Old Amsterdam

At a glance

• Client: Old Amsterdam
• Industry: Cheese, retail and flagship stores
• Training format: In-company, bilingual (Dutch and English), three stores
• Focus: From tasters to buyers
• Trainer: Graham Hulsebos, best sales trainer of the Netherlands 2025
• Method: 12 sales techniques and 11 scientific topics

My journey at Old Amsterdam: From tasting to selling

Old Amsterdam is an iconic brand, but at their three flagship stores in Amsterdam, they faced a classic retail problem: a large number of visitors and tasters. How do you turn them into active buyers? Old Amsterdam asked me to provide intensive sales training for all employees at these three locations.

Because the stores attract a huge international clientele, I delivered the sales training entirely bilingually (Dutch and English). I taught the team my 12 techniques for immediately taking control of the conversation. We trained on creating an immediate connection with tourists and using the 11 scientific influencers.

The goal of this sales training was simple: increase average order value through smart upselling and cross-selling, without losing the passion for the product. The result after these days? A team that sells with much more confidence and control. They don't just let customers taste cheese; they sell an Amsterdam experience.

What this delivers

• For Old Amsterdam: more visitors leaving the store with a bag.
• For their customers: an experience with personal advice, in their own language.
• For retail: footfall is only valuable when your team turns it into buyers.

Do you want this for your team too?

Do you also have many browsers and tasters, but too few buyers? Then the profit is on the shop floor, in the first question to the customer. Who would not want every customer conversation to run deliberately and by system?

The approach at Old Amsterdam fits the in-company sales training for shop staff or classroom sales training for shop staff. I tailor every training to your market, your product and your customer.

Want to know where your team stands first? Take the free commercial intake test. Or see other clients and references.