There are a limited number of pets hardworking groomers can style in one day, but by selling a few retail items to your existing customers, you can quickly increase your income without adding a single pet to your busy schedule.
If you have never offered any retail items to your customers but are interested in trying to, keep a few simple ideas in mind:
- Only offer items that you are personally familiar with and enjoy using yourself. People will hear your sincerity when you tell them about products you are excited about.
- Offer items you know your customers need—for instance, combs and brushes. Selling appropriate grooming tools for your client's pets can be a winning solution in multiple ways.
- Consider selling items that can be sold repeatedly, such as tasty treats or adorable plush toys, and lend themselves to an impulse purchase. Many customers like to reward their pets after a successful grooming appointment. Who has not heard someone say, "We will stop at McDonald's on the way home because you were such a good boy!" You can save them a trip and sell them something healthier and more appropriate.
- A display of small containers of shampoo, conditioner, grooming spray, or cologne that you use in your place of business can be an attractive thing for customers who wash their pet between appointments or want to be able to re-create the fresh scent they are familiar with after professional grooming.
When introducing customers to an item you think they might need or want, try to put it in their hands if possible. Let them try the type of brush or comb you recommend on their pet so they can see how it feels. Once they imagine themselves using those tools at home, they will be more apt to purchase them.
Place any items you have for sale so customers can easily see them as they enter your business or check out. They may go unnoticed if you tuck your displays off in a corner. Keep retail sale items displayed so that each item can be easily seen, avoiding a cluttered, confused look. Imagine the area around the cash register at some convenience stores, where every inch is crammed with some item for sale. It can be overwhelming. Instead, exhibit just a few things in an eye-catching and attractive way.
By offering some wisely chosen retail items, you can increase your dollar per ticket on some of your grooms while making customers feel grateful for your guidance in purchasing an item they need or that their pet will enjoy.
