When asked to write this article, I requested permission to speak from a personal point of view, not only because as a makeup artist being all-inclusive resonates deeply with me, but because I have personally experienced distinct changes in my perception about the subject matter — which is at the very core of my existence as a professional. The topic is offering makeup in the spa, but the real subject is being all-inclusive.
Today, around the world, millions of women are visiting spa professionals for regular services. These women have intimate relationships with their professionals. They talk, laugh, and often reveal in confidence that which they do not even tell their husbands or best friends. These trusted professionals are their confidants, friends, and advisors on many levels. And yet, upon leaving, many women are still going somewhere else to buy their makeup. The reality is that some of the most prestigious spas in the world still do not retail makeup.
How could this customer care experience fall victim to such an obvious dropping of the ball? It was a mystery to me for a long time. I used to think it was because makeup was such an unreliable resource that professionals were reluctant to endorse any brand for fear it would let them down. However, we have all broken out, had reactions, or experienced some adverse effect from makeup. The idea of healthy makeup has historically been a dubious proposition, at best.
So my first order of business is to tell you some good news that I hope you already know: there is such a thing as healthy makeup. Through the gift of science and technology, cosmetics are now being produced by a select group of companies without talc, Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetics (FD&C) dyes, synthetic preservatives, or the toxic chemicals that they formerly contained. A new era in makeup has come due to a new breed of consumer who demands nothing less than quality, safety and sustainability in everything they buy. So not only is healthy makeup available, but consumers want it. So why is not every spa in the world offering it?
I have heard all of the reasons: It is too much work for too little return. We are booked solid with services. Who has time for makeup? I have even heard professionals say makeup sales are a cheap, common sideline that add no real prestige or value to the establishment. When we consider that Estee Lauder reported net earnings of $3.876 billion for makeup sales in 2013, this is an interesting philosophy, indeed. So perhaps the question that we should be asking ourselves is not why makeup, but why not makeup? And if you are a skeptic, as I was, I have two good reasons.
1. Because we care. One of the things I love about the beauty industry is that we are healers. Customers come to us with problems and we heal them. Industry data shows that we can count on a good customer to visit us every six weeks. That is 44 days between services and about 88 face washes and product applications. Do you know what products she is wearing when you are not around? Could she be unconsciously undoing all the good that you do for her when you have her to yourself for that precious hour? The reality is that we should care too much about our customers to allow them to put products on their faces that are bad for them. It makes our job more difficult and it makes them suffer unnecessarily when we do not have healthy options. We show them that we care by taking care of them even at home.
2. Because a business cannot thrive on services alone. Many spa owners seem to think that if they just offer the best services they can, their business will thrive and grow. The problem is that we only have so many hours a day in which we can offer services. And, even at peak performance, once our books are full, the amount of money we make in the course of day will plateau. We could work more and sleep less, but when we tax bodies too heavily, we pay the physical, mental, and emotional toll. We could raise our prices, but after a while our customers will simply get frustrated and leave. The only real way to increase profit, without increasing physical workload or cost to customers, is to supplement our services with product sales. Selling products to our customers improves client retention by 75 percent, which makes sense because every time she uses the product, she is reminded of the good experience she has with us. And every time she uses it, she is one step closer to buying another product. If we teach her how to use the product once, she will come back and buy it over and over again. And while it takes an hour to do a service, it takes 10 minutes to ring up a sale. Shall we do the math?
In the course of my career as a makeup artist, I have seen many examples of makeup in the spa setting. In each of them, success was contingent on four factors: the line they chose, the way they presented it, who they chose to be the advocate, and the customer service protocol. But the most successful case scenarios were always those where the business owners and managers took full ownership of the endeavor. If we start with a vested interest and look at makeup not as a sideline but as a prestige service that has no less importance than any other service, we are off to a good start. After all, makeup should work synergistically with our other services. It is the completion of our customer’s experience with us.
THE LINE
When choosing a makeup line for your spa, keep in mind that the information packet any representative leaves with you is partial and biased. Do your own research. Check out each company’s website and look for qualities such as being ECOCERT certified, Cruelty Free, and so on. Ask what kind of testing is done on the products to ensure their safety and stability. And learn about ingredients so that you can identify the ones you want and do not want in your products. And most importantly, do not believe everything you read on the Internet.
THE PRESENTATION
After you have chosen a line for your spa, bring it out on a silver platter. Do not hide it in a corner. The most successful spas I visit install their makeup in a centralized, highly visible, and well-lit location. Retail boutique fixtures and visual merchandizing are commonly used to invite customers to learn about the line. And customers should always be welcomed to approach the tester unit and play with the makeup. Of course, this brings up the topic of pilferage and breakage. Yes, if we invite customers to play with the makeup, some will get stolen and broken. However, much more will be sold. If we post signs saying “do not touch,” they will not touch and they will not buy. Our best results come if we designate a member of the staff to be the advocate or in-house representative for the makeup.
THE ADVOCATE
One of the most important elements to a successful makeup business is to find an advocate who believes in the brand and give them the job of being its representative. It will be this person’s responsibility to promote, maintain, and educate customers on the brand. Find someone who is approachable, enthusiastic, and has good communication skills. Very importantly, find someone who knows how to apply makeup very well. They should be expected to demonstrate and apply the makeup to everyone, including coworkers. They are the brand cheerleader. This brings us back to our first factor: the line. If we are expecting this level of enthusiasm from our advocate, we better make sure we invest in a line that merits nothing less. The key here is passion. If you do not feel passionate about the products you are selling, do not carry them. Passion is an essential element to good business. Enthusiasm is infectious. People cannot resist you and they will not even try.
THE SERVICE
By creating and following a simple customer service protocol, we provide consistent service to all customers and ensure that we have established a relationship. Great selling consists of a few key things:
- Greet every customer with a warm greeting, making sure you make eye contact and show sincerity.
- Ask key questions that will give us insight into what their makeup needs and wants are.
- Exceed their expectations by going over and above the norm.
- Ask for the sale by reviewing which products you used to create their look.
- Thank them verbally, as well as with a hand written card in the mail.
As professionals, we have an extraordinary opportunity to forge relationships with customers by offering the right makeup, which will enhance their lives. I have had the unique privilege of witnessing the difference that a good makeup brand can make for a spa. When we are faced with as many options as we have, do research, talk to your colleagues and customers, and seriously consider the benefits of offering makeup in your business. You will thank yourself in the end.
Jane Iredale Global Educator, Shawn Towne, has worked as a makeup artist for over 20 years. His work has been featured in fashion magazines, runway shows, television commercials, and feature films. He has worked with celebrities such as Mariel Hemmingway, Eartha Kitt, and Luke Wilson. Towne worked with the Jane Iredale team on Fashion Week runway shows and most recently taught classes in the Far East