The Blatant Truth Weblog

Buying a Bra Is A Lot Like Buying a Car (Or So Says This Sales Trainer)

It might seem a bit obscure at first but there are many similarities between buying a bra and buying a car. Really. Trust me. I’ve bought both.

Here are the (apparent!) similarities:

One size does not fit, or suit, all.
This is pretty simple, right? A single person on a budget might not want to buy a gas-guzzling SUV that seats 8. And that cute Mini Cooper, well, the family with 3 baby seats might find it just a tad inconvenient. And it even goes to image. I know that I really like my somewhat sleek and sporty little sedan. I just don’t see myself behind the wheel of a mini-van. So you get the point. The car should fit your lifestyle needs, your personality wants and well, yes, your budget.

Now, on to that bra purchase. I’m sure that we can all agree that one size definitely does not fit all. Beyond the issue of size, there is also the question of style, color, purpose (i.e. running, etc.) and more.

And in both situations, the sales staff in the car dealer or the underwear store (or department) should be asking insightful questions that help them to point out the best choices for your unique needs.

Scrimping many cost you comfort

This is pretty straightforward. The old cliche “penny wise and pound foolish” can apply to both buying situations. We may have occasion to scrimp and minimize our expenses when buying a car, deciding that various features and add-ons are just not necessary. We often make the decision with our wallet in mind; the new car is enough. But after we have that car and are driving it for awhile, some of our cost-cutting might not seem that smart. Those bells and whistles are sorely missed; they can truly add to the experience and value derived from the car.

And on the bra front, while scrimping on that more expensive style might seem silly (after all, it isn’t THAT much money, not like a car), women do it all the time. End result, less satisfaction, less comfort and less pleasure derived from the new purchase.

Making the purchase should make you happy
This seems pretty reasonable. Both of these purchases should make you feel good, maybe not in equal degrees, but good nonetheless. Yet in many situations, this is not the case. The “car salesman” has become a cliche, and trying on underwear and looking in the mirror is likened to having root canal without some sort of drug to ease the pain.

Lessons to be learned
If you’re engaged in selling (a car, a bra or just about anything) you should think of yourself as a consultant and help your customer to make the best buying decision for their special and unique circumstances.

This means you must utilize exquisite probing to help determine what’s the best model (or style) for your customer’s situation. Next, you point out how/why certain features will truly add value to their purchase (you’ve uncovered this by your effective probing) and then ultimately lead the customer to making a purchase remembering at all times that everyone likes to buy yet no one likes to be sold.

Bottom-line, that holds true in Victoria’s Secret as well as in the car dealership!