As graduations are around the corner I thought I’d list a few top tips to maximise service and sales to your graduates and their families.

Some tips are a little late for this year but will provide food for thought for Christmas 2010 and Summer 2011.

1. Source, select and sell product yourself if possible. Margins of +50% are achievable compared to 10% of sales paid to you by a supplier.
2. Move away from the table! Display product professionally – exhibition stands display hanging and shelved product have great impact. Use display cases and lights to show off your product.
3. Locate a mobile shop / stand in a high flow area. Ensure you are in a position for every single graduating student to see you – en route to the robes is perfect as you’ll see your customers before and after the ceremony.
4. Ensure the display standards and visual merchandising of your shop or stand are exceptional – rise to the occasion!
5. Use mobile credit card machines – they improve service and sales.
6. Place an advert in the graduation pack that goes to students and parents. Let people know where they’ll find you and add great images of fantastic product.
7. Include a pre-order and pay service in the graduation pack advert. Promote a select number of high price, high margin product with the pick up point at your shop stand on the day.
8. Ask suppliers of your product, such as jewellery manufacturers and local artists, to join you – their passion for the product will ensure it is beautifully displayed and sales maximised.
9. Place adverts or flyers in any product that the graduates take home for example in the official DVD case, or included with the official photographs when they are sent out and in your shopping bags on the day. Let them know where they can buy after the event.
10. Display a discrete sign at the till with contact details for after sales service – this gives people an increased confidence to buy, especially higher priced product.
11. Be fonts of all knowledge! Ensure your sales team are well informed about everything to do with graduation; this is a great opportunity to provide exceptional customer service!
12. Record, review and report every detail of the graduation – sales, weather, customer feedback and product requests, times of first and last sales etc. The more you record the better informed you’ll be to further maximise sales next year.

Finally – have fun! This is a joyful day for all, a happy, playful team will make the customers (especially the families) day. Show genuine interest in each and every customer and what their family member has achieved – make them feel special!