Welcome to June! Hopefully, wherever you are reading this article, the sun is shining and your busy season has been a success. Having spent the majority of the season on the road visiting salons all over the U.S. and Canada, I have noticed that salon operators asked the same question over and over: How do I make my lotion shelves and retail space more appealing? This month, we are going to talk about tips and tricks to create a warm and inviting buying environment for your salon guests.
First, make your windows shine! Many small salons don’t do window displays, and customers simply look straight into the store. Worse than that, salons put up curtains or blinds so potential customers cannot see into their stores. That is a mistake! Just like your eyes are the windows to your soul, windows are the eyes of the store – they should tell a story.
To create an appealing display, think of getting custom window clings made that advertise some type of special or promotion: “Unlimited Tanning for as low as $18.88 a month” or “Tan here FREE! Ask me how!”
Once the customer has entered your salon, what is it that they see? Do they see a big beautiful lotion display? Or do they only see a receptionist sitting in a chair behind the counter? In the eyes of the consumer, the way products are displayed in a retail environment is crucial. Always remember: less is more. You should choose 20-25 lotion SKUs (individual products) to sell in your salon. Offering a limited number of items creates a high-end impression. Any time you enter a high-end department store, the merchandise is nicely displayed and evenly spaced on the shelves for “high-end appeal.” When you go into a bargain store, you will notice a lot of different items all thrown together, so nothing in particular stands out. You want to avoid displaying either too few or too many products on your shelves. A low product quantity gives the idea that you are running low, and that what is left is just the stuff you’ve been unable to sell. On the flip side, having too much product gives the appearance that no one line is better than another, and consumers generally lose interest when looking at a shelf cluttered with all different lotion brands.
In my opinion, the perfect number is 20-25 products with about 3-6 of each SKU depending on how much space you have. Always put your high-end product line on the very top shelves. This gives that “top- shelf vibe,” almost as if it’s so special you have to ask for it to be brought down. Our eyes automatically go to the top and move down, so the first product we want our salon guests to see when walking into the store is the high-end line. Move down from there according to price point, ultimately putting your low-end products on the lowest shelf. I think the lotion shelves should be directly behind the counter if there is space. That way the guests see your lotions first when they walk into the salon, and it gives them something to look at while checking in for their tanning session.
A lot of salons I visit are not taking advantage of their retail counter space. An easy, effective promotional tool is to print your monthly special or program on nice paper and put it in a cute picture frame on the counter. Also, this is a great place to put impulse items such as bronzing powders, lip gloss and my favorite – a tester of a popular tan extender. An easy way to generate sales of tan extenders is to put a tester on the counter with a little sign that says, “Are you skipping a step in your tanning process? Tan extending moisturizers help to lock in your results and keep your skin beautiful, healthy and hydrated.”
Don’t consider it a finished job once you’ve made your changes, either. You need to change displays every couple of weeks to give your salon guests a fresh experience. However your salon is set up, you will see a boost in your product sales if you utilize your retail space to full advantage by displaying the best products you offer and creating a buying environment.
