Green-grass golf retailers need to get better at selling the benefits of the products they stock. This applies to all products, but especially to those at premium price points.
The selling conversation needs to match the value of the product with the requirements of the customer (ie. how the benefits will convert into results). If a retailer doesn’t sell the benefits then margins will be pressured as the customer looks for discounts on a product that may be competing against cheaper alternatives.
Foremost Golf has initiated a recent ‘Salespersons’ Support Service’ to assist with the in-store conversation. Each professional receives a short summary of the key customer benefits for each new product (this service covers a limited number of suppliers). This is a great innovation.
For each product in the new Ping G20 and Ping Anser range, three key benefits are listed (pictured). These are written in the form of improved results the golfer would experience; so sales staff now have an easy education tool, even before product arrives from the supplier.
Knowledge converts into sales
Most golf brands have superb, information-packed websites that consumers can visit to educate themselves. Then they can then simply visit a local retailer to pick up the product. Frequently, consumers run a price comparison and make their purchase at the cheapest retailer. Sometimes they even buy direct from brands, cutting our retailers completely.
If green-grass retailers are to exploit their competitive advantage, they need to be very good at converting customers to products from the limited number of brands they stock. This can only be achieved by making sure shop staff are ‘experts’ on the technical features of the product range, and ‘experts’ in matching specific product to individual golfers.
That means professionals need to take the time to brief and educate staff on the technical features and benefits of every product in the shop. This is not an impossible task (although it might be another great reason to limit the number of products you stock). Here is how to achieve it:
Create a standard form with four columns:
Column 1. Product name
Column 2. One or two new technical features
Column 3. Matching features to customer benefits
Column 4. The target golfer
The brand reps can be expected to help in this process (in fact, reps could be asked to provide the required information when collecting the first order).
Shop staff need to study these forms for each of the products in a category, and then professionals need to hold regular 45-minute sessions, in which staff re-count the features and benefits for each product in that category.
If shop staff are educated and talking to customers about the improvements a product will deliver, more conversations will result in sales at the full margin. It is this level of service that convinces golfers to remain loyal to green-grass retail.
I will be conducting blind store visits over the coming weeks, looking to buy the new adidas 360 ATV shoes. I will let you know how many staff can sell the benefits.
