Unit 205: Promote products and

services to clients in a salon

Session 1
Introduction to Unit 205

This unit is about promoting products and services to clients in a salon.

To achieve this you will need to:

• keep up to date with new developments of products and services
• understand your client needs and expectations
• understand the importance of advising clients
• know how to gain client commitment.
Promoting products and
services to clients
• Why promote products and services to
clients?
• How well do you sell?
• How many times this month have you
advised clients on products?
• How many times have you advised clients
on additional services?
• If you do not promote products and
services, why not?
Promoting products and
services
Typical reasons for not promoting products and services
to clients:
• Products too expensive.
• Do not know what the product is for or how to use it.
• Clients always buy their products from Boots or the
supermarket.
• I don’t like perming, so I won’t advise a client to have a
perm.
• I don’t like to say anything in case the client feels
pressured.
• I can’t be bothered, I don’t use the product myself
anyway!
Promoting products and
services - the benefits
For the client:
• Receives professional advice about products and
services.
• Improved hair style and condition.
• Improved style maintenance between salon visits.
• Happy client.
• Repeat business.
• Client good advert for the salon/new business.

(Answer guide worksheet 1)

Promoting products and
services - the benefits
For the stylist:
• Professional approach to working practice.
• Own professional image.

• Repeat of client business.

• Increase in clientele.

• Increase in own takings.

• Increase in commission.

• Employable.
(Worksheet 1 answer guide)
Promoting products and
services - the benefits
Example of the benefits for the salon:
• Professional image.

• Increase clientele.

• Increase retail sales.

• Increase turnover.

• Increase profits.

• Business growth.

• Business stability.
Communication techniques when advising
clients
Good selling techniques
• Listening, asking questions, showing interest.
• Using the client’s name.
• Empathising (putting yourself in the client’s place); establishing a
bond.
• Recognising non-verbal cues – body language.
• Identifying needs; helping clients reach buying decisions.
• Know your products and services.
• Highlight the results, or user benefits; demonstrating these where
possible.
• Thinking positively, talking truthfully in a persuasive manor,
projecting confidence and enthusiasm.
(Handout 1)
Communication techniques when advising
clients
Bad selling techniques
• Doing all the talking.
• Not listening; not hearing unspoken thoughts, arguing.
• Interrupting – but never letting the client interrupt you, thus losing an
open opportunity for giving extra information.
• Hard selling (sales spiel, working to a script).
• Threatening ‘you won’t get it cheaper anywhere else’; knocking the
opposition.
• Knowing nothing about the product.
• Treating no thanks as a personal rejection.
• Blinding clients with science.
(Handout 1)
Selling skills
• To effectively promote products and services to a client in a salon
you need to prepare.
• Preparation includes ensuring:
o The salon is clean and tidy, including the retail or promotional displays.
o You are presentable and look professional.
o You know the features and benefits of the products and services offered
by the salon.
o The products and services will be available to the client, if they meet their
needs and requirements.
• The presentation of the staff and salon, can affect the clients interest
in purchasing products or booking further services.
Selling skills continued:
• Encourage the client to discuss their hair and scalp and
requirements, using a mix of open, closed and probing
questions. Demonstrate open/positive body language
to encourage the client to further participate in the
discussion.
• Keep all communication clear and polite and at a level
to suit the client, don’t use technical language with a
client.
• Good communication will help you get to know your
client, and help identify their needs. With this
information you can promote new service and products
to meet their individual needs and interests.
Selling skills continued:
• To effectively promote services and products, you need to spend time
getting to know their features and benefits and ensure you maintain
an up to date knowledge of the services and products.
• Targeting only services and products that are of interest or meet the
needs of the client’s hair and scalp, will not feel like selling, but that
you are providing advice and guidance on how to improve or
maintain their hair.
• When possible use the products you are promoting on the client,
place them on the work area and encourage them to pick up the
products to feel and smell and encourage them to ask questions.
Selling skills continued:

• The use of visual aids, such as colour charts, style books and product
leaflets, can be used to provide support and additional information to
the client on the services and products available in the salon.
• During the service and at the reception listen for buying signals.
o Can I buy this here?
o Do you sell it for home use?
o My friend said it was great?
o Have you any in stock?
o What would you advise me to do?
o How much does that cost?
o Do you think it would suit me?
o Will it benefit my hair?
Selling skills continued:
• On completion of the service a simple question:
Would you like to take any of the products or book an
appointment for the service we discussed?
• May close a sale, without the need for hard selling.

(Handout 3)
Features and benefits

A feature is: description of the product or service, how long it will

last, method of application, cost.

A benefit is: how the service or product will enhance the

hair/style/colour of the hair or end result of style, or maintenance for
the client.

(Handout 4)