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The salon the stylist up selling

Salon Seasonal promoton: This time of year can lead to stylist feeling rather under the hammer with demands from clients and team mates here is a link to some thoughts on salon stylist Pressure .

When thinking about seasonal promotion and gift packs take the time to think about what you and your team have been recommending what products are requested and move off the shelf over the year, buy in packs that are a good deal for there client that represent value and look stylish this helps with future sales especially if they buy for friends. Make up and present goodie bags, gift idea’s. Talk this over with your supplier in advance, get the team on board have an in salon competition with a prize fro most sales!

Up-selling or sound advice:

Exclusive salon professional retail products such an important component for salon success in relation to up selling of services, and retail sales.

All stylists would you like a pay Rise? Well it’s in your hands! Here’s how

Hair salon up selling or sound advice when giving advice suggesting a change or a new look? Offering solutions to your clients.

Why do so many salon owners managers and stylist’s struggle with the concept of up selling to a client. Why do so many dis-like the idea of the ‘S’ word sales. Check link for my book “The salon and the S word”

This can be the recommendation of take home hair care products during the consultation or the suggestion of chemical services a new look colour style. Why is this an issue? Your clients comes to you for change.

They come to you either recommended or as a returning client this shows trust. So is it not our obligation to suggest services that we feel will improve the look and style. Offer something new exciting creative!

With party season just around the corner your clients want to look and feel their best what better time than now to introduce that hint of colour that makeover that new look, those seasonal changes from summer blonde to controlled honey and caramels lowlights than demi rinse as a subtle introduction to dealing with Grey issues. You have the power and opportunity to suggest all this! What holds you back? Answer lack of confidence! Or Laziness disinterest ! You decide

If this is not the case then we are not offering that full service, you need to consider and be offering the following. Advise on other services available and options to improve both look and style and self esteem that feel good look good factor!

The thing to consider and the way to look at things is it’s not selling. It’s sharing with your client options and possibilities. If you are doing it from a place of caring and sharing that place that has your clients best interest at heart it’s not heavy selling it called‘ Service’. If you genuinely think this will improve your clients look and style and so how they feel about themselves job done you owe it to them to share! How do you time and introduce this suggested change without your client feeling obligated or without creating that uncomfortable unease caused by the suggestion. Simple yes Simple! Do you know how? Its called a a consultation lets look at that!

‘Consultation’ 

Maybe by looking at the consultation process we can get past any fears around the sales pitch. What should this experience for our client be this person who we want to build a relationship with this person the we hope will recommend us and the salon for the service and skill we provide and offer.

The Service the consultation: The keys to success.

From the moment a client enters into a salon the experience begins those first impressions the look the feel of the place the atmosphere. That first greeting, that welcome normally carried out by receptionist or a salon staff member who job is to meet and greet.

This is a hugely important role if given this role. Don’t turn it down it’s a way to hone your people skills. With new clients some salon will have a questionnaire. This is great for both stylist and client it show the salon cares it puts the client at ease whilst waiting for her appointment maybe whilst having a coffee or tea. discuss products recommend anything form shampoo and condition to styling aids to help them re create any given look at home offer some tips!

From a stylist point of view it gives us the background information having this information that enables us to ask right questions during our consultation. Without information how can we give sound advise, this opens the door for us to see past history of hair services and the possibility of offering new service. Once this has been filled out as a stylist I think it’s important to come a meet your client introduce your self to the client you should already know your clients name this should be on your personal day agenda sheet. If this is not the case in your salon introduce it! ‘Now’.

Yes a list of clients for the day. The service they are hoping for and whether they are new or return or recommend clients because with out having a consultation all the facts how can we decide what is possible!! Answer we cannot. Trust me when I say this. I have seen many stylist work out their days take {£ $ } before the day starts. We have to recommend what our clients need and want! To do be able to deliver this we have to stay current we have to have product knowledge. Then its no longer selling its sharing its educating!

I have worked with one stylist. Who would get into work look at the day sheet and get all the tubes of colour out for that day putting them aside. God help any one who touched this colour I made a point of using it!!! Well no ones perfect!

How could you possible know what a client wants in advance of them coming in? Much less taking the time to talk with them. How boring! Well this stylist was really very boring. Personality of a dead nat!!!

First impression count how you look and present your self says who you are its all about the image you project your dress hair makeup! That look that says this is I! What can I do for you?

We have introduced our self. Escort our client though to our workstation. This area is representative of who you are! How you work. Untidy dirty chaos does not work! With your clipboard on your lap sit next to your client remember eye level. Eye contact. Remember you have some information to hand so use it. Make and take note ask question get information. Not! What are we doing today! ‘How about’ I see from the information you have kindly filled you had a hair cut 6 weeks ago. How has that been working out for you? How manageable have you found it as it’s grown out? That leads into what brings you here today how can I help all leading open-ended questions.

This now leaves the door open for easy conversation you have relaxed your client you are starting to build trust. Personal routine, products used, if chemical service has been carried out on the hair even if not being re done on this occasion it still needs to be touched on for future booking and for advice and comment.

Never ever! Put a colour chart on a clients lap and say. What colour do you want today! It’s your job our job as professionals to advise on colour that can work and look stunning.

This is the up sell without the hard sell!

Having established History and indeed wish list we can move on the recommendations. Style. Look. Length. Colour. Product styling tips maintenance. Be honest at all times. I like to refer to a relationship as taking a journey together that with patient’s honesty open the doors to endless possibilities. There is such a difference between a quick pre shampoo chat and a real genuine caring consultation?

Of course there will always be slight differences in the process and peoples expectation and what they demand. That is why we chose to be in the service industry. The question being are you are you ready for the challenge to make some changes to how you do your consultation how you advise your client? To seek out some help advise and guidance if required. Do you want to gain the skills to really succeed and reach new levels of success?

In closing having a fully booked day is what most stylist long for strive for. Consistently busy. But consider this. When fully booked or over booked we lose clients! Why however good we are the standard of service drops. Your fault no one else to blame! You took short cuts kept clients waiting. You sacrificed your standards for a few extra £££ or $$$$. Do this and you do more damage a dissatisfied client will go else where taking her friends with her! Its

 Service, reliability, Service consultation, Service, skill oh and More Service!

It’s all about balancing your day so you have the time to suggest and offer these new services. Work with your teammates. Colour technician space your appointments so you have time to offer and perform new services. Don’t worry or think about the £££££ or $$$$$ this will follow concentrate on the job in hand your client and the service you offer. The up sell is not an up sell it’s offering your professional skill and knowledge to your clients to enhance and improve their look! That’s what they come to you for! Having suggested change if they don’t fancy its no big deal make a note on file discussed with client. Maybe they want time to think about it you have planted a seed for next time! Hence the notes!

Product sales home after care. How can it not be right to suggest the products required to maintain both condition and a look? How can it not be right to suggest product that will help keep a colour from fading? Think of it as a prescription for healthy hair. Maybe even go so far as to write down what they need and require! We are in the service industry sales through education and skill is not direct selling it’s part of the service it ‘s part of what we do. Practice all of the above and watch. Your sales improve. Your client base grow your client retention be solid. Your wage packet! Well that’s in your hands.

The ‘Three R’s’ 
”Reputation. Recommendation. Retention”. 
It’s not built on that constant looking for new clients it’s looking after what you have! It’s investing in your self and your business and those around you.

With the busy Christmas just around the corner now is the time to start offering a new look that hint of colour for the winter months that tone down from summer blonde into caramel burnt toffee shades a few highlights/low lights a demi rinse. Values added is adding and offering more services through advice and sharing! Remember we are in the business of making our clients look and feel great we are problem solvers solution givers.

Consider the service you offer consider adding new ones research how profitable they might be to the salon and for the stylist  here is slink to a topic on Salon services  it relates to atopic posted on Keratin smoothers   how good they are how profitable they can be how much they are in demand.

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