GROUPtalk-Live: Operation "Engaging the Customer"


GROUPtalk-Live: Operation "Engaging the Customer"

by Sid Raisch

On April 2, 2020, Sid Raisch presented the following ideas and lead a followup discussion. This 49 minute session offers ideas for how to develop an offensive position for building spring sales via alternative means. We offer the video recording as well as slides in PDF form here.
 

Can you make it?

The IGC Spring Sales Curve is about to be FLATTENED by the “flatten the spread of Coronavirus” efforts.

I fully support the need to flatten the C-19 curve, and to protect the most vulnerable from getting ill and dying in an overburdened medical care system. I’m hopeful that this can occur. But the practical reality is, while hope is essential, it is not a good business strategy. We are not going to hope our way out of the financial burden of this on your business.

It is highly likely that consumer interest in home gardening will continue to increase over the coming weeks, but also highly unlikely we will be able to serve it to the level we’re accustomed, with social distancing protocol in place.

The Problem:        

“A problem well-stated is a problem half-solved.” –  Charles Kettering”

The vast volume of transactions that are processed by IGC’s during peak season cannot realistically be achieved within social distancing protocol. There is no way to serve that many people well enough to meet the sales required during spring to keep your business functioning until next spring.

We see what happens when bad weather disrupts a peak season day. C-19 is causing the same disruption. The sales potential with pickup, delivery and limited admittance to your store will not get anywhere near to the numbers your business needs to fund wages, repay debt, pay fixed operating expenses, and to sell the same amount of goods.

Operation “Engaging Customers”:
Double-Down on Relationship Selling to Double, Triple, Quadruple (or more) sales to each customer.

There may be other ways to replace sales that will be lost in peak season, but all of them would require effort that cannot be accomplished this late in the season to the effectiveness that would be needed. I see this one superior method of impacting customers in a fully-engaged way as the best to accomplish the volume of sales anywhere near the amount to cover the expense obligations for the year. We simply must engage many customers in one-to-one relationships. And we must do this proactively, without waiting, and hoping they come into your store, or call in or place an order online for pickup or delivery.

Yes, this is different from the way IGC’s have been doing business all these years – “pile it high and watch it fly”, while hoping for enough good weather to pay all the bills and have a little profit left over at the end of the year.

The concept of personal engagement of customers is not new, nor is it just another “idea,” it is field tested, and proven. I will share the successes and process to achieve them with those who wish to learn and use them right now, this spring.

I will be leading a small group of clients through this process moving forward. If you’re interested further, contact me. Thank you for watching and being with us.

          

Want to DOWNLOAD Sid's slides? CLICK HERE for PDF

Want help?
I’m here for you. Text or call me now while you’re in the mood to Raise the Bar by Engaging the Customer.

Sid Raisch
Cell: 937-302-0423
[email protected]

Sid Raisch is a leading consultant for business growth, change, and results throughout the US for over 40 years.  He is a consultant to The Garden Center Group and has helped transform both national and local businesses in horticulture into valuable assets with programs that create change in culture, community and company.

REMEMBER: Your interaction (by phone and email) with Group Service Providers such as Robert Hendrickson, Steve Bailey, Sid Raisch, Jean Seawright, and John Kennedy are included in your retainer!



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Sid Raisch - Thursday, April 02, 2020
1000574421

Hey jummp in and say something - ask a question - what's on your mind about engaging your customers? Sid

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