Your client is looking like a new woman – exfoliated, waxed, glowing with good health – as she leaves your treatment room and makes her way to the reception area to pay her bill.
What happens next? Well, that depends a great deal on everything that’s gone before.
Has she been given the WOW Factor so far?
- Did she smile with gratitude and relief when you or your staff came out from behind the reception desk to greet her warmly on arrival?
- Did she appreciate the cup of tea or coffee and the warm, refreshing towel she was handed as she took her seat in the reception area?
- In the treatment room, was she educated and informed by the therapist about the treatment she was receiving? Was she brought up to date about the marvelous products the therapist was using to cleanse her skin, soften wrinkles, exfoliate to remove dead skin cells etc?
- Was the music appropriate? Were the staff dressed nicely? Was the wax pot clean and hygienic? Was the treatment room sparkling,? Were the towels arranged neatly? And so many other small, but important details.
Only you know the answers to these questions.
But if the answers to all these questions was YES…. Then I promise you the next stage in the sales process becomes a lot easier. So how do you capitalize?
Remember to listen for buying signals.
When a client is telling you “yes” in the treatment room, when you get to the counter don’t just take her money!
Get the products off the shelf, put them in front of the client and say something like:
“Remember we talked about your skincare needs? Well, these are the products I have chosen for you to take home with you today. I know you’ll get maximum benefits and results with these products.”
SMILE.
Have a sample of each product at the counter so your client can feel the product.
At this point it is really about reassuring your client. Reassure her that she is doing the right thing by purchasing these products to use at home. If you have given your client practical, no-nonsense, professional information about each product you’ve used during the facial, it stands to reason her purchasing fears will be far less.
An Important Tip.
Don’t stand behind the counter at this point.
Stand next to your client. Or if you have enough room in your reception area, have a little table and two chairs to sit at.
Sit down together and talk about the products.
There are TWO VERY GOOD REASONS why you should do this away from the counter:
- When you stand behind the counter, your client will automatically take out her purse to pay for the treatment she has had. In her mind, the time with you and your Salon is already over, or is about to end. She wants to pay and leave. You want to keep her there a little longer. You need to keep her there…. focusing on the products she needs to purchase and on booking her next appointment. And perhaps why she needs to receive your emails, phone calls or newsletters alerting her to upcoming special offers and new products!
- If there are other clients in the waiting area they will hear some of what you are discussing with your client. They will want some of what she is getting too! Third party selling. Works a treat!
Selling means listening!
Let’s face it, purchasing an entire range of skincare can be a little daunting for some people. If your client seems a little hesitant because of the cost, break it down into logical, affordable chunks. Get your client using at least one product first. Take the fear out of it. Tell her you will put the others aside for her and that she can purchase another one – if she chooses – at her next appointment.
Who made the rule up that you only need a facial every 4 weeks?
Every skin is different.
Every client has different needs.
Make sure you acknowledge the individual needs of your clients. Write down the skincare routine for each client. As Paul says “write down a skincare prescription” for each individual client to take home with her. Of course her next appointment means another opportunity to tell her about another great offer. Get her excited about it while she’s in the treatment room.
Clients will actually love you for this because you’re really showing them that you care. You’ve actually put some thought into their personal skincare. You want them to feel like a queen. You are a Miracle Worker. You are the expert.
Every client should book again before she leaves your salon.
SEE THIS POST IF YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW TO INCREASE YOUR RE-BOOKING RATE.
