Customer Engagement Is A Lot Like Foreplay

Imagine you’re walking down Newbury Street in Boston. It’s a bright sunny spring day.   You’re on vacation, have some time, have some money and want to buy something.  Every few steps you see a cute boutique. You spot a yellow coat in a shop window.  It speaks to you.  You love it at first sight.  You hurry in.  A woman sitting behind the counter glances up.   You smile, the anticipation builds.  She mumbles “hello” and ducks back into her paperwork.

The moment is over.  You’re not in the mood anymore. You lost that loving feeling!

Just like foreplay, customer engagement is about creating anticipation. It starts the moment a customer steps into your store.  That moment.  That initial moment of contact sets the course for the rest of her shopping experience.

Just like foreplay makes for a great sexual experience, customer engagement makes for a great shopping experience.  As a boutique owner for almost 20 years here’s some tips I learned about giving a satisfying customer experience.

1. Romance the mood. Remember it starts at first contact. So make sure your store’s mood  is warm, friendly, inviting.  Great music.  Easy to shop.  Approachable staff.

2. Take it slowly.  Rushing the customer is a big turnoff.  Smile and welcome her warmly. Look her in the eye with confidence. Compliment her. Make her feel important.  Make her glad she came in.

3.  Make it fun not work.  Don’t focus on the close or making the sale.  Give her fun.  She may not buy but she’ll come back. And she’ll bring her friends.

4.  Hug her.  Not literally.  But find out why she came in.  Is she on vacation, been in before, someone told her about you.  Find out her name.  Something personal about her. Talk with her.  Actually have a conversation.

5.  Show her some love.  Offer coffee, tea, water, a mint, a fortune cookie, glass of wine. Something.

6.  Be patient.  It’s not always a home-run the first time but keep trying.  She’ll see you want to help her and remember your sincerity.

5.  When it’s over, show your appreciation.  Extend the moment.  Send a handwritten note of thanks.  Flowers if the sale was big enough.  Tell her how special she is.

Customer engagement is about a person, one person at a time.  Look her in the eye, treat her special and she’ll love you.  She’ll tell her friends and family how wonderful you are.  Take her for granted and remember that quote… “hell hath no fury like a woman scorned”!