HOW MUCH small talk IS TOO MUCH?

Small talk is the cornerstone of any great therapistclient relationship. However, what you must not do is focus too much on gossiping, losing sight of the need to return a profit for the business. I visit salons on a regular basis, announced and sometimes undercover as a secret shopper, and I see this happen all the time - too much gossiping and not enough selling. So, now it is time for your therapy team to strike the right balance.

Think about it, what is most clients’ favourite topic of conversation? It’s them, not you. So therapists should stop boring customers with details of their personal life, which are none of the client’s concern, and instead use the time wisely to give professional advice and information about the salon business they’re representing.

Money talks

And remember, it is not your therapists’ responsibility to worry about the client’s budget or make an assumption of what money they do or don’t have to spend, as, quite frankly, that is none of their business.

Instead, they need to advise and educate customers on the various services available in the salon and what they might need for home use. Without direction, the all-important client cannot make the best choices.

If there are any services on your price list that they need, your therapists must tell them. If there are any products on your shelves that they need, they should tell them before they update them on what’s been going on in their private life recently. It is time to watch the small talk and focus on selling.

Yet, you can’t have one without the other. Small talk will help therapists to sell but it’s about getting the balance of professional communication and chit chat right. Your therapists need to listen and focus on the client’s needs, wants and desires first, with the small talk happening in between to create a great overall experience.

Good communication should canvass feedback on your current services as well as finding out what might be needed in the future, interspersing this with great beauty advice that is linked to retail sales and repeat bookings for additional services.

Explain to your therapy team that their role is varied: they should provide services that clients request; build a client base, fill a column so they become a financial asset within the business, listen for buying signals and close sales; and rebook, upsell and cross-sell services. They need to focus on all of this as well as being a good talker.

your therapists get this right then they become a financial asset to the salon and this becomes a win-win for everyone - your employee runs a highly profitable column; you can meet the running costs of the business comfortably; and the client will be thrilled because they’ve received top advice and a great service.

Liz McKeon is a beauty business coach for salons and spas. See her talk - “The fast track to earning more money in your salon” - at Professional Beauty London on the Business Skills programme on Sunday, March 29, at 12pm. Book your ticket at professionalbeauty.co.uk/london