The same five habits from Foundations, applied to the three offers at the register: membership, the store card, and a donation to a cause at checkout. Those numbers come out of short conversations, and conversation is a skill you can practice.
Use it during shifts and huddles. Practicing job tasks is work, and work happens on the clock.
A CIA officer named Jim Lawler was failing at his job of building trust with strangers until he learned to notice which conversation the other person was having and meet them there. Research on charisma training finds the same thing in ordinary workplaces: specific behaviors, practiced, make people more compelling. The full story is in Foundations →
Make each offer to every eligible customer. Use the five habits. Accept every no gracefully. You don't have to be bubbly, and you don't have to pretend to love a product. You do have to ask.
Eyes up, off the screen, before the first scan.
One real question about what the purchase is for.
In a hurry, carrying a feeling, or happy to talk? Fit the offer to that.
A specific offer with a reason that's about them.
A warm no is a good outcome. It keeps the customer and keeps you willing to ask the next one.
What it looks like, what it sounds like, the most common miss, and a way to practice it on your next shift.
Every customer at the register is in one of three conversations. The offer lands when it fits the one they're in.
| They're in a… | Signals | What fits |
|---|---|---|
| Practical conversation | Phone out, short answers, card already in hand, long line behind them. | The quick version. One sentence of value, then stop. |
| Emotional conversation | Frustrated return, stressed parent, grief, nerves about a first trip. | Acknowledge the feeling and solve their problem first. Keep any offer light, later, or skip it. |
| Social conversation | Telling you about the trip, asking your opinion, lingering. | The conversation version. Tie the offer to their story. |
Each offer has a quick version for practical customers, a conversation version for social ones, and guidance for when there's a feeling in the way. Make the lines your own. Keep the facts exact.
Dashed boxes are program facts your leader fills in. If one is still blank, ask before you quote a number. Facts status:
"Are you a member? It's , and it usually comes back as ."
"Since you're just getting into backpacking, the membership tends to pay for itself. You get ."
Solve their problem first. If it fits afterward, mention the one perk that would have helped today. If it doesn't fit, skip it.
Do the math out loud with them using the real reward rate. If they shop rarely and only on sale, it may not pay back, and saying so builds trust.
"Have you looked at our store card? , , and ."
"If you're going to be in here for shoes all spring, the card's rewards add up fast for runners."
If you carry the card, say how you really use it. If you don't, don't pretend.
"I don't do credit cards" is a complete answer. "Totally fair." Then move on.
Don't guess. Credit checks, rates, and approval are explained in the card issuer's application terms. Show them where to find them.
Fair comparison. If they rarely shop here, their current card may be the better fit, and it's fine to say so.
"Would you like to round up today for ?"
"Would you like to add a donation to today? Any amount helps."
"We're collecting for . Want to round up, or add a different amount?"
Keep it short and clearly optional, or skip it when someone is upset. A pressured donation costs more goodwill than it raises.
Ask rate goes up with repetition. These drills fit in a five-minute huddle.
Decide which conversation each customer is in, then check the coaching note.
| Drill | Time | How it runs |
|---|---|---|
| Ten out loud | 2 min | Everyone says their three opening lines out loud, ten times through. It feels silly, and it takes the hesitation out of the first real ask. |
| Trio role-play | 5 min | Associate, customer, observer. The customer plays a situation from the drill above. The observer names one habit that landed and one that was skipped. Rotate. |
| Steal a line | 5 min | Each person shares their go-to opener. Everyone commits to trying one teammate's line today. |
| Hard question | 3 min | The leader throws a tough one: "Will it hurt my credit?" "Is it worth it?" Answer with only what's on the scripts page. |
| Shadow hour | 60 min | Work next to a strong asker. Write down their exact words for each offer, then use them. |