Appliance Sales Techniques

A good appliance salesperson should have an arsenal of different techniques to use when talking to potential customers. This gives you more options to counter the customer's objections. You will receive better results if you are able to tailor the approach to each customer's needs and personality. Customers tend to return for future purchases, so one sale can lead to additional business down the road.

Offer live demonstrations of your store's appliances whenever possible. Descriptions of the appliance's benefits cannot compare to actually seeing it in action. The demonstration also gives customers an opportunity to ask questions in a group setting. Provide food, drinks or popcorn to attract families to your demo event, since spouses and kids may influence the purchase of home appliances. If you are demonstrating kitchen appliances, use them to prepare food in front of the crowd. Hire celebrity chefs or live performers for the event if your budget allows it.

Use additional incentives to entice customers to make a purchase before leaving the store. For example, you may offer free delivery, installation and removal of the customer's old appliances for purchases over a certain dollar amount. Extended service warranties and favorable financing terms, such as no sales tax or zero-percent financing for a specified time period, can be effective incentives for appliance sales. You can also reward customers for spending a minimum dollar amount by giving out add-ons related to the type of appliances purchased, such as a set of pots and pans for buying a new stove.

Another way to increase your sales is to bundle related appliances, such as washers and dryers or refrigerators and chest freezers. You can combine stoves, ovens, microwaves and other kitchen appliances in a variety of ways to give the customer maximum flexibility. Bundling allows you to offer a discount on the entire package and still come out ahead overall because the customer's total purchase is higher. Volume discounts may be attractive to business customers buying several of the same appliance, such as refrigerators or dishwashers for every apartment in a new building.

Today's business world requires retailers to maintain an active online presence. Create local accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and other social networking sites. Update your accounts regularly and post when you are holding a sale or offering a discount code. Make sure your store has a modern e-commerce website with detailed information about the appliances you carry. Include a lead capture form on the website so you can email special offers and coupons after the customer leaves.