We want you to reach your goals and love what you do because let’s face it, we love this industry. It’s the greatest industry in the world. As beauty professionals, we get to make people look and feel great every day. As a result, people look forward to seeing us. There is so much potential for success. But getting started is the hardest part. In this series, “Business Advice from Eric Fisher,” we tap into Eric’s wealth of knowledge and share advice that will help you reach your goals. So without further ado, here’s the latest business tip.

Propose Something New

Have you ever been to a fantastic restaurant where the waiter describes an appetizer that sounds unbelievably delicious? When they make suggestions, they use words that paint a picture in your mind. This activates your palate, makes your mouth water and creates a craving for whatever they’re describing. By using the right words, they entice you to increase your order, raising their average ticket.

The average ticket is an important benchmark in our business. Your goal should always be to increase it. When you increase your average ticket, you increase the amount that each guest pays. This is key to making more money.

The best way to increase your average ticket is to propose something new by offering authentic add-ons. Authentic add-ons are additional services you suggest to help your guest look and feel better. It’s not recommending the same service to every guest. Instead, it comes from truly listening to your guest and what they need. Add-ons increase revenue, help create authenticity and generate more customer loyalty.

When suggesting add-on services, start at the consultation. First, look at your guest and ask yourself, “How can I help them look or feel better?” Then, concentrate on the areas you can enhance, improve or minimize. Ask questions to understand what your guest likes and dislikes. Listen for challenges and solve your guest’s problems.

If you have a guest who always comes in and gets the same thing, propose something new. Our industry is all about change. There are constantly new services, trends and techniques. Let your guest know that you just took a class and thought the service would be great for them. Share your expertise and excitement with them. Even if your guest says no, it will get them thinking about change and they’ll appreciate you thought of them.

When you first start recommending add-ons, you may feel guilty or timid about up-selling to guests. You could even find yourself saying things like, “I don’t want to pressure them into spending more money.” Or, “If they need something, they’ll ask.” When you professionally and authentically make suggestions, you aren’t pressuring your guest into spending money. Your guest may be asking for something, but they don’t realize it. The question is, are you listening?

THE CHALLENGE

Truly listen to your guest during the consultation. When you hear a challenge, repeat it back to your guest and make an authentic service recommendation. It could be as simple as, “What I heard you say is you’re struggling with your hair being dry. We could do a deep conditioner today to add moisture back into your hair. Would you like to do that?”

For more great business tips, click here.