There are numerous ways to play a transaction in store – Fortegra presents a short quiz to help salespeople identify the optimum scenario …
Hey, hot shot. Are you really the sales superstar you think you are? Let’s take a walk through a few sensitive customer scenarios to see how you’d handle the situation. Once you’re finished, check your answers to see if you’ve still got a thing or two to learn, or if you truly are a sales pro. Good luck!
1. A customer walks into your store. You greet them and, when asked what they’re shopping for today, they reply with the classic, “Just looking around”, line. But they seem really interested in bedroom sets. What do you do next?
a) Leave them alone so they can shop in peace
b) Make some recommendations on bedroom set options
c) Ask them a few more questions about why they stopped in today
d) Tell them about your latest deals and promotions.
Answer: c) Ask them a few more questions about why they stopped in today. Approaching customers with the intention of conversation rather than interrogation is always the best approach. In this scenario, you should attempt to start some friendly conversation with the customer to find out why they came in and what they’re looking for before you offer any recommendations.
2. A customer approaches you with some questions about sofa beds. They’ve got a few things in mind, but want your expert opinion on different options. What do you do?
a) Pitch them the most expensive model
b) Consult with them to best determine their needs
c) Walk the customer through the product specs of each model
d) Tell the customer you don’t feel comfortable giving your opinion
Answer: b) Consult with them to best determine their needs. Before you move in for the close, it’s crucial to determine what the customer really needs – the real reason they’re looking for that sleeper sofa in a particular material and colour. Consult before you pitch, and you’ll be more likely to walk away with a sale.
3. A family of five comes in to shop for a dining room table. They have a tight budget and are eyeing smaller table sets that only seat two. How do you handle it?
a) Let them purchase the two-seat table. A sale is a sale
b) Pitch them on your largest, cheapest dining room set
c) Tell them they’re making a bad decision
d) Discuss the value of stretching to purchase a larger set
Answer: d) Discuss the value of stretching to purchase a larger set. Good salespeople know that price and value are two different things. Demonstrate the greater value of a table that can seat their entire family and provide them with appropriate options, so they don’t feel financially stressed about the purchase.
4. When you ask a customer if they need help, they reply with an abrupt “No.” What do you do next?
a) Give them a break and then approach again in a few minutes
b) Leave them alone
c) Remind them of your latest deals and special offers
d) Reply with a snarky comment
Answer: a) Give them a break and then approach again in a few minutes. On the sales floor, “no” is rarely a firm, non-negotiable “no”. As we all know, a good sales pro doesn’t give up too easily. Be persistent and have the confidence to approach grumpy customers multiple times until they’re willing to have a conversation.
5) A salesperson on your team knocks their individual sales goal out of the park, bringing in the most monthly revenue of any salesperson ever. How do you respond?
a) Quietly congratulate your teammate in the break room
b) Share the win with your entire team – a win for one is a win for all
c) Feel down on yourself for not hitting numbers that high
d) Talk about your teammate behind their back
Answer: b) Share the win with your entire team – a win for one is a win for all. Successful sales teams are unified around a common goal. When one salesperson does exceptionally well, it’s a win for the entire team that should be celebrated and embraced. Take your individual goals seriously, but when someone manages to bring in major revenue, it’s a success for the entire team and business.
Practice makes perfect! Keep practising and soon enough, you’ll be a sales superstar. Use this quiz as a roadmap to improve your techniques and, ultimately, win more sales.
Fortegra is a single-source insurance services company that, through a network of subsidiaries and preferred partners, offers a range of credit protection, warranty, and specialty underwriting solutions.
