I had arrived a little early for my luncheon meeting with an alumni friend. We get together about once a quarter to catch up, to discuss relevant issues about our university and the local alumni chapter. It was a workday, so I was dressed in business casual attire; a navy-blue blazer, a white shirt, gray wool trousers, and black shoes. My typical uniform. As I had some time to kill, I decided to visit a nearby menswear store that I patronize from time to time.
I received a warm welcome from one of the staff members who gave me a general overview of the merchandise they recently stocked. He was helpful, in an unobtrusive way, giving me the opportunity to become familiar with their merchandise. As the season is changing, there are a few items I want to add to my wardrobe, so I wasn’t killing time entirely.
While wandering around the store another employee approached me and slipped a white pocket square into my jacket pocket. He complimented me on my appearance and said that the pocket square completed my look. I was pleasantly surprised by his action, thinking that he presented me with a gift. Well, maybe I was a bit confused as I didn’t take it as an overt attempt to make a sale. His action created an opportunity for us to interact further as I continued to review their merchandise.
When it was time to go to the restaurant, I made my move toward the door, thanking the sales associates and promising to return. The associate who presented me with the pocket square, still in my pocket, asked if I would like to pay for the item. I had totally forgotten about it, especially since I had processed it as a gift. When I realized my mistake, I had to laugh. It was a funny situation, although somewhat embarrassing. He got me! How could I refuse to pay for the pocket square? I paid for the item, thanked them again, and went off to lunch. I’m a big fan of pocket squares so I am happy with the purchase.
Driving to my office after lunch, I thought back to the situation at the men’s store. I had to laugh at myself again for missing the obvious point of his gesture. But something was nagging at me. I admit that it was a clever sales technique, however, it felt deceptive.
I may have been confused because no one has ever put an item in my pocket that wasn’t meant to be a gift. Typically, a sales associate will bring me an item, often a tie, to show me how it complements my jacket or suit coat. He wouldn’t tie it around my neck, but maybe drape it over my sleeve. If I showed interest, he might take me over to a mirror to see how the tie would look in relation to my shirt and jacket. In those situations, I would hold the tie, folding it in a way that would allow me to bring it to my shirt collar to resemble my appearance if I were wearing the tie. I would manage this process, not the sales associate. During this time, he might talk about the item, speaking to the quality, the price, and how well it complements my attire. You know, selling.
In my recent interaction, the sales associate didn’t tell me anything about the item or the price which failed to reinforce the act of selling the pocket square. OK, call me naïve, but I am confident that you would’ve reacted in a similar way if only for a moment.
I admit it was a clever technique if not a hit-and-run tactic. He made a small sale, and I do like the pocket square. However, I am not motivated to return to that location or to work with that associate. I hold no animosity toward him, but he didn’t create mutual trust and respect that would motivate me to return.
Often, it’s the little things that make the biggest impact. When working to build a relationship we should be mindful of our behavior. We want to ensure that we don’t send any conflicting messages. Hit-and-run tactics will limit you to a low-level sales rut, with few return engagements. A lack of clarity or candor will inhibit the formation of relationships. In that event, you may never have an opportunity to work with many prospects. I may have returned to that store if the pocket square had been given as a gift, or if the sales associate had presented the item differently. I guess we will never know.
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North Fulton Business RadioX Interview, September 26, 2019
Author of: Fighting Alligators, Job Search Strategy For The New Normal