The Experience Matters More Than the Price!
It’s Christmas time and you are off to buy a perfume for your loved one. Arriving at the department store you head to the perfume section and start looking. Once you have settled on one you like you flag down the nonchalant assistant who wanders over. She has her phone in her hand and she says to you, “Can I assist you?”, while hardly looking up.
You ask if there is anything similar to the particular fragrance you are holding and she shrugs. She then makes a feeble attempt to pick the next closest fragrance from the shelf and hand it to you – It’s completely wrong!
Having had this experience and ready to move past it, you say that you don’t need any help and you will continue to look by yourself. She shrugs and wanders back to the till where she starts a rather loud conversation on the phone.
After a few minutes, you decide on two perfumes that you are going to buy, one for yourself and one for your partner and head to the till. One perfume doesn’t have a box and you ask the assistant if they have any new boxes in the back.
She barely looks up and says that if I couldn’t see it on the shelf, there aren’t any more! You politely ask if she could check if there is stock. She says there isn’t any available and her computer isn’t working.
Still determined, you press on and say you will at least take one of the items and try to find the other item elsewhere. She says it’s £74.99 and you pass your card over. She says she cannot process card payments there and I need to go over to the till on the other side of the store. She goes back to looking at her phone.
I am sure by now, like you, I would have left. I will probably never return either. The same as I will not return to a corner shop or mini supermarket if I am served by someone who cannot put their phone to talk to me. Is that too much to ask? To petty? I am passing my hard-earned money over to a shopkeeper who doesn’t have the interest to talk to their customers.
The same is true of the market stall. Your customers came for the experience as much as they came for necessary supplies and exciting new tastes. They will very quickly vote with their feet with poor service by not returning to your stall if the experience is anything but good or excellent. They will most likely tell their friends too.
There are so many ways to make the experience great. A brief discussion about the item they are looking at, its uses, and of course complementary products. Then you could offer wrapping, packaging and further information from websites, YouTube videos and more.
Experience matters! The customer came to visit your stall. They stopped to ask questions. They, at the very least, deserve a good experience!
Here are some things you can do to improve your customer experience:
1. Dress Appropriately
It seems such a simple thing to do! Look tidy and well dressed and you will be more approachable. Wearing an Armani Suit in a Marketplace may look out of place a little, but that doesn’t mean you need to wear your old gardening clothes either.
If you are selling any food products, wear clean white clothes or at the very least a clean white apron. It shows you take pride in your products and your hygiene. It is a visual cue.
Buying is very visual, and you are part of what constitutes the “just looking” statement. Dress like you care about yourself and your stall!
2. Organise your stall
A simple trick for any stall owner is to ensure the layout of your items is easily seen and that it looks uncluttered. There should be an order to the way you layout your stall. Group similar items together. Show how items may complement each other. If descriptions need to be written, make sure they are clear and concise. (Especially ingredient lists and allergy advice)
You have a few seconds to catch the eye of a potential customer’s attention. If they can see what you have and understand what you are doing, then you are more likely going to attract them into your stall.
Dust items, and remove dirt as best as possible, if you have plenty of stock, don’t show it all at once, store some under the table and take it out as you sell.
3. Your customer is Special
I know the customer isn’t always right and I am very much aware that there are some obnoxious, pain-in-the-ass customers that you would rather not deal with, but you may find that they are also your greatest spokespersons!
Your customers keep you fed. They clothe you and they will take you to the heady heights of bigger ventures if you so choose. Make them feel special!
If they leave feeling like you don’t care, they will not care about you.
Talk to your customer who is “just looking“. Ask what they may be interested in. Show your interest by talking about videos, experiences and things you have seen or done, or used the items you are selling with. They will be back another day!
4. Be the expert
When talking about your product, be the expert. You know about it, you know its limitations, its uses and you should know of interesting ways it can be used.
If you are selling food, suggest some recipes that can be made with your product. Point the customer to YouTube videos where they can see your product being used, or websites and blogs that can help them make different uses of it.
5. Upsell
Don’t be afraid of the upsell. If someone is looking for one item, offer a complementary product or even a higher ticket item that may be of more use to their requirements. They will appreciate the time you are giving them and the advice that you are offering if you can explain the reasons clearly enough.
Selling scarfs, why not offer a scarf hanger or some scarf jewellery that will compliment the colour or improve the look? Have images or model the image with the jewellery with the scarf right on your stall.
That way you are not only selling a scarf but also a little jewellery too.
6. Packaging
Tasteful packaging can set your item apart. When starting out you may only be able to purchase non-branded packaging. Place your contact details on a card and pop it in the bag with the customer’s items.
As you begin to sell more confidently consider a paper bag with your logo on it, or a bag that has your brand name on it. The customer will walk around the market with your logo and brand for everyone to see. It’s simple but effective.
When they get home, their items have been protected and they know where to find you again if they want to purchase more items or pass your details on to a friend.
Conclusion
Your stall is an extension of yourself. Treat your customers to a wonderful experience and they will return again and again. Treat them poorly and they will tell everyone about you, and avoid you!
Dress appropriately, organise your stall and make your customer feel special. Be the expert and upsell other items you have on your stall. You are a solo marketing machine, from clothing to packaging now and you want everyone to know you have a great product.
Experience always matters!
There are many ways to sell your products and make your customers feel special. Share some ways a customer can feel cared for over on Facebook or Instagram. Let’s make the service great for everyone.
