How can you train your retail employees for success? 

Derrick Mancini of Quincy Street Distillery in Riverside, Illinois, is here to answer that question. 

His distillery is an inspiring example of how you can train your retail employees with depth, creativity, and customer focus, demonstrating that proper training can turn sales staff into passionate ambassadors of a brand.

Keep reading to learn six lessons that will reshape your employee training and create more impactful customer experiences.

1. Have Immersive Product and Historical Education

At Quincy Street Distillery, training begins with immersion in history and craft. Employees are taught about flavor profiles,  small copper pot still methods, and the local history tied to products like “Bourbon Spring.” This creates staff who can speak with authority about both the product and its heritage, making every interaction a storytelling moment.

For retailers, understanding how to train retail employees in immersive education means training them in the story behind the products. Different stores can apply this concept in a multitude of ways. Apparel stores can highlight where fabrics come from, while food retailers can connect items to cultural traditions. By teaching staff to convey these narratives, businesses can improve the customer experience and make it more meaningful. 

2. Incorporate Practical Application Training

Quincy Street Distillery emphasizes the practical side of product use. Staff are trained to demonstrate the use of spirits in cocktails by explaining recipes and showing how they are made. By the end of a demonstration, the customer knows exactly how to enjoy their purchase at home.

Retailers who want to master training their retail sales staff should focus on practical application. Employees should know what a product does and understand how customers can use it. Practical training can include:

• Creating short demonstrations to showcase products in action.
• Training staff to explain benefits in simple, everyday language.
• Encouraging role-play so employees can practice teaching customers.
• Providing step-by-step usage guides that staff can share with shoppers.

Offering this type of hands-on approach makes products easier to understand and builds customer confidence, enabling staff to create value beyond the initial sale.

3. Provide Customer-Centric Product Guidance

At Quincy Street Distillery, employee training emphasizes tailoring recommendations to customers’ unique preferences. Staff learn to listen carefully, identify what flavors a customer enjoys, and offer products that fit their palate. Instead of automatically suggesting the most popular bourbon, employees are encouraged to introduce visitors to spirits that reflect different, unique profiles.

This approach helps customers discover new favorites and elevates their overall experience.

If you’re looking to train your retail employees in customer-centric strategies, teach your staff to balance familiarity with exploration. Employees should be encouraged to ask questions that uncover preferences, use comparisons to explain differences between products, and guide customers toward options that may surprise them. This method expands the customer’s perspective, often leading to pleasant discoveries and deeper loyalty.

4. Develop Employees with Apprenticeships

Quincy Street Distillery invests in its people. Through apprenticeship programs that last several months, apprentices are immersed in every aspect of the business, ranging from production to sales.

“We have apprentices or interns, we’ve had 12 of them over the years, and it’s usually about three months they spend with us. About half of them have gone on and been involved in starting other distilleries … So even if in the end this business has to one day shut its doors and it just becomes a part of history itself, the legacy you leave behind, of all the people who’ve worked with you, worked for you, been trained by you, that’s probably more important than what we’ve accomplished while we were here,” Derrick explains. 

As a retailer, consider adding apprenticeships or mentorship programs as a part of your training. Even if all your staff decide not to stay long-term, the experience makes them more committed while they are part of the team. To build this into your training model, you can incorporate:

• Role Rotation: Move employees through different departments to expand their perspective.
• Mentorship Pairing: Connect new hires with experienced staff for guided learning.
• Project Ownership: Assign short-term projects that let employees practice leadership.
• Growth Reflection: Hold feedback sessions where staff can evaluate progress and set goals.

By structuring training this way, you can strengthen your workforce and simultaneously create professionals who may go on to represent your brand positively in the industry.

5. Train Employees to Communicate Your Niche

Quincy Street Distillery operates in a competitive environment with many craft distilleries. To stand out, employees are trained to explain why their flavor profiles differ from mass-market options. They learn to communicate the value of paying a premium for small-batch products that deliver unique experiences. This ability to clearly articulate the niche is central to their success.

For retailers, the best way to train retail sales staff is to teach them about niche communication. Customers need clear reasons to choose one product over another. Employees should be trained to highlight what sets a product apart, whether it’s superior quality, sustainable sourcing, or local craftsmanship. 

To support this, training programs should include practical talking points and real examples that prepare staff to address questions about price and value. When employees can confidently communicate these differences, they position themselves as advocates who strengthen your brand’s place in a competitive market.

6. Include Specialized Sales Training for Bespoke Products

Finally, Quincy Street Distillery trains staff on how to handle specialized products created in partnership with other businesses. Their offering of bespoke spirits requires unique selling strategies, so staff are equipped to explain why these products are special and how they differ from the standard lineup. This expertise makes customers feel excited about making a purchase.

You can adopt a similar approach when training your retail employees in specialized product sales. When launching collaborations, private labels, or limited editions, provide employees with the full backstory and selling points. Training should focus on how to communicate exclusivity and urgency without overwhelming the customer. By giving staff these tools, you’ll create momentum around special products and strengthen retail partnerships.

Conclusion

Quincy Street Distillery shows that training retail employees is about teaching the basics while also equipping them to be educators, storytellers, and customer advocates. With historical immersion and specialized product training, every step is designed to deepen both staff knowledge and customer engagement.

Retailers who want to master the best way to train retail sales staff should focus on a similar mix of education, application, and customer-first training. By investing in people, businesses can build stronger reputations, improve customer satisfaction, and encourage long-lasting loyalty.

Know an Illinois retail business that’s doing something equally impactful? Nominate a Retailer and help us shine a light on members of the retail industry.