Increasing your business’ sales can seem like a tricky process. Where do you start and how much is it going to cost you? Those are probably the questions going through your head right now, but the good news is that there are 5 simple techniques that you can implement into your business that will help you boost sales without costing you a dime or taking too much hard work.
1. Put the customer first.
The first thing every salesperson in your establishment needs to do is put the customer first. This does not just mean the brand new customers who walk through your door, but the loyal customers who have already purchased from you—those customers need to be lured back or your business will not flourish. Sure, it is great to get new business, but without your loyal customers coming back, those new customers are going to dwindle too. Help your employees learn how to cater to those repeat customers with simple tactics, such as greeting them by name, informing them of future sales, and offering them free samples of new products. The more special or rewarded your current customers feel, the more likely it is that they will come back again and again.
2. Cut down on the time a sale takes.
Customers are busy (as we all are), which means they want to be in and out of your establishment in as little time as possible. You can help make this happen by having your sales professionals ready for any questions or problems that come up including having access to the pricing, special offers, and any other issues that may arise during the sales process. If there are questions that your sales staff cannot answer, they need to have a method of obtaining the answer fast—whether via telephone, instant message or any other way that technology allows them to provide an instant answer, taking the risk of losing the customer to a competitor that has the answer right away. In general, the quicker you can get customers in and out, the more satisfied they will be.
3. Cut down on wait time.
No one likes to wait, whether it is for a table at a restaurant, a fitting room at a retail store, or a room at the doctor’s office, waiting feels like a waste of time. Rather than forcing your customers to wait and get angry, use a waiting list management software that enables you to notify your clients when it is their turn. This efficient method of alerting clients helps to move people around your establishment and focusing on other things which is especially helpful if you are a retail store or a restaurant with a bar where clients can be spending more money. The app allows you to text customers right on their own smartphone or tablet when it is their turn. This helps to not only increase your profits, but also increase customer satisfaction, which can be directly tied to a successful business.
4. Enlist team work.
Your employees should be able to work well together for the greater good of the clients. When you have employees that have one another’s back, you can trust that the customers are well cared for rather than having employees that are only out for themselves. For example, in the restaurant business, if you have a wait staff that not only caters to their specific tables, but keeps an eye on others to see if they have any immediate needs, you will have a higher level of customer satisfaction and a higher customer loyalty rate than an establishment with tables that get ignored because a server is overwhelmed.
5. Keep your employees happy.
No employee is going to try to boost your sales for you if he is unhappy. Let your employees know on a regular basis how important they are to you and that you value them. When employees feel like they have a special part in the success of a business, they are more likely to work hard to continue to increase sales. This step only requires you to be genuine and true to your word in order to make your employees feel good.
If you are ready to take your sales to the next level, try a few of these simple tips. Whether you add a few simple steps to make the sales process easier for your sales professionals or you start to use a wait list management app, the key is that your focus is on the customer and how you can make his experience better. These tips will not take away from your profits; in fact, they will enhance your profits by allowing you to be more accessible to the customer in the long run.
Featured photo credit: Phil Roeder via flickr.com
