Make sure your product mix fits the needs and price points of each age, gender, and tanning goal of every potential customer.
November brings many special things: football, fall weather, lots of good Thanksgiving food and of course, the new tanning product launch!
At this time of the year, salon operators get excited about the new products and order them without evaluating what products from the previous season to eliminate. This can result in over-cluttered shelves. How much is too much? How many of each should I have available? These are questions I’m often asked at salons all over the country. Let’s look at an approach to avoiding lotion overload.
Pick a brand: Whether it’s my brand or another, make sure you choose one you like – not only the results and product aesthetics, but also the people you do business with. Many companies employ sales trainers who offer online and in-store support, as well as help choosing products that will suit your salon’s demographics.
Know your market: Every town, every salon has different clientele. Make sure your product mix fits the needs and price points of each age, gender, and tanning goal of every potential customer.
“The Rule of 3”: I believe that you should have three tanning product options at every price point. If your low-end is $30, you need three options in that range – generally speaking, a bronzer and an accelerator, as well as a natural bronzer or unisex product. I recommend that the next highest price point be a $15 jump. So, the next three products would be in the $45 range, next three in the $60 range, and so on. The “sweet spot” may vary across the country, but what I’ve seen to work best is a mix of about 15-18 tanning lotions and 3-6 after-care options.
Specialty Products: You generally need a couple specialty products, such as tingles, hypoallergenic, and male-targeted lotions. If your number of male guests is low, this is probably where you would put a “manly” product. If your salon is near a gym or has many male tanners (above 30%) you may need options at different price points.
After Care: It’s not every day that your tanners will buy new lotion, which is why you need other options! Tan-extending moisturizers, body wash, bronzing powders, sunless maintenance items – if you carry a variety of these products, make sure you have different price points as well as some female- and male-related options.
So what does this look like? Here’s an easy-to-follow guide to choosing the best product mix for your salon.
$30 – $37
1. Accelerator
2. Bronzer
3. Natural Bronzer
$45 – $55
1. Light DHA Bronzer
2. Dark DHA Bronzer
3. Unisex product
$60 – $70
1. Accelerator
2. DHA Bronzer
3. Natural Bronzer
$75 – $85
1. DHA Bronzer
2. Dark DHA Bronzer
3. Natural Bronzer
$90 – $105
1. Accelorator
2. Natural Bronzer
3. DHA Bronzer
$105 – $120
1. Darkest DHA Bronzer
2. DHA Bronzer (Premium Skin Care)
3. Accelerator (Premium Skin Care)
Specialty Products
(insert price point that works for you)
• 1-2 Men’s Products
• 1 Hypoallergenic
• 1 Hot Tingle
The reason why “20 SKUs” is the magic number is mostly because it’s the easiest amount to work with and train your staff to sell. When you go with one brand, it is very simple to learn what makes each product different and why the higher-priced bottles are priced that way. When you have too few products on your shelves, it looks like a close-out sale; on the flip-side, too many implies that you don’t believe in the products you sell. Simplifying the mix makes the sales experience easier on your team and less confusing for your guests.
With 100s of new products launching this month, it’s a great time to reevaluate your shelves. Identify the slow movers, which price points or product types you lacked, or a category that needs a boost. Then, seek the replacements in the newly-released lotions. If you need help in this department, reach out to your distributor representative or lotion manufacturer representative.
Best of luck with your lotion shopping!
