Here’s Why the sales approach that you don’t like could be the one that you need !

As a salon business Coach & Consultant I face this a lot when working with clients for the first time..

We coach a client on a unique sales strategies designed specifically for Salon businesses, they take one look and says, "You can't be serious! ...or it’s too different..." 

In response, I tell my own clients, “You may not like this approach. But you’re not the target market, even if you think you resemble your clients”

Here are 3 reasons why. 

1. Customers don’t buy the same way you do

If you hang around the Internet and you observe how different salons are selling their products, You hear the same promises over and over. “The lowest prices in the market, client reward points” “ always on trend , one stop shop for all your beauty needs” and more…

The truth is every salon owner is trying to sell what they think salon clients want based on what how they buy any other merchandise ... salons are different, you can’t sell a manicure service the same way you sell a nail polish , you can’t sell a hair cut the same way you sell a shampoo.. and salon services are not fashion brands  though they are closely affiliated with fashion ..

 There’s no right or wrong here but when a sales or marketing strategy is being overly used ( such as what’s currently happening in the market ) customers will stop being excited to know more.

But when you’re targeting salon clients, who are looking for the personal value in your service ..  many of your boring phrases might seem fresh ,exciting and very much convincing 

“Hype-free marketing? I like that,” purred a young Salon owner I recently connected with. “That’s a whole new way of looking at marketing.” 

You might not be a marketing wizard who can create epic stories to sell your salon or services and you don’t need to be .. Not all clients buy into the big fancy claims. 

chances are .. your familiar unpolished phrases and posts that are true, genuine and honest might well resonate with your target Clients . 

 

2. Customers Want to Be Sold. 

They know you’re not posting ads, creating new services and innovating the customer experience so you’ll feel good and collect gold stars for your Permanent Records. 

And if they want your services, they’re looking for reasons to say “yes.” Think of all those empowering ads with the theme, “You deserve it.” Or, “You’re worth it.” They’re giving us permission to spend our money. 

As long as you’re tasteful and meeting their real needs, your customers will actually appreciate learning about what you offer and they’re willing to buy your service regardless of the price..

Recently I was pitching my services to “Lena,” a prospective client who owns a salon , without hesitating she said you are a good sales person,. For a moment I thought "am I selling too hard ?”, hesitantly I asked “and how do you feel about that ?.. 

“I like that , You are not the least bit pushy. you understood my problem, you’re not over promising” She replied ..

We’re still talking. But when Lena sees her own selling strategy that we’ll create for her , I bet that she might say, “Um – do you think we’re selling too hard?” 

What I was selling her is relevant to her she needs it , I don’t… I felt I was selling hard she felt it’s appropriate..

What she will sell to her clients, her clients need it, she don’t .. she might feel that she’s selling hard but her clients will see a reason to say yes!

 

3. Customers Don’t Want to Stop and think . 

Some words and phrases slow us down. For some good examples, pick up your technical guide and maybe a couple of products brochure. You’ll see words like “MEA,” “silkworm cocoon extract,” “ ceramide,” and more. (I know. I used many of these words at certain point )

I bet you were impressed when you read those ingredients in that brochure, made marginal notes and hung on tight to your yellow highlighter pen to get back to it later to understand what does this do ?

Alas, Salon clients will not be so impressed when they hear those words. You have to help them see the outcome , stay focused on the buying decision and move along fast regardless of what you believe ..

Imagine explaining a treatment service to a client and I know you will be tempted to impress her with the silkworm cocoon extract ingredient.. what do you think is going to happen in that moment ?

her mind will stop at the silkworm cocoon in a -WHAT!? Moment - and all the benefits that you're explaining after.. becomes blurry.. and the next question that you will get is … silkworm cocoon ? While you truly want her to focus on buying the solution that you are offering, now she’s thinking of that poor little thing that was supposed to turn into a butterfly.. 

Bottom Line: people buy in different ways, don’t sell the same way you buy, over used strategies are slow and don’t work anymore, expect surprises when you do things differently . all our clients that we helped were never convinced that what we are giving them will actually work because they were thinking the same way they buy not how their clients would buy until their clients started to buy more and the rest was history.