what real, live dealers are saying!