The in-store experience is critical to the success of any retailer. It is especially important to small retailers and mom-and-pop operations. It is your chance to prove to your customers that you have their best interests in mind and that you are truly focused on helping them succeed.

That means first impressions count. It means how you address them and their interests matters. It means they are your number one focus for the entire time they are in the store, and you will give them every reason to return—as well as give them reasons to tell their friends how amazing your store is. 

1) Engage the customer within the first 30 seconds of their entry into the store. Thirty seconds isn’t much time, but it feels like an eternity to someone visiting who sees you not connecting with them.

Avoid the gauntlet! There is plenty of research that shows a rise in heart rate and stress as consumers enter some retail shops—because they know they are going to be assaulted by commissioned sales people. When this happens, consumers naturally put up their defenses and say no to ANY help offered.

So, when you engage with your customer, it MUST be in an approachable manner and CANNOT be confused as an attack by a money-hungry salesperson.

2) Introduce yourself by name and thank them for coming in to the store. Then ask if there is a specific question they came in the store to answer. This may include shopping for a distinct event, room, person or item. You offering your name makes this a personal experience, not just a trip into someone else’s club.

Technology exists today that allows consumers to scan QR and other codes in-store and receive real-time information on the range of options available. Consumers can even link to an online shopping cart while in the store and do their shopping virtually while browsing the real thing. This kind of technology enables the floor personnel to stay connected to customers without chasing them throughout the store.

What I love about this approach is it enables the customer to stay in control of as much of the information gathering and sharing as SHE wants, and removes an uncomfortable barrier between pushy salespeople who ask too many questions at the wrong times.

3) If they say NO: give them room while providing information on the layout of the store. For example, point out how the store is arranged, where to find particularly popular items, showcase what’s new or different.

Tell them you will check back with them in a few minutes—and let them shop on their own. But make sure you check back with them.

Keep your promises, even little ones made in the moment. These may seem small to you, but your customer uses them to judge your credibility.

4) If they say YES: obviously you want to address that need. This is where customer segmentation comes into play. The more you know about the type of customer you are dealing with, the better prepared you are to provide the right kind of information they want and how they like to receive the information.

For example, if you’re in a specialty business like a guitar or bike shop, you need to be able to determine whether you are talking with someone who considers him or herself an expert, or whether you have a newbie on your hands. The expert may be able to cut to the chase and sort through all the technical details of the product. The newbie will likely be lost by the jargon and turned off by their perception of you acting like a know-it-all.

5) Offer ideas: People like to buy; they just hate to be sold. So offer ideas and reasonable suggestions. Start small and work your way up.

Keep in mind that your online retail competitors have all of this built into their software. So instead of personal assistance and suggestions your customers get pop-ups and banner ads. You being there in person should be a better option to online, if you want your customer to return.

6) NEVER PATRONIZE YOUR CUSTOMERS! If they don’t know what questions to ask, it is your job as the expert to help them get to a great solution while allowing them to save face. Most people do not like to admit that they don’t know the answer to a question. You proving they don’t know what they’re talking about may make you feel better but it will almost always guarantee a lost sale plus a social media wildfire.

Retail is hard. Dealing with living, breathing customers in person every day can be crushing to the spirit—on the bad days. But that never gives you the right to belittle your customers. The customer is NOT always right. By the same token, they are not always wrong, or stupid, or lazy or ... you get the idea. Use the Golden Rule here.

7) Be the expert: Most of your customers want you to know what you’re doing, and expect you to know more about your category and channel than they do. So feel free to offer tips and share anecdotes based on your personal experience. Chances are good that you have more experience in your category (especially if you’re in a specialized category) than a fair number of your walk-in customers. Your excitement for your store, variety, options, potential and more will rub off on them—and improve your chances for a sale.

8) Think long-term: You are building a relationship one visit at a time. Some of your customers will walk into the store having done their homework and knowing exactly what they want. For them, you will likely serve as the resident expert who shows them what they want to see and verifies the details.

Many more customers will want to browse and ask questions, especially for larger ticket items. Be patient with them. Give them a reason to come back, which starts with liking the in-store experience and the person helping them—that’s you.

9) Get them into the system and into events: Every in-store visit is a chance to connect long-term. So get their name and contact details while pointing them to your Web site, Facebook page, app and more. Let them know the kind of information you post online (tips, videos, styles, upcoming shows, etc.) so they have a reason to check in. Ask if they would like to receive follow up reminders and updates.

10) Give them a reason to return: Remind them of your name and show them that you remember something about their interests, which proves you were listening to them. Offer to help personally on their next visit.

For consumers to continue to frequent brick and mortar retailers, the experience in-store simply must offer options beyond making product available and available locally. Those arguments are wasted when consumers can have virtually any items shipped directly to them overnight in most cases and free of charge.

In-store experiences offer an excellent opportunity to build lasting relationships between real people and provide the emotional connection many say is increasingly missing from the equation. If you can’t win on price, and many boutique stores cannot begin to win a price war, then emotion and personal interaction must overcome the difference. You can do it.