5 Ways to Increase Sales

Increase sales? Yes, please.

The funny thing about increasing sales is that it doesn’t always take a huge change in your store to do this. Often you have the inventory, the people and the opportunity to do this… but aren’t. Then again, change is sometimes exactly what you need to do to increase sales.  Which category do you fall into?

Below are five tips to help you boost sales and increase store revenue.

1. Always have extra products available for quick add on sales. Whether it’s bottled water (even if it makes no sense to the rest of your store assortment), fun accessories or random knick-knacks, the ideas is to give customers something to touch while they are getting ready to check out. Their lingering of additional merchandise should lead to add on sales – and more money in your register.

2. Use smart sales strategies. If a customer is checking out, let her linger over your great add on products near the cash wrap. But also engage in conversation to help her understand why she needs something else. When customers are shopping, react to their body language, questions, overall engagement and more. Basically, offer customized customer support per each unique customer. And don’t forget… standing behind the cash wrap area (or your desk!) is a very hard way to create sales in your store.

3. Pay attention to your best sellers – and react to them. Do you have two left in a top performing item? Buy more NOW! If you let best sellers sell-thru without re-ordering them, you lose money. Plain  and simple. Give yourself enough time to order things that need to be ordered… which leads us to our next point…

4. Markdown slow moving items. If inventory isn’t moving, mark it down and get them sold at a reduced price. Keeping old inventory in your store that isn’t selling not only makes your overall store assortment look stale, it hurts your bottom line. Mark these items down, sell them and move on.

5. Train your team on products, selling techniques and your store “brand”. If it’s just you working in your store, then you know what you are doing – or not doing. But if you have a team of 1 or 10 or 100, you need to train everyone to be on the same page. Set selling standards. Introduce product knowledge workshops. Identify your store mission, values and how you want customers to perceive your store – and the people that work there. Remember to follow up with reviews to make sure things are getting done. Without a strong team, you will miss sales. It’s very simple, really.

Finally, wear cozy shoes so you don’t mind being on your feet all day. Eat healthy so you have energy. Rest your body – and feet in particular – when you aren’t working so you have the energy to work retail hours. And of course, have some fun. Enjoy your work, and your time off. This will all lead to more sales since it will lead to a healthier you!