Part 13— by Scott Morris
A Timeless Lesson on the Art of Persuasion!! – Part 14
Here’s how a furniture rep achieved rock star status with some cash and an
idea. It’s a lesson sales managers and owners can use to get sales results.
The greatest sales meeting I ever attended occurred decades ago. It was so
memorable that I recall even its smallest details. In this installment of
the Next Level Training series, I will share some impactful moments from
that meeting, and then identify remarkable “gems” that you can easily use
during your own sales meetings!
The person who led the meeting was a furniture rep who worked for Armstrong,
a company well-known in the flooring business. In the early 1960s, Armstrong
purchased several furniture operations, including Thomasville, introducing
the first (to my knowledge) bedroom sets to use laminated finishes and
“wrapped” drawers. None of the salespeople in our major furniture store
liked these sets. They refused to sell them because “they were not made of
wood.”
The rep decided to conduct a store-wide sales meeting. Just before everyone
arrived, he had a dresser brought into the employee lunchroom and pulled out
a huge roll of $5 bills. First, he said, “What do you like most about this
set?” After about 30 seconds, the answers started pouring in, at which time
he promptly rewarded each salesperson with a $5 bill worth nearly $50 in
today’s money. This continued for about 30 minutes until his huge bankroll
was gone.
He then took us to one of his sets on the sales floor. At this point, an
announcement had been made over our loudspeaker system that the store was
now open, but no one would leave the rep’s side as he casually walked around
the store! He had, in effect, achieved instant rock star status with a
dedicated and loyal following, even though all his cash was long gone!
The Armstrong rep attracted this same kind of attention whenever he returned
to our store, even though he never offered additional monetary enticements.
About two months following his first visit, the store manager complained to
the sales team, “Now we aren’t selling anything else, and it’s killing all
our other bedroom sales! If you guys don’t start selling other sets, I will
be forced to take those three Armstrong bedrooms off the floor!”
“He had, in effect, achieved instant rock star status with a dedicated and
loyal following, even though all his cash was long gone!”
The furniture rep never explained anything about those sets. Instead, he
enticed the salespeople to do the selling for him! This amazing lesson was
certainly not lost on me. So, I started asking my retail customers, “What do
you like most about this set?” whenever they became hesitant or remained
quiet for too long. It usually works like magic! Why would asking this one
simple question be of such great benefit? It’s because it causes a person to
change from a negative or hesitant point of view to a more positive and
proactive one. They become actively engaged in justifying the purchase of an
item rather than looking for drawbacks.
Gem #1
Motivate Your Salespeople!
The phrase “What do you like most about…” has virtually limitless
applications. Here are just a few examples that can be used for some
inspirational sales meetings. “What do you like most about selling
furniture?” “What do you like most about working for our store?” “What do
you like most about suggesting a new mattress to customers?”
Gem #2
You Too Can Be a “Rock Star!”
The Armstrong rep achieved the seemingly impossible by offering a cash
incentive to entice positive responses. He invested between $1,000 and
$1,500 (in today’s dollars) to produce a 180-degree turnaround regarding the
perception of his poorly received product line. I would venture to say that,
as a commissioned salesperson, he probably got that much back in commissions
from just the sales generated that day of the meeting!
You too can also reverse the minds of even some of the most stubborn people
on your sales team with just a little extra cash to help grease the rails.
Think about what areas of store performance you’d like to move forward by
simply reframing a negative situation with “the magical question.” For
example, instead of complaining about the sales team not selling enough
add-on accessories, merely ask “What do you like most about selling add-on
accessories?” Rewarding each positive answer not only reverses negative
thinking but also places salespeople who respond in the limelight in front
of their peer group!
“The Armstrong rep achieved the seemingly impossible by offering a cash
incentive to entice positive responses. He invested between $1,000 and
$1,500 (in today’s dollars) to produce a 180-degree turnaround regarding the
perception of his poorly received product line.”
Gem #3
Showcase & Reward Performance!
Imagine that while attending a meeting of your peers, such as a general
meeting for store managers in your region, your boss asked the following
question to the entire group. “What do you like most about how “YOUR NAME”
runs their store?” I think you would feel pretty proud just for being
singled out for recognition! I’m willing to bet that members of your sales
team will feel the same way as you if, for example, you ask “What do you
like most about the way Mike greets his customers?” The idea is that
positive recognition reinforces desired behavior, generates competition, and
creates an eagerness among team members to emulate behavior that gets
rewarded!
Gem #4
Reward Great New Ideas!
The next two gems also utilize the immediate cash reward approach. Many
items you sell have multiple purposes, and stimulating discussion in sales
meetings about them can be beneficial.
Consider asking the following kinds of questions and rewarding each person
who responds with a cash bonus. “How many different uses for an ottoman can
you come up with?” The same line of questioning can be used for dining
chairs, sleepers, nightstands, and a host of others. The net effect will not
only be a more informed sales team and happier customers, but it will also
help your team become laser-focused and enthusiastic enough to burst out of
the meeting and start selling.
Gem #5
Spread Best Practices!
I always say that “my customers have been my best university.” Every week on
your sales floor, your salespeople encounter truly great learning
experiences in their “real-life” selling moments with customers.
It is an extremely beneficial practice to openly invite your sales team to
share these learning sales “trophies” with the rest of the group. Ask “Who
would like to share with us something you learned from a customer this
week?” If that doesn’t generate a reply, the following question should. “Who
would like to tell us the sale you were most proud of for the week and why?”
Afterward, ask the team to choose the colleague who made the most meaningful
share. Give that person a cash bonus or a gift card. Consider inscribing the
winner’s name on a “Selling Genius Trophy,” prominently displayed in the
showroom for a week. Talk about creating a culture of sharing and
celebrating each other’s victories!!
Just One Parting Thought!
Remember that finding ways to share ideas, celebrate successes and implement
best practices is the best way to grow sales. If you give your “rock star”
sales associates a chance to share and shine, over time you will elevate
your entire team. Happy Selling!