These four key tips will help you increase retail sales.

Are you looking for ways to add extra revenue to your average ticket amounts? Well, that was a silly question. Of course, you are! But nobody likes double booking and there are only so many hours in the day for appointment times.

One simple way to increase revenue is to add a product or two from your retail shelves to every appointment you complete. Increasing your retail sales may seem more challenging at first, but you’ll have everything you need to start at the end of the article.

The following tips will help you rework your retail space effectively and get customers comfortable with adding products to their appointments.

Here’s a little retail therapy for you and your salon.

1. Ensure retail areas are accessible & obvious.
2. Showcase specific products for a boost in sales.
3. Don’t use supermarket-style shelving.
4. Don’t sell clients products. Educate them instead.

Don’t worry – these aren’t open to interpretation. Read on for a detailed description of each tip.

Ensure retail areas are accessible & obvious.

This might not be obvious to you at first, but your salon clients might feel insecure asking for help when it comes to which products to select, or they may not even know that you have products available for sale. This is why making your retail area accessible and obvious for self-serve traffic is a huge must-do.

Sometimes clients will want to stop by and pick up their favorite product without booking an appointment, or they will decide to add on a product as a treat for themselves at the end of their appointment.

To help clients become comfortable buying retail products in your salon, your retail area needs to be visible and accessible. This means not placing it behind the reception desk, or in some dingey back corner. Retail could be front and center with a floating shelf, or wherever looks best based on your salon’s layout.

Include a variety of products and arrange them in an attractive way to provide clients with a few choices based on their preferences. And make sure you know everything there is to know about each product on display, because after all, you’re the expert.

The pricing should also be visible on all the items. Clients may be shy to ask what the price is in case they cannot afford a product, but allowing them to see the prices themselves will help alleviate any pressure they may feel. You always want your guests to be comfortable when they shop.

Ensure your retail space and products are dust-free and clean. People don’t want products that are dusty and dirty.

Showcase specific products for a boost in sales.

Check out where clients gravitate during busier times when visiting the retail section of your salon. Does there seem to be a shelf or section that gets more attention than others? Promote specific products or overstock that you want to move out the door in these areas.

This might include:

• New products being launched
• High-ticket items
• Products that might need a bit of help moving out the door

The products should be placed at eye level so they have more impact. The profit will be maximized because people will naturally take notice when browsing .

Don’t use supermarket-style shelving.

Customers do not want to get their facials or brow waxing in a warehouse; they want to go to a salon, so don’t forget this when stocking your shelves. Retail spaces shouldn’t be cluttered with excess products because it’s unwelcoming and overwhelming to customers.

You should display what’s on hand fill in empty space with design elements that accent your salon’s style and aesthetics.

If you have a very girlie style salon, consider using some fun candy accents or playful decorations along with the merchandise. If your shop is more sleek and upscale, silver and gold accents might lend to the design.

Don’t sell clients products. Educate them instead.

When is the best time to discuss products? During the appointment. If you are applying any product, make sure to explain to clients why you selected it, what it is doing to help create their look, and how they can use it at home.

If clients want to recreate their style, give them all the information they need and show them where they can buy the products you used over in the retail area. Let them decide about purchasing and don’t give pressure them since you don’t want them to regret the purchase or become uncomfortable. Trying to force them into a sale could make them unlikely to return.

Conclusion

Overall, if you implement even one or two of these tips, you’ll soon see results and will start selling more retail.

Of course, don’t feel pressure to implement every tip at once and become overwhelmed or awkward. Work on them one at a time and your average ticket will start to increase.

Remember, ensure all retail areas are accessible and obvious, showcase specific items to increase their sales, don’t use ugly shelving, and don’t overtly “sell” anything; educate instead.

Let us know if you try any of these strategies and how they work for you!