Back in the days before the big "box stores" there were mom and pop hardware store where you could go to buy just about everything imaginable.
Harry, of Harry's Hardware was getting on in years and wanted to train his son to take over the business.
Harry issued his son Sam a new uniform and taught him how to use the cash register. He was explaining how to push the sale just as the first customer walked in. He said "follow me boy and see how it's done!"
The customer asked if they had some grass seed and Harry said "Sure! Right over here." "We've got rye, winter rye, bahaia and summer mix."
The customer took the summer mix.
"Now, you'll want to water this seed every day until it roots...How are you fixed for hoses?"
The customer grabbed a new hose.
"It's best to start it with a starter fertilizer and after about three weeks or so hit it with a good 6-6-6"
The customer grabbed two bags of fertilizer
"Don't worry about mowing it 'til it's gotten up over three to four inches. How's your mower?"
The customer bought a new mower as well.
After all was said and done the customer who came in for a $12 bag of seed ended up spending over $300 and Harry said to Sam "See? Don't just sell what they want...sell 'em what they'll need."
Sam said "I got this Pop" and approached the next customer.
"Welcome to Harry's! Can I help you find anything?"
Sheepishly the customer replied "We'll ya...I'm lookin' for...er...um...ya'll got tampons?"
"Yes sir! Right over here on aisle 8. We got your tampons, your maxi pads you name it."
"Well, my list just says to get the ones in the pink box."
"Yes Sir, here you go my friend... Do you want a mower with that?"
"Nope, just the pink box"
After the customer had gone Harry said to Sam "What the heck were you thinkin' boy? Couldn't you see he was embarrassed enough?"
"But Pop, I figured since his weekend was screwed up he might just as well cut the grass!"
Topic: Salesmanship (Read 1614 times)