Are You 'Selling' Or Allowing People To Buy?

What happens when two women meet up for lunch is that they inevitably end up doing a spot of girly shopping.

Tracy and I met up just for fun yesterday, no talk of business just a good girly catch up which predictably led to a quick scout around the shoe shops.

Walking through the door of one designer boutique we were immediately accosted by the sales lady. With a big smile on her face she asked if she could help? What were we looking for? Anything in particular? What size? What colour? She followed us around the store with her questions. We were only browsing we told her but her constant questions took away the pleasure of the experience and we quickly left the store.

Don’t get me wrong here, I’m all for a sales assistant to be attentive but this was just a tad OTT. All I wanted was an enjoyable experience to look at and feel the beautiful garments and shoes.

As i said we didn’t stick around long, instead we wandered along until we came across a shoe shop. We stopped and looked in the window, staring big eyed like two young children peeping into the window of a sweet shop.

We couldn’t resist stepping inside. Row upon row of amazing,glitzy,glamorous, dressy, colourful and casual shoes for us to peruse. We wandered around the store for some time picking up some rather way –out pairs with ridiculously high heels, wondering precisely on which occasion they could be worn.

And then Tracy spotted them, they were calling to her, she was smitten, she just had to try this particular pair on. At which point, the sales assistant then wandered over, made eye contact, smiled and asked Tracy if she would like to try the other shoe. No demand, no hassle. Tracy couldn’t resist, she had to have this pair of shoes.

We walked over to pay at the till and as the sales assistant joined us she showed Tracy the matching handbag. On this occasion Tracy declined the upsell. She was more than happy with her shoe purchase.

If you have a product or service to sell, are you being too pushy like the first sales assistant? I hope not, as this approach tends to turn prospective clients/customers away.

Or are you more like sales assistant number two, who quietly observed the situation, allowed to us browse and enjoy the experience before cleverly remembering to include an upsell?

If you are struggling to find clients or convert them into paying customers, keep your eyes peeled for details of my ‘Make It Happen’ Programme launching very soon, or if you really can’t wait then email me at allison@allisonmarlowe.com and I will personally add you to my priority waiting list.