For those of you who work in a O-store, Vault, or anywhere that sells Oakley, what's your favorite thing to tell the customers about to pitch the glasses.

I liked to tell them how they would protect their eyes. Some would say "these $10 glasses say they'll block 100% UV. Then after showing them the impact protection & XYZ they were usually convinced

It seems like most people that come in to the store aren't interested in the ANSI tests. If they ask about the strength of the lense, I like to use the, "They can take a 12 gauge shotgun blast from 15 yards" line.

they're the best: what else should you have to say.
honestly though, when they've got glasses on their face, tell them they look good, lie if necessary.

tell them they look good, lie if necessary.

Hahaaa
Nice one Brian....I guess whatever it takes to sell right

hahhaa

One of my big things is disagreeing with them if they put on something that doesn't look good on them. They don't expect that, they think that any salesman will say ''that looks great on you!'' whatever pair they try on. I take them by surprise. Right off the bat, they forget I'm a seller and see me as an adviser. They then feel more comfortable. I'm their friend now. Done. Another thing I use to achieve that is humor. This morning an old lady walks in, she was like 75 years old, she goes ''I've tried on Oakley sunglasses and really liked them, I'm considering buying a pair but I have a very low budget''...I immediately bring her to the X-Metal cabinet, ''No problem madam, here, Polarized Juliet, CA $525 !''...she was like in shock, then I broke out of laughs and she was done like diner cuz she was referring me as ''The lil' clown'' cuz she thought I was funny. Humor works great. Awesome way to break the barrier between seller and buyer, make it buyer and buying advisor.

My big thing is proving the customer that what I'm talking about is no bullshit...for instance, the lenses...we got a few Half Jacket lenses that were scratched, and we could do whatever we wanted with them...so now, whenever I speak about the solidity of the lenses, if the customer's not too sure, I grab the HJ lenses, throw them on the floor, stomp my foot on them, and then take a huge hammer and bash on it. Also catches the attention of other customers, who then come talk to me. For O Matter frame, whenever they get to the conclusion that ''Oh, those are just regular plastic, it's cheap and low quality''...I tell them how the material that makes up O Matter is a version of plastic that is set so that the arms will snap out of the frame before they break...and then I do it...pull the arm of a Gascan or a MonsterDog, snap out the earstem, then snap it back in. They then know that I mean business and that it's not ''just plastic''.

Oh yeah by the way, we've been zoning the store (well, my manager), and I've been assigned to sunglasses...talk about a dream...;)

One last big selling thing is when the customers see how comfortable I am with the brand, the products, and especially when it comes to maintenance (cleaning, switching lenses, etc...). Customer walks in with his MDs, asks me ''Can I change lenses on those?'', and I barely let him finish his sentence, I grab a pair of MDs in the cabinet and snap the lenses out, then back in. Right there, not only did I answer his question without any words, but I actually showed him that I know what I'm talking about, plus I'm qualified to do the work for him.

All these things, they're basically aimed at breaking that barrier, and once I've done that, I can sell them whatever I want. Whatever I'll say, they'll eat it. Done. NEXT !!!

Great idea for a thread !

Cheers

Freesh, lots of great tips. I'd never thought of purposely abusing a lense (It might be one of those, scared to man handle it even though I know it can take it things). Not quite sure how the manager would react the first time she saw it happening though.

As for Brian's idea about lying if necessary, a funny idea, but is it what we really want. Do we want someone new to the brand to buy something they're not going to be happy with later on? I agree with Freesh that you should be honest with them. If you're honest, and they find a pair they really love, and really works for them, they're another step closer to becoming a loyal O-junkie.

Humor is great, customer - "i am looknig for some sun glasses" me- "think we may have a few around here somewhere..." also, after the sell when they check the lenses for scratches i like to ask them to check for "scratches, marks, foul words & pornography" for that you have to judge the customer but usually gets a laugh, finishes the sale on a positve vibe and every now and then you get the guys who askes for the lens with the fould words & pornography.

I like showing off the ability to twist and mangle the hj's and m-frame frames to show the strength, and fold the m-frame lenses in half and have them spring back (hang on to them though, my manager did the same thing and launched a fire sweep lens across the store!). Also the speed disasembly of a hj is great, arms off/lenses out down to 5 pieces in about 3 seconds.

ask about the desired usage, driving/office/sports/ect. customers dig it when you offer styles to compliment thier need that they are looking to fill.

demo's are always great, like the polarized tests, 99% of people flip out without even caring about why the test works how it does. also knowing what kind of people want "wire" & "plastic" shades or ti & omatter glasses, knowing the customer helps and takes a knack to figure it out quickly.

also showing "unofficial" cusomization, like the white riddle frame with a violet lens, looks freakin super hot!! I sold two pair of riddles to a lady who just liked that custom combo, bought the black and white and swapped the lenses. also, custom gascans are sweet, $100 sale becomes $190 when you add in some additional fire lenses. its all about options and the new bto program will rock the socks off of all previous things oakley has done to capture a larger market.

Its good to see that Oakley has some very good employees in you guys, honestly it does make a difference in the long term. Keep on the good work !

LMAO Paul, love the porno reference, it's a beauty ! Good point on the BTO too, I already have a huge list of specific combos asked by customers. They can't believe we're gonna MAKE their sunglasses in front of their faces. We have all the merchandise, frames and lenses, just gotta get the system set up now. Can't wait !

Funny how I answered this thread last night, today at work I must've sold around 12-15 pairs, my last customer bought THREE (3) pairs on the spot ! Also sold a PAIR of Juliets. That's right, TWO Juliets in one shot ! Muwahahahaha !

Paul let me know when you guys' BTO program is fully set up, tell me how it goes !

Freesh you animal! You should ask for commission on every pair you sell!

If I made commission I don't think I'd even need a salary :P

in any fashion sector of business, the customer's goal will always be to "look good." well mostly. and, as they say, if you feel good, you look good. if a girl comes in asking about a pair of glasses, telling her they look hot on her is a plus. if she thinks otherwise, fine. at least you haven't insulted her by making some disgusted face. if she agrees, she'll be more inclined to buy them because she thnks she looks good with them.

while showing impact videos and other impressive facts about how awesome Oakley's are, most people just want something that looks good and (maybe) blocks the sun. very few sorority girls who might buy the new women's frames will be sold on the impact resistence.

nice job freesh

speaking of sales, what is everyones biggest ever single transaction O sale?

Mine was just over $1000 CAD

He bought polarized crosshair for his son, 24k XX Metals, and a case for each.

Honorable mentions go to polarized why 8.1 and polarized halfwires with 2 cases ($800CAD ish)

halfwire/crosshair/halfjacket combo

and riddle/juliet combo

I think somewhere around CA$1600-$1700...like 3 pairs of sunnies, two pairs of shoes, shirts, belts...the family went nuts. Like two weeks ago or something. They were from New York.

if i am correst you are saying to tell people they look good no matter what... i have never had that philosophy as it has been my experience that it turns people off...

customers know if i am being honest, just as much as i know when a salesman is being honest with me... (well obviously not all of them) regardless, you will get a lot more sales and a lot happier customers if you are honest...bottom line.

One of the big things for me is making sure I know what the competition is. Before I started officially working for the Big O, I was the local Oakley expert for the local sunglass dealer that I worked for. I used to sell Rayban, Maui Jim, Costa Del Mar, Angel, Anarchy, and the list continues and continues.

It is important to me that i stress to the guest what is really happening to their eyes when you wear sunglasses that have layers and are put together with glue. Private Pilots are always a plus which usually changes a non-believer to a lover instantly.

Also with my friendly smile and warm welcome to the store people usually don't have a problem asking me for my opinion to what looks good on them, even if the better looking pair is more expensive or not. I always try to use humor whenever possible to make the guest feel as welcome as possible.

nice freesh...

yeah for where i am located, my sales were pretty high, ... the maritimes are pretty much the poorest area of canada haha

Yeah it's a question of market too...I'm on the hottest street of downtown Montreal...not the same kind of clientèle I bet. But any foud-digit bill is always nice man ! Good work !

biggest sale for me was in the 1000's, i think 1300 something like a thump2, juliet, 2 shoes and a bunch of clothes. I have seen a huge sale though, a company owner wanted to throw some incentives at his employees for the first quarter and bought 8 razrwires and 8 512 thumps (4 origional & 4 2's). That was a masive sale and on of the other managers was all on top of that one.

WOW ! That's insane hahaha ! And yeah, I go with honesty all the time. Like Evan said, you can tell when the guy's not being honest, even if he's a good actor. Plus, like I said, the customer's reaction is amazing when you tell them ''No, I wouldn't buy that if I were you. Just doesn't fit.''...of course, that's always followed by ''However, THESE ONES on the other hand...'' ;)

I actually find it BAD to lie to the customer. They want you to be honest. If the glasses look like crap on them then you should tell them (in different wording of course) They came into the store for some help, not a sales pitch. Most people who go to an Oakley Store know what they are getting when they buy them and know how good oakleys are. The next step is to look to the sales associate for what looks good and what looks bad. You need to form a friendship between you and the customer. Make them trust you. Customers wont buy anything from people they dont trust. They are handing you 100-300 dollars for some glasses that MUST look good. Yes it is nice to know that you have a buffer zone (Return Policy) but it is just a hassle. Tell them the truth, get them in glasses that fit their face, laugh, tell a few jokes, show them some apparel that is a must have, get their email info for clientele, and tell them that if they have any questions than call the store. People like to know that they are wanted in the store. Make them feel at home!

My biggest sale was about 1000 Euros...3 Polarized Half Jackets and a polarized Square Wire to a group of people who wanted glasses for sailing...well, I think they've got the right equipment now!

I like the human factor, I hit up the ANSI Z87.1 vs ANSI 80.3.... I hit the fit and feel...three point fit...plutonite..materials ... designed, tested, and made in the USA(but I train all of this... thats my job... teaching tech...) but i lay on the Lance Armstrong Story(if you dont know ...read his book) and let them know we are still people ... it takes a little bit to set the mood for the story, but 100% of the time I am in an account where the sale for me will not effect my pocket(i have 150++ accounts) so I REALLY want to win the customer on Oakley... but if I can get someone into a pair... and they love them , and it helps them... in anyway ...It makes it for me.

In an average day I sell about 2-4 Oakley's( 1 to 2 at per account) ... that's with competition.. and I am not an "employee" in that store I am a Tech Rep(Factory Pilot) so it is hard to sell much when you are only there for a short time, mostly 45 min to an hour.
Although our crew(tech reps) launched the Thump in Circuit City's and the first week I stayed in those locations to sell the prduct, one day a guy bought all 3 of our lil'john thumps and one night camo ... being i didn't ring him(i am not an employee) I think it came to like $1900 US and I know he left with some accesories ....but I was crushed, that same day by my co-worker in so-cal when he sold like 14 pairs(Thumps) in one day and I know one guy bought like 6 or 7.
From what we found out later those two guys who bought from us were taking them over seas to give them to thier business client as gifts .... but a sale is a sale .... right!