What strategies and techniques should I use to become a profitable shoes sales associate?
Question by mnl318: What strategies and techniques should I use to become a profitable shoes sales associate?
I am strarting a new career in the retail industry…the salary sound great! But how should I prepare my self to get successful in this position? (I know there will be a 2 day trainning seminar before I start…but I am curious) anyone know tips and techniques in shoe sales?
Best answer:
Answer by Carousse TX
Develop a good nose to tolerate the smelling feet!!!
Smile broadly to women who have a great love for shoes – most are! regardless of income, race, class, etc…
Know your products, styles, fashions, and sizes…
Be willing to go extra mile….. always…
Don’t look down on people..
Be extra courteous even with returns or difficult yack yack bitches… They will come back to buy out of guilt because of you.
Learn to fit shoes and perhaps a little massage to nice and clean feet!!!… It is on the show Sex and City….
Good luck to you.
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Tagged with: associate • Become • profitable • Sales • shoes • should • Strategies • Techniques
Filed under: Retail Sales Seminar
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I can always find shoes that I love but when I look for my
size they’ve…vanished…off the shelf…a big turn off.
Keep popular shoes and popular sizes in stock so more
of us can enjoy the shoes we want and not the second
best pair.
Don’t keep leaving the shoe dept. – No one likes asking
someone from another dept. with inexperience for help.
During the first three months of your new job, your new boss will be getting to know you and taking note of your performance. In today’s marketplace there is no hesitation to terminate a relationship with a worker who isn’t living up to expectations. Since most companies have a ninety-day probationary period, this is a crucial time for you as a new employee.
GET TO KNOW THE WORK TEAM FIRST
During the first three months, keep a low profile and learn the workplace politics and pecking order. Find a secretary who can explain the chain of command. Listen and learn but don’t get involved in the politics.
LEARN THE CORPORATE CULTURE
There are lots of rules within a corporate environment, both formal and informal, like forms of address, unofficial dress code, the chain of command, etc. Pay attention to them if you want to fit in and be accepted. Don’t be embarrassed to ask questions. Ask “smart” questions but do not pester your peers with too many of them or you will appear incompetent.
WHAT DOES THE BOSS EXPECT OF YOU?
Make sure you are doing things the way your boss wants them done. Find out what his expectations are. Don’t guess; ask what he considers important. If necessary make a list of your job duties. Ask your supervisor for confirmation that you are in the right track. Remember there is an expected learning curve, but at the same time you must be demonstrating that you are achieving your goals.
FIND A MENTOR
Top executives often have a mentor – someone who is several levels higher on the corporate chart. Find someone whose judgment you can trust and who can help you grow in the company.
Follow these tips and plan for the future the moment you start this job. Employment is a marketplace right now. Gone are those days when loyalty and hardwork translates to job security. Stay but be ready to leave your employer anytime. Everything you do and learn on this job is preparation for the next one. Each job will take you up the ladder of success, and your responsibility and earning potential will increase.
Peace and blessings!
Since I have actually sold shoes (and been in management) for several years, I can answer your question…
Different companies have different policies about what to do when a potential customer asks for a show in a particular size to try on. Some do a “three pack”…”four on the floor” or even a “six pack” these refer to the number of pairs of shoes you need to bring the customer to try on. Some sales people make the mistake of bringing, lets say, 4 pairs of black pumps either different styles and/or different sizes, NOT GOOD! You should bring a couple of things similar to what they asked for and some different things… like the same shoe in another color and always grab a pair from the discount section in their size (something completely different from what they are trying on already), the idea here is to encourage them to buy more than 1 pair of shoes. Your “percentage” of multiple sales will be an important figure when raise time comes around. You will also want to suggest “sundries” with every purchase. These are things like leather lotion and shoe inserts and you usually earn a higher commission on these items and again, this number will be important when you get your review.
Of course, the basics of good sales apply here. The first thing you do is LISTEN to what the customer wants and then you help them find it!!! Treat everyone with respect and “the customer comes first” attitude. Be willing to go the extra mile and your customers will return and ask for you!
The other thing is product knowledge. Spend your “downtime” studying, learn the show model numbers, materials they are made from and how the stock room is organized.
OHHHHHH, and this is really, really, really important…I don’t know if I should tell you this…I’m probably breaking a secret oath of shoe salespersons everywhere, but THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A WALL STRETCHER so don’t let them convince you to go from store to store trying to recover it from the last place that used it (see, it’s SO expensive that the whole mall only owns one and everyone takes turns with it…lol I never personally fell for it, but I’ve seen a lot of newbies fast on the hunt!
Good luck to you!