As a salon owner you want to make sure that your clients receive the best possible service they came in for. And rightly so, the customer experience in-salon helps in revenue boost and brand development.
However, focusing on the retail sales aspect can add to the salon’s revenue effectively. Several salon owners tend to overlook this aspect of business, leaving a lot of money on the table.
After all, retail products have great margins compared to the salon services.
Having a proper and effective retail strategy will help grow your salon’s retail sales revenue substantially. The trick is to make useful recommendations to the client without being too salesy.
Here are some handy tips to boost salon retail sales:
1. Explain the products you are using
Clients often visit a salon or spa for various kinds of hair, skin and other wellness treatments. While providing the specific treatment or service, hair-stylist/beautician can talk about the products they are using and why.
For instance, while shampooing the hair, a subtle mention about the shampoo and its benefits can spark their interest. Similarly, during a facial treatment, the facial massage cream can be bought up, focusing on its USP.
After the session, when the client feels good and has a satisfactory experience, there is a high chance that he/she will enquire and buy the product used. It’s the age-old ‘Seeing is believing’ concept at work!
2. Offer a retail discount on purchasing a service
Everyone loves discounts – be it on garments, groceries or salon retail! With an attractive discount on a salon product, there are high chances that a client might try a new product, while availing a service at your salon.
For example, a discounted tan removal facial kit can be offered when someone avails a tan removal session. This strategy can be useful to promote specific salon products to select customers based on their needs.
The discounts can even go broader than specific products. You can offer a discount of certain percentage on all of the products you carry!
3. Bundle service and retail packages at the salon
When a client visits your salon, you focus on offering the best treatments and services as per client’s needs. Do not ignore the importance of salon retail sales, though. What if you can bundle service and retail packages at the same time? It’s a game changer!
As a salon owner, you already know what kind of products people usually buy along with the services they come in for. Pair those services and products together at a discount. This not only creates a personal package for them but also helps you grow salon sales without selling anything extra.
4. Educate the salon team well
A salon is not run by an individual stylist. It is the teamwork of various professionals that makes your salon flourish. When you are targeting salon retail sales, it does not include only a stylist and the customer.
The hairstylist can recommend a product and inform the client about the benefits, but that’s not enough. What if the client asks other team members about the salon’s other products and packages? The entire team at the salon needs to be well-educated about the product ranges and available packages.
The salon team should be able to guide clients in picking apt products and packages befitting their skin and hair types. They must learn how to offer professional help and guidance as per client needs and queries, without being too sales-centric.
5. Organized and enticing display of salon products at the right place
Organized and clutter-free displays of salon retail products are eye-candy to the clients. On their way out, they’ll want to pick couple of products to see their benefits and ingredients. Make sure that the products are well-lit and organized neatly. An ideal place for product display is on either side of the main door or in the waiting area (usually the same space). That way it will draw the client’s attention when he/she enters and leaves the premises.
Another area for displaying salon retail is near the reception desk. Clients often check out various salon products while making payments at the reception. If a client shows interest in a certain product and wants to check it out, help immediately. Ask about their grooming needs and suggest products accordingly. Receptions are a great place to place free samples to try out. More on this in the next point.
6. Try giving out salon retail samples
Selling a full-size salon product might not be possible for every client. Why not start small and grow later! Talk to your product suppliers and check if they offer sample products in small pack sizes. Offer these ‘free’ samples to clients so that they can check the products at home.
If the clients are happy with the freebies, chances are high that they will return to the salon to purchase the full-sized version. Providing samples is handy to hook new clients and those who are unsure about buying the right grooming product.
7. Utilize special events and holidays
Create salon retail strategies for special events and holidays like Christmas, Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, and Halloween and so on. Try wrapping the products in attractive packs or create exclusive gift packs/baskets with the salon retail products to give them a feel of the event.
By creating gift packs, you make it easier for them to buy it as a gift for their family and friends.
Along with attractive product packaging for special days, you can also offer special deals and discounts on selected salon retail products on that particular holiday/time of the year.
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Hey, I'm Anshul and I'm a 2-comma club award winner with over a decade of experience in the digital marketing industry. I specialize in helping salon and spa businesses scale their business using proven digital marketing strategies.
Throughout my career, I've had the privilege of working with a diverse range of clients, from world-renowned motivational speaker Tony Robbins to marketing guru Russell Brunson, as well as internet sensations like Julius Dein and Dan Henry.