RETAIL REVISED
Hate selling? Curate an interactive client experience instead
by Lauren Snow
it’s no secret that retail products can significantly contribute to an esthetician’s bottom line, yet many esties struggle with—or are intimidated by—retail sales. Those who do become retail rock stars have taken the necessary time to learn their unique product offerings and strategized beautiful ways to display them. A successful retail system and setup can help you double—or even triple—your ticket price at the end of a facial, making retail revenue a sizeable income source. Want to learn how to curate a retail space that’s irresistible to clients? Let’s go!
GET TO KNOW YOUR REPS
Skin care manufacturers work hard to make their products sell by using potent ingredients, eye-catching packaging, and key talking points. And most create marketing materials and training seminars, and employ representatives to help you learn about their products. Why? They want to make it easy for you to sell their products! But it takes more than just pretty bottles and potent ingredients to move products; you also need confidence and knowledge—and a retail space that compels clients to browse and buy.
How you display your products can be just as important as the products themselves, and skin care manufacturers know this. That’s why they’re so motivated to help you sell, so don’t be afraid to ask company reps for their help when creating your retail sales setup. Also, learn as much as possible from them about their products.
CREATE AN EXPERIENCE
Curated shopping is a selection of unique products that are arranged based on client interest and previous shopping behaviors to help increase sales. The products can be from different manufacturers and categories, but the theme is the same, which is the key.
Imagine you are at a fancy department store, and you are looking for an outfit for a special event. A curated experience welcomes you by showcasing the “it” dresses of the season and must-have shoes
on confident-looking mannequins. But they also have undergarments, handbags, and dazzling jewelry on display, while playing the same high-tempo jazz you’ll hear at your gala. You might have come for a dress, but you likely leave with much more. That’s how curation works.
Retailers want consumers to have experiential shopping excursions because products sell when client shopping is selfguided and customers can interact with (pick up, feel, smell, etc.) the products. Create this same atmosphere in your spa, so clients feel welcome to experience your offerings with their senses as they decide with their eyes—and their hands— whether a product has earned their trust.
KNOW YOUR CLIENT
The most important piece of advice you will ever receive before investing in your business with products or equipment is: Know your client. What excites you as an esthetician can be much different than what excites your ideal clients. So, before you buy anything, ask yourself, “Would my client find value in this product?” Understanding what your clients want—and what motivates them—can help you immensely with purchasing retail products for your salon. You definitely don’t want to end up with a case of unused and unopened products.
MEET CLIENTS WHERE THEY ARE
Create a retail display theme that aligns with any activities or events your clients may be attending throughout the year—and showcase appropriate products. Whenever you can, tell a story for your client. For example, it’s likely your customers will be beachside or poolside this summer. Obvious product features should include sunscreens, mineral makeup, and hyperpigmentation treatments. Adding sun hats, SPF lip balms, and trendy cosmetic shades is another way to increase your bottom line and add to the overall esthetic.
In the winter months, your clients may be excited to ski, snowboard, or enjoy other coolweather activities. To curate a display that appeals to these activities, include helpful products that help in barrier function repair and those with moisturizing properties. To boost sales, you could also order on-trend beanies, dry heel balm, and chic coffee mugs with cute graphic prints on them. And, of course, imagine the possibilities for year-end holiday gifts and events.
Take experiential shopping a step further by creating artistic and engaging displays. This allows you, as the retailer, to tell a story about how the products can be used and enjoyed by your clients.
KEEP IT SIMPLE, SWEETIE!
As in skin care, it is in retail; more is not always better. Because you don’t want to overwhelm the eye, keep your retail space clean and clutter free. A confused mind says no!
It takes more than just pretty bottles and potent ingredients to move products; you also need confidence and knowledge—and a retail space to showcase your product lines attractively.
Prioritize the products you’d like to sell by making them highly visible. Did one of your products recently win a Readers’ Choice Award? Display it prominently. Following are tips for displaying your retail products prominently for maximum sales.
What is Seen is Sold
Using shelf risers will help add hierarchy to an otherwise level plane. This allows clients to see what you want them to see first. Clear acrylic cubes from Displays2Go ($34.29) give height without distraction. Clear Acrylic Cube | Set of 3 (displays2go.com).
Ditch the Glass
Unless you’re selling Rolex watches, it’s time to empower clients to interact with your retail products. You want your clients to feel welcome to pick up and explore your items—to really look at them. Glass becomes a barrier that distances clients from the products you want to sell.
Imagine you are a consumer in Sephora or Ulta looking for new makeup and skin care. What is the first thing you do? You go over and touch the products!
Consumers like to hold, feel, touch, smell, and look at products as they decide whether to purchase. If you’re still using a closed cabinet, consider open shelving options as an upgrade. Then, watch your retail sales soar!
FOCUS ON FURNITURE
When it comes to displaying products, there are standard furniture pieces and fixtures you’ll find in spas around the globe that help form the client’s shopping experience (just as different finishes can achieve different esthetics). An industrial look can be achieved with unfinished shelving and metals, while modern looks can be conveyed by bright whites and polished metals.
While the furniture style is impactful on its own, the furniture’s function is most important. Look around your spa and consider the size and quantity of the items you want to display. Then, buy furniture to accommodate your space.
Mirror, Mirror
If your spa is on the smaller side, add a mirror or two to transform the space to one with more depth, added light, and the appearance of more space. Find a custom glass fabricator to purchase mirrors that help change the look and feel of your space.
Bookshelves
Bookshelves are one of the most practical ways to display products. You get the most bang for your buck in the square footage available for display space in bookcases. For example, this ladder bookshelf from West Elm ($249) takes up a small footprint but offers five shelves
for product curation and would look nice in a pair. Alternatively, IKEA provides a similar style in their LAIVA line for $19.99. The shallow shelving helps you use the space more efficiently. So, shop around. There’s a bookshelf out there for you, no matter your price point.
Floating Shelves
Floating shelves are another attractive way to display products. They can be installed alone, in groups, and in places where shelving units won’t fit. These honeycomb shelves ($69) from Crate & Barrel offer a chemistry-like feel and would look great in groupings. Another favorite is this natural wood shelving from West Elm ($99), which adds a rustic touch to any décor.
Console Tables
Console (entryway) tables can take a room from drab to fab in minutes, and they offer another way to display your best sellers or seasonal promotions in a commanding way. This blue and white table from Anthropologie ($1,298) is eye-catching against any wall needing a little more oomph. Other budget-friendly places for shelving, bookcases, and console tables are Target, Overstock.com, Walmart, and places like HomeGoods and Marshalls.
CHECK OUT THE CHECKOUT
The checkout area is another place in your spa that can be curated, but keep it simple. Display small items like lip balms, eye creams, books, or other objects for quick impulse purchases. Use this area strategically, as it’s your last chance to increase the total of your client’s ticket. Display2Go offers several multilevel shelves that are perfect for showcasing last-minute purchases, including gel eye pads, serums, makeup selections, etc.
DON’T SELL, ENGAGE
You are not a salesperson; you are a professional esthetician. In that role, recommending appropriate homecare products to complement professional treatments is in the best interest of your clients—and part of your job. Fully engaging your clients in a retail experience will make the job easier . . . and boost your profit margin.
Faire.com is a fantastic resource for curating your retail area. Most of their products cannot be found on Amazon, and their unique marketplace connects independent shops with retail sellers like you.honeycomb hexagon shelf, crate & barrel console table, anthropologie countertop display, displays2go