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The Old Glasses Shop Goes Back To School
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The Old Glasses Shop Goes Back To School
Who wants to go back to school? Thought not.
Who wants to go back to school to talk about themselves? Thought so!
Who wants to go back to school to talk about themselves? Thought so!
Recently I had the absolute pleasure of going into our local Middle School - the one my daughter attends - and talk with two of the older year groups about careers. Our school has been around for over 120 years and currently has just over 70 students aged between 9-13. It is a lively and vibrant environment to be in.
I was asked to talk about my career history, what I've learned and the responsibilities and duties I have had.
With sweaty palms and twenty pairs of eyes on me I started by saying that one of my career skills WAS NOT public speaking, it really was a daunting experience and probably the reason I have never been a teacher. Also, I know that there is nothing like a young mind to come up with the unexpected!
I then discussed my 15 years in hospitality, building core skills such as efficient communication and good organisation, even giving witty examples of how things can go wrong (clearly only witty to me as I didn't get many laughs - observational comedian can be crossed off future career aspirations). I went on to discuss how these core skills transferred well into my current role as Sales Manager for a small online shop selling classic, vintage and retro eyewear.
Its a strange thing - having to think about and put into succinct words what you do everyday. If you're not careful it starts to sound like your CV. I explained that listening, to understand needs, is a very important skill in many work situations and it helps us take a lot of orders over the telephone, not just online.
With 8 years at The Old Glasses Shop under my belt it was very easy to talk about all aspects of the job, from sourcing new suppliers to online marketing.
Some really exceptional questions actually and it gave me the opportunity to discuss some other parts of growing up that aren't necessarily work related but just as important.
Why would anyone want to wear something so noticeable?!
This made me laugh, I said that whilst children their age all seem to want to conform to those socially acceptable 'norms', adults like to be more individual. Particularly as we get older, we don't necessarily want to 'blend in'.
Why would someone want to buy a vintage pair of glasses?
This question came after I explained the difference between vintage and retro and I thought it was a great question. It reminded me that the reason a lot of customers find us is because they are looking for a style that they have always worn but cannot find anymore.
How much do your glasses cost?
This had a few of the more 'business minded' amongst them doing fast maths and was a great time to discuss the difference between price and value, and how people sometimes confuse the two.
Why online, why don't you have a shop?
This was a little trickier to explain, if only because the thought of discussing overheads seemed not only laborious but was not the reason I was there. So I said that selling online means we can sell anywhere in the World (prompting some 'Ooohh' sounds) and that sometimes, the opportunity to try on new styles at home makes the whole experience more personal and gives the customer the chance to really try the glasses without a salesperson on their shoulder.
Overall, it was a super experience and thankfully, my own child who was present was proud of my effort and not in the least bit embarrassed to be associated with me in front of her friends - win win!
What did I learn from this?
That talking in front of 20 children is not for the faint-hearted but if they can take only one point from the whole thing and put it to use then I'm happy.
It also reminded me that you, our customer, are the reason we are still here, 20 years in and going strong! We are very lucky to have so very many fantastic repeat customers and I hope this means that we're doing something right.
All the best and thanks for reading.
Christina
xx
Why would anyone want to wear something so noticeable?!
This made me laugh, I said that whilst children their age all seem to want to conform to those socially acceptable 'norms', adults like to be more individual. Particularly as we get older, we don't necessarily want to 'blend in'.
Why would someone want to buy a vintage pair of glasses?
This question came after I explained the difference between vintage and retro and I thought it was a great question. It reminded me that the reason a lot of customers find us is because they are looking for a style that they have always worn but cannot find anymore.
How much do your glasses cost?
This had a few of the more 'business minded' amongst them doing fast maths and was a great time to discuss the difference between price and value, and how people sometimes confuse the two.
Why online, why don't you have a shop?
This was a little trickier to explain, if only because the thought of discussing overheads seemed not only laborious but was not the reason I was there. So I said that selling online means we can sell anywhere in the World (prompting some 'Ooohh' sounds) and that sometimes, the opportunity to try on new styles at home makes the whole experience more personal and gives the customer the chance to really try the glasses without a salesperson on their shoulder.
Overall, it was a super experience and thankfully, my own child who was present was proud of my effort and not in the least bit embarrassed to be associated with me in front of her friends - win win!
What did I learn from this?
That talking in front of 20 children is not for the faint-hearted but if they can take only one point from the whole thing and put it to use then I'm happy.
It also reminded me that you, our customer, are the reason we are still here, 20 years in and going strong! We are very lucky to have so very many fantastic repeat customers and I hope this means that we're doing something right.
All the best and thanks for reading.
Christina
xx
