The document provides an overview and guidance for a new role in the Individualist and Via C department. It outlines expectations for the department, selling skills, building relationships with customers, and key trends for the season. The 5 core rules of success are to build relationships with customers, treat each uniquely, love the product, find the romance in each piece, and ensure details are attended to.

1. INDIVIDUALIST AND
VIA C
DEPARTMENT
OVERVIEW
WELCOME TO YOUR NEW
ROLE!

2. WHAT IS THE DEPARTMENT
ALL ABOUT?
 What is a tent pole?
 What does each brand stand for?
 Trying on the product will be your best PK!
 Department expectations: sections, hangers, standards final few,
steaming, etc
 Creating relationships across the store with counterparts to help team
sell and fully fulfill the needs of your customer
 Who is the customer and how do we serve her on her own terms?
 Text 2 buy, email, call, text, fast service, one on one, social
media, etc)
CONFIDENCE
CONVENIENCE
STYLE

3. SELLING SKILLS
 Be directive and suggestive…show
your customer your expertise!
 Selling Drills
 Try on parties…show your team new
product on!!
 Fitting room experience
What does an expert one look like?
Practice setting one up

4. 5 Core Rules to Success
1. Build the relationship
2. Treat every customer uniquely
3. Love your product
4. Find the romance!
5. Details matter

5. BUILD THE
RELATIONSHIP
•All starts with communication and trust
•Be Honest! (
•if something doesn’t look good, tell them and suggest something
else
•WOM biz is not going to be positive if they leave in the wrong
outfit/ill fitting
•get them to trust you to know what they like and what will look
good on them before they even know!
•Communicate CONSISTENTLY
•Almost like a friendship…just professional

6. EVERY CUSTOMER IS
UNIQUE
•Customers WANT TO BE WOOED!
•Common denominator:
•expectation for quality product and excellent
customer service since they are paying a higher
price point
•Personalize your service and deliver it on your
customer’s terms (ie do they prefer text, calls,
emails? Frequent or monthly touchbases? Very
professional and respectful tones or more friend
oriented?)

7. KNOW AND LOVE YOUR
PRODUCT
•Know the fabrication and details for each piece on your floor!
•adds value to your convos with customers
•allows you to quickly find pieces that meet their needs
•Know what you have, what’s on replenishment, what’s orderable and
what’s coming
•gives you confidence in your interactions with customers,
•great convo starters for new foot traffic customers browsing
•Find the pieces you love and advocate them. Let your personality be
seen by your customers through your unique sense of style!
•Review top items for each department
•Vendor info sheets
•Latest lookbooks review
•Try on party

8. DETAILS MATTER!
•Even the smallest things matter:
•Product presentation
•Back of the house organization
•Remembering customer details ie their events,
favorite designers, fun facts, etc
All of these factors come together to create
a seamless experience for your customer
every time!

9. TIPS FOR REMEMBERING
CUTOMER DETAILS
•Use their name as much you can throughout each
interaction (saying their name 3 times within the first 5
minutes of meeting a new customer will help you
remember it for the long run)
•Remember their previous visits and purchases
•Remember Birthdays, Anniversaries, special
occasions, etc.
•All of these details can be inputted and saved in PB,
under purchase history, customer preferences, and follow
up tabs found under your customers name and phone
number. Review these before they come in for an
appointment!

10. SOCIAL MEDIA
•Additional way to stay up to date with
trends
•Websites, blogs, Instagram, tumblr,
Twitter, apps, etc
•Just suggestions! Not mandatory, but
gives us many more options for learning
our product and about our customer

11. NEXT APP
•Allows sales people to safely and securely text their customers from
their personal IOS or Android device
•No need to exchange personal contact info; this app generates a
“new” number to use for the purpose of safely storing customer
payment info and ensuring best communication practices are used
by their Nordstrom sales person that provides the standard level of
elevated customer service as would be given in store.
•Review NEXT app set up and best practices pdf

12. KEY TRENDS OF THE SEASON
ONE FOR YOU, ONE FOR ME
•Holiday party dresses
•DVF, Parker and Ted Baker
will be your go-to’s for these
•Alice and Olivia from 808
•Self purchasing is a way to
maximize your sales during
the holidays! Third pieces
(coats,blazers, etc) are another
•Sweaters and third pieces for HER
and for her gifting
•Joie, Vince, Autumn
Cashmere, Rag & Bone and
Equipment will be go-to’s
•Cashmere shop for DAT

13. Questions to ask when
pulling for a customer
 Who is she?
 Where is she going?
 How else can these items be worn?
 What verbiage best describes these
pieces? Remember, keep it elevated!!!
“Never stop selling until the customer says NO!”

14. Be Yourself
 Relate with the customer
 Be honest yet professional in all interactions
 Saying hello to customers is easy and costs nothing.
Think about this way: You’re at home, a friend knocks
on your door. You open the door and
say……….nothing? I don’t think so.
 Greeting customers who walk in to our department
are no different – make them feel welcome
immediately by saying hello with a smile. If you are
busy, tell them someone will be with them shortly.
 Would you shop at a store where you were
ignored???

15. Be CURIOUS
 Why are they here?
 What are they looking for?
 “Hi! What brings you in today?”
 Where are they going/what are they wearing it to?
 Approaches should be questions or statements that
encourage the customer and put them at EASE!
 Open-ended, NOT “Can I help you?”
 Sincere
 Unrelated to selling or product
 Icebreakers or convo starters

16. Icebreaker Topics
 Weather
 “Is it still sweltering out there?
Smart lady, staying indoors
and away from that heat!”
 Children (if they are shpping
with their children, engage the
kid!)
 “You look like you could use
a balloon!” Cue wink to the
parents.
 Sports ( are they wearing any
personalized fan paraphernalia?
 “Rangers fan? Man, that was
a close game last night!”
 Random fun fact, relating to the
department or something the
customer would relate to
 “Can you believe that
performance by Beyonce last
night? If you didn’t watch the
VMAS, you HAVE to check it
out!
 Sincere compliments (don’t do
this every time; you need to
actually mean it!)
 Hi! I love your scarf! Where
did you get that?!”
 Holidays
 “Any plans for Valentines
Day? Regardless, you should
definitely treat yourself to
something special in honor of
the holiday!” Followed by a
big smile and a wink.

17. Be INFLUENTIAL
 Gauge your customer’s style and
interests
 GUIDE them through your
department, floor or even store and
purposefully point out pieces along
the way
 “Hi! Have you seen the latest Akris
fall collection yet?! You have to see
this piece we received today!! Here,
let me show you.”

18. Fun Facts About Customer
Approaches  Customers will seek help from
a salesperson who looks (is)
busy over one who isn’t…so
stay busy! Dust, straighten,
fold and avoid lounging behind
the register!!
 Wait until you are actually
working with the customer
before asking their name or
giving out yours.
 When a customer is waiting
while you are helping another,
you should always:
1. Make eye contact
2. Smile!!!
3. Apologize for the delay
4. Let them know someone will
be with them as soon as
possible
 The most effective location on
your floor for optimum customer
service and timely greetings is
right by the hard aisle. Prime real
estate!
 Treat them like a guest in your
home, ie:
 Offer their partner a seat
 Offer them water
 Take their shopping bags to hold
at the register and free up their
hands to shop!
 It’s not necessarily what you say,
but how you say it that carries
meaning, as 93 % of
communication is non-verbal.
 (Words, 7%; Voice, 38%; Body
Language, 55%; UCLA.)

19. Be THANKFUL
 Our customers are the reason we’re
here…and they have an impact on
your pay check!!
 Thank them every time!
 Develop ongoing relationships with
your customers
 Keep your voice pleasant,
enthusiastic and respectful!

20. Permission to Re-approach
 Even the best approaches and most veteran
employees can get a “No thanks, I’m just
looking” from a customer…but you still want to
be available when that customer IS ready for
help.
 So instead of getting discouraged, or leaving
the area, what should you say/do?
 “Great! Please have a look around. I’ll check
back with you in a few minutes, ok?”
***This isn’t the time to give them your name or force a
sales pitch if they clearly aren't ready for help.