With Christmas plans on the horizon, Sean Hanna, salon group owner and founder of the Sean Hanna Business Consultancy, offers his insight into how to improve your retail sales.
1. Create a buying environment
Understand the mindset of your clients, and your team members. Most stylists find it hard to sell products, and clients generally dislike feeling pressured to buy, but there are ways to entice your clients to spend with you on products without your team having to do the hard sell. Most people enjoy buying things, particularly things that will bring them pleasure and add value to their lives — this includes hair and beauty products. As a salon owner, it’s your job to make it as easy as possible for clients to buy from you, which means creating a buying environment within your salon. Make sure that your salon space encourages a seamless shopping experience where products are easily accessible and attractively displayed
2. Design an engaging display
The way you display your products can make or break a sale. The display needs to be easily accessible and actively encourage clients to interact with it, pick up the products, smell them and read the ingredients. Make it clear through the positioning of the display and signage, if necessary, that the products are for sale. Also, ensure products are clearly priced; no one likes asking for prices, particularly if they believe there’s a chance they won’t be able to afford them.
3. Highlight product usage during appointments
You won’t sell anything if your team members aren’t fully onboard. Stress to them that they don’t have to sell, just talk knowledgeably about the products they are using. Make it part of the service to place any products used in front of the client with the name visible. Place them close enough to the client so they can pick them up and examine them. This way, the client gets the opportunity to read the product ingredients and ask the stylist any questions they might have without pressure. This approach makes the process feel more like a consultation rather than a sales pitch.
4. Sell recognised brands
Products with high recognition are easier to sell because they come with established brand recall and trust. While selling smaller, lesser-known brands is good in terms of offering a broader choice for clients, it requires more effort from the stylist to educate and convince the client of their value. Try stocking a mix of popular and niche products to appeal to different clients with a variety of needs.
5. Educate and empower your team
Ensuring your team is well-informed and comfortable with the products they recommend is vital. Regular training sessions can keep your team updated on product details and benefits, making them more confident in their recommendations. An empowered team that can provide knowledgeable advice without feeling like salespeople can enhance client trust and boost retail sales.
For more of the latest industry news, click HERE.
________________________________
Respect is a hub for UK hairdressers of all ages and stages to find out what We Love, We Hear and We See as the best product launches, styling advice, hairtools, education training and seminars and hairshows! Sign up to our newsletter which is sent fortnightly direct to your email, so you stay up-to-date with salon styling information, trends in session work, advice on presenting on stage or progress in educating – whatever your interest, whether you’re a trainee or creative director, an educator or team leader, you’ll find all the opportunities and ideas on www.respectyou.me
