How to Talk Hair Treatments:
Upselling Your Clients on Must-Have Hair Treatments
Your guide to upsells, retail sales, and handing out samples.
We’ve all been there.
We’re running our hands through a client’s hair thinking, “one quick treatment of *insert fave product here* and this client would be absolutely lovin’ the way her hair looks.” We think it, but we don’t say it—because we know it’s an upsell, we know it sounds pushy, and we know our clients rely on us to provide them with stunning haircare that doesn’t make them feel like they’re at a used car lot.
Look, we get it. But here’s a bold claim we’re going to make—not mentioning hair treatments that could legitimately benefit your clients is actually doing them an extraordinary disservice.
No, none of us like asking clients we respect and value to shell out more cash than they initially planned on, none of us relish the idea of doling out samples in an effort to make a future sale, and it’s likely that none of us want to be the stylist tryin’ to unload the back bar of product on a client.
But guess what, beauty queens and kings—that’s not what this process is about.
This article is going to give you a few helpful tips that can help you tackle the treatment talk you should be having with your clients.
Read it, absorb it, and try to accept one (harsh) but true reality—you’re a badass stylist who cares about your client, suggesting a treatment that will benefit them is actually a sign that you’re doing the right thing for them.
How to Talk About Hair Treatments with Your Clients
Let Transparency Lead the Way
This process starts long before you try to sell your clients anything—and it should be the backbone of how you handle your relationships with your customers. If you foster transparent communication and relationships with your clients, they’ll always trust you to be straight-up with them.
Address the Problem Head-On
If your client could benefit from a treatment, there’s probably an underlying issue that needs to be solved—talk to your client about this directly but delicately.
Obviously, you’ll want to make sure you’re not speaking negatively about your clients’ conditions, but it’s important to explain to your client why you’re suggesting this treatment in the first place.
Skipping this step will make your client feel like you’re just trying to throw out extra treatments to make a quick buck—letting them know why you’re suggesting it can make an enormous impact on their decision.
Educate As Much As Possible
Explain the treatment end-to-end so that your client will understand it as a whole.
What is the treatment made of? Why is that beneficial? What will this treatment solve? Is this a one-time treatment or a reoccurring one? What happens if your client doesn’t choose this treatment? Are there other options?
Don’t Sell, Explain
Obviously adding on treatments is beneficial for you—you can help your client and make more money. But the treatment isn’t just about padding your pockets, if you’re a badass stylist, you’re offering these suggestions because you know they’d be advantageous for your customer.
Resist the urge to sell—instead, just explain and educate at all costs. Discuss the benefits in detail, talk about their options, and avoid any type of salesman or saleswoman like before.
Don’t Force It
They’re not interested? No problem! Never try to force or pressure your clients into something they don’t want to do. The best you can do is be honest and direct and educate them to no end—the rest is in their hands.
One client rejecting or accepting a hair treatment isn’t going to make or break your revenue. Above all, focus on what’s best for your client—even if that means letting them reject a treatment that could directly benefit their locks.
When All Else Fails, Hand Out Samples
Can’t get them to agree to a specific hair treatment? Again, no biggie—try doling out some helpful samples. Sometimes, people need more than just your word, they need to see results in action.
Make sure you’ve got plenty of samples on hand of treatments you stand by—that way, you can pass them out to clients who need a little proof before they commit to anything.
Hair treatments are a necessary part of being a stylist. Whether your client needs extra hydration, a treatment to help counteract a bad dye job, something to help break down buildup, or even add a little aesthetic to their lives, there’s always something that could benefit your clients.
We hope this blog gave you the insight you need—and the confidence boost you might want!—to start opening the floodgates about hair treatments.
Remember, your clients trust you—be straight-up with them, explain the benefits, and talk honestly, the rest will follow suit.
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