How can I get you to come into my store?

January 26, 2010 10:12 AM

Hivemind, help! What are things that someone could say to get you to actually GO into a store??

I work in a bath and body works type store, and they are a big fan of people standing outside with product to get people to come in. Awkward, but required. Only problem is my mall has a ton of those stupid kiosks with people grabbing at you and asking you to try their product. I feel like people see me outside the store and think of them, and automatically shut down. In fact, I've only ever gotten one or two people to come in. So I ask you, what are things that I can say to people walking past that would make YOU stop and actually want to come in? Things like "can I ask you a question" or "may I show you our newest (insert product here)" are out, those are the types of things the kiosk people say. Help!

posted by assasinatdbeauty to Shopping (43 answers total)

Really, nothing, except for free samples.

I was IN the Body Shop at the time that they gave me one, but a little sample container of hand lotion that I received there once turned into a purchase the next time I went in. Mind you, that was a "1) receive sample 2) go home 3) return to buy" situation, so maybe not so helpful.
posted by urbanlenny at 10:15 AM on January 26, 2010

"Here is a coupon for 50% off your first purchase!"
posted by mygothlaundry at 10:15 AM on January 26, 2010 [24 favorites]

I can sympathize--for a summer job once, I had to give out free tickets to be in the studio audience for a TV show (which was surprisingly difficult). But the tough answer, at least for me, is that there is literally nothing you could do to entice me into a store I'm not planning on going into, short of giving me a free iSlate thingy. Generally, I even try to avoid stores with hustlers outside. It's a tough gig, but as a consumer, it really puts me off.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 10:17 AM on January 26, 2010 [1 favorite]

Hmmm. Having never been persuaded to enter a store at a mall, I have to say that you have a hard job. Some people (like me) will never succumb. But I'll at least smile and be friendly in my refusal if you are smiling and aggressiveness and cute (sorry, but it's true) and that may at least make your day a little bit easier.
posted by otherwordlyglow at 10:18 AM on January 26, 2010

"We're having a [buy one get one free]/[fifty per cent off]/[some crazy awesome deal] sale!"

This is the only way I would ever end up going to your store, unless I came to the mall with your store already in mind.
posted by srrh at 10:19 AM on January 26, 2010

Many people (like me) are monumentally less likely to come into a store if there's someone trying to talk to me. You would, without question, have a negative effect on my likelihood to come into the store if you said anything beyond a friendly nod.
posted by brainmouse at 10:19 AM on January 26, 2010 [17 favorites]

Hi, would you like to try a sample?

I always appreciate being asked a question that 1) accurately reflects what is being offered and 2) doesn't suggest I have to stand there and endure a sales pitch.
posted by bearwife at 10:20 AM on January 26, 2010 [2 favorites]

"I'll give you 10 dollars if you'll just go in and let my boss see you browsing around"
posted by CathyG at 10:20 AM on January 26, 2010 [5 favorites]

Money saving information - tell me about a sale, give me a coupon, offer me a sample. The only time telling me about a new product might work is if the new product is well known and hard to find, and I'm already interested (think "Did you know we just got the new iphone in?")

If you try to trick me or require me to do mental work by saying something like "Can I ask you a question..." I will be annoyed and less likely to go back to your store when I actually need something there.
posted by crabintheocean at 10:27 AM on January 26, 2010

Free stuff. Don't shove the sample at me but ask if I'd like to try one. If I take one, mention any sales. Quiet and direct ("Can i ask you a questions seems so rude" IMO), I don't want to listen to a pitch but do I like free samples.
posted by The Whelk at 10:27 AM on January 26, 2010

Does the storefront barker technique work on anyone? In fact, it tends to push that store off my list of places to shop completely. Good luck.
posted by BeerFilter at 10:30 AM on January 26, 2010 [2 favorites]

Coupons, yes. And VERY concise recitations of crazy awesome deals. That's it.

I know you didn't ask, but other kiosk behavior I vote for avoiding: Walking up to shoppers and blocking their paths. Talking to kids before talking to their parents. As a shopper, I will ruin your day for either of those. I don't care how cute you are.
posted by gnomeloaf at 10:31 AM on January 26, 2010 [1 favorite]

Free samples and coupons, as mentioned above, are the only thing that would work with me (or most people, IMO). It would have to be a coupon that didn't have restrictions on when it could be used (for example, I could use it during a future visit, not just right then).

And even then....I have to admit 9 times out of 10 I'd politely decline as I sped past. I might even make a mental note to not go in there because I'd associate the store with hovering salespeople. I don't like being approached that way, and I think a lot of people feel the same way. But freebies are good coupons are usually your best bet.
posted by DrGirlfriend at 10:34 AM on January 26, 2010

The only thing that would get me to come in is some sort of crazy sale - Buy one get one free, or $5 off any purchase type coupon. And even then, a sign outside would be MUCH more effective than a person that I feel is targeting me. Not much else would get me to come in - I tend to ignore people that have your job if I have to go into a store, and I actively avoid places that have employees that approach/hover over customers (I am a "if I have a question, I'll find you" type of customer). I guess I just don't like people observing me, and even if they're not saying anything, I feel a TON of pressure when someone is there, and it just makes me want to leave.

I understand that you probably have zero control over the types of sales/promos that are going on. It's a sucky position to be in, and I don't understand why companies do it.
posted by AlisonM at 10:39 AM on January 26, 2010

Honestly, I'm really into soap and stuff like that, but the reason I never go into B&BW-like stores is precisely because all the employees are so pushy about talking to me. My friends and I tend to give those kinds of stores a wide berth for just that reason. If employees didn't approach me outside the door, then every two seconds once I'm inside, I would go in every time I pass one. Seriously. (The worst place about this is Lush, my god. I mail-ordered before I lived in a city that had one, even despite the high prices. I was excited to have one relatively nearby when I moved, but the constant hassling once you're inside a Lush store is so annoying that I just quit buying Lush products altogether.) If someone makes it clear with their body language that they do not want to talk to you, or they seem uncomfortable, just stop talking. You're not going to convince them to do anything, and if you try, you're going to irritate them further.

I don't know if someone is going to have a great answer for you, but oh god, PLEASE do not say, "Can I ask you a question?" It's such a flimsy pretense for trying to get me to look at something, and it's such a socially manipulative thing to say because you normally feel really rude for saying "no" to something like that, that I get more annoyed than usual. People expect for salespeople to try and sell them things, but being insincere from the first sentence will get someone's hackles up instead of making them feel curious.

Don't compliment people walking past either, unless you actually mean it. I probably don't even need to mention this, but this has happened to varying degrees a few times now, so just in case: I had one guy selling hair products try to compliment my hair on a day it looked objectively bad -- speaking honestly, my hair is my worst feature anyway, plus it hadn't been washed, I hadn't got a haircut for a couple months so it had horrible split ends, and I was wearing a hat -- and he was so smarmy and dishonest I wanted to charge his kiosk and overturn it. Plus he kept being really pushy and trying to talk to me even as I was desperately trying to get away, and he even tried to claim that I had dropped something -- I hadn't -- so I would stop walking. Some lady at a neighboring kiosk gave me a look that said that guy was like that all the time, and when I passed by later I heard him try the exact same line on someone else. Normally I just get a twinge of annoyance that goes away after a moment when I'm approached, but this guy's whole fake demeanor and blatant lying and manipulation was enraging; all it conveyed was that he thought I was an idiot, and no one wants to buy anything from someone who thinks they're an idiot. Whatever you do, don't try to trick someone into staying, and don't say weird gimmicky things that treat the person like they're part of some game you're playing and not actual people.

I'm much more likely to stop if someone seems more like a greeter than a salesperson -- the kind of person who wants to supply me with information but won't hassle me past that. I don't seem to mind when people simply say, "We're having a two-for-one sale today on blah blah blah," or whatever. Having lotion samples or something set up right outside the entrance seems to lure a lot of people. I will stop and examine those sometimes, unless I feel like I'm about to get accosted. If someone is hovering around them I'll walk the long way around to pass the store. I have actually bought things because I liked the sample so much.
posted by Nattie at 10:46 AM on January 26, 2010 [2 favorites]

Since you work at a bath and body store, if you also sell make-up in addition to soaps --- "Would you like a free makeover?" will get some number of teen girls into the store. And those teen girls will likely drop some money on mascara or body sprays or something.
posted by zizzle at 10:49 AM on January 26, 2010

Really good free stuff. Not just a tiny throwaway, but an actual small purse-sized lotion or perfume or lip gloss, with a coupon attached for half off that same full sized item inside the store.

Also, free glass of wine to be enjoyed while I shop! ;) I guess free booze in a mall is just my wishful thinking, but maybe a cup of hot tea or coffee instead?

So basically: good free stuff!
posted by rio at 10:50 AM on January 26, 2010

The only time this has worked for me was when I was offered a hand massage at a local bath-and-body store. They did an exfoliation, wash, lotion and massage on my hands, which took about 5 minutes, and I bought a bunch of the stuff.
Anything else (even coupons, if I wasn't interested in buying in the first place) would be lost on me.
posted by OLechat at 10:52 AM on January 26, 2010

Nthing good free stuff and disliking being talked to by "barkers". For me, aother thing that works really well is an enticing widow display - advertising samples or a sale or even just being beautiful, amusing, or creative. I'm much more likely to go into a store that looks inviting over a store with someone trying to talk at me.
posted by pointystick at 10:57 AM on January 26, 2010 [1 favorite]

Assuming you don't have the power to create coupons and sales if your boss hasn't authorized you to do so, something you could say to get me to consider coming in would be:
Hi there! Our new scents this season are _______ and ______! or
We've got a new line of baby products/organic products/products with sparkles!

In short, tell me something direct and vivid that I either might be attracted to myself or put me in mind of a gift I could get for someone else.
posted by xo at 11:05 AM on January 26, 2010

I don't see how free samples are going to get people to go into the store. If you're handing out free samples outside the store, why would they need to go in? Maybe if they liked the product they might come back on another day or buy the product online, but that would be a much harder metric to track.

Really, it would have to be a substantial discount being offered 'today only' or a voucher that had to be spent that day that would get me to stop what I was doing and go into your shop. Free makeovers are a good idea too but really, I don't see what you can achieve in these areas that a sign wouldn't be just as, if not, more effective (other than handing out physical vouchers). If I saw a shoe shop (not really into soaps/smelly stuff) with a big 50% off sign in the window, I am going to go in, even if I really don't need any more shoes, I'm going in. If I see someone standing outside a shop harassing people I'm gonna be walking fast, head down or on the other side before I even have a chance to hear what you're offering - especially if you have a clipboard ;)
posted by missmagenta at 11:06 AM on January 26, 2010

I definitely think a coupon for free stuff is better than actually handing out free stuff at the door (unless it's food. I'll always grab free food). This way, there's an actual incentive to stepping inside the store after speaking with you.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 11:08 AM on January 26, 2010 [1 favorite]

If you're standing there with product, the ONLY thing would get me to even slow down would be "Free sample?" and even then I probably wouldn't go into the store. Unless you said "Could you please just go into the store and look around for a little while so I don't lose my job?"
posted by amethysts at 11:08 AM on January 26, 2010

Unless you said "Could you please just go into the store and look around for a little while so I don't lose my job?"

I'll admit that if you said this to me, I would go and pretend to look around for a bit. I probably wouldn't buy anything, but I also wouldn't tell your boss that you got me in the store that way.
posted by cmonkey at 11:20 AM on January 26, 2010 [5 favorites]

"We have free brownies inside!"

I might stop if the hawker actually started with "Hi, are you busy?" I don't mind the hawking per se, it's the lack of respect for my time. I'm at the mall for a reason usually, not to idle away the time.

I acknowledge that is may be a very male-centric viewpoint.
posted by chairface at 11:35 AM on January 26, 2010 [2 favorites]

"Oh my god, there's a unicorn in the store right now! Hurry! But he'll only let you approach if you smell like <>!"
posted by Rallon at 11:52 AM on January 26, 2010 [3 favorites]

People *really* hate being redirected in this way. I don't envy you your position. Unfortunately, I don't think that there a good answer to your question. There are a lot of "don'ts", but very few if any "do's".
posted by Citrus at 11:55 AM on January 26, 2010 [2 favorites]

If you're handing out free samples outside the store, why would they need to go in? Maybe if they liked the product they might come back on another day or buy the product online, but that would be a much harder metric to track.

But at least it might get some people in the store that might otherwise not have gone in (regardless of when they go in). It might not lure them in right away, but at least it might increase sales over time. I'm going on the assumption that the end result that they want is more sales, period.
posted by DrGirlfriend at 12:11 PM on January 26, 2010

But at least it might get some people in the store that might otherwise not have gone in (regardless of when they go in).

My point is that whoever is tracking the success of the OP standing outside the store might not translate later sales into 'yay OP', and the OP will probably still feel like a failure because people still wont be going in to the store after talking to her/him
posted by missmagenta at 12:30 PM on January 26, 2010

To start with, most malls specify in their lease with specialty lessees (i.e. the guys with carts) that they are not allowed to engage in "hawking", which means they are not supposed to approach people in the mall and engage them. They are supposed to wait until someone comes over to the cart and displays some sort of interest in their stuff.

I know that Westfield, for example, will fine them for doing this if they are caught or people complain. So (a) consumers in this thread should report hawkers, and (b) you should report them if you see them making people uncomfortable in your mall. By addressing this problem, it should make your job easier. Though you'll have to find out if your mall forbids this behavior (but it probably does).

Secondly, you should make sure your store isn't violating its lease by having you stand outside. If it's not, just be friendly and wait for someone to show some sign of interest, typically by looking in the window at something or in the door. If they do, be straight forward "Can I help you with something? Would you like to try that? You're welcome to come in and test that out..." type things. Smile and don't be pushy (sounds like you already know that though). I agree with everyone else that "let me ask you a question" or any interruption that starts with "excuse me..." is not a good approach.
posted by jeffamaphone at 12:37 PM on January 26, 2010 [2 favorites]

"Free samples inside!" Keep the samples on a table in the middle of the store with another associate available next to the table to hand out any coupons or vouchers and say "Let me know if you have any questions."
posted by WeekendJen at 12:48 PM on January 26, 2010

pay attention to who works in the mall. approach them differently than mall customers. after being accosted by the kiosk people, and responding politely a number of times, i finally started just going up to their managers and complaining. i'm there to work, same as you - it doesn't mean i won't come in and buy stuff, but i certainly won't buy something if i see you every single day and you say the same thing to me every time.

i worked in portraits, so it was a different gig - but we had more success with business sharing than we did with having someone stand outside to get customers. find another store in the mall that compliments your business, but doesn't compete, and exchange coupons. we had pretty good success with "bring a receipt from store X to save 20%".
posted by nadawi at 12:50 PM on January 26, 2010

What brainmouse and others have already said. Not only would a person approaching me with a sales pitch put me *off* of going to that store, but I would complain about it to my friends, gripe about it on Facebook, etc. Not to mention the next time I was in the vicinity of the store, I'd walk on the other side if that was an option so as not to get sales-pitched.

You've got a hard job. I admire you for trying your best.
posted by chez shoes at 12:54 PM on January 26, 2010

I would try a little flip of the tables to involve passerbys more. Make a little sign that says "Tell me a joke or sing me a song and get a free discount coupon." You'll probably get fewer people responding but those that do will be committed. There's a quid pro quo set up. (I sang, you rewarded me, now I'm damn well heading in to redeem my reward.) There's n exclusivity thing goin' on. (Not everybody gets this discount, just me because I told a joke.) Besides, it would be fun and not just crass hucksterism. The catch, of course, is being able to reward them with some sort of discount.
posted by lpsguy at 1:27 PM on January 26, 2010

"For the love of God, do NOT go in that store! You probably smell fine as is!"
posted by Shepherd at 1:30 PM on January 26, 2010

Not only could you not get me to going but your hovering around the door would make me give a wide berth. Even if I needed something in there.

Those pushy mall kiosk people are common in the Westfield malls here too. There was a long string of complaints in the local paper leading up to Christmas, they're pretty much universally hated. I see people looking angry or frustrated after walking past them all the time in my local mall. Unfortunately people standing at the door of their shop trying to get people in fall into the same boat and are just as much disliked. So it's likely that your being there is hurting sales, although I know how difficult it is to convince management of that when everyone else is doing it.

Since you have to stand there free samples are your only possibility, and even then please make sure they're scent free (many of us have allergies) and only offer them to people that look at you first.
posted by shelleycat at 1:42 PM on January 26, 2010 [3 favorites]

Nthing the hate for "can I ask you a question" or any such "tactic" to get me into your store. Two things that might work better:

a) Just smiling and saying hi with no pitch.

b) If you're a good judge of style, you could maybe tempt me in by quickly pointing out that you've got [list examples of] new products, with [examples] being something that would actually be up my alley. This isn't quite as impossible as it seems, though it does require a little profiling and some really good guesses, with reactions factored in as education. For me, if you said "essential oils/mens products" I'd be like "really? something besides sickly sweet flower fruit goop? Huh, they did have that stuff that I liked that one time that they discontinued."
posted by desuetude at 2:17 PM on January 26, 2010

Like other folks in this thread, I will actively avoid a store, EVEN IF I WANTED TO GO IN IT, even if my whole reason for coming to the mall was to go into that store, if someone is in front wanting to interact with me. Period. I hate being asked if someone can help me the second I walk in without even letting me look around on my own recognizance. Someone bothering me in front of the store? I can avoid you very easily. And keep in mind that this comes from someone who owns enough body products to run her own store out of her bathroom. If the store won't leave me alone long enough to go smell the bottles or try out the lotions and insists on someone bugging me from the entryway on, forget it.

Honestly, I'd suggest printing this thread out for your boss and saying, "Can we just drop this?" Or offer free food within, that's the only thing I can think of that anybody will go after.
posted by jenfullmoon at 2:45 PM on January 26, 2010

"If you try a sample of X, I'll give you a Y percent off coupon. Wanna give it a shot?"
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 3:13 PM on January 26, 2010

actually, I think this is the wrong crowd to ask. most of us have flunked retail, either from one side or another. as soon as I read your question, the first thought into my head was, "Toes on the mall line!", but I hated hassling people and I hate people hassling me.

that said, they wouldn't make you do that crap if it didn't work. we're (on this here board) not the target demographic - people who walk around with money smoking in their pockets, waiting for the first person to offer to take it from them are.

all that said, I vote desuetude's response the best, (the smile/hi part) because it acknowledges the customer and promises help if asked for and (the product guessing part) because it implies you took a good sincere look at the customer/passerby and think your store has something to offer them.

a lot of sales is in believing in what you're selling. actually, all of it is.
posted by toodleydoodley at 4:50 PM on January 26, 2010 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: thanks all, i appreciate the input. i always try to be as polite and non obnoxious as possible! will continue to do so!
posted by assasinatdbeauty at 6:54 PM on January 26, 2010

Having done time in a corporate-enforced proactive selling environment, all I can say is - a genuine smile, with eye contact (they can smell your distaste at having to do this, so PRACTICE) and greeting other than "Hi...um...(trailing off)", like "Hey, Good morning!" at just the right time will at least give people pause. Then, ask a question they can't say a quick "No" to easily without feeling like a jerk - and starting with "Why not?" or "How about" is one way to do it - "How about taking a sec to give me your thoughts on this new scent/lotion/product?" (Not us - ME - because people can turn down a business more easily than a nice person. People WANT to say yes.) Be your best self - the person YOU want to like.

It also helps if you're looking busy doing something - arranging product or cleaning something, and stop to do it rather than looking like you're perched to pounce. That's why the Gap has someone perky folding tees on the table just inside the entrance. At the jewellery counter where I worked years ago, I'd be straightening some rings or cleaning the glass, and I'd catch someone's glance and joke "Why don't you come over here and see what all the nose prints on the glass are all about!" or "How about taking a minute to try on a great big diamond just for the fun of it!?" For you, I'd suggest something like "How about coming in to freshen up your scent?" or "Why don't you come in and give your hands a quick hit of moisturizer?" (That's why I go in those stores, usually.) If you're one of the shops that makes the nicer antibacterial hand cleaner (which is what I mostly buy from a certain shop like yours) use it, offer it, and say "Isn't it nice that our hand cleaner smells nicer than Purell?".

And speaking of giving people pause, make sure there are obstacles slowing them down before your store, if you're so situated. If a nearby store has a "sidewalk" sign, nudge it so that the walking rhythm is slowed down before your store. Oh, but that's evil. But, here's why.

This book is fantastic, and has helped me for years in businesses large and small - as a consumer and as a seller.

Stores also stick the newbies and bottom-rungs with this task, too - ask higher-ups to give you some training, or to show you what works for them (use the conversation to take a hush hush moment and find out what the expectations really are - are they really gung-ho about it, or do you need to put in face time to make the corporate spies and mystery shoppers happy?) Showing a desire to succeed may be your ticket out of that position as much as a willingness to just suck it up cheerfully marks you as a good team player. Also you can prove you make more sales inside than outside, they'd be silly to stick you there. In jewellery, some used to hover near the diamond engagement rings, the most popular counter for browsing - others of us would elbow each other out of the way to be the first to catch people who came in to actually buy stuff like lockets and pearl necklaces, not just kick tires. It's not a bad thing to be stuck there, if you can actually turn it into helping people.

And, learn to pick your times/shifts there - mall workers on their lunch will keep you looking busy if that's the goal, and someone on a coffee break might spend a minute and buy as an extra treat - but people leaving to get home for dinner will rush on by. And pick your people with careful observation. The last time I got a speeding ticket (years ago - but I never forgot this) the officer said in response to my assertion that others were going just as fast - "When you go fishing, do you catch ALL the fish or just one?" You're not going to catch everyone, but you might catch people if you can connect. You might miss a willing entrant in appealing to the wrong one. A guy on his own might buy a gift, a group of ladies might never get past their conversation to stop let alone shop. A tired mom with a few bags and an active toddler? You might think not , but she MIGHT come in - if you appeal to her emotions and show knowledge of what she needs: "Why not come in for a sample of our gentle bubble bath for a little treat tonight? Either for you or your little cutie? I'll make it quick."

Last, you can use your position to up-sell on the exit. "Bye now - oh, you bought the hand sanitizer? You might think about getting the same-scent soap/lotion on your next trip - they work well together!", and, if you can drop gift hints then too - "Oh - you got the Satsumeria soap? Good! You know, around the holidays, that comes in a great gift set that my friend, a babysitter, really liked!"

But, as others have said, through it all - you have to sell yourself and you have to mean it. I don't hate people who actually seem nice and are just doing their jobs - I do hate perfume snipers who just fulfill quotas.
posted by peagood at 9:08 PM on January 26, 2010 [1 favorite]

You *might* get me in your store by mentioning a new line of product you have, especially if I already know/like your store. "Did you know we now have (new scent)?" "Have you tried our new line of hand lotions made for sensitive skin?" Something along those lines.
posted by IndigoRain at 9:40 PM on January 26, 2010