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Master the psychology of selling
Susie Santiago, founder of The Santi Leadership Programme, shared her thoughts about the art of retail sales at the Kérastase Business Forum, held recently at the Four Seasons hotel in Hampshire. She explains how you can prevent the barriers to retail sales and take away your stylists' fear of rejection
Clients hate being sold to. It doesn't encourage referrals or goodwill. Instead, if you want a client to stay with you for ten years you have to develop a sustainable approach to their homecare – think buying not selling. A good stylist won’t see it as a personal rejection if clients don’t want to purchase a product – they know they’ve recommending the right product for their client’s hair needs.
Impersonal selling is out and personalised shopping is in. Customers shop for emotional need and a stylist’s role should be that of a personal shopper, guiding customers through the jungle of choice and stopping them making expensive mistakes. Your client wants you to help them save money, save time and make their shopping experience fun. Clients also want to feel good about themselves and there shouldn’t be any tension in the shopping process. Use language such as "let’s see what might suit you” or “shall we..?". Interact with your customers in a give-and-take manner and it should be an explanatory process.
Set out your stall – ensure that customers can smell, touch and feel all the products and that you have a tester for each. Make sure each product is clearly priced so customers don’t feel embarrassed about asking. Women tend not to like shopping in enclosed spaces where they can be brushed past so try not to position retail in a walk-through area.
Getting cosy with customers is dangerous. You need to nurture the sense of "clicking" with customers and make the effort to reconnect and ensure you’re talking about their needs - not your own life. 
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