When sales are slow, do you complain or create?

Expert Columnists - Doug Fleener - At the Counter

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When sales are slow, do you complain or create?

By Doug Fleener

April 20, 2009

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At the Counter

Doug Fleener is president and managing partner of Dynamic Experiences Group (Dynamic ExperiencesGroup.com) in Lexington, Mass., and author of The Profitable Retailer.

On a recent shopping trip, I overheard a conversation between two retail salespeople who--seemingly oblivious to the customers within earshot--were complaining about the current state of affairs at their store.

One was whining that there wasn't enough traffic to make a good bonus, while the other was complaining that the shoppers who were coming in weren't buying anything. Then, one said to the other, "I'm done with this place. I'm going to go apply to other stores on my day off."

Now, mind you, at the moment this conversation took place there were about five potential customers in the store who were being completely ignored by these two. With that last comment I was tempted to tell the dynamic duo that I totally agreed--they should quit. They deserve better! But if I spoke up, I would not have been referring to the salespeople, but to the retail store and its customers. They deserve better.

There are two types of salespeople: those who wait for the easy sale, and those who create sales. In this challenging economy, the easy sales are gone, so salespeople who cannot or do not create their own sales are going to struggle.

Those two salespeople should quit because it's going to be quite some time before they'll have it easy again.

To be successful in today's retail environment, particularly in the luxury goods sector, a salesperson has to spend a considerable amount of time and effort to create a sale. It requires making phone calls, sending thank-you and follow-up notes, and asking customers and new people you meet for referrals.

Most of all, it takes a positive attitude. It means accepting the fact that it will take more effort to make a sale than it used to. It's knowing that you have to maximize every customer opportunity because there may or may not be another one that day. It's also having the ability to start each day fresh, whatever the previous day's results.

There is plenty of opportunity for those who create sales--even now--mostly because their competitors are standing around complaining.

So, let me ask, are you taking the daily actions necessary to succeed?

Editor's note: Doug Fleener's "At the Counter" column first appeared in the March 2009 print edition of National Jeweler in the Your Store section.

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