It is not about selling products; it’s about teaching people how to replicate the look you’ve created for them through your service and to make it last as long as possible.
Sun care products, including self-tanners, are a multi-billion dollar industry, and as sunless tanning professionals, you become ambassadors of these products. It is your job to introduce and inform your clientele about the magical self-tanning, skin-enhancing and beauty potions that are on the market. New technologies and products that work better than ever make it an exciting time to become an expert in your field. Offering sunless tanning services is just part of giving your customers the best results and an optimal experience.
Unfortunately, retail sales talent doesn’t come naturally to everyone. In fact, many spray-tan technicians find it difficult to take a guest from the spray room to the retail area without sounding like a “product pusher.”
Selling pre- and post-session retail products should be as much a part of the salon culture as delivering a great spray-tan. If you don’t teach the tanner how to make their results last and maintain youthful and vibrant skin, you’re not doing your job. It is not about selling products; it’s about teaching people how to replicate the look you’ve created for them with your service and to make it last as long as possible.
THE CONSULTATION
Your staff may not know where to begin the conversation. By encouraging them to incorporate the following questions into their consultation, you will remove the fear that accompanies the retailing process:
- Have you ever had a spray-tan before? What did you like/dislike about it?
- Does your skin feel dry?
- Are you noticing a loss of elasticity?
- Is there an area of your body that you would like to highlight or minimize?
Look at the shape of the person’s body, and then make recommendations as to the look you can create with your spray-tan techniques.
Your guest’s answers will determine recommendations for customization, including which solutions will be used, how dark each area of the body will be, and any skin corrections and body enhancing techniques that will be applied. The consultation will also tell you nearly everything you need to know when it comes to recommending products during and after the service, and how you will educate the tanner to use them at home to achieve desired results.
Once rapport has been established, it is essential to keep the conversation focused on your client and her skin. While conversation can jump from family to vacations to weekend plans, it is important to use the time you have with your client to make both service and product recommendations.
It is best to become a sunless service AND product expert, and share your knowledge! The bottom line is customer loyalty and greater profits.
