When I say nod, I mean he approves of me giving my input rather than budding in. In my friends gunstore he knows i know as much about what's out there and been able to explain things better than most, having been in sales, and around pistols for 50 years .
Sometimes a salesman can't get any further with a customer, and a second voice is required. Having sold many guns to folks while waiting around friends stores, they trust that I won't blow the sale and am more likely to close the sale faster than their employee.
Why don't I work there, simple, they can't afford to pay me what I make. But if I am there and can help, I would gladlly do it for free. I know I am more likelly to fit the right gun to the client, than a 20 year old kid.
If you ever sold for a living , you know certain triggers that move people close or further away. You also know if you can move someone into better gun for a few dollars more.
When you sell millions of dollars of gym memberships, you get a feel for what someone wants. It was very common for me to upsell a client, "very hard to do" but some salesmen who work on commision will sell the client anything just to get their commision, usually the cheapest, not the best for them. This way they know they are getting something,
You aren't doing anyone a favor by saving then a few bucks and getting them the wrong product. Sure that guy may go for the $200 dollar gun because it's cheap, but if you point out the benifits of the better gun you will have a happier client. Usually you will hear things like "I didn't know that, or no one ever bothered to explain the difference to me before" that's what makes a good sale and a happy customer. simple handoffs like he has that gun , tell him what your experience with it was, well I liked this and that but not nearlly as much as this model, because, "list reasons.
Most people fall into 2 catagories, the guy who knows exactlly what he wants, and the searcher. The guy who knows what he wants is really usually interested in price and avaiability, the searcher really needs an explanation as to what the differences are. I would rather have someone explain something to me that I didn't know, than make a mistake, or have a salesman who just agreed with everything I said. Show the client what's available in his range if he isn't sure. I buy guns at deep discounts simplly because the person can't operate them. They bought a 1911, and it jams stovepipes etc, There is nothing wrong with the gun. It's the inability of the client to operate it properlly. He got the wrong gun period.
