Retail Today with Bob Phibbs, The Retail Doctor

When your employees see you actively selling that first customer, it makes it much harder for those associates to stand behind your counter and groan "No one's buying".  Speed of the leader = speed of the group

It is easy to get into conversation with customers after they have purchased something from you - there's no risk. And yet that is the worst place to do it and here's why. 

A lot of press is focused on supply chain issues. They exist but consumers don't care about that. Here's what is more important than complaining about shortages.

The holiday season fills your store with shoppers but also all that activity is the perfect magnet for shoplifting. Use today's tip to help stop shoplifting before it ruins your profits. 

Selling in a store should be more personal than online. But how to get the customer's name and how much to use it? Glad you asked, that's in today's quick episode.

I was in NYC this past weekend and observed in many of the stores with "help wanted" signs on their doors - employees stuck in their phones and leaning. Unless and until you see what I see, customers will leave without purchasing. No matter how few employees you have. 

One of the most important ways to gain trust with a customer is to look them in the eyes and say the right greeting. But if you've never been trained, you probably just say, "Can I help you?" or "How are you today?" Both of those are bad. Say this instead.

Everytime someone walks into your store they are ready to buy. Browsers are online, buyers come into physical stores. Use this tip to grow your sales 10%.

Big news at the Long Beach port this morning which could save Christmas. Have a listen.

Do you thank your customers? At the time of purchase, of course. But your follow-up with a handwritten thank you can go a long way to cementing you as their store of choice. Here's another way to use thank yous to grow your sales.