It is common in the beauty industry to hear people say that they hate the fact that they have to sell things or that they feel bad pushing products on customers. As a former #1 sales person in the USA for three different cosmetic companies, I’ve got some major insight for what works and what doesn’t when it comes to selling. More importantly, those that follow my advice will start to love their job and become more passionate about their careers. Which is a triple win for you, your clients and your boss!
There are a e different types of salespeople. While being a pushy sales person certainly results in sales for people in all industries, it is only a temporary success. Clients that feel pressured to buy feel uncomfortable and usually won’t return, causing future loss. This loss is not just in income for the sales person, but for the entire business. Additionally, clients that are pressured to buy items from pushy sales people, often return these products resulting in negative sales.
The goal is to become successful with cosmetic/skincare sales, while having your clients respect and appreciation therefore resulting in repeat business from happy clients. This won’t happen if you are pushing products. This is my best advice and insight to change the daily experience interacting with your customers at work. First of all, selling is a part of the job if you work in retail cosmetics or if you are an esthetician or beauty therapist. However, I suggest that you do not look at your job as selling. Instead, look at your job as an opportunity to share your wisdom with clients. Remember that female as well as most male clients welcome hearing information, tips and tricks that will improve their skin and help them to love their own reflection in the mirror. The wisdom we possess can improve our customers skin and seriously boosts their self-esteem, confidence and happiness. That is huge!
Simply start by analyzing their skin and from there it’s easy. I teach my students to always imagine that you woke up in the clients body and skin and accept that you become them for the rest of your life. Now… Knowing what you know about skin care (and makeup if you have cosmetics for sale too). What would you immediately start using? What would you not leave the salon/spa without?! Think about all those items that you’d walk out with in a bag, and find a way to incorporate these things one at a time into a sincere conversation. Because the sincere truth is, if your clients knew what you knew, they WOULD BE using those items! It is OUR job to enlighten clients and educate them on how skin works, what its needs are, how to keep it healthy, address their concerns, improve and fix their skin issues and of course slow down their cycle of aging at the rate it naturally will go based on their genetics and lifestyle. Like everything in life, it takes practice to master this choreographed conversation in order to give each client the light bulb moments you want to deliver. I hope my words have shed some light on a different way to look at the sales aspect of your jobs. I hope that some of you are inspired to try it so that you can find opportunities to share your wisdom and make a difference.
Love and Wisdom
Donna
