Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/592917
SOLUTIONS 28 • November 9, 2015 • Powersports Business www.PowersportsBusiness.com 5 ways to sell more clothing & accessories RETAIL REMEDIES I'm sure you have heard the old saying about business: "Make a plan — work your plan …" As with most sayings, there is a reason for its existence. In the case of stimulating clothing and accessories sales, you have to make a plan — you have to get serious about going after this business. Many dealers fail in clothing sales because they just hang it up, wait for customers to buy it and then end up blowing it out or giving it away because it didn't move. I also see lots of dealers who don't even dis- play some significant accessories because they don't have the space, or they are simply "too busy" to get it out on the floor. Guess what? It won't sell well sitting in storage. There are significant differences between the "average" dealers and those who truly suc- ceed in maximizing sales and profits in cloth- ing & accessories (C&A). The better metric dealers consistently achieve 35-40 percent (or more) in margins, and more than $1,000 aver- age in gross profit dollars per unit sold (PUS). Other dealers are struggling to get to 25 per- cent margins with less than a $400 average in gross profit dollars per unit sold. You can't afford to have a reactionary C&A operation — one that waits for customers to shop and buy. You must develop a proactive department that greets customers promptly, builds relationships with them, probes for their wants and needs and aggressively pro- motes sales. Obviously, a part of this is also having your merchandise on the floor and properly displayed. Here are five best business practices that you can use to maximize the sales oppor- tunities for your clothing & accessories department. 1. Hire customer-friendly people with great attitudes and sales skills. Once you have the right people, provide them with high-quality sales and customer relations training. These are your front-line troops. Give them the tools they need to succeed. 2. Have designated, trained clothing & accessories "specialists." This best-business practice works very well for many dealers. I've tracked a number of dealers that have used this technique to average more than $2,000 in C&A gross profit dollars per unit sold. Salespeople should have frequent drills that test their knowledge of current accessories and add-on/up-sell items. 3. Set up mannequins with seasonal clothing packages. Clothing has to turn quickly to be profitable. Once it becomes outdated, you stand to lose. Because more than 30 percent of our purchasers are new riders or older riders who are coming back after a long absence, they are prime candi- dates for new riding gear. Target them with packages designated as "good-better-best" examples. Mannequins are the key to helping them visualize themselves wearing the gear. If you can create mental ownership, the odds on them buying go up significantly. 4. Develop key word tracks and teach them to your sales staff. SAFETY GEAR is one of the most important riding gear word tracks. A safety gear checklist with key word tracks can ensure your staff asks the right questions to trigger additional sales. This helps salespeople probe for the riding gear and accessory needs of your customer. A properly trained person will key his or her sales presentation off the customer's answers. For example: Question: "Do you currently own a helmet?" If the customer already owns a helmet: "What brand and style is it (full face, etc.)?" "What material was used for the shell (fiberglass, composite, etc.)?" "How old is it?" (Age can affect the func- tionality of the helmet, particularly fiberglass.) "Where has it been stored?" (Solvent and other chemical fumes can degrade the effec- tiveness of many helmet materials.) "Does it have a DOT certification?" "Has it been dropped or suffered crash damage?" (How do you know whether it will still protect them properly?) 5. Have a good-quality customer lounge. Provide comfortable chairs, changing rooms with full-length mirrors and low-volume soothing music to relax your customers. Think department store. If you want to get the most out of your clothing & accessories depart- ment, this is a must. The waiting area will be used by sales and service customers and must feature displays of popular accessories and rid- ing gear. I hope you will find useful ideas you can implement to stimulate your clothing & acces- sories sales. Be sure you track and measure the results of your changes. The processes you implement will not maintain themselves. You have to have a proactive manager who contin- uously monitors and reinforces them. PSB Steve Jones is senior projects manager at Gart Sutton & Associates. He has worked in the powersports industry for more than 30 years, for dealerships and manufacturers, and as a consultant and trainer. Contact him at steve@gartsutton.com. STEVE JONES