Last September, AQUA reported that Ocean Spray Hot Tubs and Saunas hosted reality show star Ryan Serhant for his new show, “Sell It Like Serhant.” With the episode scheduled to air tomorrow, AQUA caught up with Kristy Verity, director of sales and marketing for Ocean Spray, to ask a few questions about filming a nationally broadcast reality show.
AQUA: How did Ocean Spray get selected for the show?
KV: We were actually sought out by Bravo. They were looking for a hot tub company, preferably in New York, so they did some scouting. They came across us just by Googling hot tubs in Long Island and New York. For a few months, they looked at our website, watched us on social media and followed us. One day we get a phone call saying that they were doing this show and that we seem to be the most established company on Long Island. We had great reviews, great service and they wanted a high-end retail business involved. They want it to look good on the show as well, so that’s how they narrowed the choice down.
AQUA: How long did it take to film?
KV: They filmed on site here for four days. It was about a four-month process beforehand of going back and forth with videos and Skyping, doing different interviews with our sales team, sending location information and videos. They came out last August with an entire team and filmed on site here, in our town and inside our sales rep’s home. They went through her closet and did a makeover and all sorts of fun things with her.
AQUA: What was it like working with the film crew?
KV: It was fun. It was hectic. There were a lot of people in our space at all times. There were cameras everywhere. A lot of the footage that will come out we have not seen prior to the air date, so we’ll be watching along with everyone else. We think that a lot of the time we did in real life they were filming, so that’s the reality aspect of it.
AQUA: Are there any techniques that the sales team as a whole learned?
KV: A lot of what he brought to the surface was building a relationship with a customer: learning the customer’s story, asking questions, finding out what brought them into the store, what their lifestyle is like and determine what is bringing them to shop. The product is the end factor.
AQUA: Is that different than what the team usually learns?
KV: I think so. When you’re on the floor, sometimes it’s difficult to really gauge a customer and build that relationship. You tend to go fast into product orientations. A lot of what Serhant said reminded our sales team about talking to the customer and learning about the customer first.
The Ocean Spray episode of "Sell it Like Serhant" airs tomorrow; check your local listings for details.
