Making Customers Comfortable

There's a delicate balance to keeping your customers comfortable. No one likes to be watched while they're shopping. But if they have a question, they want immediate attention. Learning body language becomes very important. Typically I will bring along some busy work. A book, a crossword puzzle, my cell phone to play games, something. Something I can do, and at important moments, only pretend to do. I can happily be reading a book when I'm alone. If a customer steps up to my booth, I'll look up and smile and go back to my book. But at that point, I'm only half reading. And half watching the customer. So long as they're looking down, they're just looking. As soon as they look up, you look up, "realize they need help," and then jump up to answer any questions.

Then of course, if they start to walk away, catch them first and point out the good reasons to purchase your products. If they walk away and ignore you, no harm, no foul. You don't know them anyway and will never see them again. Don't feel stupid or rejected. And if you're able to get a business card in their hand before they walk away regardless of anything else, at least count it as a small success.