Mala McAlpin If you’d like to focus your sales efforts a little more on maximising existing clients as opposed to expanding to new ones, or if any of your staff are experiencing a sales rut, it may be time to delve deeper into the when, where and how of your sales opportunities. This will of course be dependent on the structure of your team along with your greeting and check-out processes (we’ve previously covered the pros and cons of receptionists vs therapists selling) but often, there is so much more to the story than simply selling at the end of a visit.
Don’t forget that consumers often need multiple touchpoints to be converted to making a new purchase, and while this should usually come from multiple different sources, it doesn’t hurt to improve the consumer journey through several different touchpoints of your own.
Here’s a quick reminder of all the sales opportunities you might just be missing:
During booking – particularly simple to carry out during phone bookings, just ask the client if there are any other services they may require, or better yet, offer your own recommendations. For example, a lash lift will be accentuated by a tint, or facial results elevated by an LED session. It will take mere seconds to offer this to clients at the time of booking, and sometimes, that’s all it can take.
Instagram – offer any exclusive combination specials/upsells on social media, driving in both new clients and reward your existing clients. They will feel like they’re getting a good deal as opposed to being ‘sold to’.
During anaesthetic – if clients are simply waiting for their anaesthetic to kick in, give them something to occupy themselves with – either product or treatment info or a retail space.
Waiting for treatment – don’t forget to offer for clients to browse the retail spaces themselves while they’re waiting for their appointment to commence. Many clients see this is a positive opportunity to browse at their own leisure without pressure.
New treatments – offering a new service? Package it with something else to encourage some traction and get the word out there.
Signage – a traditional method, yes, but be strategic about where your signage is placed: what kind of clients and/or treatments take place in the space you place your signage, what might these clients be interested in seeing, etc.
Use your retail products – one of the easiest ways to sell to clients is to let them try and fall in love with your products firsthand. Ensure the products you retail are available to try wherever possible – hand washes and lotions in the bathrooms, or serving the healthy nibbles or beverages that you sell. If you ever receive compliments on these items, immediately let clients know that they are available to take home if they’d like.
Bespoke packs – get creative and mix and match your products and brands to create your own bespoke retail packs. Clients love a personalised touch, and creating more niche targeted options like ‘new mums’ or ‘stress relief’ packs can do just that. Besides, these can easily be deconstructed again if they don’t do so well on the retail shelves.
Engage your team in training – undergo regular sales and/or marketing training with your team so they have the ability to get creative in identifying new and innovative opportunities to sell without heavy discounts or making clients feel pressured to buy.
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