Greeting the Shopper | Retail Today With Bob Phibbs, the Retail Doctor - Flash Briefing

Do you know what lazy retailing sounds like? "Can I help you? How are you? Looking for something special?" Those kind of lazy things your employees are saying are not going to build your sales. In fact, they turn most people off pretty quick because, well, it just doesn't feel normal. It doesn't feel natural. It sounds like it's an impersonal thing you've said a million times. Even if you've said it a million times, nobody wants to feel like they're just like everybody else. You know what I do instead when I teach how to greet a customer, just say, "Good morning, good afternoon, or good evening." That's kind of it because ultimately that's what starts you on the path to build a rapport. It's not all of it.

It's that first step. That's important because you often lose the sale most often with what you said in those first 20 seconds with your greeting. Today, I want you to instead say, "Good morning. Good afternoon. Good evening," to everybody you meet. You know what they're going to probably say is, "Thank you." Or they'll say good morning back to you. Isn't that a nice way to start instead of, "No, I'm just looking." Of course, it is. Get out there and greet the right way and you'll build more sales.

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