Looking for ways to supplement the extra revenue you’d normally get from double booking and longer appointment times? Look no further than your retail shelves! Ready to learn more? We tapped Victory Barber & Brand™ Founder Matty Conrad (@mattyconrad) to share his tips for successfully reworking your retail space and how to get clients comfortable with choosing the right products. Scroll down for some serious retail therapy. 

Disclaimer: Although most safety guidelines discourage clients from sampling and touching products, you can still implement the tips below and download safety signs to hang in your retail space for communicating with clients! 

Make Retail Area Accessible & Obvious

Don’t limit the brands on your retail shelves. Instead, give clients variety so they can choose a product they will love. // Instagram via @truenorthbarbershop

Clients, especially men, can feel insecure talking about their haircare needs, so asking permission to look at products or check out a certain area of the shop can be a huge turn off. Below, Matty shared his tips to make your retail space more inviting AND noticeable:

• Make sure the retail area is visible. If your current setup is behind the reception desk or hidden in a back corner, make it more attainable by bringing it in front of the reception area or in an open access location. Matty also advises having enough products on display so guests KNOW that is a retail area. “Have products organized and merchandised so that the client knows this is for sale,” he says.  

• Include variety. Even though Matty’s shops are stocked with all things Victory Barber & Brand™, giving clients the choice about which grooming products they prefer is important. Don’t worry about stocking up entire product lines, instead, choose specific products that your clients will ask for (beard oil is always a must!) and give them the opportunity to find a product they will love. 

• Have pricing be clear and visible. Allowing guests to check out prices themselves again will help ease any anxieties of thinking “can I afford this?” or having to ask any questions. 

Pro Tip: Always make sure the retail area and products are clean and dust-free. “Nobody wants products that have been sitting there,” says Matty. 

Showcase Specific Products For An Extra Boost

Giving certain products their own display will help boost customer interest. // Instagram via @mattyconrad

During busier hours, take notice of where clients gravitate to when checking out retail. Is there a shelf or section that is getting more love than the others? Utilize these high-traffic areas to push specific products. For Matty, products include: 

• New products that are being introduced
• Products that you want to sell
• Slow-moving products that need a boost

Pro Tip: To get even more traction, place these products at eye-level. This way, they will get the most attention naturally.  

Click here to check out downloadable coronavirus resources from Victory Barber & Brand™ including safety signs to hang in your shop and cleaning checklists!

Avoid Supermarket Shelving 

Add design elements to retail shelves so they still fit the design aesthetic of your shop. // Instagram via @mattyconrad

Remember, clients are coming to a barbershop, not a warehouse. Don’t overload a retail space with excessive products that need to be sold, it is unwelcoming and overwhelming to the average client. Instead, showcase what is available (leave some back stock!) and fill in empty space with design elements that fit your shop’s aesthetic. For Matty, this included small wooden boxes and of course—a bronze trophy statue. 

Don’t Push Products On Clients, Educate Them Instead 

Discuss products while styling, Matty suggests. This way, clients can see the benefits and learn how to use products at home correctly. // Instagram via @victorygastown

Where’s the best place to talk about products? For Matty, it’s behind the chair. “When styling, talk to clients about why you chose this product, what it is doing to help create their style and educate them on how to use these products at home,” he explains. 

After giving clients all of the information they need to recreate their style, Matty will take them to the retail area, but that’s where the sales pitch stops. “I tell them, ‘If you want to check out any of the products used today they are right here.’ Then I walk away, I always let them make the decision about purchasing and I don’t pressure them or tell them this is something they need because I don’t want them to regret it later. It’s all about their experience and pushing them into a sale can make them uncomfortable and not come back,” says Matty.