DISCOVER THE WORLD OF SAMPLES

Product sampling is common in aesthetics. It is not uncommon for you to be given a few sample sizes of beauty products during your visits to skin care professionals. This action is not a coincidence and regularly giving your clients new products to test will certainly help you adapt their skincare routine while getting them to try new items before they need to make the purchase.

How to use them

Samples can be an important ally in sales since they allow the customer to try new products and help her make the right choice in her beauty investment. She will thus be assured that her cream will be the one that suits her in every way and that she is not throwing her money out the window. A sample can also be an effective way to introduce a new treatment into the client’s beauty routine. For example, a customer who never uses a scrub or mask may be less inclined to purchase these two products. On the other hand, if you leave her a sample, she will have the opportunity to try it for herself, will see the result instantly, and the chances that she will then want to add it to her beauty routine will be greater and will thus lead to an increase in your sales.

The sample can also reassure the customer who has been using the same product for a long time and who is reluctant to change. The type of client who swears by the cream she has been using for years and is hesitant to make a change for fear that her “sensitive skin” will not respond well and that breakouts will suddenly attack her! Don’t be afraid to take your client out of her comfort zone, this way you will show her that she can trust you when it comes to her skin and that you know your products like the back of your hand.

When to use them 

Don’t forget that we live in a country that has 4 seasons, which has the effect of causing the skin’s needs to vary enormously over the course of a year. It is therefore very rare for a client to be able to use the same cream for 12 consecutive months. Since your clients should normally treat themselves to a facial treatment with each change of season, this moment is the ideal opportunity to change their beauty routine and offer them a sample of the cream that will best suit their skin at this time of year.

You can also offer a sample when a new product is added to the range, the customer will feel privileged to receive a gift. In addition, she will discover other products from your range that she might appreciate, and possibly purchase.

You don’t have a travel size and your client is going on vacation? Give her a few samples of her cream so that she has her beauty routine in a small format and can continue to take care of her skin during her vacation. She will see that you take care of her and that you care about the health of her skin.

Beware of sample abuse

Be wary of those customers who thrive on samples, those who want them constantly and for any reason. Do not systematically give samples to all your customers, which would be a waste of time, money and credibility. You need to know your client’s skin well, because bad choices could ruin the trust the client has in you.

For example: A new client visits your salon for a pedicure. During the treatment, she sees that you also do facial treatments. So, she starts talking to you about her skin, asks you questions and finally asks you for samples. At this precise moment, an alarm signal should sound in your brain, a customer who asks for samples on her own is a sign that she is “feeding” on them. Explain to her with the greatest diplomacy that it is preferable for her to make an appointment for a facial, so you can analyze her skin in depth and recommend the right products.

Follow-up

It is important to note in the customer file all the samples that the person has received. This way you will have a direct view of everything your customer has tried and thus eliminate the chances of giving her the same sample repeatedly. Monitoring is an effective way to combat the abuse of these small formats, in addition to helping you to know your customer’s tastes, by noting which ones were appreciated. Tracking this can also help you when your customer comes back to buy that cleanser or cream but she can’t remember the name. By consulting her file, you can see what you gave her at his last appointment, and thus allow her to have the right product in hand. Another simple and effective way to demonstrate that you are a professional!