If you've ever been to a fast food restaurant and placed your order for a burger and a drink, 9 times out of 10, the person taking your order asked you ‘would you like fries with that?’ And probably at least 50% of the time, you (and the rest of their customers) said, ‘yes, fries do sound like a good idea!’
That's what's know as ‘suggestive selling’ and in order to work at most fast food places, it's a requirement that you ask, each and every time. Why you might ask?
Well I can tell you it has to do with the bottom line. And people who own fast food restaurants want to serve good food, take care of their customers - and make a profit at the end of the day. The more dollars that are spent, the better. So every time the cashier or order taker asks, and 50% of the people say yes, the customer not only has a more tasty meal, the restaurant makes more money. It's a win-win!
One of the strangest things I've found is that MOST HAIR STYLISTS AND BEAUTY PROS COULDN'T EVEN WORK AT A FAST FOOD JOINT! Because they don't, or won't suggestive sell! And, it's costing them thousands of dollars!
Our client comes in and says, ‘I’ll have a regular' or ‘I’m just here for a cut' and what do we say? “OK, come on back to the shampoo bowl and lets get started.”
WRONG ANSWER! There was no taking a look at their hair to see what it may need (conditioning treatment, glaze, highlights). There was no asking them how their hair was to maintain, so we don't know that it was dry, or limp or frizzy and that they could use our help with a solution.
Or maybe they just need to understand why they need to come in more frequently, before their hair gets so out of control or has 5 inches of new growth since their last color. The bottom line is, Hairstylists don't suggestive sell and they are leaving hundreds, if not thousands of dollars on the table, each week.
Have you thought about yourself, and maybe your clients from last week? What if half of them got a conditioning treatment (and you charged full price for it), how much more would you have made? And how much more grateful would your clients be? They may or may not know it, but they come to you for more than a hairstyle or a haircut. They come for your professionals expertise and recommendations.
When you don't share your expertise, that turns you into an ‘Order Taker’. They can find an Order Taker anywhere. That's one reason they're not loyal, and you have to keep trying to find new clients. They see the next cute style on the 'gram and they try the next Stylist next month.
If you really want to stand out and grow a solid business, that brings in thousands of dollars each and every week, with clients who can't wait to come back and spend more with you, don't be an ‘Order Taker’!
Just for this week, try Suggestive Selling:
1) Take a few minutes, analyze their hair BEFORE you go to the bowl.
2) Ask them about their hair - then listen. They will tell you what their hair challenges are and you get to offer a solution. How do you think they'll feel? Listened to! Which is a powerful feeling.
3) Don't be afraid to make professional recommendations. That's why they come to you!
4) Remember, everyone may not take your suggestions, and that OK. Keep making them, and they will.
Why not try it this week and see how you feel? More empowered, more connected to your clients?
See how they react. Are they not used to the new attention and focus? Did anyone ask you when they could come back for their next appointment and want to schedule it right away? And what about your bottom line?
If you're not keeping up with how much you usually make, you may not know. But at least make a note as you go of the people who said yes to something extra - that they didn't have already scheduled.
2 conditioning treatments at $25 each = $50
1 glaze or semi-permanent color at $45 and
a ‘sunlight’ highlights at $60 (12 foils at $5 each - which is a really low price), all totals to $155.
$155 is not earth shaking, but do that every week and that's a $620 in a month - more than you're making now. What could you do with an extra $620/month? And none of those services took much more of your time. That's how you start to work smarter vs. harder.
One of my students tried if for a month and made a whopping $360 more in one week, while doing the exact same number of clients!
Let me know what you think and if you're willing to give up being an Order Taker in the Your Pricing Matters Facebook Group. I'll post the same picture and I'd love your feedback! Click here if you haven't already joined! (P.S. It's formerly the Beauty SuperStars Group.)
I hope that gets your week off to a great start!
To your success,
Miki
P.S.S. Do you secretly dread when someone asks you, "How much do you charge?" Grab your FREE ‘Pricing Cheat Sheet’ at https://beautysuperstars.com/keys for the 4 Keys to Confident Pricing! Be sure to check out the next 5-Day Confident Pricing Challenge while you’re there.
Miki Wright is a Pricing Strategist and Business Funding Expert, as well as a long time Leader in the Beauty Industry. She trains talented Female Entrepreneurs and Service Professionals how to charge what they're worth! Helping them confidently set and raise their prices, without fear or guilt. She also offers business funding (up to $25K within 24 hours). Wright has a deep understanding of the unique challenges faced by Entrepreneurs with regards to pricing and accessing funding. Be sure to follow her on YouTube!
Wright's former Salon and Spa has been featured in Essence Magazine, The Washington Post, and qualified as one of the 200 fastest growing Salons in the country with SalonToday.com, for three consecutive years. Wright is known for her ability to innovate, inspire and offer actionable steps that get results and is the Founder of the Club $10K 90-day Mastermind. Apply now at https://Profitplan.as.me/10K
Ready to take your business to the next level? Wright will help you set and raise your prices with confidence, and build and fund the business of your dreams. Contact her at BeautySuperStars.com or for business funding, visit bizfunds4u.com