Before we explore how to upsell your salon or spa services in Nigeria, let me show why you should care.
Revenue is the lifeblood of any beauty business. Salons and spas like yours must rely on your potential and existing customers to generate revenue to sustain their business.
However, most businesses focus most of their marketing efforts on acquiring new customers. While this is essential for growth, it is expensive and causes your salon or spa to burn through revenue nearly as fast as you make it.
A cheaper strategy would be to retain as many new customers as possible, turning them into loyal customers. What’s more, you can take it further by ensuring that your returning customers spend more money patronising your business and are happy about it.
In this blog post, I’ll show you how you can increase your business revenue by upselling your services to customers.
Is upselling different from cross-selling?
Although often used interchangeably, upselling is different from cross-selling.
Upselling entails encouraging customers to purchase an upgrade or the premium option of the services they want. For example, if your customer comes to your spa for a regular massage session, upselling would advise them that going for the premium massage session is more value for their money.
Cross-selling, on the other hand, describes inviting customers to buy anything in addition to the primary service. For example, if your customer visits your hair salon to make braids, cross-selling would encourage them to add hair packers and edge control gel.
Note: Upselling and cross-selling share a common goal: increasing revenue.
What you must know before upselling your salon & spa services?
Before you attempt to upsell your services to customers, ensure the following:
1. Pay attention to their needs
You may want to make more money, but your customers want to ensure their money gets them exactly what they want. Your job is to kill these two birds with one stone — upselling.
Listen attentively to what your customers say their problems are or what they’re looking for. Then, recommend comparatively higher-end services (and products) that solve those problems.
2. Be reasonable
As much as you want to make money, you must consider your customers’ budget when upselling. Prioritise your customers, always.
If they insist on their choices, let them have it. Perhaps, they’ll be more open to your recommendations in the future. But if you push too hard, there might not be a next time.
3. Always add value
Don’t suggest it if it doesn’t offer value for your customers’ money. If the ONLY motivation is to increase your revenue, don’t recommend it.
Ensure to upsell ONLY when it benefits your customers. Otherwise, they’ll see through your charade and take their business elsewhere.
4. Enlist your team
Let’s face it, you can’t do it alone. Your staff probably interact with more customers than you daily. Train them to identify these upsell opportunities and take advantage, driving revenue.
4 strategies for upselling your spa & salon services
A survey revealed that upselling can increase your revenue by up to 30%. If nothing, it shows that upselling works.
Here are four top strategies you can deploy to upsell your salon or spa services:
Strategy 1: Utilise your appointment booking software
If you use an appointment booking tool for your salon and spa (and you should), you can upsell to customers while booking online. It’s important because this is the first point of contact for every sale.
List all your services, but start with the best and most expensive. For example, if you offer a regular and premium hair treatment package, put the premium first and work your way down.
Take it further to highlight why the package is premium and different from the regular. You may not be there when they’re booking their appointment but you’re always selling. Only this time, you’re upselling.
Many beauty customers will buy something if the service provider recommends it sometimes or always. Your appointment booking software is your opportunity to recommend your high-end services.
A tool like Splice appointment booking software will help you automate this process for you and your customers.
Strategy 2: Recommend an upgrade during check-in
Okay, a client has already booked their appointment but it’s a basic package. You still have an opportunity to upsell and increase your revenue.
All you or your team have to do is suggest an upgrade to the customer, backed by its comparatively higher value for money. Sell it to them but remember not to be pushy if they insist on the basic package. Who knows, they’d be more open to your suggestions later. But you have to try and upsell.
Strategy 3: Make suggestions during consultation
Some customers want to talk to you before booking a particular service or using a product. The consultation window allows you to help them solve their problem while getting your money up.
First, listen to them attentively to better understand what exactly they want. You don’t want to recommend something that doesn’t help them just because it’s more expensive. Whatever you suggest, ensure it first benefits them before anything else like making you more money.
Most clients will pay for a product or service if it solves their problem. What’s more, they’ll even trust you for more recommendations in the future.
Strategy 4: Use social media
By now, your salon or spa should be on at least one social media platform.
Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok have simplified reaching and keeping in touch with potential and existing customers. It only makes sense that you use social media to market your business.
Promote your deluxe or premium packages and services across your social media platforms. Explain their superior benefits and back it up with reviews or testimonials.
Conclusion
Acquiring new customers can be expensive. That’s why it’s important to not just retain new customers, but make sure they spend more money through upselling. This guide on how to upsell salon and spa services will help you. When done right, it feels like excellent customer service. Don’t forget that it’s about improving your customers’ experience.
Let Splice software help you increase your salon or spa revenue.
