We’ve all been there – in the middle of a product sale to a salon guest when she becomes “iffy” on the idea of making the purchase. We feel like if we sell “a little harder,” she will buy. Often, the less-experienced sales team member will give up, and not go for that additional push in order to avoid the backlash that can come with being too aggressive. The problem is, salespeople have always had the notion that pushing is wrong. That’s because it has always been focused on the wrong thing: “What’s our pitch? Let’s go pitch our product! I need to make this sale!” It’s been almost exclusively focused on the salesperson’s goals. It should be clear why customers react so poorly to this concept, because it’s not about them. The sale is about meeting the needs of the customer, not the salesperson.
Top salespeople offer customers new ideas and opportunities. They create a vision and engage customers in owning that vision. Top-sellers don’t just sell a product or service; they help guide the customer into products or services that will aid them in achieving their ultimate goals. “Push” is important – it’s a salesperson’s obligation – but it must be properly focused. It has to be about the customer and what suits their needs best. When done correctly, you will not come off as pushy at all.
Remember: Pushing a sale does not make you a pushy person.
Pushing doesn’t stop at the initial introduction, it continues through the purchase process, helping the customer engage with the correct products, structure their process, and make a decision. Great salespeople help the customer maintain focus on the goals they are trying to achieve – they don’t just push products and services for their own personal gain.
“Pull” plays an important role in supporting push. Pull is a measure of customer ownership and engagement in the opportunity of the sale. If the salesperson has done pushed successfully, the customer will start to pull. They embrace the idea; they get actively engaged in the opportunity and in owning the results. It’s a mutually beneficial relationship.
In the salon, these push/pull types of interactions with guests most commonly happen with what I like to call “pushbacks.” A pushback is when you as a salesperson offer your salon guest a tanning product or service, and she turns it down for any number of reasons. I have gathered the five most common pushbacks and listed them below. My suggestion is to take these pushbacks and role-play with your staff on how to appropriately guide the different types of customers toward an ultimate sale.
1. “I don’t use lotion ……….”
2. “I tan fine without lotion…………….”
3. “Lotion is expensive………”
4. “I already have a bottle…”
5. “I am too sensitive/allergic to most products…………”
Being a great salesperson isn’t about how pushy you are – it’s a combination of confidence, knowledge and engagement. My suggestion is to work with your staff on these three key elements of becoming a strong salesperson and you will see not only your numbers increase, but your guest satisfaction go up, as well.
