CHAPTER 5 – 6 STEPS TO SALES SUCCESS
Before you continue with this chapter, it is important that you make some commitments and promises to yourself because this chapter is all about changing something that is a habit for you. That, as we all know, is very hard.
In order to change a habit, one needs to have the correct mindset which we have already dealt with. I don’t think you would still be here if your mindset was not perfect for this. Now, what you need is to first make a promise and commitment that you WILL NOT GIVE UP. THAT YOU WILL FOLLOW THESE STEPS, even if they make you feel uncomfortable.
I’d like to share a story about Rose. She was not a great salesperson and, in fact, at all our training sessions she would shy away from role play and say that she does not enjoy sales and feels uncomfortable with sales. One day I asked the group I was training to make me a promise that they would do the system for 3 days in a row with each and every client, even if they did not succeed. They agreed. We had a 3-day deal. The end of this story gives me “goose bumps” I love it so much. Within 30 minutes of leaving the session the owner of the spa called me and said he needed to share what just happened. Rose had a wax service as I was leaving and decided to put the promise she made into practice. She did the steps and the wax service client landed up buying an entire skincare range of 8 products from her. YES, FROM A WAX SERVICE! Today Rose continues to enjoy the fruits of her commitment and that is ….. DOUBLE DIGITS AND DOUBLE EARNINGS FOR HER!
LET’S GET DOWN TO BUSINESS.
STEP 1
CONSULTATION
ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL
CLIENT SPEAKS THE MOST DURING CONSULTATION
Remember this and understand that your consultation will not be same for all clients. So yes, use the salon/spa consultation form, that’s great, but then sit face to face at eye level with your client and take out pen and paper and start a CONVERSATION. So, this consultation becomes a conversation.
Allow the client to tell you their skin story. This is the best consultation. Ask many questions, as if you are getting to know this person for the first time. Allow the client to talk and listen carefully whilst writing down what they are saying. By your writing down what they are saying, automatically the client feels you are really listening.
If you are doing a consultation with a regular client, don’t cut this section short. Your consultation time is where relationship and trust is born and nurtured. The more you allow the client to speak and tell you their story from the last visit, well, the better the outcome of the treatment.
Ask lifestyle questions. This is so important because often we jump straight to medical and product questions and the conversation you are having now is so much more.
CONSULTATION CHECKLIST
- Consultation Form completed and signed by client
- Read Consultation Form
- Pen & extra paper to make notes
- Sit down and speak to client at eye level
- Don’t Rush
- Listen
- Allow client to speak
Some consultation questions
- Do you like routine in your day/life?
- What linen do you sleep on?
- How often do you wash your bed linen?
- How do you clean your face? In the shower, basin, with cotton disks or face cloth? Describe how you clean your face
- Does your skin change when you have your cycle?
- Where do you store your skincare products?
- How many hours are you in front of a computer, phone or tablet daily?
- What are your hobbies?
- How long do you spend outdoors daily/weekly?
- Do you add salt to your food?
- How often do you have skincare treatments?
- What was the favorite skincare treatment you can remember? And why?
- What do you not enjoy about having a skincare treatment?
- Are you experiencing any hormonal changes in general?
- How often do you clean your mobile phone?
- Do you do any home peeling or masking or exfoliation? If yes, describe what and how often?
Now the magic begins. Before you go into the treatment room;
ASK THE WISH QUESTION. Without this question, your sale is NOT SET UP. So there is no foundation and you all know what happens to a house without a foundation?
It collapses, and so will your sale.
“If you had ONE wish to change anything on your skin, what would it be??”
“If you had ONE wish to change anything on our body, what would it be??”
“If you had ONE wish to change anything about your hair, what would it be??”
The word WISH is important here. Not so much what you ask it about, but more that simple word WISH. Think about how the word wish makes you feel when you hear it. Wish makes me feel lucky really, and almost able to get anything my heart desires. It is a powerful word and the answer gives you so much insight as you will hear exactly what that person wants.
STEP 2;
Get two YES answers at the end of the treatment before you move to Step 3. This is interesting right? You might be wondering what on earth two “YES” answers have to do with a sale? Well, it has everything to do with it! First of all, you are mind setting your client to say the word “yes” and not “no”. This is an old technique in NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming). Secondly, you are getting your client to agree with you and to agree to what he/she said to you in the consultation phase, which essentially told you exactly what they wanted. Let me give you an example;
Therapist: Mrs Smith, do you agree with me that your skin is glowing and looking absolutely plumped up and radiant?
Mrs Smith: Oh YES, (with a mirror in her hand looking at her face) it feels so hydrated and looks really radiant, you are right.
Therapist: Mrs Smith, at the beginning of the treatment during our consultation you said that you really would like to smooth out the lines around your eyes and also work on the pigmentation you are getting around your jawline and down your neck, is that correct?
Mrs Smith: Definitely, YES.
Therapist: Fabulous, I can help you with that, after all, look what one treatment did to your skin and I have some important tips as well as products to solve your problem.
STEP 3 is where the MAGIC happens!
Before you start implementing this step I want to stress that you should not change it at all, do it exactly as I say, using the same words I use, because that is where the MAGIC IS.
Step 3 is offering the client a CHOICE. Yes, it’s that simple. Offer a choice of two packages of product that will help them achieve their wish that they shared in response to the MAGIC QUESTION in Step 1. The MAGIC of step 3 is HOW you offer the choices. It’s easier to role play this so let’s do that below;
Therapist: Mrs/Mr client, I have here with me two options of products that will help you. These will complement my treatments and work towards achieving your skincare goals and getting you a step closer to the wish you have for your skin.
Option 1 (never less than two products and never more than 3) is the “critical and urgent” option. (you must use the words critical and urgent as they psychologically make a person feel that they need to do this quickly). Your skin NEEDS these and I feel you need to please incorporate them into your daily skin routine.
Option 2 (never less than 4 products and never more than 8) is “my wish list for you”. I say that because they are not urgent, but I do wish that you can at some point incorporate them into your routine. It would get your skin to optimum levels according to your skincare wishes. (you must use the words “my wishlist for you” as the word wish makes a person feel dreamy. Everyone wants a wish to come true, so again, giving an emotion or feeling to the person you are speaking to).
Option 1, the critical and urgent option is (now describe each product briefly and ensure to say how that product will help them with their skin goals/problems that they said they had. Remember, reference back to the consultation. The “yes” questions and the wish question is vital here) and it is xxxxxx (say cost in your currency)
Option 2, my wish list for you is a few products that I know will change your skin even quicker. These are, (briefly go over each product much quicker than option 1. Do a really quick overview) and it is xxxxx (say cost in your currency)
So Mrs/Mr client, which option do you feel you would like to start with?
Client: Well, definitely the urgent option and I must say I like the sounds of the muscle gel you had in the wish list, so can I add that one too please?
Therapist: Most definitely, yes. So, can I go over exactly how to use the products with you now or would you like me to email or message it to you if you’re in a rush?
Client: I have some time. You can you go over it with me now, please.
Therapist: Of course, yes, and if you agree I would like to check in with you in three days’ time to see how you are doing and if you are already finding some changes in your skin. Will that be acceptable to you?
Client: Yes, sure.
To recap the important parts of step 3.
- Offer 2 options.
- Actually say the words ‘CRITICAL AND URGENT” for Option 1
- Actually say the words “MY WISHLIST FOR YOUR SKIN” for Option 2
- Physically have the products with you to show and clearly put them into two packages in front of the client to see and touch.
- You must know the prices of the packages and say them
- ASK clearly “which option would you like to begin with” when you’re done presenting the two.
The picture below can outline this simply
A quick recap of the 3-steps
Step 1
Consultation
Ask the MAGIC QUESTION
Step 2
Get two YES answers at the end of the treatment before you move to step 3
Step 3
Present the client with two options of packages (follow the guidelines carefully and use the exact words)
STEP 4
Treatment Plan
It is really important to come up with a treatment plan for your client. This will indicate to you how serious they are about their skin and also how best to combine different treatments for the best results.
If you have a once off client at a hotel or destination spa then write out the treatment plan that you recommend for them to take with them. Explain that this is what you would do on their skin over the coming months to get them to optimal skin health and meet their goals. Add one or two lifestyle tips for them to do at home.
It is best to give them the treatment plan on a type of “doctors script pad” concept. Ask your brand partners if they have treatment plan booklets where you can include the plan and some lifestyle tips and then sign and date it. The more professional and formal looking the more serious the client will take it.
Download a copy of our 5.1 Treatment Plan template here.
STEP 5
Book next appointment
Yes, this is part of YOUR sales success! Your client cannot leave without booking their follow up appointment. The way you ask will determine whether your client books immediately or gives an excuse to book later which we all know probably won’t happen.
So here is a role play to demonstrate the correct wording.
Therapist: Mrs Smith, it was absolutely my pleasure to treat you today. Thank you for choosing to have your treatment with me. I would like to please book your next appointment now as I get very booked up since my client’s book long in advance. So; it will be 4 weeks from today or does 5 weeks suit you better? That will be around the 15th of June (give an actual date in the following month) or the 25 of June?
Client: Let me check my planner quickly (most of us have our planners on our phone).
Therapist: I have 10am open on both those days, or 2pm on the 25th is open too.
Client: I will take 10am on the 25th please
Therapist: Excellent. I cannot wait to see you, but I will touch base in three days to check on your skin.
And it’s as simple as that. If you ask, “would you like to book now” the chances are very high you will get an answer like “I will call when I am ready” or “let me phone when I have my diary with me”. No way. Get the booking then and there and create the urgency for them to respond.
And finally STEP 6
FOLLOW UP.
You can either commit to doing this and reap the rewards or you can start with all the excuses that I have heard a hundred times over.
“I don’t have time to follow up”. MAKE TIME. How important is doubling your revenue to you? how important is your client to you?
“My clients don’t like it when I phone them”. Then text them. Show you care. A simple text asking how their skin and letting them know that you are thinking of them will go a long way to cementing the relationship. The point being, follow up!
“I get so busy in the day that I forget to follow up”. BLOCK TIME TO DO FOLLOW UP CALLS. Do you understand that doing follow up calls is part of the job function? If you make it part of your daily tasks then you won’t forget as you know that from 9am to 10am you are calling clients.
Some tips on follow up calls:
- Call from 10 to 11am or 2 to 3pm. Plan the times when school runs are done and when your client is most likely to take a call.
- Make the call short and sweet. 1 minute is sufficient.
- Always start the call with “Hello Mrs Smith, it’s Marisa here from (spa/salon name). Do you have one minute for me please?“ Then, take one minute and don’t waffle.
- Get to the point. “How is your skin feeling and how are the products working for you?” that’s it.
- End off saying you cannot wait to see them on (say the date of the appointment) and looking forward to taking their skin to the next level.
- Smile while you talk. You can hear a smile through the phone.
It is critical that you measure everything you do in order for you to learn what works well and what doesn’t. It also allows you to plan effectively and change your strategy quickly if you see something is not working. This case study document then also becomes a tool which you can use during KPi reviews and salary negotiations and will be testament to your drive and success!