By Michael Brown
I know for a lot of you, I’m going to sound very old, BUT, before social media, visiting your local beauty counter was really the only way to know about new products and new application tips with makeup…
Women would come to learn the latest trends, techniques and the new season colours first hand in store. Today most consumers already have an idea of these things from following a blog, watching YouTube and of course seeing trends pop up from around the globe on social media.
What once seemed very high class to sit in a makeup chair and have cosmetics applied to the face, is now the norm. Most women apply at least one beauty product daily and it’s still our job to educate on what is best for them, not just because it looked good on a vlogger on YouTube.
A great salesperson builds trust with their clients, respects them, educates them, but most importantly talks with them, not to them. Everything about your approach while working on counter should be positive yet educational for best results when it comes to gaining sales.
Because consumers think they know what they want before they get to you it’s even more important to go above and beyond in service to gain brand and customer loyalty – something which has slipped slightly over the years.
It feels good to have regular clients who come to you because they trust you. A great way to grow their trust is to share your professional skills with tools of the trade, in a prescription tailored to each individual.
BRUSHES & APPLICATION TOOLS
So many women look at Instagram for trend and beauty-look ideas and may come to you for advice on how to get the look…Product is one thing, but how you apply is so much more. We focus so much on product, but if you don’t educate on the application and the tool to do it with, they will never get the look they are after.
COLOUR CHARTS
A lot of brands showcase their shade selections in chart form, especially foundation, as it makes up a big part of the beauty business. Yes, you can show shades at the colour/makeup bar, but the charts are usually filled with extra information, such as undertone for example – is the shade Cool, or Warm? Is that then better for a fair or olive skin?
As makeup artists, brand experts or beauty advisors, we can get complacent that we know these answers, but does your customer? Showing them a branded chart with this information, as well as you telling them about the difference it will make, gains trust immediately and goes on to instill customer confidence in their purchase.
BRAND VISUALS
Every cosmetic house has their own identity, their own look and feel. Always reference your brand visuals to show the look of the skin, or a new makeup look or trend.
Giving references is such a great way for your client to understand what you mean when describing techniques which they can tailor to their own needs.
FACE CHARTS
I cannot stress enough how much these helped me with sales and customer loyalty when I worked on the cosmetic retail floor. Once a makeup is completed and the customer is happy with the result, it’s easy to forget how we got there.
Spend the extra two mins discussing and showing application – shades and products – on a face chart. To be fair, if they don’t feel they can recreate the look at home, why would they purchase?
Sometimes your own voice is just not enough, no matter how skilled you are…when parting with money, consumers should feel confident they have bought the right products and they know how to use them for the best results.
BY MICHAEL BROWN @MBROWN_BEAUTY WWW.MICHAELBROWNBEAUTY.COM.AU