Is there a formula for retail sales success? How do shoppers get from just looking, thanks to walking out with a purchase? Beyond attractive merchandise and persuasive endorsements, the key to making the sale is simple: combining knowledge and great service to meet client needs.

Know your customer, what they are looking for, and speak to them as though you know them to establish a personal connection, says Naomi Zeligman who, with her sister Michelle Shamash-Ohayon, owns Sense of Independence, a women's clothing boutique in Toronto.

As a former manager at popular clothing store, Zeligman has modeled her boutique as the anti-box store and puts customer satisfaction above sales goals to ensure loyalty. It's all about making the customer walk out happy. We want the customer to feel good about their purchases and not regret it when they go home.

Cost per wear is what separates satisfaction from remorse, Shamash-Ohayon adds. A $50 shirt that you're never going to wear is still $50 wasted. If I spend $150 on a shirt and wear it a thousand times, which is the better buy?

From eye to buy

Any seasoned salesperson knows: the deal starts and closes at the fitting room door. The swiftest route to pursue a sale is an offer to visit a change room, followed by suggestions of other items to try while you're in there. Conveying style and product knowledge also helps. Russell Bobby, corporate training manager at Sporting Life, believes there's always more to learn about the merchandise. Attitude is everything. Come in with enthusiasm and energy, and with a good working knowledge of the product.

Having the customer come out wearing the garment is (naturally) the perfect time to flatter, advise, push the purchase, and cross-sell accessories that complete the look. Often, the sheer amount of time and assistance provided will override shopper hesitancy and tip the scales toward buying.

Of course, men and women approach shopping quite differently. Women generally are keen on browsing and retail therapy, paying for a full experience, not just a product. Selling to men is usually more straightforward, since many of them venture into a clothing store only when the need arises.

Don't be pushy

Edgar Constanza started working part-time as a student at Moores Clothing for Men in Edmonton in 2008 and has since became a manager. He believes in a low pressure environment and a non-business-like customer approach. Trying too hard to make the sale is not fulfilling the commitment to the customer of being honest. Having fun with your customer adds so much more to the experience, he says. Establishing rapport by exchanging names helps build relationships. Even cash register transactions can be enhanced by staff coming out from behind the counter to hand over the purchase, thus making buyers feel valued.

If the customer is wavering, Costanza points out the returns policy. The few shoppers who use it often receive an exchange or store credit, prompting yet another visit. Many bigger box stores lure back existing customers through e-mails that highlight promotions. Ultimately, it's all about keeping the customer engaged, loyal, (and buying).

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