Today I went shopping for makeup and skin care products, something I have almost never done. I ended up in Sephora where I tried all kinds of fun things. I was interested in buying some makeup and/or skincare but didn't find anything spectacular so I left without making a purchase.
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| I tried on glasses in another store and took a pic to remember them. I was trying to be incognito... hence the bad picture. Regardless, you can see the results of playing at Sephora:-). |
On my way out of the mall, a man from one of the kiosks pulled me to a booth where a young woman washed my hands with a salt scrub. It was nice, but I clearly wasn't interested. She used our initial interaction to segway into a conversation about her other products.
She brilliantly asked me questions like, "are you more interested in taking care of the skin on your body or your face," and, "are you more drawn to a product for your whole face or your eyes." Difficult to say "no" to those types of questions.
I ended up purchasing a toner product. As I was checking out I mentioned to the sales girl that she caught me on a good day because I was looking for something along those lines. I didn't mean I wanted more, just that it was cool that I found a good product along the lines of what I came for. She got the point.
Even so, even though I had already signed for my purchase, she whipped out an eye cream and serum and had them on my face before I knew it. It was really nice stuff, taking away my eye puffiness visibly and instantly. I had a feeling it would be expensive, but the price was about ten times more than I would have dreamed of spending on something like that.
She asked enough questions to understand that, although I liked it, there was no way I could afford it. She asked another question, "do you care more about crows feet or bags under your eyes," which I wasn't sure how to answer (neither sound good). She looked hard at my face and decided the cream could suffice. Then she brought the price down. I asked for her card in case someone wanted to get it for me for a gift. She brought the price down more. I said I'd call my husband and talk to him about it, which I did. Ultimately, Kagi surprised me by telling me to purchase it, which was very unexpected and generous of him.
It stood out to me what a great salesperson that girl was. I'm a very tough sell. I hate feeling pushed into buying things. I'm also great at getting out of a situation when I feel pressure to do something I'm not sure about. I like thinking through my purchases, and feel confident that I can find what I want when I want it.
This girl did catch me on a good day with a good product. But it was more than that. She helped me see that this product was what I wanted. Then she read me well enough to offer a price I could be happy about, even if it was much more expensive than I imagined I would spend.
I am really fascinated by the way good sales works. It was a major part of my occupation for several years, and during that time I gained a huge appreciation for the art of selling and admiration for those who can do it well. I think it's like playing a sport -- anyone can do it to some level, but it takes talent, practice, and confidence to really do it well.
The things that particularly stood out from this interaction was that, although she clearly had an objective, she worked to understand where I was coming from. I legitimately felt like she was working with me. She didn't seem stressed or afraid of me walking away. She was driving forward, but not pushy. She had time for me, but wasn't going to waste my time.
Ultimately, she left me very confident about the wisdom of my purchase. I'm convinced I got something great which answers a need. I feel pampered and look forward to using this product. I also feel like we both got a good deal, which is perfect!
