Better questions might be, “If lotions are talking, what are they saying and what are you saying back?” and even more concerning, “Why are you talking to a bottle of lotion?” “Are you losing it?” “Have you finally gone over the edge?” Relax – we’re not sending in the shrinks with straitjackets just yet.
Lotions talking? That’s crazy! Or just maybe, it’s pure genius.
When any consumer shops for and ultimately purchases beauty and fashion products like fragrances, clothes, cosmetics and tanning lotions, it’s always a direct reflection of their unique style and personality. A fierce salon salesperson who breaks sales records is far more than just good at sales – they are masters at getting to know what your guests love, and what they don’t love. They have mentally noted what your guests wear, what their hobbies are and what styles they like and dislike. They listen to everything the guest talks about, then entice them with beauty and tanning products that fit their unique personality and tanning goals. The actual “selling part” becomes effortless because they make the guest feel like that product was created just for them.
It’s time for your sales team to achieve elite level status! They will not only be experts at knowing the personality of your guests, they will also be masters at knowing the style and personality of each product you sell. That’s right – the best way to get to know your lotions inside and out is to embrace the concept that each product has its own identity and personality, just like your guests.
You’ve looked at, touched and even sniffed them – now it’s time to take your relationship with lotions to the next level. The lotions are talking … are you listening?
Four key lotion personality traits to focus on: (order of importance dictated by the guest)
Appearance: Also called “packaging,” this includes the product name, bottle shape, color scheme, text content and even the text font style. A segment of your guests who are visually oriented will make buying decisions based on a product’s appearance alone. It may be something as simple as the label is their favorite color, or it could also be a more subconscious attraction to pop culture sayings or references in the product’s name or the info printed on the bottle.
Performance: What’s it going to do for me? This is when knowing specific product benefits is vital, because tanning goals and expectations can differ greatly from one guest to another. An Ohio State grad turned soccer mom going on a Disney cruise in three days will probably have totally different tanning needs and budget then a 20-year-old FSU sorority sister.
Fragrance: As much as we like to think our own personal opinion is the driving force for women everywhere, when it comes to fragrance, no one cares what you like! Fragrance is a very personal thing and what you love, others may loathe. Honing your skill at describing a product fragrance and its essence is much more valuable to sales than your personal opinion.
Feel: How a bottle feels in the guest’s hands, how the product feels and absorbs when they apply it and how their skin feels during and after tanning will dictate what lotion some guests buy. Like selling its fragrance, the ability to describe how a product feels, and why, will make you an even more valuable info source to your guest.
“Know your guests, know your products. Then, be a matchmaker. Hook a tanner up with her lotion soulmate – it makes selling easy!”
Latisha Kristen, Lotion Expert
Lion In The Sun – Fairmont WV
