She refused The Sale
This is a true story that happened to me yesterday.
“Can I just ask who these are for?” said the Boots sales assistant.
I looked down at one pack of Alevia hayfever tablets and a box of Piroton while wiping my clammy brow, due to the rare, sleep-depriving UK heatwave.
I clicked that she was concerned about someone taking these two different tablets together at the same time.
Fair enough.
“Erm, the Alevia is for my son and the Piroton is, believe it or not, for my dog.
”Her face dropped.
What the F**k is up with her.
"I’m really sorry, but since you just said you're there for your dog, I can’t sell them to you."
What!
"Oh, erm, the vet told me I can give my pooch half a Piroton a day for his allergies (true story) because the allergy tablets they provided were a hell of a lot more expensive."
Sidenote: Always chat with your vet before giving your dog any medication. This is just my experience; for your dog, it could be different and dangerous.
‘My vet told me the same thing, but because they're for human consumption, I can’t sell them.
”I nodded, smiled, made a joke of it, and if I'm honest, I could eventually see her point of view.
Although it did make me think.
She just turned down a sale.
A quick, easy one that nobody would ever have known about. She could have rung it through, taken my money, and carried on with her day.
But she had a line she wouldn't cross.
And the odd thing is, I walked out respecting her more, not less. Because many dog business owners do the exact opposite.
A client wants the 7am slot you hate; they say yes. A time-waster messages "how much?"; they bend over backwards trying to win them round.
They tell themselves that saying yes to everything makes them look helpful.
It doesn't.
It makes you look like needy.
The groomers, walkers and trainers who hold their prices, keep their standards, and aren't afraid to say "sorry, that's not something I do" are the ones clients actually trust more deep down.
So pick the lines you won't cross. Then hold them.
Speaking of attracting the right clients...I've still got a few free places left in my Skool community for dog business owners.
It's a paid membership, but I'm letting a handful of founding members in for nothing.
If you want one of the last spots, just reply with the word "Skool", and I'll send you the link. And those who have already reached out; I'll send you an invite link within a few days.
Colin
