Sell As Customers Like It (1949)

this motion picture is presented in the interests of better selling in the drugstores of America the scenes you will witness have been taken from real sales experiences for realism actual brands have been used to portray these actual incidents incidents you will recognize as ones which happen in your store with your customers and the brands you sell Johnson and Johnson is proud to dedicate this film to those who not only made it possible but made it practical druggists and salese from coast to coast researchers who recorded the selling methods sales and training managers of wholesalers and Drug chains drug Journal editors and most important of all your [Music] customers listen lady that's not my problem I only work here well young man if I had my way you wouldn't work here long the idea Joe may I see you a moment Joe you're one of my best men but just now you lost us a customer well Mr Nelson she made me mad look that customer's dollar is just as important to you as it is to me it helps to pay our rent our wages for our stock our costs have gone right through the roof and so will our jobs if you and I don't increase our sales I know you're right Mr Nelson but we're in business to sell Goods to serve customers and the dollars that keep us in business are made out there at the sales counters now go on back out there and do your usual good job sound familiar thousands of druggists just like Mr Nelson and you are facing the very real problem of the high costs of operation a problem that concerns druggists and salespeople alike because every successful business needs teamwork and you're probably asking right now what can be done about it to get the answers researchers went into drug stores all over the country perhaps into your own store these researchers talk to druggists and salespeople in Independence and chain stores big cities and small downtown and neighborhood locations all kinds of questions were asked questions whose answers add up to a successful drugstore operation but they went even further than talking to you what is more important they talked to your customers and they asked questions that revealed what your customers like about your stores your people what influences them to buy for instance they inquired what it was about certain displays that caught your customer's eyes made them pick up the merchandise and buy it the researchers asked what it was that influenced the customer to buy more than he had intended they asked to what extent plainly marked prices on the merchandise influenced sales why does a customer take a larger size than the one he had asked for did he ask for a particular brand and why was it an impulse purchase or did he plan to buy it before he came into the store the answers to these questions and many others poured in from all over the country by the thousands from you and your customers and from them we learned that you druggists and salespeople have an answer to this problem of the high costs of operation yes you have an answer and that answer is as close as your own sales counters for that is where you can make a Counterattack which will produce the extra sales and the larger sales that are an answer to your problem and now you may ask just how do we go about making this Counterattack the answer to that question is surprisingly simple you'll find it in this book sell as customers like it a book of real experiences written by the drugstore customers of America and the people who serve them let's get down to cases right now and look in on another drugstore the owner Mr Blake represents our composite portrait of a successful drugstore proprietor his business practices embody all the principles that you and your customers have told us add up to a successful operation how does Blake look at his customers take that man for instance Blake mentally changes places with him and looks at him self and his store through the customer's eyes that makes it natural for Blake to say it's good to see you Mr Hall how's the family oh they're just fine what can I do to help you helping customers like Mr Hall is Blake's business he knows that an unspoken story walks in with every customer that the customer is a person with problems to be solved and this is the basic underlying approach to selling as customers like it to understand exactly what this means let's look in on this customer Mr Hall at home with his family Clara what have you been doing with my razor blade sharpening pencils with them this is my last one that wouldn't cut the fuzz off a peach in the Next Room is his teenage daughter Mary Jane mother what am I going to do about my hair makes me look like a drip just come and see I'm busy Mary Jane why don't you try a new sh shoo John the baby has a little rush we must remember to get some baby lotion baby lotion how'd this shaving lotion of mine get used up so fast you didn't pour that on his little behind don't be ridiculous yes the hall family in their normal everyday lives have many needs and wants to you and me they might at first seem insignificant but to the hall family they're important problems problems that often can be solved by the merchandise that every druggist carries in stock Mr Blake would you say that the hall family can find the answers to their problems in your store well they could find the answers here all right our job is to remind them that the answers are here when I need something in the store say a thermometer or KY Jelly I always try to jot it down in my want book take those customers over there they don't have a want book most of the time not even a shopping list they use their eyes that's why I try to make my displays my shelves and my windows take the place of a want book I try to make this store a visual want book Blake knows that making his store a visual want book is important when store traffic is heavy and sales must be made fast when we do as Blake does we're applying the first of six practical principles in selling as customers like it treat customers as ey minded buyers you know when you first hear these principles you're have to say well I've known that all the time sure you have but have you always put them to work here's Mary Jane Hall the girl who has a problem with her hair hm cuticle scissors I need a pair of those gosh only $2 I thought they'd cost more than that maybe I can save enough out of my allowance to buy them or else work pop for them only a185 I'll bet mother would love some of that for her birthday besides I'm all out of it notice that Mary Jane saw the prices of the merchandise that's on display when she can't buy today plainly marked prices help her to decide she can buy Tomorrow there's luster cream shampoo that's what Joan uses and I've seen it in all the ads but Mary Jane's problem is her hair that's why this hair products display captured her eye I should brush my hair more too I would if I had a new brush may I help you Mary Jane oh yes Mr Blake I'm looking for a new shampoo that will put a shine on my hair you recommend this luster cream yes a lot of my customers like it very much okay I'll take it all right oh and I'm also thinking about a hair brush I like this one yes that brush is nice has good bristles mhm you know of course that two of the things you have to do to have beautiful hair or to shampoo it regularly and brush it every day that's it's a very popular brush but for more thorough care wouldn't you like to see this new type allaround brush they tried your hand and get the feel of it oh this is a nice brush this brush not only cleans and polishes your hair but it puts new life into it by turning it in your hand you run your hair completely through all the bristles can I try it so we see while Mary Jane was thinking about her hair she found in Blake's display an additional answer to her problem in the form of a brush just seeing it there pav the way for this added sale and that's not all oh bobby pins I almost forgot will you wrap these Mr Blake for me too there's another sale yes to help the customer and at the same time to remind ourselves of related items the merchandise should be assembled in related groups in short it pays to departmentalize what's been your experience Mr Blake well frankly I didn't do much about it until Mrs Scott sold me on the value of grouping the merchandise by the use it's put to and 25 makes $2 thank you thanks for your help you seem to understand all about Mother's problems well I've waited on so many mothers I know by now what they need so we' put all these baby products right here in one place yes the baby needs Department takes no more space and saves us time besides it registered so well at the cash register I've departmentalized many other lines what's this oh that's Hal Blake has hired him for part-time work and that display well you remember your first day on the job job don't you but Hal has yet to learn that there's more to display than making a work of art he must go one step further once a customer sees the merchandise we must make it easy for her to pick it up and decide whether she wants to buy it may I take some adhesive tape please uh yes ma'am just help yourself Tommy Tommy how many times have I told you not to touch anything in the store she wouldn't touch your pyramid would she no sir but she walked right over there and bought the same kind of tape well Hal this display is your first the tent when I saw it I decided to let you see for yourself that most customers are afraid to pick up merchandise from this kind of display you see displays are a sort of connecting link between the customer problem and his purchase we have to make it easy for him hell to pick up the merchandise and examine it after he gets it in his hands he'll sell himself about half the purchases made in a drugstore are not planned purchases at all they are things customers buy on impulse pyramids are all right in the window but we have to eliminate them in the store I have no comeback for that oh forget it but remember this when you get so you can build displays that invite the customer to pick up the merchandise when you think in terms of departmentalization and when you try to make a whole store a visual want book you're treating our customers as ey minded buyers and that leads us right into our next selling principle treat customers as brand conscious buyers you were on the right track Halal when you featured the most popular brand in that display of yours you see displaying impulse items pays off when they're the brands most people buy yeah Mr Blake uh when the customer found the tape of the counter I noticed she shied away from one brand and took the brand she knew she wanted right H look around the store you'll see we feature brand name items throughout it's National advertising that helps to make these names the brands customers know and trust and when customers know and trust the brands we sell impulse sales are made quickly just like this I'll take these please yes ma'am ooh a coat compact I need a loose powder one Henry I'll take this too please yes ma Henry yes my thank you 328 out of five 328 out of five 350 $4 and one is five thank you here's another example of brand Consciousness I'd like a box of Whitman sampler please Whitman sampler oh I think we're all out of Whitman sampler now here's a very nice box of candy never heard of it very nice go oh here's a delicious box of candy never heard of that one either it's great I eat it myself see a guy can do the darest thing sometimes now here's a brand new box of C sampler I'll get it somewhere else morning Mrs Scott oh hello Johnny better get in some Whitman sampler going to have to get it somewhere else a fresh Supply came in this morning George would you bring in some Whitman please it'll be right out thanks welcome nice going kid yeah but I should have found out oh I don't know it's your first day you're doing fine when you thought we didn't have what the customer asked for you were smart enough to suggest another brand but when we do have what they ask for we find it saves our time and we know the customer is satisfied see yeah yes Hal it pays to give the customer the brand he wants we've found out that about half the people who ask for a specific brand we'll walk out if we can't give them what they've asked for that's one of the many reasons why drug people find it pays to treat customers as brand conscious buyers and now let's look at another selling principle number three ask questions that reveal the full story just see how easily Mr Blake puts this principle to work here's your asirin Mr O'Neal oh thanks how's in new job going oh the job's all right the thing that bothers me is I don't seem to have any pep maybe the job keeps me me on my feet too much I wonder if your trouble is the kind I had you know I'm on my feet as much as 10 hours a day but I've got something now that really helps me what's that I've been wearing a Chesterfield supporter belt funny thing it took my doctor's recommendation to make me try one and I had them here in the store all the time and so a simp question leading out of one sale can lead straight to another Mr Blake has learned that people seldom offer him the whole story of their needs without some encouragement so he uses friendly questions to get his customers to disclose more of their needs Blake's right-hand man Tom has learned to do this too couple of Cam and two packs of cools for my wife your wife's coold still bothering her Mr Ellis yes oh that reminds me she needs some yes tissue why don't you take three so she won't run out so quickly okay your son was in yesterday for a back plaster did it help your wife any that wasn't for my wife it for my mother she strained her back that's too bad well the Heat and support of the plaster should help her by the way Mr Ellis if her limb muscles bother her too why don't you try a heating pad that's what considering I'll ask her tonight and see if she'll use one here we've seen how two friendly questions resulted in the sale not only of the yes tissues but the next day a heating pad as well there's only one sure way to get the customer's full story and that is to ask for it and when we have mastered that skill we're ready for the next step principle number four give product information along with the product knowing our product has always been an important part of our job but the real test is how we get this information across to our customers he you a thank you yes sir do you have any real thin leads yes sir they're for pencils right over here he you AA I hope they're good and strong I seem to break them all the time what kind of pencil do you use in then maybe the trouble isn't with the leads at all this is it there's your answer the tip of this pencil is the only part that supports the lead and consequently it scores it that's what breaks your lead all the time uh let me show you what I mean look at the tip on this pencil now I'll show you just the difference in the two so by demonstrating how the pencil grips the lead over a longer surface Blake stresses that feature of the product which solves his customer's particular problem are you interested in a pen we all can think of dozens of examples where the best way of giving product information is by demonstration if we have a mother rub baby lotion on the back of her hand she'll appreciate how it will soothe her baby's skin if we actually put a wristlet on a customer we prove to him that its elasticity makes it a perfect fit and talking about demonstration if we let the customer write with a fountain pen he will be sure it fits his hand and his handwriting I'll take the pen and pencil yes sir hey wait a minute I'll take the ball Point too I've always wanted to write underwater all right that's a good one yes when we demonstrate a product and give helpful information about it we are speeding the customer's decision to buy now let's look at principle number five help customers save money help the customer in his serious job of stretching the dollar when you do that the customer is grateful like Mrs Hall good morning Mrs Hall good morning a small bottle of Johnson's Baby Lotion please surely here it is Mrs Hall I'd suggest the larger size you'll probably be back for another bottle soon and you'll save 20 Cents by buying this size thanks Mrs Scott I think I will take the largest size how is your supply of cotton balls and cotton tips to apply the lotion notice that by placing the smaller bottle of baby lotion on its side and standing the larger size upright Mrs Scott emphasized the advantage of buying the larger size it's simple little things like this which so often help larger package sales yes when our customers know that we've helped them save money they feel that we have their interest at heart and this brings us to our sixth and final principle make customers feel welcome perhaps the most important principle of all because it's what keeps our customers coming back here's Blake at home and notice that when Blake's away from his store he's like most of his customers just like most of us Tom yes dear I hate to bother you like this just as You' settled down with your newspaper but I just realized we haven't any coffee for breakast breast unless well do you mind terribly sure I'll go down to Joe's delicate tesing well you don't need to walk that far there's a little one around the corner well that's all right don't mind at all the fresh a do me good besides I'd rather go to Joe's just as soon as I finish this no Blake doesn't mind going a few blocks out of his way especially when he feels his business is really appreciated and it's the same with all of us we like to do business with those stores that let us know they want us as cont continuing customers so let's check to see if our stores always give our customers the feeling of being welcome for instance do our stores invite shopping do we make our customers feel welcome because we treat them as a good host treats his guests are we helpful do we really try to solve our customers problems what kind of pencil do you use them in maybe the trouble isn't with the leads at all do we sound interested is our approach friendly and sincere how's in your job going are we enthusiastic about our merchandise this brush not only cleans and polishes your hair but it puts new life into it and are we alert for instance take Blake and his salespeople knowing how easily children lose change some parents hesitate to send them to the drug store so in Blake's store the change is sent back in a special envelope listing the items bought their prices the total cost of the purchase and the change being returned here we are now you hold on to that tight and don't drop it whatever you do all right bye-bye come and see me again Bobby may not get that package home in one piece but he'll certainly have that change yes it's little things like this which help to make our customers feel they are welcome now consider for a moment the results in sales when we put these six principles to work here are the items that you saw Blake's customers come in to buy here you see the results of the application of these selling principles extra sale plus extra sale adds up to faster turnover and faster turnover adds up to Greater security for every one of us druggists and salespeople alike and now let's return once more to the other drugstore here's Joe who you'll remember lost a sale to this customer may I help you Miss ma'am I'll wait for the young lady sorry about the other day ma'am when you walked out of the store I don't remember exactly what was wrong don't you I can show you yes Joe it was you you were wrong you lost your patience you didn't make your customer feel welcome and that's one of our most important principles think that over again and then remember all of our six principles treat customers as ey minded buyers treat customers as brand conscious buyers ask questions that reveal the full story give product information along with the product help customers save money make customers feel welcome and Joe if your actions at the sales counter reflect those six principles the last page in the book sell as customers like it will read not the end rather it will read the beginning yes the beginning of a new outlook on your job the beginning of a new understanding of people a new slant on the business of selling and how it can mean those extra sales but even more than that the beginning of better teamwork to solve the common problem of our business the high costs of operation that means every one of us whether we're the ones who work for the wage or pay the wage remember our success will be in direct proportion to the part we play in this Counterattack sell as customers like it the