Rarely, if ever, will you hear a salon guest mention a specific lotion ingredient when they brag about how good they look after a tanning sesh … they will say, “I got so dark” or “my skin felt amazing” or “my tan still looks great.” They never say, “Wow! That tyrosine really jump-started my melanin production,” or “OMG the erythrulose in that lotion really kept my tan active and helped it last longer.”
Simply rattling off ingredient lists won’t get your salon guests fired up and ready to spend $$. Instead, focus on the benefit of each key ingredient and how it appeals to each one of their four very powerful and human “feel good” senses.
The four “Feel Good” senses that make ALL lotion sales happen:
SIGHT – Will my tan look darker, deeper, better? Will my skin look brighter, tighter, sexier? Face it: for most of our bronze-seeking beauties, seeing is believing. Every lotion product in your salon has benefits that can be seen – from instant “off the beach” color offered by numerous natural bronzers, to potent skin-firming compounds that can soften the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. THE SECRET: As you present products to a guest, paint a vivid picture of how their skin will look after they use it. Naming off ingredients will always be far less important to your more visually-stimulated tanners.
SMELL – Will I love the lotion’s essence before, during and after my session? What is its aura – fruity, floral, sweet? So many tanners tend to be very fragrance conscious. Sometimes the fragrance alone can be the motivation for purchasing a lotion, regardless of all its other skincare benefits. THE SECRET: Learning how to describe a product’s essence is a far more valuable sales tool than explaining in graphic detail how much you personally loathe a particular fragrance. Why? Because a scent you strongly dislike may be their new favorite!
THOUGHT – How will the end result make me feel? Will it help fulfill a desire, solve a problem, ease a fear? When you really listen to your guests, they’ll tell you what matters to them. Your guest says, “I just started working out again and my legs are sooo white.” In this one simple sentence, she has expressed a desire to not have pasty legs, asked you to help solve her problem and expressed a fear of being embarrassed in front of other gym members. THE SECRET: Help the guest by easing her fear and making what’s important to her, important to YOU.
TOUCH – How will my skin feel? Softer, firmer, smoother? Your “touchy-feely” types will give you obvious hints when they are all about FEEL: like, “I love how this lotion makes my skin sooo soft” or, “my face gets so dry in this weather.” Your salon is filled with masterfully crafted moisturizers, hydrators and skin-perfecting conditioners designed to nurture and rejuvenate every skin type. THE SECRET: These silky skin connoisseurs can’t help themselves – they must have the latest and greatest breakthrough skincare formula. Let them sample new products liberally and often, because once they love the way it feels, they have to have it!
When you present products to every tanner you serve in your salon, they will naturally gravitate toward one or all four of the “feel good” senses! Your mission: Be a “FEEL GOOD” sense detective, and listen for the clues that tell you which one motivates each salon guest to purchase the product that fills their needs.
Listen for the clues that tell you which “feel good” sense motivates each salon guest to purchase the product that fills their needs.
