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How To Successfully Promote Your Store's Credit Card

A Guide For Retail Workers

By Jade M.Published 3 years ago 4 min read
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During my fourteen years in retail, I have been asked to promote multiple store credit cards. Sometimes there was a reward tied to the store cards, like an extra two dollars per credit application on my check. Other jobs went a different route and would issue punishment if my credit goals weren’t reached. There were treats of being written up and sometimes my hours were even based on the number of cards I’d sign the customers up for. During one of my early jobs, I struggled with making my credit goals (and barely got any hours). I decided things had to change and I had to figure out the secret to selling customers on the store credit card. Now I'm one of the top credit salespeople in my store. So, what's my secret?

Know Your Card

One of the first and most important things I did was get to know my card. Take a little extra time with the credit card booklet that they give to the customers. What are the benefits of the card you’re promoting? Which benefits would you use if you were going to sign up for the card? Does the customer get a percent off every time they shop? Do they only receive a benefit when they initially sign up? These are all important things to note when selling store cards and can often be used as talking points to steer your customer towards your store card.

Know Your Customer

Take a minute to engage your customer in conversation. Ask them how their day was, take note of what they are buying and the amount they are spending. Talking to the customer builds a relationship (selling is all about the relationships you build) and makes them feel more comfortable with you. If they feel at ease, they will be more likely to listen to what you have to say about the card. Studying their purchases will also give you an idea of how they plan to use their card. For example, if they are buying something such as art supplies, they probably have art as a hobby and will be back for more supplies in the future. Paying attention to the amount of money will give you a reason to pitch the amount of money they’d be saving with the card. Are they getting 15 dollars off the first purchase? Tell them how much their purchase would be. Would they save a percentage whenever they shopped? Point that out to them, especially if they are a regular customer.

Be Prepared For Rejection

Just like dating, there’s always going to be a little bit of rejection. Be prepared to hear the word no and figure out how to overcome it. Customers will often say things such as, they don’t have time, or they don’t need another card. There is an easy way to overcome both answers. The customer who’s in a hurry may not know how quick it is to sign up for a credit card (usually under a minute). Make sure to tell them that it only takes a few minutes and assure them that the benefit will be worth it. If a customer says they don’t need another card you should ask them if they shop at your store a lot. If they say yes, you can tell them the benefits they would get from the card. Occasionally, you’ll get a customer who will tell you that they know they won’t be approved. I’ve found that some of these customers do get approved, and only need a small bit of coaching to push them to get the card. I usually tell them that they won’t know until they try. Some customers would offer a basic answer, such as not today or maybe next time. These customers usually have a reason for rejecting your sales pitch, which is another reason it’s a good idea to engage them in conversation. Attempt to get them to be more open about the real reason they don’t think the card is for them, but don’t push too hard. You don’t want to be considered aggressive when selling cards.

Always Ask Twice

This is one of the most important tips I can give you. If you ask the customer at the start of the transaction and they say no you can sometimes sway them to change their mind before they leave your line. If they have said no but haven’t given you a solid reason for their answer you might be able to save the sale. One of my favorite lines is, “Are you sure? Your total would only be x amount.”

Don't Let Rejection Get You Down

No matter what you do, you’re always going to get rejections and it’s likely they’ll outnumber the amount of people who said yes to the card. You can’t let those rejections get you down. If you let the rejections get to you, it will reflect on the way you try to sell the card. Your store card isn’t going to work/be of interest to every customer. Your job is to find the customer who the card would benefit.

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About the Creator

Jade M.

Jade is an indie author from Louisiana. While her first book failed, she has plans to edit and republish it and try again. She has a senior min pin that she calls her little editor, and a passion for video games and makeup.

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