Although the pandemic hit salon professionals hard, being classified as “unessential,” it also offered a unique learning curve. As salon owners, you had to think creatively to generate revenue when in-salon services weren’t available, and much of this innovation focused on retail sales. Retail is a huge income stream in our industry, yet many salons and stylists still miss out on its full potential.

In this blog, our partner at Salon S.O.S. explores why retail isn’t just important but crucial to your salon’s success. They show you how to sell without feeling pushy, how to harness social media to boost retail sales, and how to motivate your team to make retailing exciting.

Why Retail is Crucial for a Salon

It may seem obvious, but the primary reason retail is so important in a salon is that it provides a new source of revenue. In an industry where income is often tied to time, retail allows stylists and salon owners to level up without additional time commitments. The reality is, there are only so many hours in a day, and without retail, a salon professional’s earning potential is capped.

Offering products such as haircare, skincare, styling tools, and boutique items not only adds value to your services but also helps clients maintain their beauty routine at home. By selling high-quality products that meet your clients’ needs, you build trust and loyalty while boosting sales. Retailing also keeps salons competitive and helps them stand out from others. Focusing on retail is key for salons looking to grow and deliver top-tier customer experiences.

Beauty Consultant vs. Service Provider

What does a full salon service look like to you? Does it start when the client walks in and end when they leave? What’s the point of providing a gorgeous service if clients don’t know how to maintain it between visits?

Your clients are walking billboards – your work is on display. How their hair, nails, or lashes look between appointments reflects your work. Elevate your business by including at-home care as part of your service. Educating clients about the right products to maintain their look at home isn’t salesy—it’s delivering a complete service. Shifting your view on retail can make it feel more natural and less forced.

Before any product is sold, the key to successful retailing is education. Stylists must understand why a product is worth it and be able to explain that to clients. Your clients are going to buy haircare anyway—why wouldn’t they get it from you, the expert who knows their needs?

People come to us for our knowledge and trust our recommendations. It’s a disservice to them if we don’t educate them about the products they need. It’s not your business to decide how much a client wants to spend, but it is your business to recommend products that protect their investment.

Consider offering a loyalty rewards program to incentivize retail sales! Take a look at this article on why you should launch a salon loyalty program.

NO Doesn’t Mean NEVER, Just NOT RIGHT NOW

Hearing “no” when suggesting retail can feel discouraging, but it doesn’t have to! Remember what Babe Ruth (and A Cinderella Story) said, “Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.”

If a client says no, don’t be discouraged. They may need time to consider it, or they might plan to buy it at their next visit. It’s not your job to figure out why—it’s your job to provide a complete service, including retail suggestions.

Using Social Media to Boost Retail Sales

Having a beautifully stocked retail area in the salon is great, but the online space is equally important! Whether or not you’ve started exploring e-commerce, social media offers plenty of retailing opportunities. Here are some ideas to promote products on social media and translate that into sales:

Tutorials – Make video tutorials using your retail products. Whether you’re styling yourself or a client, show step-by-step how to use the items. Seeing the product in action is more powerful than we often realize. Breaking things down to the basics helps make trying new products less intimidating for clients.
Product Features – While sharing professional product photos from Instagram or Pinterest is useful, try adding your own personal touch. Find a fun background in your salon and snap a photo of a product next to a finished look. It adds a sense of authenticity to your posts.
Ask Questions – Instead of waiting for followers to ask you about products, ask them questions and recommend accordingly. Social media is all about convenience, and your followers will appreciate you simplifying their shopping experience.
Consistency – Keep posting about retail products, even if it feels like extra work. Focus on the awareness you’re creating and remember: each post helps you learn what works and what doesn’t.

Make It Fun – Retail Gamification

Incentives drive us all. Rewards don’t always need to be monetary—they can be as simple as recognition or bragging rights. Retail gamification can push your team (and you!) to achieve higher retail sales. Here are some fun ideas:

BINGO – Create a BINGO card with retail product challenges. This encourages stylists to step outside their comfort zones and focus on selling less-promoted products.
Board Game Challenge – Turn retail goals into a board game! Let team members move their pieces as they hit sales milestones, sparking healthy competition and motivating your team.
Team Mystery Box – Divide your team into small groups and give each one a mystery box of retail items. Challenge them to focus on selling those products, and the group with the highest sales wins!

If promo planning isn’t for you, Salon S.O.S. has an AMAZING support opportunity for you, salon pros! Click HERE to check out their library of proven promotional ideas PLUS the ready-made marketing materials to support each promo! (IG posts, reels, stories, in-salon posters, etc…) You can purchase these turn-key promotions and materials at incredibly affordable prices to take the planning pressure and design work off your shoulders!

Conclusion

Changing your perspective on retail is the first step to growing that side of your salon business. You are much more than just a service provider, and once you recognize this, everything else will fall into place.

We challenge you—service providers and salon owners alike—to reevaluate how you approach retail. Confront any discomfort around selling and create an action plan. Use one of our retail games or challenges to inspire yourself and your team, or come up with your own! We’d love to see what you come up with and hear how it helped you level up your retail game. Tag us in your posts with your retail promotions and challenge ideas!

If you want more great digital marketing tips or support for your salon business delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for the Salon S.O.S. VIP list here https://www.salonsos.ca/salon-digital-tips-vip.

You can also follow them on Instagram @salon.s.o.s and check out their free digital marketing academy at www.salonsos.ca/digital-marketing-academy