If you want to be good at hospitality and/or sales, it helps to have a genuine interest in people, rather than having an interest only in the product you are selling. Otherwise, it is likely you will focus on the product rather than focusing on what is important…the people who walk into your business.
There are countless reasons why people choose to buy. Your job is to find out the reasons that are most important to the people to whom you are selling to. On your part;Assumptions play a big role in whether you believe that someone will or will not buy. These assumptions, unconsciously transmitted to your guests, may encourage them not to buy; thereby confirming your assumptions. Congratulations, you were right but unfortunately, you lost the sale.
In short: What you THINK influences what your guests DO. If you must assume, you might as well assume that your guests will buy. That works out better for both of you.
According to an article in INC magazine by Kaitin Smith, there are six major reasons why guests want to buy your product.
The first one, Identity, talks about how your products relate to how the guests see themselves or who they aspire to be. If your guests are new to buying wine, give them information that will teach them about certain wines and increase their confidence in their choices. They can also use these interesting facts to impress their friends.
Quality is another reason to buy. However, before you can sell the product’s quality you need to know what quality means to the guests you are interacting with. Quality is what makes your product worth the price that you charge. Wine comes at all different price points and all different levels of quality. Discover what your guests consider quality and promote your wines in ways that meet their standards.
The third reason for this week’s blog is the Experience. You are not only presenting a product you are, or should be, creating and presenting a memorable experience. Promote the experience that will make your guests return and talk about your wines and winery to others. Think about where you like to shop and why. How have those companies laid out their experience to make you want to come back?
Next week’s blog week will talk about the importance of Connectivity, Value and Need. In the meantime, start practicing the lessons of identifying guests’ opinions of themselves and how you present quality and create the experience.
A tip of the glass from me to you.
E Column
by Elizabeth “E” Slater, In Short Direct Marketing
A recognized expert in the fields of direct marketing and sales in the wine marketplace. Slater has taught more wineries and winery associations how to create and improve the effectiveness of their direct marketing programs and to make the most of each customer’s potential than anyone in the wine industry today.
Follow E on twitter @esavant and facebook.
