How to retail to the other 80%

Imagine your salon team seeing 100 clients on a given day. Not unheard of, right? People arrive one by one for their appointments, sit comfortably during their services, chat up their stylists,  and then checkout, leaving a nice tip for the great work. Many clients even pre-book their next appointment or grab some product from your shelves to keep their look up at home. It’s a fairly typical day at most salons. 

No matter how many clients come through the salon each day, pay attention to which ones complete that last step. In reality, maybe 20% of your clientele is making a pitstop at your retail area, immediately taking the stylists' or receptionists' suggestions for at-home care. That’s great for the 20 clients in this scenario who are buying from you, but what about the 80 that walked out the door with great hair but no product to keep it up? They have to wash their hair at the very least - so, where are they buying their products?

The numbers will vary from salon to salon, but looking into client shopping patterns will typically unveil some interesting information. If you asked your clients why they skipped the last step of their appointments, you’d likely find that most fall into one of these categories:

• Many clients don’t understand the difference between professional products and consumer brands they find at the drug or grocery store. As we all know on the professional side, with cheaper ingredients comes clean but not-so-healthy hair and faded color without much luster. But how are your clients to know that many consumer brands use harsh degreasers or coat the hair with wax to give the illusion of shine? 

• Some clients see professional brands at their local discount store and believe they are getting a good deal on the real thing. Without a hairdresser to give advice or a salon to guarantee the product, how do they know if it’s genuine, out of date, watered down, or even suitable for them? 

• A growing number of people are looking online for their products. These shoppers typically know and appreciate professional products and seek them out online for convenience. But much like the pro brands they find at discount stores, what guarantee do they have of authenticity, and if the product is right for their needs?

These 80 clients a day, or 80% of your clientele, is where your online store comes in. You can recommend the right product for your clients and give them a way to shop online - it’s the perfect fit for anyone who walks out of your salon empty-handed.

Looking for ways to reach this segment of your clientele? Consider these tactics:

1. Create a list of clients that have not purchased products from you in the past year. If not already in the system, add the list to your online store.

2. Send a mass email to let these clients know about the option to shop online with you. You can use one of our easy and ready templates or create your own.

3. Dedicate a segment of your salon newsletter to educating your clients about hair health and the difference between using professional brands. It’s a great way to educate without being confrontational or making them feel uncomfortable during a conversation.

4. Send a quick recommendation through your online store for each client who leaves the salon without buying a product. This step temporarily places your recommended products into a cart for them for easy access.

5. Make sure your On-Behalf Marketing permissions are turned on. That way, this segment of your clientele can receive new product information and promotions through your online store for the brands you select.

6. Thank your clients at every opportunity for supporting your local business. If they realize that what they spend with you stays in the local community, they may be more willing to shop with you for their hair care needs.

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Have other ideas to encourage the 80% to shop with you? Do tell!

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