Retail Sales

a guide to increasing revenues

The Ultimate GoalWhat is the ultimate goal of any business?

To satisfy shareholder wants and needs?To be beneficial to society?

To pursue a passion?

The real answer to this questions is:

PROFIT- or to at least break even -

The Ultimate Goal The first answers are important too Its hard to achieve the first answers

with out first achieving the break even point or making profit.

PASSION should play an integral role in choosing a career path.

How To Achieve the Goal

Decrease Costs A lesson for another

day Increase Revenues

What is the source of revenue? Customers

How do you attract the customer?

Marketing Advertising Customer Service Repeat Sales

Marketing Define your position in your market! Types of positioning strategies

Low cost Can you IN REALITY compete with lower prices? Wal-Mart – low price leader

High quality How is yours better than the other guy’s? It is a better product, better customer service,

better after sales features? Differentiation

How is it really different??

Marketing Make use of demographic

statistics learned in previous lesson to know where you are to locate and where your customers are.

The point is to be accessible to your customers, for their ease of purchasing your products.

Advertising There are many sources that can be

used to advertise Paper sources

Flyers On cars Handouts

Business Cards Hand out to anyone and everyone

Magazines and newspapers Local Bigger?

A Point to Remember

DO NOT BE AFRAID

TO THINK BIG!!!

BIG

Advertising Radio and Television

Local channels Use demographics to know what time to run ad

Image Brand imaging Portray positioning strategy Trademark, logo Name of company

‘What’s in a name?’ Yes a rose by any other name would smell just

as sweet but a business may not fare as well.

Advertising Aesthetics

Outdoor appearance Displays Organization Customer service

Sponsoring Schools

Partner’s in Education Organizations Park and Recreations

Advertising Networking

Be involved with the communities Local Churches Local Organizations

Donations to charities Garden Expos and Farmers Markets

GREAT FOR PR!! Great way to take the product to the

customer And to check out the competition!

A Point to Remember

EVERY PERSON IS A

POTENTIAL CUSTOMER!!

Customer Service Keys to customer service

Approach the customer Address the customer first, don’t make

them have to chase you down for help Find out what their needs and desires

are Let them know you have what they

want But don’t pester or annoy

Customer Service A customer wants

a product that is Valuable to them

at some level At a level of quality

acceptable to them

At a price that is relative to the value and quality perceived

Customer Satisfaction

Quality Value

Service

Customer Service

KNOW YOUR PRODUCTS!!!!!!! How can you sell anything, in this

case any type of plant, if you do not know anything about it?

Customer Service Things to know in a greenhouse, nursery,

landscaping, etc. business Maintenance

Watering How often? Drought tolerant, well-drained soil?

Fertilizing How much, how often? What kind?

Pruning How much, how often? What time of the year is best?

Light needs How much sun at what times of the day? Full sun, partial, shade, diffused?

Customer Service Things to know cont’d

What other groups of plants might make a good landscaping?

How would certain chemicals change the appearance of the plant?

Hydrangea color Potential pests?

What if a customer wants something that doesn’t attract a certain pest or if they want a garden or landscaping that is low maintenance?

Customer Service Suggestive Selling

New ways for old products Take advantage of new trends such as

containers New varieties, species

Make visible the new products Tell why they are good, how they can

use them

Customer Service Personality

Friendly Bring in the

customer Positive

Convey that your product is the best

Enthusiastic About commitment

No Excitement (Passion) = No Sales

Customer Satisfaction

Quality Value

Service

A customer will be able to tell if the owner has a passion for their business.

Customer Service Personality cont’d

Be nice, but also be real, honest Put aside personal frustrations

Keep personal separate from business Boyfriend/Girlfriend problems Financial problems Fight with best friend/roommate

Work the audience Kids Chat it up Remember their names and then call them by

their names!

Customer Service Dealing with dissatisfied,

disgruntled customers Do the employees have the power

to handled the situation? Compensation, apologies

When employees don’t have the power, go to the manager.

KEY: Respond without getting angry

Repeat Sales Repeat buyers can often make up the

majority of sales. Especially with nurseries and greenhouses.

How do you attract repeat business? Make a good impression, make it last Don’t make a bad impression

Customers are more likely to tell others about a bad experience rather than a good one.

Buy so many get one: Free At a discount

Repeat Sales Have a mailing list

Send them sales flyers, lists of new plants and how they are used

Send thank you cards Send Christmas cards

Create a database Don’t be afraid to go high tech

Can allow you to enter customers, their purchases, dates of when it was purchased

Use this information to- follow trends- remember names

Repeat Sales Credit Terms

How much credit should you give to your customers

Yes it is a good way to encourage repeat business but does have consequences People who owe you money can sometimes:

Refuse to pay Can go to litigation if worth it Put lean on their property

Go bankrupt Disappear from the face of the Earth

Repeat Sales Credit terms

To encourage customers to pay their invoices you can give incentives 1/10 n/30

This means the customer will get a one percent discount if the invoice is paid within ten days. However, if they are not able to make the payment within ten days, the whole invoice is due within thirty days from the date of the invoice.

After Sale Features Are there any features that you

want to sell with your product that are for after the sale? Guarantees

limitations Repairs Maintenance

Retail Image Shelving & Displays

Neatness Organization

Best selling at eye level Kids eye level is lower than an adult

Ease of reaching product Attractive, attention getting

Color, boldness

Retail Image Grouping

Group product together that compliment Garden hoses and different nozzles

Group similar Annuals vs. Perennials Ground Covers vs. Climbing Plants vs.

Trees Shade vs. Full sun

Retail Image Bundling

A grouping of like or complimentary items sold as one unit Microsoft Word vs. Microsoft Suite

Word is one program, the suite is many programs sold together.

One garden tool vs. A basket of a variety of garden tools

Retail Image Demo Gardens

Have display areas that are landscaped To show different ways plants can be

grouped together Great way to say “This is what your yard

could look like!” To show what the mature plant will look

like To add to the aesthetics of the store

ANY QUESTIONS?