MoneyWatch

Sales Quiz: What's the Best Opening Line With Customers?

By Geoffrey James

Updated on: March 16, 2010 / 8:36 AM EDT / MoneyWatch

SCENARIO: You've just started at a high-end retail environment that depends upon foot traffic for prospects. You need an opening line to begin a conversation that will allow you to identify the potential customers among the window shoppers, and the move the sale to the next step.

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The best answer is: Why did you come into this particular store? Here's why.

The challenge in this case to build rapport quickly enough so that:

The customer does not see you as a threat.
You can ask further questions that will reveal the customer's needs and likelihood of buying.
You can create a relationship that will make buying from you more likely than buying elsewhere or from somebody else.

With that in mind, here's why the other responses are weak:

Can I help you? This is non-threatening, but is so generic and "canned" that the customer will naturally assume that, to you, he's just another body in the store. Also, it does nothing to open a conversation or establish a relationship.
What would it take to get you to buy today? This could open a conversation about a purchase, but is much too threatening to be effective. This kind of hard sell turns off even a customer who previously intended to buy.
What an interesting [hat, sweater, pin, etc.]! This is non-threatening and might help build a relationship, but it's not likely to lead to a conversation about buying. And there's a danger that your question will be seen as too personal.

By contrast, Why did you come into this particular store? -- if posed with tact and grace -- fulfills all three requirements.

The trick is to visualize the prospect as an honored guest. When you welcome guests into your home, you're honestly happy to see them and want to make them feel welcome and at ease. Then you ask the question, like so:

You: (walking over slowly; no pouncing) "Do you mind if I ask you a question?"
Prospect: "I guess so..."
You: (with real curiosity): "Why, out of all the stores around here, did you decide to come into this one?"
Prospect: (After thinking for a second). "My wife is shopping next door and I notice that you have wide screen TVs and I've always wanted one of those."

As you can see, the opening naturally leads the prospect to become involved in a real conversation where the you can easily assess the prospect's interest and readiness to buy. In addition, it's non-threatening, and the curiosity behind it shows interest in the prospect, and thus the beginnings of a good buyer/seller relationship.

BTW, the above is above is based on a conversation I had a few years ago with Earl Taylor, a thirty year employee at Dale Carnegie & Associates.