CUSTOMER WELLNESS EDUCATION
“Beautiful, long-lasting color starts with healthy skin,” says Denae Blough, whose approach has become the gold standard in client care. “At our salon, we believe education is just as important as the tan itself—when customers understand how to care for their skin before and after their session, they see better, longer-lasting results and enjoy a healthier glow.” It’s a philosophy that’s transforming not just how clients look, but how salons profit. When you prioritize skin health education, you’re not just creating better tans—you’re creating devotees who achieve superior results, maintain their color longer, and keep coming back year-round instead of disappearing after summer ends.
Creating Beauty Consultants, Not Sales Clerks The transformation begins with elevating your team from ordertakers into trusted beauty advisors. The most successful salons invest heavily in educating their staff about the science behind luminous skin and the art of personalized product recommendations.
Think of it as a beauty boot camp with real-world application. Training goes beyond memorizing ingredient lists to understanding how different skin types respond to UV exposure, why hydration matters for color longevity, and how to read a client’s skin story before making recommendations. “We prioritize thorough education, ensuring every employee understands the key role skin care plays in achieving and maintaining a great tan,” explains Shanna Lynch, a multi-unit salon owner and operator. “Training involves teaching them how to assess different skin types and concerns, communicate the importance of pre- and post-tanning skin care, and tailor product recommendations accordingly.” But here’s where it gets interesting: role-playing scenarios and realclient case studies help staff develop the confidence to have genuine conversations about skin health rather than awkward product pitches. When your team understands the why behind every recommendation, they become consultants clients actually want to listen to.
The transformation is immediate. Instead of tentative product suggestions, you get confident beauty advisors who can explain exactly why that expensive moisturizer will make their tan last two weeks longer.
The Beauty Business Breakthrough When clients truly understand the connection between proper care and gorgeous results, something magical happens to your bottom line. They stop seeing product recommendations as sales pressure and start viewing them as insider beauty secrets. “Focusing on more than ‘just tanning’ allows us to hit a wider range of products, as well as help clients achieve even better results,” notes Shanna Lynch. “This keeps them coming longer and more year-round.” It’s beauty economics at its finest. Educated clients who see dramatically better results become walking advertisements for your salon. They’re the ones posting those enviable before-and-after photos, referring to their friends, and ramping up their
Visit sunislife.com for industry certifications and training on skin care.
IST MAGAZINE
14
SEPTEMBER 2025