Spa+Clinic Team Explore the Retail Maze
This is more timely advice to help write up those orders over the coming weekend at Salon Melbourne and beyond. All salons and spas, and I will include exhibitors here as well, want to increase retail and wholesale sales so make sure you use the following 10 reasons why clients don’t buy products to develop strategies to overcome this and get them buying whatever you are selling right now.
1. No One Asked. Suggest products and services to your clients. It’s that simple.
2. Museum Display Shelves. If the display is too perfect, clients will not want to ruin it. Instead, line the products up to the front of the shelf. When retail shelves are full and products are pulled forward, it encourages people to buy.
3. Mystery Price. Make it easy for clients to determine the cost of a product or treatment without asking. On your menu: ‘Our eye relief treatment is an additional $20. It reduces the appearance of fine lines and puffiness, and it also includes a customised massage to help decrease stress.’ On the shelf: Price labels can be displayed next to the product or near the bar code on the product itself.
4. Retail is Untouchable. Make the product appealing and available to be touched, smelled and sampled. This is not a Cartier necklace; locking up the product makes it appear unavailable.
5. Dirty, Unorganized Shelves. Dirty product looks outdated and is not attractive. Dust the shelves regularly; remove old packaging and pull broken product off the shelves. Also, keep similar retail products together.
6. Poor Lighting. Lighting should be bright and crisp. Light should be focused where clients’ eyes will focus.
7. Always Sold Out. Top-selling products should always be in stock; in fact, they should be twice your regular inventory.
8. Boring. Promotions should be fresh. If your clients are coming in once a month, then your displays should change once a month. When Valentine’s Day is over, it’s over.
9. Pushy Salespeople. Work to solve the clients’ concerns and build trust instead of just ‘pushing’ product. A perfect response to a client experiencing breakouts on her jawline is: ‘Breakouts on your jawline can sometimes be hormonal. I suggest you use ABC Spot Treatment. The salicylic acid is antibacterial and anti-inflammatory and it will help prevent and heal your breakouts.’
10. Poor Customer Service. Clients like to spend money with people who are nice to them. Treat your clients with insanely great customer service, and they will not only purchase retail, but also return for a future service and refer their friends.
Article by Deedee Crossett, Founder and owner of the San Francisco Institute of Esthetics and Cosmetology since 2002, and an industry pioneer for raising the bar of undergraduate education for cosmetologists, estheticians and therapists.
