The Business Chat - Make it easy for your customers to give you money

 “Wow, I LOVE this, it’s totally fabulous! It fits perfectly and it’s so gorgeous”, gushes the customer as she puts your jewelry back on the shelf and walks away. Huh? Why didn’t she buy it? She loves it!

Who knows, maybe she just paid a huge car repair bill. Maybe she just bought a house. Maybe it’s a big necklace and she doesn’t have any special occasions coming up to wear it to. Maybe she doesn’t have any cash and she doesn’t know if you take credit cards and since you were busy with another customer she couldn’t ask you.

Not every customer will purchase every time they see you. It’s up to you to provide your customer with the opportunity to purchase when they want to, not just when you happen to be available.

Here’s a couple of tips for providing ways for your customer to give you money.

• Have signs everywhere about your terms of payment (credit cards, cash, cheque, email money transfer, whatever). Don’t ever make them ask.
• On your website have BUY NOW buttons everywhere along with shipping information.
• If an item has a variety of options list them. Don’t ever make them email for more information.
• Let them know where they can buy from you in the future. Have your website address on everything. List all your craft shows on your website. Facebook upcoming events, tweet them, blog them, let people know where you will be.
• Ask people to sign up for your newsletter and then send them the newsletter. It’s not the customers’ job to stay in touch with you, it’s your job to stay in touch with them.

 Making it easy for your customer to give you money isn’t just about the physical exchange of cash for goods. It is about providing the customer with a variety of goods at a variety of price points to allow them to find one that fits their needs.

Back to our shopper from above. The piece she tried on was a very large statement necklace. True, she did love it however she couldn’t figure out where she would wear it, and really, at $500 it was beyond her budget. The customer here loves your work but you haven’t provided her with a way of giving you money. What if there was a smaller version of the necklace? Or a pair of earrings at $35 in the same style?

As another example, think of a painter who has created a stunning landscape painting, magnificent and 6’ X 8’ and $2500. No matter how gorgeous, it will be difficult for her audience (who primarily live in downtown condos) to find a space for this work. The painter could make smaller prints of the work for a more affordable price and at a size that people could envision in their living room. She could also make greeting cards, or create a calendar of a selection of her works.

If a customer just doesn’t have the money to buy your $500 piece, don’t deny them the chance to give you what they can afford. Maybe they can buy a $50 piece. They can always come back for more. 

Money is like water, it will flow where ever you direct it. Go ahead, direct as much as possible in your direction.