by Jackey Bell and Crystal Focus
When it comes down to it, individuals CHOOSE not to sell retail because of two things:
- They are afraid of being rejected and hearing the word “no”, OR
- They are afraid of being too pushy.
Through their life experiences from early childhood to adulthood people are conditioned to associate
the word “no” with the following meanings: danger, fear, and stop. Unfortunately, the negative
association that most people have with the word “no” can lead to retail phobia. To conquer retail
phobia, your team will need practice, proper coaching, and education.
To get started, share these facts with your team:
- 8 out of 19 clients will purchase a product for their hair 24 hours after their hair service
- An average of 3 out of 10 clients purchase product before they leave the salon
What would your profits look like if your salon doubled the amount of retail sales? That would be great,
right? Now, how can you accomplish that? First, set a new goal! For example, your goal might be: Create
sales with at least 6 of every 10 clients each day. Next, update your playbook with new scripts and
practice them with your front desk team! Finally, focus on EXTREME customer service and make it easy
and fun for your customers to buy with these three ideas:
1. Give More Salon Tours—It is often dangerous to have the client “plop” down in the waiting area
before they are serviced.
Any “waiting period” is prime time to start planting the initial seeds for
opportunities and sales. Your front desk professionals should use this time for giving new clients a
salon tour. Or, you can give existing clients a tour to meet new service providers or introduce new
salon services. Your front desk professionals should point out featured retail items and promotions.
They should use this time to inform the clients of service openings in other departments, talk about
why your salon carries certain product lines, and recommend services for future visits. After the
tour, provide the client a menu of services and loyalty programs that your salon offers. Want more
information about salon tours? Check out Salon Tours that Sizzle by Coach Kristi Valenzuela, owner
of CrystalFocus.com. And, watch for the Salon Tours that Sizzle on-demand Webinar that will be
available through the Summit Salon Business Center.
2. Promotional Tables
Hold a monthly competition for creating interesting and eye-catching
promotional tables. Monitor the sales each month and give a quarterly reward to the team or
individual who created the most successful display. If your team has a part in creating it, they’ll be
more apt to “show it off.” There is pride in ownership.
3. Consultative Selling
Practice ways to meet needs and solve problems with your retail products.
Don’t forget that clients love to buy - for themselves and their family and friends! If you say
something like, “We have some new products in, why don’t you take a look,” you aren’t talking
about what the product does or why it might be good for the client and their hair. Try something
like this instead, “Hi Becky! Alley is looking forward to seeing you today. While you are waiting,
she asked me to show you a few new products that you might be interested in. We have this new
summer favorite that helps keep your hair smooth, even on super humid days. And, I’m really
excited about this one because I do so much swimming in the summer. It’s a new three-minute
conditioner that is great for people who spend a lot of time in the sun and in the pool. It really helps
with split ends and frizzy, dry hair. We have a ‘buy one hair product, get one free’ special right now.
So, it is a really good time to pick these up for your summer look.”
Remember, clients who buy retail products are actually more loyal to the salon. So, not only will you
bring in more sales through retail, you’ll also gain a loyal client who returns over-and-over again for
services.
With a little work and a lot of practice, you can turn the fear of selling into the fun of selling. Help your
team to not be afraid of retail and help them learn the necessary sales skills and techniques that will
help your clients buy!
Do not let lack of training and systems get in the way of allowing your front desk to generate sales!
For more information and help on selling more retail, check out the following salon success products
at CrystalFocus.com: FRONT DESK DOCTOR KIT, the ANATOMY OF A GREAT FRONT DESK, and
CONQUERING RETAILPHOBIA™.
You can also e-mail me, Jackey Bell, at Jackey@crystalfocus.com.
