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Retail trends from the salon floor
Salons spill their best retail ideas
Scully Scully uses the backwash as an opportunity for clients to experience shampoos, conditioners and treatment ranges. "They can feel the benefits of the product," says owner Paul Scully. "When we use styling products, we make sure the product is made known to the client and is listed at reception, so the opportunity of purchasing is made easily available."
Keith Hall Hairdressing appoints and trains a dedicated retail product consultant in each of its 19 salons. The retail guru helps drive sales and each salon benefits from having a product supremo on the premises.
West Row holds pampering evenings, offering clients the opportunity to try products and see them demonstrated. It then gives them the chance to purchase them at a slight discount.
Staff at the Windle salon in London always tell clients they can bring back products that aren’t working for them. "This makes the client feel more secure and they feel the stylist isn’t trying to make commission out of them," says owner Paul Windle. "Any premium salon should offer clients the choice of returning a product because it doesn't pay for them to have half-empty bottles sitting on their bathroom shelves."
Lorraine Watson, owner of Hatstand Nelly in Aberdeen, recommends giving clients a choice of different ranges, sizes and prices. "It’s also important to move the retail area around every six weeks, if possible," says Lorraine. "Regulars will think you have something new just because it wasn't positioned there before."
Webster Whiteman adds a touch of luxury when it sells retail products. "Just as you’d like to receive your perfume from Selfridges in a gift box, at Webster Whiteman we provide a gift-wrapping service too, ensuring that products purchased at our salon are always beautifully presented," says owner Lisa Whiteman.
Louise Wood, owner of The Hair Advice Centre, encourages her staff to swot up on product knowledge by playing Pass The Product at their monthly meetings. "Products are wrapped up and passed around the team, and when it's time to reveal all, the employee must sell the product to the rest of the group," says Louise. The salon also has a chart on the wall and each time a stylist sells a product, they place their name in a random square on the chart. Louise plans the co-ordinates, similar to Battleships, and the more squares they have the more prizes they can win.
The Hype Coiffure salon group in London is redesigning its salons to encourage clients to play with the products. "Our products have traditionally been behind the reception desk, which means clients can’t smell and feel them, so we’re moving our retail displays to a more open and accessible wall,"' says owner Calvin Rattray. 
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