Mastering Salon Sales: A Guide to Increasing Client Spending

To master sales in your salon you must consider your clients. Taking the time to understand your target market and their specific needs and preferences will help you tailor your service offering approach to meet their expectations.

Another point to remember is it does not stay the same. Through my years in Naples, Florida, I have made purposeful repositioning based on the shift in my clients—some are aging and dealing with thinning hair and new clients came through word of mouth during COVID. They were new to the area, dealing with the effects of the sun and humidity. As a result, I expanded categories in hair care and treatments, added Nutrafol Vitamins, formed a partnership with Capillus for custom caps and expanded hair extensions and toppers. This repositioning was based on listening and learning from my clients, staff, and the industry.

As an owner you must always be listening and learning. Review your sales data for new trends in the business and keep open communication with everyone. Know what’s going on in your community such as home sales and new investors and stay on top of what’s going on in our industry. You also must have basic sales principles that guide your everyday business.

Let's start with the basic principles and a few examples:

1. Upselling and Cross-selling

Train your staff to recommend additional services or products that complement the customer's chosen service. For example, suggest a deep conditioning treatment alongside a haircut. What’s key is to explain “why”. Your technicians are experts, and they build trust with the clients. Adding a treatment not only enhances the outcome of their service; it is a low cost and high return way to build the ticket. Professional home hair care is another way to increase the ticket and increase loyalty. Your client wants to look like they stepped out of the salon every day. By explaining what you use during the service, you educate your client and give them an understanding of “why” they need to take those products home. I prefer to end the appointment at the product display to reinforce why those products are so important.

2. Educate

An informed client is a loyal client. In the salon business we have all built loyal clients through “color;” however, most clients are not educated as to what “color” really means. They just know they need their roots touched up. It’s likely they have never received the proper consultation. With the proper consultation, these clients would learn about dimensional color and how color conversion works. In the end their hair is more natural looking than just a root touchup and is tailored to hair type, cut and skin tone. I have had great success with new clients or first-time color clients by educating them. Plus, it is a great way to build the client ticket and increase loyalty and trust. Most of my referrals come from my dimensional clients.

I also use my CRM (customer relationship managment) through Phorest to email, text or call clients about new services and products. Here are a few examples: If I have a new blonding shampoo, I will notify my blonde clients; those purchasing Nutrafol vitamins were notified when the shampoo arrives, and my Keratin clients were notified when I brought in Brazilian Blowout. And if I am running a gift card promotion, everyone if notified.

3. Take Better Care of Fewer Clients

Showcase and promote retail products in your salon. Train your technicians to educate clients about the benefits of using specific products and recommend them for at-home hair care.

4. Loyalty Programs

Implement a loyalty program to reward repeat customers. Offer incentives such as discounts for referrals, exclusive events like a blow dry class, samples of our newest products and celebrate birthdays and special milestone events.

5. Events

Organize special promotions or events to generate excitement and draw in new customers. This could include themed styling events, workshops, or collaboration with local influencers.

6. Enhance the Salon Experience

Focus on providing exceptional customer service, creating a relaxing ambiance, and offering personalized consultations. A positive and memorable experience encourages customers to return and spend more.

Remember, building strong relationships with clients, understanding their needs and consistently delivering quality services are key factors in increasing sales tickets and fostering long-term loyalty. 

About the Author: Gary Harlan is the owner of N Color Salon, Boutique and Home in Naples, Florida. A visionary hair salon owner and technician with an unmatched passion for his craft. With more than three decades of experience in the industry as a technician, platform artist, educator and salon owner, Gary's earnings are in the top 5% of salon professionals worldwide. He is a mentor to his team, a trend setter, and innovator. He has created an atmostpher where his clients feel pamperd and inspired. His dedication to learning keeps him and his team at the forefront of cutting-edge techniques and styles. "The knowledge, products and technology available to us has never been better, what we can achieve in the salon today is nothing short of remarkable for the client."