Customer demand in the luxury sector is so robust that many sales advisors are selling transactionally and not applying core add-on skills. Do your sales teams have what it takes to…
Sell beyond the ask?
Short-term transactions threaten the long-term business. Although, the business may be strong in the immediate, based on brands skilled at driving traffic for “it” items, how much business is being left on the table by advisors who don’t have the skills to sell what customers didn’t come in for? Marketers get the credit for creating demand – but it’s the sales advisor that closes the sale – or not.
So what can you to do?
Put Relationship FIRST®
Too often luxury brands double down on selling skills and neglect the core of all relationships, which is an interpersonal connection that requires genuine listening, empathy, and emotional intelligence. While this may seem obvious, common knowledge is not common practice. I invite you to look at your curriculums and gauge if these topics are getting the requisite attention.
WIN: An advisor who masters these skills has a special touch for creating trust with new clients and for forging long-term relationships that translate to brand loyalty.
Contact us to learn more about how we develop employee interpersonal skills to deepen relationships with customers and increase sales.
Martin Shanker is founder and president of Shanker Inc., a New York-based global consultancy deploying its Relationship FIRST® Method for luxury retailers and brands to develop their sales teams with a focus on neurosciences, emotional intelligence, and behavior-based training. Clients include Burberry, Cartier, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, LVMH, Lane Crawford, Tod’s and Van Cleef & Arpels. Reach him at martin.shanker@shankerinc.com.
