To many, retail seems like a double-edged sword. On one hand, it will commonly account for roughly 30 percent of a spa’s annual income! It can provide skin care professionals with a means to produce further revenue while giving clients a way to extend their professional services at home, all while keeping them coming back to the spa for more. On the other hand, the professional can sometimes feel they are forcing their clients to spend more money than is necessary, while pushing unwanted products and using aggressive sales tactics; in the end, everyone in the room feels uncomfortable. Which scenario speaks most to your sales mentality?

"While it is easy to get lost in the goal of trying to sell more and more, the true reason retail is a necessity should never be forgotten."

All spa professionals should overcome the fear of retailing, learn to master the skill, and apply those skills to the benefit of the client and the business alike. While it is easy to get lost in the goal of trying to sell more and more, the true reason retail is a necessity should never be forgotten. The point is not to sell products, but to build trust in the relationship by achieving the goals that the professional and the client initiate. The best way to achieve those goals will always include effectively administering homecare between spa treatments. The client has come for a solution to their skin concerns and the professional knows that the consistency of daily homecare will aid their professional treatments. With trust in the relationship, the client will follow the professional’s homecare instructions. In the end, the professional has not only sold more retail and improved the client’s skin, but also built a trusting and long-term relationship with the client.
Even though the importance of retail might sound like a broken record, practice makes perfect. Every salesman has their own tactic that works for them. It is all about finding your own groove! Try different perspectives of selling and when you find one that is successful, stick with it! Retail is a necessity in our industry and can definitely make or break the bank.