Create Buying Behavior

All of us in the retail business wish we could sell more.  Finding the perfect product mix, creating the right retail area, and convincing your staff that selling is part of their job can lead to many sleepless nights.  Let’s explore the why and how to grow your retail sales!

Method to the Madness

There are vital aspects to creating the right environment that drives buying behavior.  These might seem like no-brainers however they are often forgotten and are crucial to selling. 

• Attention capturing display.
• Easily locate products.
• Ability to engage with products.

If you want to sell more you need to give clients an area that screams this is our retail product line; we would like you to see and experience our products. Don’t hide your retail behind the reception counter. How engaging is that? Its not! Have an organized and beautiful retail section with shelves labeled to make products easy to find. Organize by product type or the solution the products offers. Create a try-me sampling area. Think of this as the department store floor. This allows customers to touch, feel, smell, and experience the product to determine their purchase. Change up your retail area with new displays and samples about every 4- 6 weeks. This allows clients that regularly visit to see something new each time they enter your location and hence provide a new buying opportunity.

Tricks of the Trade

• Eye level is buy level. Time after time the most purchased product is the one customers can easily view. This is your prime retail real estate. Use it wisely.
  
• Information access.  Provide information such as product brochure display holders next to items. This avoids the pushy salesman vibe and allows clients to self-service when making their buying decision.
  
• Keep right. If possible put your retail areas on the right side. Most people turn right when they enter a store so this will pull them toward your products.
  
• Education is essential.  Keep your staff up to date on all the benefits of your products. Their one-on-one recommendation is priceless to encourage clients to buy. They need to know the products, your inventory levels, and your overall selling goals to be successful. Weekly team meetings on these details are recommended.
  
• Add the social element.  Customer recommendations are powerful purchase driving tools. Create a “rate your product” area on your website or social media areas. This allows customers to share their experiences with your products and that encourages others to give them a try. An added benefit of rate and review is the additional insight to right size your inventory.You can uncover your star products as well as uncover the dogs that need to go.
  
• Promote it baby! You can’t just throw products up and hope they move. Talk up your products in all areas of our business.  Create offers, specials, deals, gift with purchase, fun incentives, or cause-related marketing efforts to keep your retail top of mind and drive those sales.

Follow these tips and you are well on your way to improving your retail business.  Have more retail advice?  Please share below. Happy Selling!

Retail Products - Your Insurance Policy

We constantly hear that beauty professionals loath being a salesperson. Their focus is on their craft and pleasing the client. It can be uncomfortable forcing retail products on customers or using hard sell tactics. Here is an easy way to help re-frame this line of thinking and get your staff motivated to sell more retail!

We all have some type of insurance. From auto, health, home and beyond we purchase insurance as a safety net to protect ourselves and our property. Use this idea to shift the attitude of your team towards selling retail products. Your staff is made up of highly train professionals. Their clients are investing in services to look and feel their best. These services can be expensive( color, straightening, anti-aging treatments etc..). Insure their results with the use of professional products.

This is a win-win for your staff and the client. Not only will the client keep their results longer but your staff has an excellent reasons to offer retail - pride in their work to insure results, making the client happy with longer lasting results at home, and increasing all their final tickets driving up their commissions and sales!

An example of how this technique plays out with a client:

Stylist - "I think this new cut really frames your face and this new color is perfect for fall! What do you think?"

Client - "Yes, I really love it. I'm so glad I went with the more layered look and the warmer color choice!"

Stylist - "I definitely agree. To make this warmer color last, I recommend this color safe shampoo. This helps keep the color in the hair shaft longer that the higher acidic drugstore brands and continues to moisturize to minimize any damage from the color chemicals. I also recommend this new root spray to keep the lift you now have with your layers. Just two pumps and then a shot with the blow dryer here (show client how to recreate at themselves) will give you that volume and won't damage your color. These products are my guarantee to insure the money you invested today makes your new look last as long as possible. Let me walk you over to our check out area with these products and will get your next visit on the calendar. Wow you sure look fabulous for fall!

That wasn't so hard was it? Build trust by making it simple for the customer to recreate their new look at home and increasing the longevity of their investment. Shift your attitude towards professional products as an insurance policy will insure happier clients, happier staff, and increased retail sales!