Top 10 List for Holiday Retail Success

The "elves" at P&G Salon Professional who build and create the products and salon support tools for Wella Professionals, Sebastian Professional, Clairol Professional and Nioxin have been busy. They've been working on ways to help owners, managers and professionals gear up to boost salon profitability with retailing best practices for the products your clients need and want for the holidays.

They put together this top 10 list of holiday must-dos:

1. Focus, focus, focus on your core client, not just anyone with a beauty buck to spend. Figure out who the 20% of your clients are who are worth 80% of your business. Learn what they have in common and target them specifically!
2. Make it easy for her to shop and select: Stock up on your core brands (pick your top three) and make sure your merchandising, marketing and recommendation centers on those.
3. Focus on what your core client wants in a service: For your fashion- oriented hair color clients, consider suggesting the new Sensual Color Services from Wella Professionals. With Sensual Drama, Sensual Nature, Sensual Fusion or Sensual Poetry techniques there's a multidimensional color look that's right for her. Find them at www.pgsalonpro.com.
4. Make your product choices relevant to your core client with smart choices, such as Nioxin for clients with fine or thinning hair. Did you know that more than 70% of clients who use Nioxin NEVER use anything else!
5. Put some Marketing Muscle into your program: Partner with your supplier to help you select the right inventory assortment for your clients, and make sure they are accessible at every point of the service!
6. Look to technology to get your target client into the salon-make your online presence work for you. Continue to check the business advice section on www.pgsalonpro.com for new ideas!
7. Evaluate all displays and fixtures to appeal directly to the tastes of your core clients, be easy to clean and re-stock. Sebastian offers partner salons research-based plan-o-grams based on where clients looks on a retail shelf.
8. Have the right assortment for your core clients, at the right price and with the right trained personnel to assist them.
9. Surround your clients with 360 marketing. Touch them throughout their daily lives-in media they follow- with a consistent, clear message about what your salon offers her. Use media mentions about product (you can find them on www.pgsalonpro.com) to give your message added endorsement.
10. Re-evaluate your core client frequently. Constantly seek out her wants and needs and direct all your efforts to improving her total salon experience.