Manchester, N.H. (BRAIN)—Fear that the economy is going into recession, along with high fuel costs, and the falling housing market, has caused some consumers to cut back on their spending in other areas.
For retailers, this means fewer customers coming through the door, falling sales, and less profit. Owners need to look for new ways to add dollars to their bottom line, and investing in sales and profitability training is one way to keep business on track during a slow economy, according to Greg Brodsky of The Biking Solution.
The Biking Solution hosts an array of training sessions for its members on strategic planning, human resources, profitability, time management, sales, and other topics.
TBS has expanded its 2008 agenda to include classes for several more months throughout the year.
John McCracken of Madera Bike Shop in Madera, California sent his sales training staff GEAR Sales training, a proprietary sales approach used by TBS members to create the perfect environment for customers to buy in their store by giving staff a process for closing more sales, raising their average selling price and selling more accessories.
“GEAR is a sales system that works from day one,” McCracken said. “We did not have any kind of sales strategy before GEAR. Since we’ve implemented the program, our average ticket price and units per transaction are up, as well as our average bike ticket. Our staff is much more comfortable on the sales floor, and more confident handling objections, which has resulted in more closed sales.”
TBS also offers a comprehensive industry best practices training called Principles of Success that focuses on changes that can be made quickly in key areas such as operations, inventory control, marketing, and customer service.
Retailers interested in attending TBS trainings must be members of the organization, which works out to a cost of about $300 a month. Space is still available for seminars this winter. For more information, contact TBS Member Services at 1-800-450-7595 or email info@TBSMembers.net.
—Nicole Formosa
