The Ed.
Well-Known Member
Carol Philips is a former salon and spa owner and the founder of Beautee Smarts, a California based consultancy company that was designed to serve the needs of businesses involved in the personal care, medical and beauty industry with full service marketing, advertising, branding, spa development, training and sales improvement programs designed for each business channel. Basically, Phillips is a genius when it comes to helping beauty businesses be successful.
This year, she was a guest speaker at the 2013 Millennium Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona and took the opportunity to share her invaluable knowledge. "Everything I do is to help drive sales," she began and went on to explain what she thinks are the 6 most common (and most damaging mistakes) beauty businesses can make.
1. Lack of Focus
Philips challenged business owners to put themselves in their clients' position. What does a shopper se when they walk in your front door? "Take out your phone and take a picture as you walk into your salon. Is there a clear focus, clear message, clear retail department?"
2. Lack of Shopping Excitement
On average, a client needs to see a promotion an average of five times. "The key place to put signage is in the retail area, at the station, in the treatments room, in the relaxation area and at check out." She explained that displays needed to be rotated every four to six weeks - anything longer than that and shoppers develop blinders. "Every time a difficult client comes in your salon, you need to give them a reason to buy today whether it's a seasonal special, a problem-solving solution or a can't-miss promotion."
3. Lack of Ownership or Leadership
Speaking directly to business owners, Phillips asked, "Do you make time to plan, manage, organise and think about your business?" Phillips advised that owners should book an extra day following the next educational event to take stock of what's been learned and create an action plan. "You always have to ask yourself if you are doing the most productive thing for your business or are you just keeping busy?"
Lack of Branding
Clients should see your brand outside your salon and as soon as they walk in the door. "It should be on the wall behind the front desk where they see it when they're making out their checks." Phillips asked owners if they have a signature smell for their business? "Your brand and message should answer two question for anyone seeing it: "So What?" and "Why You?"'
5. Lack of Customer Contact
These days your sales message needs to cut through the clutter. The best way to do that? Provide valuable content to your customers for example, tips, techniques, beauty advice. "You need to become the go-to experts for your clients."
6. Lack of Staff Training
All staff, but especially the younger generations, need to do more than offer product knowledge, says Phillips. "You also have to teach people skills like making eye contact and how to shake hands. And you need to give staff selling skills, ongoing retail training and you need to make training fun."
Inspired? Get more from Carol Phillips thanks to Modern Salon's YouTube account HERE.
Until then...geek on!
The Ed.
This year, she was a guest speaker at the 2013 Millennium Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona and took the opportunity to share her invaluable knowledge. "Everything I do is to help drive sales," she began and went on to explain what she thinks are the 6 most common (and most damaging mistakes) beauty businesses can make.
1. Lack of Focus
Philips challenged business owners to put themselves in their clients' position. What does a shopper se when they walk in your front door? "Take out your phone and take a picture as you walk into your salon. Is there a clear focus, clear message, clear retail department?"
2. Lack of Shopping Excitement
On average, a client needs to see a promotion an average of five times. "The key place to put signage is in the retail area, at the station, in the treatments room, in the relaxation area and at check out." She explained that displays needed to be rotated every four to six weeks - anything longer than that and shoppers develop blinders. "Every time a difficult client comes in your salon, you need to give them a reason to buy today whether it's a seasonal special, a problem-solving solution or a can't-miss promotion."
3. Lack of Ownership or Leadership
Speaking directly to business owners, Phillips asked, "Do you make time to plan, manage, organise and think about your business?" Phillips advised that owners should book an extra day following the next educational event to take stock of what's been learned and create an action plan. "You always have to ask yourself if you are doing the most productive thing for your business or are you just keeping busy?"
Lack of Branding
Clients should see your brand outside your salon and as soon as they walk in the door. "It should be on the wall behind the front desk where they see it when they're making out their checks." Phillips asked owners if they have a signature smell for their business? "Your brand and message should answer two question for anyone seeing it: "So What?" and "Why You?"'
5. Lack of Customer Contact
These days your sales message needs to cut through the clutter. The best way to do that? Provide valuable content to your customers for example, tips, techniques, beauty advice. "You need to become the go-to experts for your clients."
6. Lack of Staff Training
All staff, but especially the younger generations, need to do more than offer product knowledge, says Phillips. "You also have to teach people skills like making eye contact and how to shake hands. And you need to give staff selling skills, ongoing retail training and you need to make training fun."
Inspired? Get more from Carol Phillips thanks to Modern Salon's YouTube account HERE.
Until then...geek on!
The Ed.
