Why can’t anyone sell me something?  I visit businesses every day and so far the only place that I have been asked to buy something was at the video store. The kid behind the counter said, “You know what will go well with that movie? Popcorn and we have it on sale. ”It was conversational and it wasn’t until I paid and left that it hit me. I was actually sold something. Once I realized it, I started counting the places I visited that sold me something. Where someone would actually talk with me about a product and how I should buy it. I am still looking for that next place. (On a side note, I have not been shopping for a car lately).

Do managers not understand that their bonus is attached to the amount of sales that flow through the register? I have seen it more times than I can mention here how the employees of a store (manager included) just go through the paces of operating a store and don’t grab every dollar they can. Is it a change in the way business is done these days? I can’t imagine that anyone would want to leave the amount of a sale to chance. Even the table games in Vegas have the dealer ask you to place your bets. Nothing left to chance there. So what is wrong with the way most small businesses are being operated?

Ultimately, it is the owner’s fault. Yes, I am going right to the source and holding a mirror in front of the owner. As a small business consultant if I can shine a light on the store owner’s situation maybe they will change what they are doing.

Why isn’t anyone selling anything? I have heard it all.

“I can’t find good people to work here. “

“The employees won’t work harder than they have to.”

“No one sells more than me.  The employees can’t do what I do.” – Personal favorite

All of these statements are a reflection of a lack of training/ coaching programs. Start at the beginning. When you were thinking about owning a store, did you think about how the employees were going to treat customers, what they were going to do to sell your products, and how much you would earn? Of course you did. It’s the “Business Utopia” effect that got you into business in the first place. So, you started your business, you ran it well, and then….what happened?
There are a couple of things that crop up once you get your store going.

• You realized that you do not train people well.
• You realized that you do not know HOW to train people.
• You did not set expectations with your employees from day one.
• You hired the wrong people.

Anyone can manage a store (if they care to). The hardest part of business is selling products and services. Money and keeping it rolling in is the only reason that matters in business. Call me a Capitalist, but it is true. No matter how noble you are, no one gets into business to just give people jobs.

So, where do you start?

If you are your own best salesperson, you are ahead of the game. Congratulations! You know what works. The idea is to clone what works and get more people to do what you do. Start by writing down what you do to get a good sale. From the time a customer walks into the store until they leave with a receipt. Make it logical, legible, and easy to tell someone else like you were telling a story.
Too often an owner will post a script at the register and leave it to the employees to read it to the customers. Not only does that no work, but it actually hurts your business. It is degrading to a worker to read a script to a customer. Hire for talent, give them direction, and then get out of the way.

Talented people find their own words and ways to make sales. They just need to know that getting bigger and bigger sales are part of the job.

Get the training started this way:

• Before the customer gets to the store get ready. That includes looking like a place that people want to spend money.

The video store has the crew wear T-shorts that have the latest movie for rent on it and poster around the front doors.  The message is clear – BUY THIS!

• Let the crew know what to say about the products. Give them a list of statements and questions they can use to talk with customers about adding items to their sale.
• “Have you tried, seen, heard about..?”
• “This is nice…”
• “If you ever needed a …we have it.”
• Have the crew demonstrate the product or service in the store.
• There is a large group of customers unaccustomed to change and want to know that they can ask someone questions to feel more secure BEFORE buying.

Training (and re-training) is the ONLY way to make big things happen in your business. Have the vision that you did when you were starting out and keep that vision of how you want the store to look, sound, and behave. Be creative, be positive, and be ready to reinforce the winning team members as they sell more.