Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM APRIL 2023 56 When I speak with AVB BrandSource dealers around the country, one of the questions I usually ask is, "Who's your top salesperson?" And very often it's a woman. This seems to be true even though the selling of furniture and appliances is still largely dominated by men. In fact, less than 15% of these sales positions are filled by females, as is 32% of the general sales force around the U.S. – although women represent 40% of the nation's top sales reps, according to Sales & Marketing Management. This got me thinking about whether women make better sales- people than men. Here are some thoughts and research on why you should consider hiring more women to sell furniture and appliances in your store. • Women are Active Listeners — As the saying goes, telling is not selling. Listening to the customer allows him or her to convey their pain points, revealing which product feature is of greatest value. Generally, women spend 80% of their customer conversation time listening and 20% talking – and according to a Forbes report, 74% of customers are likely to buy if they feel they are heard. Women, with their listening and emotional intelligence skills, will not only bring in sales but will build a loyal customer and referral base. As we all know, referrals and recommendations are the keys to building a strong book of business. • Understanding Customer Needs — Sales guru Brian Tracy says, "Approach each customer with the idea of helping to solve a problem/achieve a goal, not just of selling a product or closing a transaction." Men tend to be action-oriented while women are often more people-oriented and demonstrate "soft" skills by focusing on the emotional side of the conversation. • Multitasking — Women tend to be more adept at the nuances and complex nature of appliance and furniture sales and are less likely to struggle when nurturing a deal, changing gears, multitasking, contending with a "be-back," and getting to the finish line. • Loyalty — Over the period following the pandemic, I believe women have been more loyal to their employers than men. They stay in the same companies longer, commit themselves more fully to the job, and don't bail out when the going gets tough! Hiring more women means having more dedicated staff in your store. This, in turn, boosts productivity and team morale, while decreasing costly turnover. Women generally bring a "Let's all get along" demeanor. • Women's Intuition — We've all heard this before. A woman's intuition is her sixth sense. Women tend to depend on intuition more than men do. Women have gut feelings, great antennas, and listen to their inner voice. We know that appliance and furniture sales usually involve a husband-and-wife decision, and we find that both women and men like to buy from women. Women also convey a less threatening style and personality to help close the deal – using a gentle nudge from time to time to move things along. Hiring "A" players is one of your most important jobs. It's the intellectual capital of your business. Think about hiring more women in sales. Want to see some sample ads to use on Indeed or CareerPlug that are specifically aimed at female candidates – or just want to talk more about this subject? Call or email me at (540) 535-8484 or dabramson84@gmail.com. WHY WOMEN WIN AT SALES You'd be wise to add more females to your sales force Daniel Abramson HR Trends Daniel Abramson is managing lead of HRSource, a comprehensive collection of customized employment tools, turnkey solutions, and expert advice exclusive to AVB BrandSource's independent appliance, home furnishings, and consumer tech dealers. RO

• Cover