Sales are the backbone of any retail business. Improved sales translate to greater revenue, ultimately paving the way for business growth. As Kavan Choksi Business Consultant says, to improve sales in a retail business one has to understand their customers, invest in strategic planning and make use of smart tactics to influence buying behavior. It is not enough to just open the doors of a retail store and wait for the customers to come in. Appropriate tactics need to be implemented to encourage people to step inside the store and make purchases.

Kavan Choksi Business Consultant lists a few tips that can help improve retail sales

The customer is truly the king in the retail sector. Properly understanding the target audience is the very first step in formulating strategies to improve sales. Retailers need to put an emphasis on analyzing the shopping behavior, preferences, and pain points of the customers. After all, the more they know about the customers, the better they can cater to their needs and wants.  Subsequent to acquiring a good understanding of the customers, the following tactics can be used to improve retail sales:

  • Offer a customer loyalty program: Loyalty programs are a good way to encourage repeat business. For instance, customers can be provided points for every purchase they make, and these points can later be redeemed for discounts or freebies. Customer loyalty programs help boost sales and cultivate a sense of appreciation and loyalty.
  • Up-selling and cross-selling: The staff of a retail store must be trained to identify up-selling and cross-selling opportunities. In case a customer is planning to buy a new smartphone, for instance, they can be recommended to go for a more high-end model (up-selling). The salespeople may even suggest the customer to buy a mobile phone case (cross-selling).
  • Implementing sales promotions: Sales promotions like buy one get one free, limited time discounts or free shipping for a specific amount tend to be useful in stimulating purchases. They help create a sense of urgency that encourages the customers to make purchases right now, rather than later.
  • Enhancing customer service: Seamless customer service tends to make customers feel valued and increases the odds of repeat purchases. For a retail store, good customer service can be as simple as greeting customers warmly, helping them to find the products they need and answering questions promptly.
  • Visual merchandising and optimizing store layout: A strategic and attractive retail store layout can influence purchasing decisions to a good extent. Retailers should typically position high-selling items at eye-level. They should also use visual merchandising tactics like compelling displays or signage in order to draw attention to specific products.
  • Streamlining checkout process: A hassle-free and friction-less checkout process goes a long way in improving sales. If possible, retailers should try to implement mobile payment solutions or self-checkout options to speed up the process.

As Kavan Choksi Business Consultant says, in addition to following the tips discussed above, retailers must also invest in employee training. Well trained employees would be the front-line salespeople for a retail business. Hence, retailers need to invest in their training, which focuses on product knowledge, sales techniques, and customer service skills.