I am not a shoe fanatic. There I said it – and I hope all the women out there don’t think I have lost my mind. To me shoes are just, well, a pair of shoes. But I’ll have to say, I marvel at their power. The business of selling hoes can teach us a few fantastic lessons about customers.
The Power of Shoes
Shoes are indeed highly a valued product. Savvy business owners have certainly paid attention to the power of the “Carrie Bradshaw Effect” (rooted in the wildly successful “Sex in the City” series) and have capitalized on the market opportunities which exist in this realm. The idea of being a shoe lover seems to have emerged from the shadows – even the obsessive component – and suddenly purchasing shoes is not only fashionable, but extremely cool.
Overcoming Objections to Your Product
Which leads me to my admission. Even though I don’t love shoes, I am really fascinated by the business of selling shoes. Those companies that have innovated and excelled in this area, have rounded up a list of the problems shoe buying poses and have resolved those problems with tremendous creativity. In some cases, they have learned to respect human nature and formulated a plan that didn’t fight the current. That was the secret to success.
Smart Shoe Selling Wisdom
Have a Minute? - People change their minds on a dime and Zappos was early to realize and embrace this. The fear that many customers once harbored about shopping online, the actual process of returning an item, was an objection they were quick to handle. Who ever heard of hassle free returns at no charge? Furthermore, the culture of Zappos is built to support customer service and maintain that commitment. Lesson learned: Don’t fight human nature – work with it.
Time is Money – Some people simply don’t have the time or access to pursue the hunt, and some savvy businesses realized this. Not unlike Pandora radio for shoes, some companies choose the shoes for you, after a brief style assessment and send them to you. (Think of a fruit of the month club for shoes.) For busy women with limited time, or those with limited access to shopping, this is a perfect solution. Lessons learned: Know your customer and never underestimate the power of convenience.
Budgets are a Fact of Life – Don’t show me a shoe I can’t afford. Sort through the options and assemble a group of great choices that I can afford. DSW (Designer Shoe Warehouse) is one example, and sensitivity to customer pocketbooks is key here. Sure there are those who have the cash and are willing to invest 700 dollars in a pair of Louboutin pumps. However, I guarantee there are far more customers who would like to invest less and look like they spent more. Lesson learned: Pick a price strategy and excel at serving that customer market.
Apply to your world
Whatever your product or service, make a list of the most looming objections that your potential customers may have. Then devise equally good solutions to those problems.
From the presentation: “It’s All How You Look at Things: Business & Growth”. Dr. Marla Gottschalk is a Workplace Psychologist located in East Lansing, Michigan. Contact her practice at marlagottschalk@comcast.net. You can also find her on Twitter and Linkedin.
