Know Your Stuff

No matter what business you’re in, you need to be an expert. If a car dealer doesn’t know how many miles per gallon a vehicle gets, would you buy a car from him? If the woman at the makeup counter can’t tell you why one type of mascara is better than another, would you put it on your face?

I have a shopping rule—no matter what I’m looking for, I never buy a product if the salesperson doesn’t know the product. Any salesperson will tell you a product works, but that doesn’t mean it really does. That’s why I ask questions. I probe for information, and if the person trying to sell me a product can’t answer them, I don’t give that person my business.

Do YOU know your business well enough to sell me on it?

To sell a product, you need to know the features and benefits. The features of the product are simply the facts; the ingredients, scent, necessary application, etc. However, the benefits of a product are the perks of the product; they inform the customer about what’s in it for them. If you can’t explain to your customer how the product can fix an issue they have or make their lives easier, better, more productive, and happier (and the list continues), then you’re making the customer do all the work to figure out why she would want the product.

The final step is to get your customer to connect with the product. Think about what makes you remember a product – it is typically a story or an innovative way to use it, right? Your stories need to have a purpose that people can relate to. It is also better to give the testimonials of others instead of attributing the stories to yourself to build that credibility.

One of my favorite items has always been Between the Sheets; it’s amazing! For over 15 years we’ve had it in our line and it still continues to be a best seller. We’ve sold over 1 million bottles of it and we’ve offered it in 12 different fragrances over that time.

I found that Between the Sheets was easy to talk about in the grocery store or on the sidelines of a football game. When people would ask me what I did, I would tell them and then describe a couple items – one always being Between the Sheets – and it became a lead in for me to book parties. I would tell the customer briefly about the product and the variety of uses. Then, I would share a story about how Between the Sheets was one woman’s go-to when selling a house. Realtors suggest things like baking cookies or having a subtle fragrance from a candle. This woman used Between the Sheets as an air freshener prior to a showing for her home. Interestingly, even realtors bought Between the Sheets after showings! I’ve always loved adding in a story about a product use and in this case, I was the woman so I can attest to the truth and additional product sales! In my story, I refrained from using my name to stay consistent and credible. Of course, the stories should be based on real life situations that have occurred.

Stay a student this month! Set aside time to study up on your business so your customers see you as a fountain of knowledge. Use every resource that is available to you. Pure Romance does have a website with sales videos and training materials – learn from them because they are there for a reason. Take the next step and talk to other consultants to learn their secrets. What is their top selling product? How do they sell it? Then do some research on different sales techniques and ways to build loyalty with your customers.

In any sales business customer feedback is essential. Early on, listening to my customer played a big role in the way I managed my business! Customers will tell you the good and the bad, you just have to be receptive and invite the conversation.  I turned the good stories and new product uses into the testimonials I shared during my party or in the shopping room. Now, while I would share my customer’s stories, I would never ever share their name! Sharing real opinions or product uses helped make my sales pitch credible. My other advantage was using my resources that we’re available to me. If there was a training class I was taking it, if there was new material I was reading it. Make the most of your resources and turn to the internet, your public library, or book store and read up on the latest sexual health information. I truly believe that if you look at what you want as a consumer, and the type of person that you want to assist you when you’re shopping, then you can become a really great sales person.