Can we talk about retail?

[MrsHBeauty]

I would be willing to pay for myself and my staff to attend a retailing workshop!

I struggle retailing I'd love to learn how to do it effectively without the hard sell.

 

[Zooks]

I would very much attend a retail course.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using SalonGeek mobile app

 

[JenBella]

Hi Lynne,

I attended a Retail and Advanced Skincare course, basically it covered off cosmetic science, product training, consultations and client care.

I've ten plus years of high street retail management and my qualifications in beauty. This course really benefitted me, just in terms of pulling it all together and enabling me to understand fully the science of ingredients, how these cross over different brands and how to utilise this knowledge for consultations and recommending products/homecare etc to clients.

I am a firm believer that retail is not about being a pushy sales person, it's about partnering with your customer and identifying what they need & want. Belief in what you sell and knowing all about it is also very important, customers need to have faith in you.

I was already very confident in my career experience and I believe I do have good people skills, but these kinds of courses I think are brilliant both for existing professionals and newbies.

Plus the science side totally rocked! I think you outs be fantastic at something like this.

 

[Lynne Baker]

Wow, that sounds like a great course!
And I'm totally with your philosophy, Jen. I have a good understanding of product chemistry and skin A & P so it's very easy to recommend exactly the correct product/treatment regime.

I know I've put this up before, but I really do recommend the following book!

Milady's Skin Care and Cosmetic Ingredients Dictionary Milady's Skin Care and Cosmetics Ingredients Dictionary: Amazon.co.uk: MICHALUN: Books

I've learnt such a lot from this, and coupled with the product brochure from Swissdermyl I feel very confident in recommending products.

I'm assuming that other skincare houses provide detailed brochures on product ingredients and how they work?

 

[MrsHBeauty]

Eve Taylor sell a product navigator it lists each product and all the ingredients and what they do. Very good book!

 

[nicole333]

Do you think people would expect a workshop like this to be free?
If you had to pay for it would it put you off?

No, I would expect to pay for it, but I would not have the same enthusiasm for attending an online experience. A lot of the mandatory updates that I have to do in my other job are online now and the experience feels a world away from a good old study day. I love a proper study day because it's interactive and I learn so much more discussing ideas from the questions raised throughout. When I compare it to sitting in a room at work on my own in front of a pc, it just feels like a tick box exercise.

 

[MrsHBeauty]

No, I would expect to pay for it, but I would not have the same enthusiasm for attending an online experience. A lot of the mandatory updates that I have to do in my other job are online now and the experience feels a world away from a good old study day. I love a proper study day because it's interactive and I learn so much more discussing ideas from the questions raised throughout. When I compare it to sitting in a room at work on my own in front of a pc, it just feels like a tick box exercise.

Yeah, I understand where your coming from but the chance of a course like Lynne is talking about being accessible to everyone over the uk is quite slim. So an online course would be a great way to offer it to more people.

If prefer face to face.

 

[nicole333]

Yes, I totally understand that it would be a very difficult task and would probably end up being a regular thing in order to get the amount of people through the door that would love a bit of Lynne's knowledge. But whether that is something that has already been considered, we don't know yet.

But, my personal preference is face to face and my honest opinion is that it would not be an automatic yes if it were an online version, whereas it would be for a face to face version.

 

[ukbeauty]

I think every Therapist would benefit from a retail course. Even 'old' established Therapists like myself always learn something new on every course and often come back with renewed enthusiasm and retail is one area particularly if you are busy with treatments, can get forgotten. It is a great way to boost takings/wages.
Beauty Therapists who own or manage a business and have had input into choosing the products used in the salon are quite fortunate as obviously they enjoy working/achieving the results with the chosen brand. Other Therapists, who may be working in a salon with a brand they are not too keen on, must find it very hard to retail, so education in the products and added retail training is vital.
For salon owners, even if you are working alone from home or renting a room, I have found a credit card machine is a must. Clients come for their appointment expecting to pay a certain amount for their treatment and the opportunity to add on retail can be lost if they have to write a cheque or find the cash instantly. The FSB does a great deal with credit card machines for the small business.
It is also important to allow enough time at the end of the appointment to recommend/retail. Often in a busy salon with back to back appointments, the Therapist does not literally have the time, as she needs to tidy up and prepare for the next Client. When costing your treatments allow an extra 10mins to retail at the end of the appointment - you, the salon and the Client will benefit from the additional customer care and income.

 

[Lynne Baker]

You make a valid point about salon based therapists being back to back.
I wonder if there is any mileage in training a receptionist in some way?

 

[ukbeauty]

A well trained Receptionist is a great advantage to the business, especially if she has come from a retail background. Many of the product houses do Receptionist product training.
However, it will only work if the Therapists do not lose the sales to an enthusiastic Receptionist. Many Clients return after their treatment with the prescription to purchase products. The Receptionist needs to be motivated to assist, but not at the cost of the Therapist, losing out . Tricky one.

 

[squidgernetball]

I know when I did some training one of the girls was training in Jane Iredale make up and was a receptionist. She said the plan was for her to be 'front of house' and able to pop some make up on those that were interested as therapists often didn't have time. It was also interesting on the spa programme some time ago where Hilary Devay went to find out why it wasn't as successful as it could have been, and she put most of the problems down to the receptionist!!!

 

[souz]

It can definitely work with a receptionist who knows her retail and without therapists losing out as such. All employees should be on commission usually 10% or thereabouts.

Scenarios where a receptionist can retail and it actually helps therapist:

1. Therapist is extremely busy with clients back to back and client needs extra attention to purchase specific items....receptionist takes over so therapist isnt keeping other clients waiting(if therapist is on commission for treatments as well she will not lose out)

2. Someone walks in off the street to buy items whilst therapist is performing treatments, receptionist helps said person also instilling in them how professional and knowledgeable the salon is and hopefully books in for treatments aswell and recommends to friends

3. Client brings mum/daughter/friend to wait for her while having a treatment...receptionist can retail offers etc whilst chatting to her

One xmas i worked as a receptionist in a large hair and beauty salon (about 15 hairdressers/trainees and 2 beauty therapists as well as management. Over the xmas period i managed to sell alot of retail as would chat to clients whilst they were waiting as well as walk ins. I actually sold the most ghds and the most haircare (winning myself a pair of ghds and haircare) even though the stylists would retail whilst they were working. I earnt my commission and hit my targets without encroaching on any of the stylists.