Hj's 2009 retail salon of the year director on successful selling

Winning Retail Salon of the Year 2009 in HJ's British Hairdressing Business Awards proves Rush business director, Andrew Phouli knows about effetive selling. Here's his advice on the right way to retail.

The recession is no excuse for poor sales

Retail sales are integral to the success of any salon business. Don't use the media hype about the recession as an excuse for your retail nose diving. Take control, train your team and motivate them to sell products. Turn your retail around by injecting some life into it.

Training is key

Don't neglect retail when putting together a training programme for your team. Ensure team members have sound product knowledge, which will give them the confidence when advising their clients. Offer team members incentives to sell and they will do the rest. Most suppliers offer thorough training for all new and existing products, and it is important that your salon utilises these services to train the team.

Don't discount

Avoid discounting your retail products, as this will dilute your profit. Carry out regular retail analysis, get rid of products that are not moving and be careful not to over-stock. Add-on sales and promotions can be an answer to move products that are slow selling without having to slash prices.

Keep an eye on displays

Put some time and effort into your retail area. Many salon owners think that by sticking some products on the shelves, the clients will simply buy them. This is the reason why a lot of salons lose out on retail sales. You get back what you put in, which means you need to think it through properly. Don't over-stock, ensure regular stock checks are carried out and keep on top of what's selling and what's not. If you haven't got it, you can't sell it, so it's essential that you make sure you regularly check your stock levels and order what you need - especially those best-selling lines.

Don't be shy - diversify

Your salon can really benefit from offering a good choice of retail - including both electrical styling tools and wet products. In this way, you will be offering your clients a one-stop haircare shop, so they don't need to shop elsewhere. Research into the product companies that can offer you the best combination that will work well for your brand and for your clients.