Issue link: https://www.ascpskindeepdigital.com/i/291744
Create your free business website! www.ascpskincare.com 25 Educational Sales All skin care professionals have suffered through manufacturers' lectures in which the features and benefi ts of a particular product were preached as the magic keys to retail success. But understanding features and benefi ts is just the fi rst step. How do we sell with that information? Let's talk educational sales methods. Educational sales can be described as telling a client which product she needs and why she needs it, and then how she needs to use it to gain the desired results. Let's say that in your own product training, you have learned the features and benefi ts of a particular lotion: it contains hyaluronic acid, and is a barrier lotion that sits on the stratum corneum (these are the features), holding moisture in the skin (this is the benefi t). You could simply repeat that information to the client, but it would be better to take a different approach. 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 benefi t her. A better way to explain would be to say something like, "Your skin is dehydrated, and this lotion creates a barrier that will stop it from losing more moisture. The lotion also has hyaluronic acid in it, which is an ingredient that helps hydrate your skin from within. You should apply it in the morning to protect your skin from environmental drying during the day. Then, after you have used your other treatment products in the evening, you apply it again to hold in those products overnight and retain the moisture." More Success for Everybody Taking this educational approach will help you avoid "retail fear" and put the right professional attitude into your sales. By understanding the value of home care and explaining it properly to the client, you can change mediocre home-care sales into a success story. It's a win-win situation. Clients who purchase home care will get better results and be happy they consulted you; happy clients will return; returning clients purchase more home care and services. Round and round you go, bringing more success to your practice. Janet McCormick, MS, CIDESCO, is a spa consultant with considerable experience in skin care, nails, and spa management. She holds a master's degree in allied health management. She can be reached at 863-273- 9134 or janet.mccormick.info@gmail.com.