Why You Should Sell Retail in the Salon
We know what you’re thinking: “I didn’t get into this business to sell retail…”
Get this, your clients actually want it. Selling retail is one of the best ways to retain clients, earn their trust, and increase the amount of money they spend each visit.
Not convinced? Here are the facts:
- Recommending products to clients so they can maintain their look, helps build trust. You are doing them a favor. It shows that you care about them beyond their time in the salon and it shows that you’ve been listening to their needs.
- Every time a client purchase a product, there is a 30% increase in the likelihood they will come back.
- Selling retail products can increase your income 15-25%.
Here are 5 tips to help you get started.
#1 PICK PRODUCTS YOU ACTUALLY LOVE
- If you want clients to trust you, use products you believe in. These should be products you can’t live without, the more you love them, the easier it will be to talk about them.
- Do your research, start with four products, and stick to them.
- Display them at your station, keep them clean, labels facing out, and be prepared to answer any question your clients might have.
#2 START WITH A CONSULTATION
- Before you even THINK about selling something to a client, make sure you understand their needs first.
- Do a thorough consultation but don’t sell anything yet. This is the point when you can start to formulate your plan.
- Pinpoint their needs, and take note of which products will give them the solution they’re looking for.
#3 YOU’RE “EDUCATING” NOT “SELLING”
If you educate your clients throughout the service, they will be asking you if you carry the product.
- Let them know why you are using each product, what they should pay attention to, and how they can do this at home.
- During the service, repeat one of the issues they mentioned in the consultation. This shows that you are listening and you care. Remember that “trust” we talked about?
- Ask them what type of product they normally use, and use something different. They may already like the texturizing spray they use — show them what a styling paste can do.
- Give them the paste (or whatever product you choose) to hold while you demonstrate it. This helps them take mental ownership of the product. It’s called Touch Marketing.
- At the end of the service, get them to notice the results of the products. For example: “Doesn’t your hair feel so much better?” If you listened to their needs and used the right products, they should have every reason to agree with you.
#4 CLOSE THE DEAL
If you’ve followed all the previous steps, this next part should be a piece of cake. While checking out, ask them if they would like you to add any of the product you used today:
“Did you want to pick up some styling paste or shampoo & conditioner today Taylor?”
She will most likely say yes, to at least one of them. But if she doesn’t, it doesn’t mean you failed. There are a million reasons she might not be ready to make the purchase today.
Tell her this:
“Ok, I’ll add it to my client notes in case you want to come back for it. That way, we won’t forget what it was!”
You can use business management software like StyleSeat to help you keep track of client notes.
The more practice you get the more natural this will become. Remember, pick products you love, listen to your clients’ needs, educate them, and close the deal.
Looking for software that will help you do all of this? Click here to learn more.
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