Is this the unspoken message delivered by many companies with products or services to offer?
I ask because although these companies employ both introverts and extroverts, the sales training that they deliver is invariably designed for the strengths of one personality type only; extrovert. Read More
All introverts- what gets in the way of selling? We know that presenting in public is the greatest fear after death. Whether you are an entrepreneur, sales associate in the luxury sector or anything in between, let’s get your mind right so success will follow. Also this Blab contains a great time limited offer for the month of March.
Tune into our next Blab for the Global Spa Industry-Can Introverts Sell?
Friday, March 11 7:30 p.m.-8:pm. Bangkok time | 7:30 a.m.-8:00 am East Coast
12:30 pm London | 11:30 pm Sidney,Au.| 2:30 pm South Africa |4:30 pm UAE
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We believe that spa guests deserve a perfect service. But with 27% of spas at 0-10% in retail sales to service, we wonder if a perfect service is being delivered. Is product training for therapists providing all of the necessary information and tools? Or is something more needed? What gives?
If you missed our March 4th Blab no worries. In this segment we discuss product distributors, manufacturers and expansion of training. Tip:click your mouse on the verbiage to the right side of the screen to read the comments.
Next Blab-Can Introverts Sell?
Friday, March 11 7:30 p.m.-8:pm. Bangkok time | 7:30 a.m.-8:00 am East Coast
12:30 pm London | 11:30 pm Sidney,Au.| 2:30 pm South Africa |4:30 pm UAE
Subscribe to get all of our Blab updates.
I’ve had my ear to the ground of the massage industry lately. Retail product selling is generating a lot of conversation…
According to David Kent LMT, NCTMB, every day we have a limited amount of time, physical strength and mental energy to earn a living. When we are at work, we are basically trading time for money. The amount we earn is influenced, to a certain degree, by our education, experience, skill level, track record, etc.
When we trade out time for money, we are only able to earn as much money as we are willing to trade our time. So, how else can we earn more money without working more hours? The answer is to retail, which is the sale of goods to the public.
(Yes, I know that you don’t want to “sell”. But you’re really not. Keep reading.)
People want to know why they hurt, how you can help and what they can do for themselves. Like other healthcare providers, we must educate the public and present solutions.
When we explain the benefits of receiving regular massage therapy sessions, we are, on a certain level, “selling” or “retailing.” When we offer a discounted price for a group of sessions, it might be labeled a “Special,” “Package” or “Membership.” Ultimately, we provide the benefits and the consumer makes an educated decision.
So, what products do massage therapists frequently integrate into their sessions that would benefit clients and could be offered for sale? The list includes topical analgesics, aromatherapy, pillows, music, scrubs, hot and cold packs, to name a few.
(I’d love it if my therapist recommended these to me. Wouldn’t you?)
Be creative and let your clients know you are proudly offering quality items for their personal use. During a regular session, let clients experience the benefits of new products at no additional charge. Ask clients to share samples with friends, family and coworkers. Topical analgesics and aromatherapy are great gift ideas for those living with pain and stress.
You know the treatment techniques and products that will help your clients the most. Education is the fundamental principle that must be applied to your therapy and the other products you sell. It is easy to earn additional income without working more hours by promoting the products you are already using and the repeat business continually adds to the bottom line.
(I would begin by checking out what’s on the shelves at your spa. I’d bet there are at least three products that you can tie in to your massage services. Speak with your manager about your sales commission rates and set daily or weekly goals for yourself as incentive. Good luck.)
For the past several years there has been an ongoing conversation about the difficulty of getting spa therapists to sell retail products. Most spa experts agree its important.. I gathered feedback from three industry insiders who shared their thoughts in recent publications.
Why does the word “selling” get such a negative response?
Nina Curtis, Founder and President of the Nile Institute weighed in this way. “Mainly because no one really wants to talk about it in the spa world where we believe it is only our position to make people feel good, well at least when it comes from the therapist’s mouth.”
Ouch. I totally agree and I’ve been saying similar things. It’s really critical. Remember when I said I taught myself to sell on the job? Seems Nina had the same experience. She says..
“I had this thought at one time as a therapist but only because during my basic cosmetology training no one presented sales as a part of my soon to be career. The same was true of my massage training. Nowhere during my training did any of my instructors present the importance of product selling in one of their lessons.”
Everyone in the company has a role to play in successful retailing and increasing revenue.
Industry veteran Lisa Starr knows this better than most. According to her, “Spas know that retailing is an important component of revenue generation, and yet many still struggle to reach hoped-for results. Who’s responsible for driving retail sales in your spa? Management? Therapists? Support Staff? Product Companies? It’s actually all of the above.
As with many initiatives, effective retailing starts at the top. The most impactful action management can take is to be purposeful in hiring and training staff who can create rapport with guests, and in creating compensation and advancement plans for therapists which include retailing benchmarks as part of the career path.
Without a doubt, therapists play the biggest role in retailing to spa guests. As the uniformed experts, their artfully presented home care suggestions, in tandem with their one-on-one interaction with the guest, will be the biggest driver of sales activity. Making home care recommendations MUST be part of every treatment on the spa menu.”
Lisa Starr– Spa Consultant, Management Educator, and Journalist
In Designed to Sell: Integrating Retail into Your New Spa Peggy Wynn Borgman talks about the importance of adding home care presentations to client workflow. She writes, “Our consultancy conducted a survey of spa shoppers that showed 93% of the spa client’s decision to buy home care was based on the recommendation of their spa technician or therapist.”
In the absence of recommendation, guests will buy familiar brands, sometimes refilling a product they’ve purchased in the past. This has led many spas to conclude that brands, not employees, are the most powerful source of sales. This simply isn’t true.
Massage therapists who post 10% of their total revenue in retail are top performers. Nail technicians and hair stylists who attain 15% retail ratio are stars. For estheticians, this number rises to 35-40% in the Stay Spa setting. But none of these employees have a chance to attain such numbers if they can’t easily make home care presentations to their clients as part of normal workflow. Most Stay Spas unwittingly make retail sales a challenge for even the most motivated employee.”
As you can see retail selling is spa has broad impact. But I feel it’s time for more spas to move beyond conversation and begin implementing. There is a culture shift that needs to happen. And if you’re not aware that this change is underway your spa is out of touch.
In my own experience, therapists who make on-point product recommendations raise the level of customer experience dramatically. This is why I focus on introverts and helping them use their natural listening skills. It shows that they are listening closely. It proves that they care enough about their guest to try and improve their well-being. This will keep your customers coming back.
So how do you do feel about spa retail training?
A prospective client, the manager at an iconic Five-Star hotel spa in the Maldives told me that she lives on pins and needles every year because her staff is extremely weak at selling retail products.
When I asked how she explains her revenue numbers to senior management, she said “I only do an end of year reporting. We have a very rich client who flies in on his plane from the UAE each December. He brings his entire family and they purchase everything on our shelves.”
I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Yet how many of us go to work each day with fingers crossed hoping for sales? When I first started out 19 years ago, that’s exactly what I was doing.
Well, there’s no need to be on pins and needles any longer.
I’ve partnered with Spa Standard to bring you a package that is highly affordable, convenient and language friendly. Most importantly, it will turn your team’s retail sales around quickly. Check it out here>> http://bit.ly/1U1JBWh
Despite the proliferation of introverts in the industry, old school methods of training are still being used in spas around the globe! This may be due in part because hospitality companies don’t often conduct personality assessments for their employees.
However, those of us who work in spas know that the serene atmosphere and mellow vibe tends to attract a more laid back soft spoken kind of person.
In the case of sales training, 99% of programs are designed for extroverts. Read More
The ability of your spa therapists to engage with your customers is the driving force behind your retail sales. This infographic from Norm Bond, explains why training is so important.
As we come into the holiday season most spas will begin to experience an upturn in their customer bookings and overall sales. But is your staff delivering the kind of positive experience that will have your new customers craving more? Read More
There’s a lot of noise in the spa consulting marketplace today. Everyone has a product that they want you to buy. You sign up for various mailing lists to ensure that you receive their newest information first. But what about the 100 people on the list before you? Read More