Retailers in the golf industry define success at the end of a season in many ways. Did we hit our retail sales or gross margin dollar target for the year? Did our members and guests like the products that came with our biggest investment in a specific brand, and ultimately did that brand sell well for us?  One of the most common metrics used is full price sell through which is the percentage of units that sold at full price.   Full price sell through varies from Club to Club, but a good industry standard is around 60 percent for the intended life of a given product, meaning a savvy retailer expects to sell the other 40 percent of units on markdown.   Remember, the longer an item stays on your shelves the more money it is costing you because the space that those products are occupying could be given to different items with stronger sell-through rates.  Also, dead stock ties up your open to buy dollars as well meaning that you cannot order fresher, better products until you sell through what you have now.  Monitor your sell-through rates and keep your Golf Shop fresh and engaging for your members and guests to improve your bottom line and the guest experience at your Club.   On this episode of The GIG Podcast, we welcome retail sales expert, Rick Maddison, who will discuss why some Golf Shops sell more product at full retail than others and he’ll explain what the gap is between below average shops and those engaged shops that know the true secret to achieving an outstanding sell through percentage at their Club.   Secrets of Sell Through with Rick Maddison   Tune in to learn:   ·      What your greatest advantage is over online retailers. ·      How to unlock your team members full potential on the sales floor. ·      Why lack of training is costing you more than just missed sales. ·      How to teach your team members the deadly art of retail sales persuasion and customer service which will result in increased productivity and sales.   About Rick Maddison   Rick Maddison is owner of the Sales Ninja Academy, a company that delivers online video training programs that teaches front line sales staff how to be better at selling! His program has helped increase sales for over 300 retail businesses that sell world class brands like Hugo Boss, Lazy Boy, Mercedes, Polaris, Honda, Norco, and Tacori Jewelry. Rick is also a broadcaster, published writer, humorist, business consultant, and highly sought-after speaker.   Highlights you won’t want to miss:   ·      3:55 – What successful clubs strive for when delivering their retail guest experience and what they use to make that happen. ·      4:42 – Why your team members need to have “insane empathy” for your members and guests. ·      7:55 – The qualities you should look for in the people who are working behind your Golf Shop counter in order to increase your revenues. ·      10:12 – A lesson from Wal-Mart. ·      12:47 – One of the common complaints Rick hears from Golf Shop Managers when it comes to their team members, and what his rebuttal is. ·      15:23 – Best practices for what your team members need to actually “make the sale”. ·      21:55 – What can happen to your “Rockstar” team members if you’re not developing them and giving them the tools to be successful. ·      23:37 – What you can do about your team members who have “resting face”. ·      25:18 – If every one of your team members was to just do this…your retail sales would increase!   If y