Retail 360° in Spas & Salons©

When I talk about Retail sales with Spas & Salons Managers/Owners, the conversation can go in 5 directions:

• sheer frustration of being unable to retail more

• complete boredom towards trying to sell

• the online retail sales are taking over, what chance do I have?

• my favorite one on the fact that the therapists are incapable of selling because they are “just therapists”

• very occasionally one of “yes! We have cracked it… we are over 20% retail sales”.

You name it and I have heard it and I have been researching the psychology behind selling as often the barriers we put in our heads are the one stopping the sales from happening.

Throughout my career, having worked for key commercial brands like Clinique, Clarins, L’Occitane or Bliss, I realized that the retail sales were down to a team effort, not just the therapist.

A detailed customer journey is at the heart of the success in your retail sales and like any of the spas/salons that are successfully achieving over 20% retail sales the investment in training is crucial to keep the focus and motivation alive. Saying that, if you achieve 20% you can double this easily with this strong strategy.

Presenting you with a different way of thinking about retail sales by applying a 360° approach in retail selling. I believe that each of these 6 key factors play an important part in increasing your retail sales year on year by influencing each steps of the customer journey:

1. The Customer

The customer habits have changed, they are far more impulsive than ever before and although have more choice as to where they can obtain their products, they are craving for expertise and wellness. I remember one of my therapist who was conducting a consultation to everyone, including when she did pedicures was always popular and managed a 70% retail rate week on week. At one point she had a client for pedicures and as usual, she created the consultation and chatted away…. The other clients with other therapists who didn’t bother with that, asked her: “could you have a look at my nails and tell me?” she ended up selling to all of them….

2. The Manager

The manager has a lot to do with the retail sales. From Stock management to motivation, the core of the retail sales % comes from the manager. If they think, live and love retail, the team will too. One crucial aspect for example, why not give an out of stock list to your team so they know what not to retail? I often do mystery shopping when I am sold something

only to find it’s out of stock when I try to buy it…. It’s not the therapist fault, she has a lot to do for her day, a list would prevent from her trying to retail something we don’t have as you will loose that sale and the customer will then try somewhere else.

3. The Therapist

I have often observed therapists that can sell and what makes them different from the others…. Firstly, they get the consultation right but also, they simply try to retail to everyone… they give the opportunity to better skin & wellbeing to every single person they see. There is no magic, simply the law of averages, the more I try and sell, the more I will sell. Their mindset is full of expertise not excuses!

4. The Reception

The heart of your success as everything is picked up at reception. The customer journey is made of details that will increase your chances in retail sales. The reception has a huge part to play in that. The more you analyse how it is being dealt with at reception, the more chances you will have to increase your retail sales.

5. The Marketing

Bringing a buzz to your retail products to generate interest. Have you thought of videos to bring the retail alive? What about your website, are the brands represented? Retail products shouldn’t gather dust all of the time, even the non popular ones can be highlighted to get rid off with a strong strategy.

6. The Merchandising

The most impactful of them all, merchandising can make or break your sales. This is true of all places where the customer has a chance to relax after treatments. Do you think she remembers what has been said to her in the room? You can sell to her as much as you want, if the merchandising doesn’t entice her back into retail, she will not look at it. Merchandising at reception for example is always where the sale happens, what does that look like to you right now? Too many messages kill the messages, how many can you see? A maximum of 3 is what the customer remembers. I know of a salon where every month she highlights just 1 product. She sells out every time simply, she tells me, the message is clear.

With this fresh & impactful approach, the Retail 360° in Spas & Salons© increases retail sales as every aspects of the customer journey is looked into. The motivation is your key to successful retailing however: if you want to retail, you will. If you don’t you will find many excuses and so will everyone in the team.

Motivation start from within, start with a large piece of paper and write your why: why did you choose these brands? Why do you want to increase your retail sales? Etc. Simply, fall in love with your retail again, and everyone around you will too.

Follow Valerie's 360° Retail Method in order to create a retail culture in your salon business that will drive sales and build customer loyalty. Find out more here.