7 Reasons You're Having Trouble Selling Salon Products Successfully
It’s not your salon retail products that are the problem.
Supplementing your salon services with retail cosmetics and beauty supplies can be tough.
You’ve combed through the best salon retail products to have in your store.
You've done the research to find wholesalers and good prices.
You've made the investment in your stock.
You’ve spent time making sure your displays look just right.
And then…you watch your clients pass by the displays without any interest. Your inventory sits on the shelf. Now you're having doubts about whether you made the right choices.
You’re thinking if they’re not buying my product…does that mean I’m selling the wrong stuff?
The good news is that’s probably not the case. Did you know that you've got a 60 to 70% probability of selling to an existing customer? Even if your client is brand-new, that probability is 5 to 20%!
So with numbers like that…why isn't your inventory selling?
There’s no easy way to break it to you...but it's not your product. It’s because you’re not flexing your product-pitching muscles.
Does that mean you need to start acting like a sleazy car salesman? No way. You're already a pro at selling things—your services! But we get it. It’s hard to switch gears to selling your physical products.
Here’s why you are having trouble selling salon products:
1. You’re not pitching them.
Life would be a whole lot easier if the retail cosmetics and hair care we stocked sold themselves. We could just set inventory all nicely arranged on the counter and it would be enough to compel people to buy.
Don't get scared away by the prospect of pitching something! Did you know your repeat customers are more likely to buy from you even if your exact-same product costs more than your competition?
You offer benefits that Amazon and the big-box stores don't have. Benefits your client really values. You’ve built a relationship with them—even a single interaction with you is more intimate than an online or in-store could ever offer.
By offering retail in-store, you're giving them the option of instant gratification. They don't just get the benefits of the actual product. They got to enjoy the journey to the product.
2. You’re waiting for the “right moment” to pitch your salon retail products.
Pitching your products can be super daunting. It's easy to oscillate between “I can't just pitch a product to someone brand new! I'll scare them away,” to “Now I've waited too long to pitch anything. It's just going to make it awkward if I do it to my regulars!”
You don’t have to wait until your client is a long-time customer to pluck up the courage to sell them products. And don’t feel like it’s too late if they are a long-time customer. Repeat clients spend 33% more than new ones.
First-time customers? Pitch your products!
Longtime customers? Pitch your products!
The time to offer your products is now.
3. You’re not overcoming your customer’s hesitations.
What stops people from buying things?
It’s easy to assume the only hesitation is price. But people buy all kinds of high-priced products all the time.
However, they're buying those things because they have confidence. They're buying because they have plenty of trust that it's worth it.
How does that help you as you're selling salon products?
Make offers that help customers feel trying your products is easy and low risk. When the risk feels lower, the interest to commit has room to grow. Things like offering a discount, a money-back guarantee, or a sample help encourage your customer to give your products a shot.
4. You’re telling them the value…but not the benefits.
You're the expert when it comes to beauty products. That's why your clients are coming to you. But when you're trying to sell something, staying in expert mode can keep you from speaking your client's language.
For example, say you sell retail cosmetics—and you're offering them tubing mascara. You tell them about all the cool features. It's not oil-based. It doesn't flake or smudge. It can be removed with just water and pressure.
These are valuable details to educate clients on, but you need to connect the dots for them! They don’t automatically value those features.
Turn your features into benefits by answering “what does it DO for me?” Translate for them.
Oil-free formula = No running or need to touch up throughout the day.
Smudge & flake-free = Eyes that aren’t irritated and don’t need a mid-day cleanup.
Removes with water & pressure = Easy to remove…and no need for makeup removers that make your eyes burn.
Match the product’s benefits with your client’s goals. Make the product the solution to your client’s cosmetic, skin, and hair care woes!
5. You’re not communicating clearly to your client.
Whether it’s nerves or ego, overcomplicating things while pitching is the kiss of death in sales.
If a client is interested in a product, make their next steps clear and easy.
Could they get a sample?
Should they check out at the counter?
Could they learn the price without having to ask?
Don't assume that clients know how to check out or explore trying a product. They may not even know the displayed products are for sale. You never know what a client will assume—so take away all unclarity and simply tell them.
6. You’re getting nervous talking about the cost.
The most obvious hesitation a client will have is about the price, right?
That's not always the case. And even if the price is great, talking about money can feel uncomfortable. But it's a necessary part of talking about a sale. Clients expect costs, so it’s less awkward than you might think.
How do you avoid feeling weird when talking about the cost of your salon retail products? Be honest about the cost—but focus on the VALUE. The more you confirm the value, the more you minimize the cost.
Plus, you don't have to bring up the cost at the very beginning. But don't be afraid to bring it up. Being honest about the cost is actually a trust-building technique. It shows that you are confident as a professional in the value trade for the price. It shows you're not trying to hide anything from your client.
7. You’re piquing interest but not closing the sale.
Don’t let your hard work of pitching your products wither away as the appointment winds down!
Your client may be primed and interested to buy. But you're the gatekeeper of the product…so it's your job to take the last step to close the sale.
You can make it as simple as asking them if they'd like to add the product. This can sound like:
“If you'd like to take home that mascara we talked about, I can add it to your invoice right now.”
“I know you expressed interest in that conditioner. If you're not ready to take it home today, let me make a note of it in your client notes. If you're wondering about it in the future, we won't forget the brand and product.”
How to sell more retail in the salon: top-notch pitched for top-notch products
You can only offer a limited amount of slots a day for your services. But you can offer as many products as you have the bandwidth! It’s an excellent way to boost your revenue and improve your customer experience.
If your customers crave cosmetics that don’t irritate sensitive eyes or smudge with oily skin, then blinc is the brand they’re looking for. With blinc’s B2B wholesale options, you can stock the tubing mascara and more from the technology’s original pioneers.
