Could you answer a question: guest or client? Over recent years, lots of salons use the ‘guest’ word in order to describe their visitors, but according to one of the main speakers at this year’s ISBN annual conference, it could be a mistake.
Dr. Leon Alexander, an environmental psychologist, author and expert in the beauty industry, believes that it’s pretty difficult to sell some additional services and retail to your “guests”.
"See, the guests come to your house because they know that you are welcoming; you don’t cook them dinner and then try to get some money from them," says Alexander, who started his way in this industry for more than 50 years ago as general manager of Vidal Sassoon. Since he gives some particular recommendations to the salon owners on how to create and maintain a special emotional atmosphere to the consumer. "You don’t sell anything to your guests. It’s a mentality. That person that is served in your salon for money is a consumer, not a guest. Call them whatever you like but never forget that they are consumers." Alexander claims that salons have to build and develop their businesses around the consumers’ emotions and mood. Entertainment today is much more important than just an experience.
"From service to experience, that’s how it works in our business. The millennials want nothing but entertainment," he says.