Selling Hair

I’m in the mall.

Aggressive kiosk associates try to get my attention by saying things like this:

“Can I ask you a question?”
“Who’s your cell phone carrier.”
“You have beautiful eyes.”

I walk faster. I never stop.

Until today.

Here’s what Jacky Dorma, a kiosk sales associate at HairClub said as I walked by:

“What’s going on under that cap?”

Great line. I smiled and stopped.
Why? If you can make people feel angst, joy, or desire – you’re golden. Sales is a transfer of feelings (Zig Ziglar).

Jacky was a red X in the sea of sameness.

Here’s what I learned from Jacky:

  1. There’s a subset of all buyers that are your best buyers. “I’m looking for people in the 50s wearing baseball caps, carrying shopping bags.”
  2. Don’t sell everyone the same way. “What do you know about Hariclub?” Brilliant. With one elegant question, Jacky gauged how informed I was. Answers probably range from “nothing” to “I’ve looked into this many years ago and scheduled a consult.” Based on the prospect’s response, Jacky changes his talk track.
  3. Showing is more persuasive than telling. “Let me show you these before and after pictures of people with hairlines similar to yours.” There’s a reason why before and after pictures are in every fitness or skin care commercial. They work. Selling is about the before and after The contrast. You imagine a better version of yourself contrasted with where you are today. It’s the transformation that sells.
  4. Take no for an answer. I told Jacky that since I began meditating and practicing stoicism, I no longer care about my hair. Here’s Jacky, “I need to meditate :-)” No pushing. No talking me into anything. Jacky knows it’s tough sledding sellling hair to people who don’t care about their hair. His hair club is for some people but not everyone.
  5. Ask for a referral. “Have any friends that might be interested?”

Great salespeople are everywhere.