Sell More Stuff! by Dan Mann

Sell More Stuff. You Can’t Afford Not To.

o you think you’re good at selling shoes, huh? Well, I’m here to tell you that you don’t really sell shoes at all. Sure, you fit a bunch on people’s feet, maybe offer up some socks too, but customers show up to buy that stuff anyway. Selling shoes in a specialty running store is easy because you’re ringing up customers for what they expect to buy in the first place. I’d bet good money that you kick yourself for not moving accessories or apparel as you do footwear. You probably even think it’s a sales problem. Well, it’s not. Not completely, anyhow. Fact is, the general public thinks of you as a shoe store, so that’s what brings them through your doors— shoes. Very few customers associate running stores with hydration packs, reflective gear, bras, or massage tools. You actually have to sell these items. Wouldn’t it be nice to restock these items more than you dust them? These four steps will help you get started: By Tom Griffen

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A strong vision creates a solid foundation for everything else. STEP 1: Consider Your Store Culture

Asking you to define your store culture is like asking a fish to describe water. It’s difficult to truly explain because it’s too close to see clearly. Your culture starts with what motivated you to get into the run business in the first place. Are you still in touch with your reason for getting up in the morning? If not, you need to step back and reevaluate. Everything that happens in the store, including sales, starts with the store’s vision. It serves as the foundation for every decision that’s made. It’s what attracts people to your store and what keeps them coming back. It’s why folks can’t help singing your praises. If your vision involves

providing an amazing experience for your customers (most do), then the culture should reflect it. If it doesn’t, maybe it hasn’t been effectively communicated. A strong vision is driven by that fire burning in your belly— your passion. A strong team will naturally align themselves with a store’s vision because they believe in it too. Revisit your vision and share it—in newsletters, marketing, staff training and daily conversation. When people feel like they’re part of something bigger, they are more likely to get on board. A strong vision creates a solid foundation for everything else. STEP 2: Know Your Market

Savvy retailers put aside

what they want and think about their business from the customer’s perspective. This applies to everything from the general layout of the store to how your staff your staff is expected to interact with the next person through the door. When you know your market, you are a more relevant retail environment. Customers can tell if you’ve done your homework and will appreciate your efforts. They’ll thank you with their dollars. But make no mistake, your market can, and will change. You need to do everything you can to stay one step ahead of the curve. The best way to do this is to ask your customers good questions, then listen to their answers. Good questions show that

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Sell More Stuff (continued)

Tom Griffen, The Mann Group

• A good plan is rooted by thoughtful analysis. • When employees have context for your inventory, it’s easier for them to confidently talk about it. •

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you are interested in your customer’s needs. Good listening establishes rapport. Once your customer views you as a trusted advisor, they will be more available to your product recommendations. But be careful not to impose your own financial limitations on your customer. The trust that’s been established will all be done in vain if your customer gets home and realizes they need more stuff. Reframe your position to that of an educator and make product recommendations until you’ve exhausted your list of solutions or until the customer says they’re done. Never sooner. STEP 3: Create A Plan

Just like running a race, the start line can only exist if there’s a finish line, too. One without the other causes confusion. The same goes for accessories and apparel—you need a plan that strategizes their life in your store. A plan that questions your budget, the historical sell-through, the marketing opportunities and the vendor’s commitment to help you move it. A good plan is rooted by thoughtful analysis. When you get your vendor involved in the plan, you’re letting them know that they matter. You’re also giving them a chance to be a proactive part of your selling team. Ask them questions. Their responses will tell you a lot about their commitment. Vendors who want to see your busi-

ness grow will appreciate your plan. Others may give you reason to spend your open to buy elsewhere. Don’t forget your staff— they want to be part of the plan, too. When employees have context for your inventory, it’s easier for them to confidently talk about it. And when they talk about it, it moves. It’s not rocket science. STEP 4: Train, Train, Train

It’s obvious that training is part of the plan, but all too often it’s left out because of the plan. Specialty retailers often put together a fantastic strategy for the buying, marketing, and selling of a product, then assume that’s good enough. There’s still work to be done. Staff need to be given various tools to turn the inventory. Consistent and regular training will make all the difference. Train your staff in a way that models how you’d discuss the product with a customer. Explain the product’s features and benefits—but don’t be like many retailers and stop there. Continue with some imagery that connects the product to the person. Training on a nutritional product might go something like this: This new gel comes in a sturdy but packable pouch (features), consuming one per hour keeps your body from bonking (benefits), and when you take it regularly during that 50k you told me about, you’ll be able to enjoy the scenery and the experience rather than des-

perately crawl to the next aid station because you’re out of gas. Give your staff language that puts the product in the customer’s world. A great training game is called “Gimme Five.” Grab a product from the floor and ask someone to tell you five items that are connected to it. Do the same thing with a concept, an injury, or a race distance. This helps your staff make associations that link one product with many, many others. Do it so often that come game time it kicks in with muscle memory. Watch your UPTs go through the roof. Any day of the week, you could go to any popular running spot in your town and see some of your customers. They’ll rant and rave about the fantastic service they got from your store and tell you how much they love the shoes on their feet. As they run away, you’ll wonder where they got that handheld water bottle, those funky split shorts, and synthetic v-neck tee. You’ll wonder where they bought that tie-dye headband, the knee brace, and cool polarized sunglasses. You carry all that stuff, but they didn’t buy any of it from you. If you want to stay alive in this business, you need to sell more accessories, more apparel. To do that you ought to make some changes. Shoot, you can’t afford not to. n Tom Griffen is senior project manager at The Mann Group.