Share the knowledge
Brugger wanted his employees to have the same wealth of information about his company’s products that he did. He wanted them to know why Gautier USA chose this piece of furniture to sell and why it was being targeted to this particular consumer.
So he made sure to bring all of the employees together and directly explain this reasoning to them.
“We invite them in and present all the new collections and features,” Brugger says. “We go over the sales arguments and possible objections and the story behind them. We give a little background to help people understand that we adopted this collection to respond to a trend or a certain need. With that background information, the person is then able to create something of their own in the sales process. If you just teach them the arguments, he stays in what you teach him. If you give him background information, he is able to create something individual in his sales approach, which better fits his personality.”
It’s that engagement and willingness to share information and bring your people into the strategy of how you do business that will earn you more loyalty. When consumers use a niche business, they expect a certain level of expertise on the product they are looking for.
“We want to have people who are fascinated by our product and by our company and our values,” Brugger says. “You have to be a good salesperson for your strategy. Live the strategy and be enthusiastic about it.”
When you hold strategy sessions with your employees, encourage two-way communication. Make the sessions collaborative by doing less talking and more listening to your people.
“If you have people around the table, to me, it’s always important to take advantage of everybody’s skills,” Brugger says. “It’s more brainstorming and creating a workshop instead of the university atmosphere.”
Use the sessions to answer questions from your people and to talk about your products and services and try to find an advocate who can further your cause for you.
“Pick some relevant project elements and develop a workshop with them so they feel part of it,” Brugger says. “They are the best people to talk to about it because they are out in front.”
When the company got a new wall unit that was designed for consumers who lived in condominiums, Brugger made sure that employees knew that detail.
“Now, if he knows this wall unit is particularly flexible to be in condominiums, if somebody comes in next time, he knows which collection to offer him,” Brugger says. “He can be much more creative in the sales process.”
There’s no reason why details on your products and services have to be closely guarded secrets.
“That’s the key because we are not fighting with prices or with discounts or those common tools,” Brugger says. “Our unique selling points are functionality, quality and French design. This is exactly why people have to know much more about our products and they have to be part of it.
“If I created the strategy, it’s very easy for me to sell it a product because I live it and stand for it and I’m very co
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incing. If I have to sell a product, which I have to swallow, then it’s different. It’s difficult to tell you how to sell it because you can’t give the same energy as something I would with something that I stand 100 percent behind.”