Issue link: https://www.ascpskindeepdigital.com/i/291744
22 ASCP Skin Deep May/June 2014 Almost all estheticians prefer to focus on providing services, instead of selling retail products to their clients. But the sale of retail products is tightly coupled to an esthetician's success—and it's not just because of the dollars involved. Providing home-care products to clients has been linked to greater customer satisfaction, rebooking, and loyalty. The reasons are clear: when clients use professionally recommended products, their skin continues to improve between services. The services begin the process, but it is the home care that will extend the value of the treatments you provide. Without the right home care, the treatment is less effective or does not maintain results. Soon, the client leaves you because, in their mind, "It didn't work." A secondary reason for selling home-care products is that it's another incentive for clients to return. When clients are sold products as part of a planned home-care regimen, they will eventually be back to purchase more, and will usually book another service, too. Why Do We Fear Retailing? Every trainer has witnessed estheticians and other spa professionals rolling their eyes and emitting a huge sigh at the word retail, and justifiably so. Most estheticians' idea of retailing is based on experiences as a customer in nonprofessional contexts: at the grocery store, the mall, or other retail outlets where the staff 's only job is to sell whatever the customer wants to buy. Retailing brings up images of all the times you saw a product in a big box store and said "Hmm, I wonder if this will work," bought it, took it home, used it a few times, and then threw it into the graveyard drawer with all the other wasted retail dollars you've spent over the years. That's why I believe retailing is a word that should not be used for what we do in the skin care profession. A home-care consultation is not a sales pitch. It is an educational process that happens in the room of a professional, who explains to the client what he or she needs to do to meet a certain goal. As a result of this consultation, the client buys the recommended products, and is educated on how and why to use them correctly. Which are you performing in your practice? Retail sales or home- care education? Retail is a gamble. Home care is not. An Important Step For Your Practice's Success Improve Your Home-Care ales BY JANET MCCORMICK To the client, it really does not matter that a lotion is a barrier lotion and holds in moisture, unless she also understands why this will benefit her.