Sell more with questions

I EARN why your customer is considering buying a b tool and vou'll know exactlv how to sell it to him. That's the theory of a dealer whb specializes in meeting the needs of the weekend do-it-yourselfer.

Quoting industry statistics, he points out that 700h of the tool purchases are planned in preparation for doing a project while l00i are bought for an emergency repair or one-time job. The other 200h are impulse buys instigated by a good point of purchase display or demonstration.

Helping the customer select the right tool, which is often of better quality than he was planning to buy, is based on asking the right questions, our expert says. Selling up is not his objective although the result is often a bigger ticket sale. The purpose of his questions is to help the customer get the most for his money in both quality and satisfaction.

This dealer has discovered over the years that a customer is willing to pay more for a tool which will meet a specific need or make the job easier to do. Often the buyer is unfamiliar with the options available. ln this case, the knowledgeable salesperson must help him to find the right tool.

When one of the store's sales people sees a customer looking at tools or is asked where a particular tool is located, he swings into action with a series of questions similar to the following.

o What sort of project are you doing?

o Do you do a lot of projects like this?

o Are you planning more or bigger projects using this tool?

. How often will you be using the tool?

o Are you familiar with how the tool is used?

o Are you looking for any particular features?

o Is it a replacement tool?

o What don't you like about the tool you are replacing?

o What additional features would you like?

Story at a Glance

Examples of how a dealer has built a reputation as a tool specialist. . . ways to im' prove tool sales. effective selling approach.

As he gets the answers to these questions, the salesperson begins to zero in on the experience level of the do-it-yourselfer and the quality of tool he will need to achieve satisfaction. If the tool will get little use, he helps the shopper select the best economical consumer tool. If the d-i-yer is experienced and will be using the tool heavily, he shows him the advantages ofthe heavy duty professional tools, pointing out the features that make better quality tools an excellent investment.

When he senses the customer is impressed with the logic of buying better quality, he gives him the opportunity to try the tool out. At this time he again points out the features which make the tool a good investment, allowing the customer to feel for himself the difference in balance, power and ease of use.

Usually the customer sells himself on the higher quality tool. The dealer says they often come back to report on the success ofthe project and tell the salesperson how happy they were with the performance of the tool. The next time they need a tool, they remember the previous purchase as a satisfying experience.

A dealer can't lose using the question approach, he emphasizes. If you determine the less expensive tool is what the customer needs, he'll be pleased with the price and perceive the store as economical. If the experienced d-i-yer buys the heavy duty professional model and it works well with no problems, he'll perceive the store as offering quality. Both will become loyal customers.

The dealer wins both ways.