The biggest waste of effort I see on sales floors is the missed opportunities we have bringing customers back when they can’t purchase the first time in.  The problem is the “Be Back Bus”.  When a sales person spends an hour or more with a prospective customer and doesn’t set an appointment.  That customer usually returns to your showroom on Saturday afternoon at exactly 1:25 along with everyone else on the “Be Back Bus”. Your likelihood of closing this sale is greatly reduced because… (no matter what the stack-em high club says); you will always miss sales if your sales people are spread too thin.  Have you ever had a customer come back in on YOUR DAY OFF?  If you’re positive you can’t make the sale today, it’s easy to get a good prospect to come in when you want.  So the question is why not try to dramatically improve your odds of closing the sale.

The solution is to set an appointment whenever possible…  I could get a customers name most of the time when working with a prospective customer.  Of course it’s a combination of trust, them liking you, and (here’s the key) you having a reason to follow up.  If I knew that I wasn’t going to close today (They were closing on a new home in two weeks), I would always find a project or task I needed to perform for them.  Colors, availability, customizing, or delivery questions etc.  Then I would set an appointment.  Typically during off peek times, Tues, Wed, Thurs.  When you explain that it’s much better for them because at certain times the showroom is totally over run and you want to provide them the best service and your undivided attention, most will realize the benefits.

Your closing ratio on appointments will be dramatically higher than any other possible scenario.  More importantly, when a customer returns after they have visited you earlier, there is now a bond and even the beginnings of a friendship that can be developed.  True friendships can begin here and what other single thing can you think of that is more important to the long term success of your company.