First Impressions

Mary Johnson decided to find a local home medical equipment store to shop for her mother. She thought buying a bath seat would help, but she was not exactly sure what kind her mother needed. Mary called her neighbor, whose elderly mother was living with her, to get a recommendation about where to go.

Off Mary drove to ABCD Medical Supply. She saw the sign easily from the street, and that helped, because she had taken off from work and had just two hours to complete her shopping.

Mary entered the store and stood there only a minute before someone came to greet her with a friendly smile. It made Mary feel better knowing that there was someone willing to help who was asking her questions about the type of shower and bathtub she had at home. Mary realized the salesperson did not want to sell her a product that did not fit her tub or her needs. She was grateful for that.

The salesperson explained all the options and made some suggestions based on Mary’s information. The salesperson also told Mary that if the product was not right, it could be returned and they would see what other products might be located that would work better.

A big part of this first visit was about impressing Mary. Consider what it was that made this visit easy for this new customer.

It could have been the sign. People in a hurry don’t want to have to drive around looking for the store or to miss the location. You don’t want customers to enter your store frustrated: “I finally found you after driving around for 10 minutes. Wish you had a clearer sign.”

Next, Mary was greeted with a smile and a friendly face. Since Mary was working and was now a caregiver — not a role she had expected — she had a limited amount of time to find what she wanted. She was delighted to meet a friendly and welcoming person who was about to make this all go better.

With the aging baby boomer population, many of us will be caring for children and parents at the same time. Add a full-time job to the picture and then take two hours in a medical supply store and these potential customers may already be unhappy about their circumstances.

But Mary was impressed. The salesperson was informed, compassionate and understanding. He did not consider Mary an interruption in his work, but made her feel she was the reason the store was in business. He asked lots of questions and wanted to get to know Mary’s situation instead of walking her all over the store searching for the right product.

Mary left the store with a bath bench that she felt confident would be the right one for her mother’s home. But she also left knowing that if it was not correct, the bench could easily be returned.

What’s more, the following evening the salesperson from ABCD Medical Supply left a message on her answering machine asking if the bath bench worked. Mary told that story about ABCD Medical being so helpful to everyone in her family and to all of the neighbors who came to visit. There isn’t an advertisement that could have gotten the store the kind of positive press generated by that 30-second phone call.

Do any of the issues addressed in this scenario happen in your retail business? Let’s review the seven points to successful selling:

1. Clear and easy-to-read signage from the street.
2. Convenient parking.
3. A warm and friendly greeting for the customer.
4. An informed and educated salesperson.
5. A salesperson who learns about the customer and shows passion in the sales process.
6. A reminder of the easy return policy.
7. A follow-up call that exceeds the customer’s expectations.

While Mary Johnson is, of course, not a real person, her visit to ABCD Medical Supply is a typical one. Rethink the retail experience in your store, from the drive to your location to that follow-up call.

Remember that retail selling is not only about moving products out of the store but about providing a buying experience that keeps the customer coming back.

Louis Feuer is president of Dynamic Seminars & Consulting Inc. and the founder and director of the DSC Teleconference Series, a teleconference training program. He can be reached at www.DynamicSeminars.com or by phone at 954/435-8182.