Really stressed about making sales

[rocketqueen]

hi everyone, i'm new to the board and i'm also new to this industry. i started a new job at a spa 2 months ago, and i'm finding that i'm having trouble making sales and getting my new clients to rebook, or to book with me on a regular basis. soon, my boss is going to be giving me a target number of sales for product and treatment add-ons i have to reach, and i'm worried that i'm not going to be able to hit the target. sales is definitely a weakness for me, and i'm feeling stressed and worried about hitting those numbers. i feel like since i am so new to the business, its going to take me a while to build up the confidence to make regular sales. i dont know what to do, i want to try really hard to make sales, but i'm worried that i won't make enough for me to keep my job i love esthetics, wellness, and everything about this industry..but sales is a huge weakness for me, i'm afraid i won't make it in this business if i dont start becoming more sales oriented. has anyone experienced this kind of stress? can anyone offer some advice?

 

[EmJZ]

Hi there,
don't get too stressed out. It's only been 2 months. It takes time and hard work to build a good clientel base. It took me nearly 2 years to get to the point where my book was full every day. I think you should sit down with your boss and voice your concerns. Maybe she/he will be able to give you a bit more time to get aquainted with your clients before having you fill a quota. Good Luck!:hug:

 

[weezie]

I would hate that kind of pressure, we're not in sales after all we're therapists. Tell her how you feel. It is even harder to sell when the pressure is on. I would go with a no pressure sales technique with your clients too. Just talk about your experiences with the products and ask them if they need to replace any products or if they would like a recommendation. I normally find clients point out something they are not happy with about their skin so you can then tell them this, this and this would help. :hug: I feel your pain. Don't forget though, we all love to buy, it makes us feel good!

 

[Lynne Baker]

Before I opened my own salon I would have happily told you that I don't have an entrepreneurial bone in my body, and that I couldn't sell to save my life!
Thing is, I absolutely believe in every product I stock. If I didn't, I couldn't recommend them. When I've finished a facial I sit my lady down with a glass of water and run through with them what I did and why I did it, and what I recommend for homecare.
I say to them "you go to the dentist every 6 months, right? And you brush your teeth in between surgery visits? Well, skincare is much the same: if you don't look after it in between salon visits don't be surprised if you see little improvement. Your skin needs to be cared for every day, just like your teeth"
It works. Every single time.
Whilst the mask is on I get out all the products I'm going to recommend, and I have them lined up on the desk in front of where my client is going to sit. Wjhen we're running through the home care I touch each one as I'm talking about it. My client can then visualise herself using it. She can touch the packaging, see what it looks like, and she's probably just had the best hour and half of her life so she's highly receptive and suggestible.
You can always practise your routine on your colleagues (or your mum!) until you feel more confident about it. When you have your own salon you will need to bump up your retail sales in order to make a decent living out of it.
Good luck!

 

[rouge]

Have you had proper product training? It helps massively if you are confident in what you say. And even if you're only pretending to be confident at first you'll find that in time you will actually become confident.

Most skincare ranges have a pad you can fill in with the products you have used on your client. I use that as a starting point, say something like 'These are all the products I used on you today, but for you the most important one is....' That way you're showing them the range but not pushing it all on them, so they don't feel like you're giving them the hard sell. Give them a sample of another product too.

What do you say to clients about rebooking? I say 'Ideally you should be having this treatment every ... weeks to get the maximum benefit from it. Would you like to rebook now?'

And definitely talk to your boss about how you feel, they may not realise how difficult you're finding it. :hug:

 

[single sparkle]

I totally agree with Calla.

I only opened my salon last June and i did get quiet stressed about having to sell product -i think it is really vital to sell product if you are going to last in this business. Anyway alot of people feel so good after there facial that if you don't sell or at least tell them about a 'good product suitable for there skin type - chances are that they will head off to the nearest boots and buy something that is completely wrong for there skin. . . . !

 

[Curly Bamboo]

Rockqueen, at your spa are you given turnover time to recommend a homecare plan and allow your client to try the products? this is essential for product sale without being pushy.

Try not to think about meeting the targets, think about how you want to educate your client. To do this you need to believe in the products you are using and explain how it works.

Ask your boss to role play and show you how to make a sale after a facial!

Lastly, if the spa is wanting you to meet a target then I hope they have offered you an incentive! ie. commission!