7 Tactics for Luxury Sales Associates to turn Prospects into Brand Advocates

Luxury retail landscape has undergone radical changes in the past few years. Thereby, it makes it imperative for luxury retailers to shift their focus from product to impeccable service; from selling to offering personalized experience; from providing consumer satisfaction to giving them ‘wow’ moment at each touch point; from being exclusive to being inclusive; from providing delayed gratification to offering instant gratification; from store associate to a story teller, expert and advisor; from happy visitor to loyal customer and brand advocate.

The convolution of modern retail sales process along with ever-changing business environment scenario makes it essential for luxury brands to empower and enrich their sales associates. Following are the 7 tactics that will help luxury sales associates to convert their prospects into brand advocates.

1. Know your customer: Knowing what is vital to clients, their expectations and the role of luxury brands in their lives may help sales associates to develop deeper connect between clients and the brand. Have knowledge about your clients’ profile to provide personalized services and recommendations. Empathize your clients, listen to their specific needs and develop a personal bond with them. It is very important to engage customers, assist them and greet them as a distinctive guest.

Remember: Luxury customers want to be treated special.

• Know your product: Pay attention to intricate details of your products. Make sure that each product has a story to tell and purpose to define. When customers resonate with these stories, they may understand the luxury brand DNA and brand promise which may create customers for life. Educate your clients on full range of merchandise available or else, you may undersell them. Let your clients decide what enthuses them rather than you limiting yourself or your clients.

Remember: You represent the best and you must be your best to sell it to clients.

• Know your competitor: Do thorough market research and have knowledge about the industry’s best practices. Benchmark direct and indirect competition, identify improvement areas and enhance consumer’s experience. Focus on continuous learning as what is relevant today may not be relevant tomorrow.

Remember: Luxury clients are most discerning and well-equipped.

• Develop interpersonal skills: Greet your clients with an enchanting smile, offer genuine help and assist them in finding the right product.  Build one-to-one individualized relationship with your clients. Be confident in reaching out to them in a way that makes them excited to hear from you. Keep a constant touch with them at every connect point through use of gifts, emails, letters, etc. and remind them of being special. Be passionate and show your enthusiasm.

Remember: Right attitude is key to selling luxury

• Curate unique experience: Create a memorable experience at each step of customer journey, right from the point they enter into the store to initiating the sales process, from product demonstrations to closing the sales, from product delivery to post-sales follow up.

Remember: People may not remember what you said, what you did but they won’t forget how special you made them feel.

• Make suggestive selling: Develop rapport with your clients and seek for ways to suggestively sell additional products to them. Don’t pressurize customers or hard sell but also don’t confine yourself to just one product that customer asked for. For example, if your client is looking for a shirt, why not recommend him a matching trousers or a pair of shoes to complement it. It might interest your client.

Remember: If you don’t pursue, it could be a missed opportunity for you.

• Adapt new technologies:  Use CRM tools and advanced technologies to provide exceptional customer service. These tools will enable you to get access to intricate consumer details not just about their birthdays and anniversaries but also their previous purchased items, their preferences, prior visits, social media handles, etc. It will empower you to effortlessly create seamless shopping experience for your esteemed clients.

Remember: In this digitalized era, you cannot ignore technology.

(This article has also been published in Luxury Daily on Feb 4, 2019).