Are you inexperienced at sales? Well, you’re not, really. If you think about it, all working professionals are in sales. Educators have to sell students on topics, homework deadlines and following rules. Managers have to sell business owners on innovations, procurement requests and hiring more people. Doctors have to sell patients on getting a test or having a procedure. Estheticians sell guests on what is needed for the health and wellness of their skin. We all work in sales, just in different ways.
If you’re learning how to sell a new product or need to sell more, you might want to think about “the golden rule of selling.” This is simply, “Treat others how you want to be treated.” Start out with a smile; learn what is important to your guest and remember to ask for the sale.
Tip 1. Be Positive and Enthusiastic.
Greeting your guest with a smile conveys a positive impression, and first impressions are crucial. The way you and your staff greet guests can have a huge impact on your bottom line. Of course, it is important to have a friendly and inviting environment within your spa, but the initial contact you make with your guest is personal and essential in creating the appropriate rapport for a successful sales experience. Friendliness is contagious, so be friendly and professional.
Tip 2. Be Genuine.
Show an interest in your guest. Take some time to develop an understanding of your guest’s needs and what she or he is seeking in a product. You should inquire about their daily skin care regimen and their level of commitment to the health and wellness of their skin. You may begin by asking questions, and be sure to listen carefully to their answers. The next step will explain why it is so important to engage your guest by asking the right questions.
Tip 3. Qualify Your Guest.
Asking the right questions will help you ascertain what your guest might be interested in purchasing. We refer to this as qualifying your guest. Qualification is a game of questions. Unless you ask the right questions, you won’t understand the right problems to solve, and in obtaining the desired answers, you will then be able to recommend the most suitable products for them. Start off safe, general and non-threatening going from broad to specific, while avoiding yes and no questions. Once again, be sure to listen carefully to the answers. Beware of making reflex judgements and projections about people, especially about whether or not they can afford the products you are recommending.
Tip 4. Know the Products You Are Offering.
Be sure you have proficiency in the products you are suggesting to your guests. While most premium brands offer comprehensive product training to those who will be using their products in treatment rooms and for retail sales, statistics indicate that without continuously reviewing product information data provided by manufacturers, staff retention of this information can decline precipitously. Use the quiet times in your spa to learn more about the products you wish to promote to your guests. The more you know about the brands you carry, the more confident you will be when presenting them. Remember that while product features are nice, benefits sell products, so discuss the products benefits with your guests.
Tip 5. Be Mindful of Your Guest.
Answer any questions your guest may have about the product you are discussing truthfully and simply. If you do not know the answer, offer to find it out, and then get back to the guest with the answer. Do not attempt to answer a question if you do not know the answer. Do not become defensive when responding to an objection. An objection from a guest provides you with an opportunity to show the unique value of the product you are offering.
Tip 6. Practice Your Presentation.
Selling is an art, not a science. Therefore, you can always improve your results with practice. When you make a sale to your guest, it is not because you “sold” the product to them. Rather, it is because you successfully explained how the product will meet the guest’s needs. Practicing and perfecting your own techniques will lead to greater results in your sales efforts.
Tip 7. Ask for the Sale.
Your guests are interested in what you have to offer. They love to discover wonderful new products and experiences. By this time, you have created rapport with your guest, gained their trust and confidence and shown them a product that fulfills one of their needs. In addition, you are offering then the convenience of taking the product home with them, saving them the trouble of locating it elsewhere when they get home. Therefore, it is your job to close the sale, and your guest will expect you to do it.
"Selling is an art not a science."
Tip 8. Be Passionate and Sincere in Your Sales Presentation.
Enthusiasm is contagious. Be sure to show your enthusiasm and passion for the product you are recommending. If you believe in the value and benefits of the products you are offering to your guest, she or he will feel the excitement for the product as well. You do not want your guest to become bored from listening to a dull or non-compelling story on a product you are trying to sell them.
Tip 9. Remember the ABCs of Sales.
These three constants will lead to a satisfying success rate in your sales efforts.
Attunement. Listen and understand the needs of your guest.
Buoyancy. Always be resilient and optimistic in your efforts, and believe in the product you are selling.
Clarity. Provide all the relevant information to your guest in a short, easy and compelling story that offers a solution to a specific need.
Tip 10. Keep It Simple, Stupid.
You have probably heard the expression “keep it simple, stupid!” This is known as the KISS method of selling. Basically, it warns us against behaving like robots when we are trying to sell something. It discourages salespeople from talking like techies, delivering statistical information to customers that puts them to sleep. Becoming too complicated in our selling style can become an occupational hazard. The goal of the KISS method of selling is to keep your focus on offering information, which is streamlined, economical and effective to your guests. So, when thinking about all of the information you have just read, you may wish to remember the KISS method of selling successfully.
Conclusion
These days, there seems to be nearly as many sales styles and techniques as there are salespeople. So, how do you know what works and what doesn’t? It really boils down to what works for you and what works for your product. Think about your guests and their perceptions about your products. Do they know they need it and simply have to choose from the various brands you offer? Or, do they have no idea how much the product would help them be more productive? Do they even know about your product? Will your sales effort be educational for them, or you?
Think through these things before determining what methods might work for the product you are presenting. Always remember that you are the professional, and your guests respect your expertise and advice. Therefore, be confident and truthful with them during your sales discussions and they will respond favorably. Happy Selling!
Steven I. Rosenfeld is the president of Columbia SkinCare, a division of The F.C. Sturtevant Company, where he has served for over 22 years. Prior to joining FCS, Rosenfeld was EVP at Barnett Laboratories, a specialty products pharmaceutical company. Rosenfeld is an engineer with a special discipline in acoustic phenomena.
