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FEATURE 61 ❘ SMART TAN MAGAZINE ❘ MARCH 2015 WWW.SMARTTAN.COM DEFINING A PRICE RANGE The most common objection in sales is about price, but it's far from impossible to overcome. With open communication and plenty of education, you can establish comfort and value, which are the two most powerful weapons against any price tag. The easy way out is to pull a bottom shelf product, but any sales trainer will tell you that this is the wrong way to go. With a battle cry of "start with the best, sell the rest," they suggest you start with your most expensive product – because your clients deserve the best experience and the best results. Instead of judging a client by their appearance, use your top-shelf memberships and skin care to initiate a conversation about what they are looking for. "I like to take a personal approach to selling and let clients know that I want what is best for their tan. They may not have the money to buy the best product we have today, but they deserve to hear about it. It's their job to decide if they can afford it or if they want to treat themselves," says Carlton. Approaching the topic of price requires a delicate touch. If you sell based on the dol- lar amount alone, your tanners won't look past it to see the benefits of the products, making them likely to pick whatever is more affordable; if you pressure clients into something out of their price range, you could lose their business completely. To get a general idea of how much money they are willing to spend, Jaeger-Morris suggests splitting the spectrum into categories: "If someone tells me something is too ex- pensive, I tell them we have a wide array of products from basic to the best of the best. Then I ask them where they feel most com- fortable: in the mid-to-basic range or the mid-to-superior range. Whichever range they are in, I make sure to spend more time educating and use an excited voice regard- ing the more expensive products." When selling a monthly or EFT member- ship, help your customers see the value by doing the math for them. Although the upfront cost may be a little off-putting for them, breaking down the per-day cost and comparing it to the full price of a single ses- sion makes the value more evident and the price more comfortable. In most cases, even the top-tier EFT will break down to about the same cost as a designer coffee drink. In reality, belonging to an EFT program allows your clients to buy their tanning in bulk and reap the benefits of saving. KNOWING WHEN TO STOP The most difficult skill for salespeople to learn is recognizing when they are done selling. After you've built a relationship, asked the right questions, educated the cli- ent, made personal recommendations and asked for their business, you still may not make a sale. But that doesn't mean you've failed! Even if a customer leaves without making a purchase, you have gone above and beyond to provide professional counsel for their tanning and skincare needs. Sometimes, it will take a few visits to the salon before a sale can be made, but that first visit plants the seed for a future purchase. On a team where everyone is practicing these principles, improved sales numbers are inevitable, so don't sacrifice the lifetime value of a client out of a mo- ment of frustration. "When you start sparring with the custom- er, the sale is over," says Haynes. "Always keep the selling process positive. Your first commitment needs to be whatever is best for the customer, not your sales goal for the month. If the timing isn't right for them now, you still shared your wisdom, and next time you can talk more about the tanning process." And if you do make a sale, don't be too eager to pat yourself on the back, because that's when the real work begins. During the sales process, you made promises about the service and results your customers would receive by making a transaction with you, and it's time to live up to it! Don't sell 'em and forget 'em – maintain your position as the expert by following up and making sure everything meets their expectations. Take any opportunities you have to attend trainings, perform role playing or shadow salespeople to refine these techniques, and you'll see your sales climb. Even better, you'll see happier, more loyal clients who are confident that their tanning salon always has their best interests at heart. Creating that genuine, caring atmosphere is a priceless asset that will change lives and the way you do business. When a customer says they tan better without a lotion, my immediate response is: 'I apologize for not taking the time with you sooner to explain this.' By taking ownership, the customer is more apt to listen. Then I educate the client and let them know that whatever I can do to make the experience better, I'm going to do that. Gina Jaeger-Morris, Business Development Manager, Sun Evolutions