The Art of Selling Salon Retail

To increase your earning potential in the beauty industry, you must learn the art of selling retail. Once you master these easy techniques, you will discover that selling retail is no longer a chore. Your customer will be happy with healthy manageable hair, your salon will profit and so will your pocketbook.

Think of yourself as a teacher or a consultant. You are an expert in the hair care industry and part of your job is to educate your client on how to maintain healthy hair & recreate your masterpiece hairstyle at home. Don’t cheat your client out of important professional conversations about her hair. Helpful & knowledgeable stylists make this a priority and increase their retail sales as a byproduct.

If your client is not buying your salon’s professional shampoo & conditioner, she is probably buying store bought products which may not be pH balanced and probably contain sulfates.

• Explain to your client the importance of using a pH balanced shampoo which close the cuticles preventing damage, color fade out, & oiliness. Source
• Discuss how sulfate & sodium chloride free shampoos & conditioners increase moisture retention in the hair, are non-irritating, retain natural oils, and prevent color fade out.  Source
• Now explain why your salon chose smartSOLUTIONS shampoo & conditioner as their top brand. They are pH balanced and sulfate & sodium chloride free and have infused plant extracts such as Chamomile, Sage, Rosemary & Nettle uniquely blended with Jojoba, Avocado & Botanical Oils. See Benefits

Not only should you use and test your salon’s products, you should know what each one offers, beneficial ingredients and how it should be applied. This will make it easier for you to recommend the correct products for your client’s hair care needs.

Sales Tip: Choose your favorite product, one that most hair types can use. Place it on your work station with a little sign saying…”Ask me why I love this product!” Because it’s a product you absolutely love, it will be easy for you to talk about it without feeling like you’re selling the product. End result, your client will want to take it home.

Example: I can talk all day about smartSOLUTIONS ABC, Amazing Benefits Conditioner because I use it, love it and have experienced the benefits. I tell my clients how it replenishes moisture, detangles & seals cuticles eliminating frizz. Its proprietary blend of Hydrolyzed Quinoa Protein adds strength while Seaweed Extracts add pliability, shine & deep conditioning. Nine times out of ten, they will take one home, love it and continue to purchase it.

You know your client and what products you will be using on her. When your client is putting on her cape, place the products on your workstation so that she can see what you are using. As you proceed to cut & style, explain why you are using each product, how much you are using and how to apply. Place the product in your client’s hands; this gives them a sense of ownership. Remember, your client wants to recreate this look at home so teach them how.

People don’t think twice about buying a sheepskin care kit when they purchase UGGs to protect & maintain them. A professional hairstyle is no different. Explain to your client that she has made a significant financial investment in her hair especially if she received chemical services such as balayage, highlights, keratin treatment etc. To maintain and protect the color/style at home, she will need professional products.

Take a minute to write down a hair care prescription for your client. List all the products that you used to create her end results and include the benefits of each one you recommend.

Helpful Hint – Create a form with all the products sold at your salon highlighting their benefits. You can quickly circle the ones you recommend for each client in less than one minute.