smart Tan Magazine is the leading source of information for indoor tanning salons, covering everything from the newest tanning technology, Vitamin D and the lastes tanning lotions to detailed ways to improve your salon's success.
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FEATURE WWW.SMARTTAN.COM MARCH 2015 ❘ SMART TAN MAGAZINE ❘ 58 trust them to make the decision when they are ready. "It's your job to educate – you shouldn't be pounding a person down and telling them what they need. It's their choice," says Gina Jaeger-Morris, business development manag- er at Sun Evolutions. "If you try to make the choice for them, they are going to roll their eyes and they won't want to deal with you." Looking the part can help you increase sales through the power of personal recommendations. If you have good color, clients are going to ask what you are doing to get it. This is a great opportunity to talk about your experience sampling different products and services. With a great tan, your recommendations carry the weight of visible results. Without it, your customers will have a hard time taking your sugges- tions seriously. "The person behind the front desk is sup- posed to be the tanning professional, and I have found that saying, 'This is what I use,' has given me my best results because I sell myself first. People buy from people they are comfortable with," says Eric Haynes, vice president of sales at PC Tan. ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS Almost every objection can be overcome if you ask the right questions upfront. From building rapport to revealing the issues be- neath the surface, questions can go a long way without coming off as confrontational. If you are working with a new client, ask about their background. How long have they been tanning indoors? What are their skin needs? Have you ever had any issues tanning indoors? Immediately, you estab- lish your expertise and make it clear that the focus is on the customer. Smart Tan's Skin Typing Forms can guide this initial conversation into recommended exposure times or products. Learning client goals is essential for rec- ommending the right products or services. Someone who is tanning for vacation will have different needs from a bride, just as an experienced tanner will have different re- quirements than a beginner. This informa- tion is also useful later in the sales process if a client hesitates to pull the trigger. By knowing what their goals are, you can present a tailored selection of products and services. Tanners will be more comfortable knowing that there is a reason behind your recommendations. "Don't ask questions that you can just get a yes or no answer to," says Susan Carlton, senior sales trainer for Australian Gold. "If you can't start a conversation, you're not going to get a sale. If I had a nickel for every time I heard someone ask, 'Do you need lotion today?' I could retire. Get your customers talking, because that interaction leads to product sales." Even after you complete a sale, questions are the key to productive client conversa- tions. Follow up about the products they purchased or ask them about another part of the skincare regimen. "Say a client just purchased a product four weeks ago. Ask them how they are doing with that lotion. They might tell you they are looking for something with more or less bronzers, and you can give them a recommendation. They may tell you that it's great, and then you can ask them about a tan extender or something else," says Jaeger-Morris. You could also ask about their experience in the sunbed they use and inquire about their interest in getting better, faster results from an upgrade bed. Always seize the opportunity to make sure a client is happy with every aspect of their experience at the salon. Asking open-ended questions gives clients the opportunity to tell you what's really going on. OUTLINING A REGIMEN Sunless and UV retail products aren't just designed to make salons money, they are crafted to work with each other and improve tanning results. Yet, most I put things in terms customers can comprehend. If they only shampooed their hair, it would still be clean, but it wouldn't achieve the results they want. It's the same for after care products: Tan extenders are the conditioner to your shampoo. Lisa Parsons, Director of Sales and Education, Devoted Creations