Page 98 - Lighting Magazine March 2018

on the Mark
While the conventional sweet spot for impulse pricing is $20 and less, I’ve seen some impulse purchases as high as $400.
Mark Okun is Business Contributor to enLIGHTenment Magazine and President of Mark Okun Consulting & Performance Group. He has more than 30 years of hands- on retail experience training and coaching sales associates in the lighting and furniture industries. Mark@bravo businessmedia.com
dIspLay To supporT cross-seLLInG
Merchandise complementary items prominently where they make the most sense. There is natural uidity that happens when Cross-selling associated items without breaking the continuity of the pre- sentation. To increase wireless control sales, have working displays, product props, and POP strategi- cally located.
When suggesting Cross-sell items this way, the client can see immediately how the items work together. If you have to walk across the showroom to nd a display, prop, or product information, you’ll lose your sales cadence with the client along the way.
Be considerate of your customer with the prod- ucts you present. Your Cross-sell items should be a logical t. For example, if the customer wants a chandelier, suggest bulbs, dimmers/controls, etc.
The unrelated Cross-sell is also an essential tool. As you learn more about your clients – called dis- covery and rapport – items can be o ered that have an emotional appeal by being associated with their home décor or lifestyle. It is your job to discover their interest and present those emotional impulse items. Remember, if you o er add-on items and don’t ask for the sale, the result is always same.
The sales teams that are successful at Cross- and Upselling will be adept at painting a picture of value or raising the emotional desire of their clients. The goal is to have customers envision all the joy of buying the primary product with the additional bene ts of the add-ons.
makInG IT happen
To recap: Train your team to understand what the cli- ent wants and ask for their opinion on the best item on display in the style they are interested in.
Explain every feature and bene t. There may be only one feature that strikes a chord with the cus- tomer, and if that feature is not available in a similar style, it will lead back to the original item shown.
Display your be er items so they are easily seen. I recommend having the next logical xture in the same area for quick comparison and to facilitate Up- selling. Think of it as a simple step-down progression: Best, Be er, Good.
Take a lesson from your digital competition and add the phrase, “Customers who have bought this piece also bought XYZ because...”
Plan your pricing strategy for the side-sell items, which o en carry much higher margins. It makes sense to o er an immediate special discount on those; this incentive will raise the desire to buy now and to buy more in a single transaction.
TraIn, observe, measure & GIve feedback
If you want the bene ts of increased average sales when using side-selling, implement these sales man- agement principles:
Observe the sales team’s activities.
Give immediate feedback on client interactions.
Measure and document the results, both posi- tive and negative.
Provide results-based coaching that is individual and appropriate.
Everything that can be done to maximize margins and increase average sales while being on the top of our customer’s minds will keep your store relevant as we prepare to move into the next decade of the 21st Century. Happy Selling! 
96 enLIGHTenment Magazine | March 2018
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