5 reasons why your barber/beauty shop should feature a professional product line
Hello friends, colleagues, and guest
The beauty industry is a Multi-Billion dollar industry projected to reach 445 billion dollars by 2020 if it hasn’t already. Beauty products are a necessity in every persons grooming regimen throughout the world. Everyone wants to look good and will stop at nothing to achieve this. If we took a look in every medicine cabinet here and abroad you’re going to find some sort of beauty product for the purposes to maintain, aid, or create a desired look. Here’s my 5 reasons why your shop should feature a professional product line.
Reason #1 Necessity
Your guest NEED it! Just like a dental check up is necessary to avoid dentures and extractions at a later date the same can be said about hair. The products you use today can preserve your color or prevent the damage that may occur from everyday life. Use good products or watch as the color fades, or watch as it begins to fall out later.
Professional products are a necessity to achieve the desired results and keep the hair in good health. Hair is composed of mainly a protein called Keratin that can compromised with different chemical processes that take place by request of the guest. Leaving the chemical composition compromised it will take the proper product to ensure it is bought back to full health.
Keeping the hair clean and conditioned is a good way to ensure your guest will return the same way he or she has left. Taking the time to analyze each persons head of hair to discover the daily routines, health issues, textures, state of hair will ensure you prescribe the proper maintenance routine.
Styling products can do more damage than good if they aren’t used properly or contain harmful ingredients making It important to stress that your guest use professional aids, and stay away from the drug stores.
Reason #2 Shows professionalism
Products in the retail area shows you are serious about hair care and you supply the needs of your customers. You wouldn’t go to a bait shop to find candy, or head to a pharmacy to find no medicines.
Hair care is your profession and the upkeep of hair begins and ends in your chair. I’ve seen time and time again stylist would send customers out to pick up product from a beauty supply that caters the public. It’s even worse to have the customer arrive with store bought chemical to use along with some bottom of the barrel irregular product purchased from a supermarket.
It may say redken but if it wasn’t purchased from a professional retailer that product is not redken!
Reason #3 Be different
Every barber shops cuts hair and every salon colors hair but what sets yours apart?
This will be determined by the featured product you carry. Make it exclusive and new to the area do your research in the trends and needs of your area. Depending on your demographic area you may be the only establishment to carry products at all.
How cool would it be to have exclusive product first in your area. With proper signage and decals for the windows this can lead to an increase of walk ins.People always want to be a part of something new and be one of the first to take part. Introducing the “Sophisticated Grooming Black mask” Discounted service for limited time only “leaving your skin refreshed and pores cleaned!”
That alone will raise curiosity and drive in that much needed foot traffic!
Reason #4 Keeps staff Learning
It is important to understand that frequent education is key for a fruitful styling business and career.
Keeping up with the times can only occur when you stay up on what’s new and relevant. New product should be introduced with the proper way to use it demonstrated by the distributor.
Product knowledge for the stylist is important for sales to effectively take place in your establishment. Product can’t be sold until you educate the guest on how to use it. Give them the information of the benefits they will feel empowered to maintain their style.
This will gain you that needed trust by the public to continue patronizing your establishment. With that you can assure a few new referrals will be on the way. Who doesn’t like referrals? The service model is to expand your base and grow for a profitable business, referrals are what we strive for.
Reason #5 More revenue to earn
Above all reasons as a shop owner this may be the most important. Retail sales = passive income! Properly marketed products can boost the average ticket price between 15-20%. There should not only be a retail area by reception but a selling point at each and every station for employees to make recommendations.
It’s a lot easier to make a sale when the product is in eyesight where it can be analyzed, sampled, and shown how to use. This will come with the proper prescription for the guest to purchase and continue use at home. Keep in mind that a prescription is a recommendation for product use at home. It doesn’t guarantee that they will purchase right away so it’s important to practice your pitch.
Remember to highlight the Pros of the product and why they will benefit from its features. The purchase may not be made then and there but you will leave an impression for the future, and leave the door open for a later sale.
To sum it up
Whether you have a Barber shop or Beauty salon professional products can be the difference maker when times get slow. They also can be used as leverage in packaged deals to entice people to spend especially during the holidays or other special times of the year.
“Get a free blow dry with the purchase of a 12oz shampoo & conditioner. or Free beard wash with the purchase of any beard product on display. The combinations are endless so get creative. You will find that even on you slowest of days you will have a steady stream of customers ready to spend money. Stay positive, Get creative, and Feature a professional product line!
Leave a comment below with your preferred product line and what you carry in your shop/salon, or plan to carry.
Shannon Kamal
Stay positive, Stay sophisticated, Keep grooming!