Before You Greet the Customer, Do This First

Recently, we discussed being UP when you are next up in rotation. UP. Interested. Excited. Enthusiastic. Ready to give the next customer the BEST experience.

Now that the door has opened and the customer is here, take a breath. Take a look. Get a sense of them before you greet them.

Do they appear happy to be here? Do they appear apprehensive or unsure? Are they looking around, or are they focused on something in particular? Are they alone, or with someone? Are they walking quickly, slowly, confidently, cautiously? Get a sense of their energy and temperament, and do this without judgment. This is purely an objective observation. Notice any criticism that might arise on your part and let it go.

Observing a customer is not the same as deciding who they are. It is not saying, “They won’t buy,” or “They’re just looking,” or “They’re going to be difficult.” Those are judgments, and judgments change how you show up. Instead, “create” who they are. Create them as interested. Create them as knowledgeable. Create them as trustworthy. Create them as collaborators, regardless of how they might initially occur to you. Create them and engage with them that way. Once you have taken that moment to observe, now you want to be prepared to engage. Prepared to say something that will make them feel welcome and in the right place. Prepared to open the conversation in a way that creates connection instead of resistance.

You also want to avoid what will cause the customer to say, “I’m just browsing.” Sometimes, “I’m just browsing” has nothing to do with you. They may have had a bad sales experience somewhere else, or they may simply want a few minutes to get familiar with the showroom. But sometimes, that response is created by the salesperson’s opening question.

If you ask, “How may I help you today?” or “What brings you in today?” you will most likely get, “I’m just looking” as a response. Predictably. Consistently. So instead of asking a question that invites resistance, prepare several opening questions or statements that create ease. As a result of objectively observing them when they first came in, consider what they might respond to. You might ask, “Traffic was heavy when I came in earlier. How was it for you coming here?” Or you might make a statement like, “Let me tell you where things are located in the store,” and then do that before you ask a question.

You can also think about how you physically approach them. Do you greet them directly, face to face? Do you greet them indirectly, “over the shoulder,” while you are doing something else, like fluffing nearby upholstery? Do you walk up to them, or stand in one place before you begin to speak?

This is not about having one perfect greeting. It is about having several opening questions or statements to choose from, experimenting with them, and gauging their effectiveness.

As a salesperson, practice this in two parts. First, take a moment to observe the customer before you greet them. Then practice asking different opening questions with another salesperson to see how they land and what they inspire as a response.

As a sales manager, practice this step weekly with different sales associates. Measure comfort and effectiveness. Create a master list of opening questions and statements for the team to use.

And if this is an area where you or your team could use more practice, join me tomorrow for the July Sales Skills session, Turning Browsers Into Buyers, on Wednesday, July 15 at 3 PM EDT. We will talk about how to move from casual interest to purposeful conversation, identify buying cues early, shift from “helping” to “leading” the sale, and guide customers toward a decision without pressure.

A browser becomes a buyer when you help them see what is possible.

Register here

Now, go observe, create, and practice this step!

oxo,

Jody