How to Manage a Sales Team at a Regional Bike ShopWriten by Lance Winslow
In many parts of the country there are bicycle shops, which clearly have the lions share of the business. Often this is due to longevity in location or having multiple locations. Often it is also due to sponsoring races, rides and bike clubs. Smart regional bike shops often have professional riders and give classes on riding, bike maintenance and bicycle gear and all this information distribution and community goodwill pays off.
In my younger days I rode my bike from Oregon to Mexico to raise money for Special Olympics and indeed that helped the bike shop who sponsored me with a bike, cycling attire and publicity. Later I found myself at city hall in a committee to put in more bike trails and pathways sitting beside the owner.
Often we would discuss his five bike stores and discuss the sales needed to insure he could grow his business, stay in business and hopefully expand his existing shops and add two-more. Eventually he did and was able to do this; why? Well, because he understood How to Manage a Sales Team at Regional Bike Shops. His secret strategy was to find enthusiastic knowledgeable riders and then train them from there in sales.
He taught them to listen, understand and teach classes. Eventually they literally knew the answer to every question and could tell when the customers were ready to make a decision and simply ask them for the order or how will your be paying for this; Check, Cash or Credit Card. The simplicity in his methods made him a millionaire and you know what? It could not have happened to a nicer guy.
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