It’s been a privilege over the last couple of weeks to meet and learn from some exceptional retail newsagents. Yesterday, newsagents shared stories that demonstrated the value of knowing about what you sell.
- One newsagent had heard from several customers about how good the Ravensberger jigsaw puzzles were so much that they decided to take one home and do it. What they learned along the way about these much-loved quality puzzles now plays into how they can help sell them in the newsagency. Jigsaw puzzle customers can be passionate. Talking from personal experience and sharing the passion helps drive the sale. On hearing the story another newsagent shared the idea of sorting puzzle pieces an another product available for doing that – extending the opportunity from selling puzzles.
- Another newsagent shared a story about a kinetic sand and how it was being recommended by a local speech pathologists as something that would assist and another shared a story about how kinetic sand was developed specifically for use by kids with special needs and another story about how local therapists recommend it. In my own case I know of a shopper buying the sand to help with arthritis. While some newsagents see kinetic sand as a product that sells, others, thanks to customer interaction, know they are selling a product that does good – and that makes us feel good.
There is no doubt that the more we know about what we sell the better we are at selling it. In some cases, this knowledge can help beyond the sales themselves, we can touch lives for the better and that’s a wonderful feeling.
Big businesses we compete with would stubble to match newsagents for shop flow customer engagement. This is a strength we can play more to.