{"id":492,"date":"2017-03-01T01:11:24","date_gmt":"2017-03-01T09:11:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/?p=492"},"modified":"2025-11-11T04:05:07","modified_gmt":"2025-11-11T12:05:07","slug":"5-tips-to-help-your-retail-team-sell-more-without-being-salesy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/5-tips-to-help-your-retail-team-sell-more-without-being-salesy\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Tips To Help Your Retail Team Sell More (Without Being Salesy)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sales and negotiating techniques from an FBI expert<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n

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A woman walks into a home audio store with 3 kids in tow.<\/span><\/p>\n

Immediately, one of the store\u2019s employees walks up to her.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>\u201cHow are you doing ma’am?\u201d he asks with an (overly) large smile. \u201cAnything I can help you out with today?\u201d<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>She shakes her head. \u201cJust looking today\u2026\u201d her voice trails off.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, what are you looking for?\u201d he persists.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>\u201cI think my husband would really like something for his garage so that he can listen to music while working on the cars\u201d, she says.<\/span><\/p>\n

Almost before she is done talking, the employee exclaims, \u201cOh, I\u2019ve got the PERFECT system for you! This guy over here has two subwoofer and surround sound. Whaddya think?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUhhh, that might be a bit much\u2026 I really just need something that can play music for the garage, not a big party\u2026\u201d The woman is starting to look a bit uncomfortable.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, garages can be loud, you know? And this system has more than enough power to cut through whatever noise there is. Let\u2019s try some music out so you can see what I mean…\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The woman nods, but her body language suggests that she\u2019s looking for a quick exit from the conversation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t Let This Be You!<\/span><\/h2>\n

It\u2019s unlikely that you would be this ham-fisted in your sales attempts as our hypothetical clerk. You’re probably pretty sales savvy (or you have someone on your staff who is) or else you wouldn\u2019t be in a position to read this blog post.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, as you expand your team, you can\u2019t rely on one or two \u201crainmakers\u201d to do all the sales for your company. You need a way to systematically train your floor employees to be effective salespeople – without being salesy.<\/span><\/p>\n

We\u2019ll define the difference between selling and being salesy like this:<\/span><\/p>\n

Selling<\/span><\/i> is when you focus on the relationship with your customers, using the tools of empathy and active listening to gently guide them towards the right purchase.<\/span><\/p>\n

Being salesy<\/span><\/i> is when you focus on getting as much money from your customers as possible, making the customer feel pressured to make a purchase as a result.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

While sales pressure can create a benefit in the short term (selling the huge subwoofer system today) it can backfire in the long run. <\/b>If your customers feel pressured while in your store, they\u2019re going to have an unpleasant emotional experience associated with your brand.<\/span>
\n<\/span>And the next time that customer wants to buy what you offer, it\u2019s pretty likely they\u2019ll go somewhere else (or just buy from a competitor on Amazon).<\/span><\/p>\n

However, when you prioritize the customer\u2019s experience, you\u2019re creating a relationship with that customer, if only in a business sense. And in the long run, a positive relationship will lead to repeat sales and customer loyalty, which is where the true profits are made.<\/span><\/p>\n

What An FBI Hostage Negotiator Can Teach Your Staff About Selling<\/span><\/h2>\n

In <\/span>\u201cNever Split The Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It\u201d,<\/span><\/a> author Chris Voss gives invaluable negotiating and sales lessons gained from his career as the FBI\u2019s lead international hostage negotiator.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>While the retail store environment is outwardly very different from a hostage negotiation, once you get down to the \u201cbrass tacks\u201d as Voss would say, there are a lot of similarities.<\/span><\/p>\n

Both sides have differing goals, but hope they can find a resolution. Money is involved. And human emotions (rather than logical or \u201crational\u201d decision making) are where the real conversation happens.<\/span><\/p>\n

Put simply, the skills Voss teaches are highly leveraged ways of:<\/span><\/p>\n