Don't Snake Charm Your Customers

Customers are smart and they will eventually figure out that you are snake charming them. Don't ruin your reputation or your business success by offering something you can't provide. Providing genuine business advice and quality products will raise trust with your clients and bring you repeat success over and over. Without trust business doesn't exist.

 I frequented a sporting goods store that offers both used and new goods. I listened to the owner talk about how nice and high quality a pair of sandals were and decided to purchase a pair for myself. A few days later and they break, I exchange them for another pair, they also break, and I exchange again to the same end.

Apparently...low quality sandals bought on discount.

Eventually I received credit on another item that worked out well. A few weeks later, I called to see if they had Personal Flotation Devices for sailing. She stated with the same positive and hyper enthusiastic voice that she did! When inquiring about the automatic inflatable deep sea kind I needed, she skipped over the "no I don't carry that" and artfully moved to telling me about the ones she does have.

She didn't care if I drove down to find out she doesn't have what I wanted or not! I could not buy any other one than what I needed and to go see the other kinds would have been a waste of time and effort. She was overly focused on that one sale.

A masterful salesperson that likely led to her success. The problem is that with the poor quality item I purchased, and her overly practiced approach of not giving dis-confirming information, she puts me at a disadvantage to make an informed choice. Because of her inability to answer my question directly or provide me with accurate information....I choose to downgrade her store as an option.

The problem for her business is that I also downgraded it for other purchases as well. Once you break trust with customers they will maintain that negative image of your business until you do something exceptional. While I might go back and purchase something they will not be my first choice. The lesson...don't try and snake charm your customers....provide them with honest and accurate information.