Brigantine Media

WHEN SOMEONE COMPLAINS ABOUT a product they bought from you, the first rule is to “listen.”

They’ve rehearsed what they’re going to say, they expect negative feedback from you. They are ready to fight. So don’t interrupt them. Listen.

Don’t comment, don’t look around, don’t adopt the “I’ve heard all this before” exasperated look. Listen. And look at them while they’re talking.

Then, when their conversation stops, wait a second and carefully, softly say these ten words: “Tell me what you want and the answer is yes.”

If the color in the shirt ran in the washing, if they were forced to go through a telephone drill of “Push 1 for… push 2 for…” and were not taken care of, if the book they ordered was not what they thought it would be – whatever the merchandise or complaint – simply say, “Tell me what you want and the answer is yes.” They can have a replacement of merchandise, their money back, money for gas for driving to your place of business — whatever they want. And it is offered with your apologies and thanks.

Here’s what happens: the customer is at first confused, then bewildered, then amazed and then, often, apologetic.

They are conditioned for confrontation. What they receive instead is kindness.

It works.

Murray Raphel travels the world speaking about marketing for retailing, direct marketing, financial/insurance groups and the food industry. He is the author of several books including “Selling Rules!”, “Speaking Rules!”, and “Tough Selling for Tough Times.”

For more information about Murray and his books, visit www.brigantinemedia.com.

THIS IDEA ALWAYS WORKS!

Make four phone calls a day to customers telling them of new merchandise just received you know they usually buy. Or of a special sale on their most liked items. Or any reason that gives them a personal benefit.

OR: Write four letters a day. One idea: Thank customers for their recent purchase from you.

OR: Give out four calling cards a day. You meet new people every day. A waiter or waitress. A fellow Rotarian. The person next to you on the plane. We believe calling cards are “miniature billboards.” They tell who you are and what you do and if you give enough away you’re practicing the Fuller Brush theory of knocking on enough doors and one will open.

OR: AFTO four times a day. Which is shorthand for Ask For The Order. Too many salespeople present their case and wait for the customer to say “OK, I’ll buy it.” Rarely happens. Ask For The Order.

Do one of each or four of one of these techniques every day! That’s more than 1,200 contacts a year. If only 10% respond, you have more than 100 extra sales you would not have had.

Murray Raphel travels the world speaking about marketing for retailing, direct marketing, financial/insurance groups and the food industry. He is the author of several books including “Selling Rules!”, “Speaking Rules!”, and “Tough Selling for Tough Times.”

For more information about Murray and his books, visit www.brigantinemedia.com.

ADVERTISING GURU DAVID OGILVY had his copywriters create as many as 100 headlines for the same ad, seeking the mysterious words to increase sales. He told his staff when they had written an effective headline, they had spent 70% of their clients’ money.

Here’s why: seven out of 10 people read the headline of an ad. Only three out of 10 keep on reading.

During my 40 years in retailing, I wrote at least 15,000 headlines. Less than a handful worked every time they were used. Here are two:

“Would You Buy A $50 Yves St. Laurent Shirt On Sale for $29?”

You can substitute the original price, the name and the sale price for whatever you want to sell and it will bring in customers as long as the name is recognizable and the value is great.

We’ve successfully adopted and adapted this headline for clothing, stationery shops, supermarkets and a dozen other businesses. It works every time.

“The name is Mañana. But at $25 you’d better buy it today.”

The product was a woman’s jacket made in Mexico. We sold the entire stock of 48 pieces the same day the ad ran. We reordered and ran the exact same ad ten days later. And sold out again in 48 hours. We reordered again and sold out again.

If a headline works, repeat it. There are those who never saw it the first time. There are those who saw it and are reminded. There are those who will tell others.

Murray Raphel travels the world speaking about marketing for retailing, direct marketing, financial/insurance groups and the food industry. He is the author of several books including “Selling Rules!”, “Speaking Rules!”, and “Tough Selling for Tough Times.”

For more information about Murray and his books, visit www.brigantinemedia.com.

YES, READ THE TRADE magazines for your industry.

Yes, look at similar stores when vacationing.

Yes, be aware of what’s happening in your business.

BUT: watch, listen and steal ideas from other marketers in different businesses.

When Southwest Airlines wanted to speed their aircraft turn around time, they did not observe other airlines. They went to the Indianapolis 500 to see how crews fuel and service race cars. This gave Southwest new ideas about equipment fitting, materials management, teamwork and speed that enabled the airline to cut turn around time in half.

Granite Rock wanted to improve the way it loaded gravel into trucks in its yards because its drivers had to leave trucks and fill out papers. The company watched automatic teller machines in banks. Now, drivers put a card in a machine and don’t leave the truck and this speeds loading time.

When out of town retailers came to visit Stew Leonard’s famous supermarket in Norwalk, Connecticut, and asked for a tour of the store, Stew said he was happy to oblige — BUT ONLY if they first gave HIM one idea to increase his business.

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Murray Raphel travels the world speaking about marketing for retailing, direct marketing, financial/insurance groups and the food industry. He is the author of several books including “Selling Rules!”, “Speaking Rules!”, and “Tough Selling for Tough Times.”

For more information about Murray and his books, visit www.brigantinemedia.com.

WHEN VREST ORTON OPENED his Vermont Country Store in the tiny village of Weston, Vermont (population 400) he did a good business with tourists. Wanting to expand, he decided to go into mail order. He called L. L. Bean in Freeport, Maine who achieved success with a catalogue and asked if he could come and see him for advice. L. L. agreed and Vrest went to Maine with several yellow pads and sharpened pencils for directions from this mail order pioneer.

“What do I have to do to be successful in mail order?” he asked Bean.

“Simple,” said Bean, “just memorize one sentence and you can go home. Here it is: ‘Make sure the story isn’t better than the store.’”

What was he saying? This: That whatever you tell the customer they will receive, make sure the product is better than the description.

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Murray Raphel travels the world speaking about marketing for retailing, direct marketing, financial/insurance groups and the food industry. He is the author of several books including “Selling Rules!”, “Speaking Rules!”, and “Tough Selling for Tough Times.”

For more information about Murray and his books, visit www.brigantinemedia.com.