Selling In The Machine AGE: The bond vs The Buzz

I had the pleasure and the privilege speaking at The Body Shop At Home™ annual conference this weekend. A spectacular celebration showcasing just how much ‘good business’ can be produced when passion meets purpose meets a plan.  With 1100 consultants and managers all hungry to grow and enrich their business, my talk was on how we can truly maximise the customer selling experience alongside technology. There is a lot of change ahead that will impact the way that we shop, but there are some deeply-held human needs that will remain the same as they ever have, in particular around how a woman feels beautiful as she looks in the mirror. I believe the beauty industry is set to explode as we become a more tech-orientated and virtual world. Why? To channel a phrase from Phrasee’s Parry Malm: ‘“I want a robot to do my facial”… Said no woman, ever!"’

Last year the world bought $22 trillion of stuff, with $1.9trillion retailed via the internet. People love to shop, and much of our leisure time is spent browsing online or in a real world shop. Virtual shopping gives us a real buzz, but typically online shopping carts get abandoned around 70% of the time. So although we get a buzz, we don’t bond with the online seller the way we do with the real salesperson.

Lets consider a woman buying make-up. A deeply emotional buy, there’s a lot of love and loyalty that goes in to how we select what goes on our face in the pursuit of beauty. Using me as an example, six of the core items in my make-up bag have long been loyal companions of mine. In fact, I have relationship that totals 88 years with my mascara, foundation, powder, bronzer, lip liner and lipstick.  But I don’t need a human to help me buy repeats, I just want an easy and efficient way to restock as and when they run out. The internet is my massive vending machine that I tip in my 16 digit card number and 1-3 days later the product tumbles into my door. Do I need a human? No,  you’d get in my way. Unless…. It were one of the 3 moments where I needed you. I call these moments the 3I’s.  I created them for the wonderful The Body At Home ™ people but maybe this could you inspire you too if your selling style is feeling a bit robotic.

First we have the “I didn’t know I needed that until now” purchase. The innovation buy that the customer couldn’t have even known to have Googled for. This requires the human salesperson to bring Imagination to their interaction (e.g. “Just imagine how amazing that will feel on your skin in the morning”). If you’re imaginative with your product you can be better than Google anyday, because I wouldn’t have known to have searched for it in the first place due to being unaware.

Next we have the “I didn’t know I could look like this now” purchase. The Makeover buy that inspires the customer to unleashing her full glorious self.  This requires the salesperson to bring Intuition and gut feel to know what will work for that unique person right there in front of them. (e.g. “I‘ve just got a feeling that this will really suit your skin tone, lets try it and see”). If you’re intuitive with your product you can offer a personalised and dynamic experience at a level which would be nigh on impossible to automate (e.g. no Artificial Intelligence could sense that the product you were about to trial is likely to clash with the customers existing perfume she happens to be wearing that day).

The third opportunity that face-to-face selling has over online is the “I didn’t know I could feel like this again now” purchase. A Life Event that has triggered the need for a change. This requires Intimacy to create trust and a bond where one human can suggest something from which the other might benefit (e.g. “I know what it’s like to experience that, let’s have a look at what might work for you”). This would just sound creepy from a chatbot as we would all know that it wouldn’t have a clue what its like to have acne, wrinkles or sunspots.

So for those of us who sell for a living, these are exciting times as we see the ways in which we buy and sell enhanced by tech. Virtual is awesome for vending repeat buys - which give us a buzz- but bringing the 3I’s to life (using your imagination, intuition and intimacy) will create a lasting bond with your customer enabling you to offer a truly human sales experience. You… bottled.

P.S The robots are coming… “I’d like to book an automated bot massage please,” said no woman ever

Laura Thomson-Staveley is founder and leadership coach at Phenomenal Training and co-host of Secrets from A Coach podcast. For more information visit: phenomenaltraining.com and secretsfromacoach.com