What does a consumer looking to buy makeup want? I believe they are looking for the same thing that the retailer wants - Sales….
A very pleasant experience I had shopping for a new lipstick was due to a very helpful retail artist, who clearly enjoyed her job. It is very important to A. Have someone working in cosmetics as a retail artist to have good people skills and B. to have good makeup skills.
Either or is not really enough on its own, both together will definitely make both the consumer and the retailer very happy.
Open ended questions are vital to help engage with the consumer, eye contact, a smile and a willingness to ensure the consumer gets the best product for them.
When choosing a lipstick, its not enough to just get the lipstick that the customer is looking for and to leave it at that, if they are in a rush and just want the lipstick then I can understand that but generally the reason people buy a lipstick is to look good and would be very grateful for someone who knows about colour theory to suggest a colour that would look really good on them. If they are looking for a lipstick, to try a couple of shades on their hand is not very enticing.
Having a high chair beside the makeup counter and a mirror is important.
Invite the customer to take a seat, and hold the mirror. From listening to the customer about what they are looking for from a lipstick, and also using their colour theory skills- to choose the best shade to enhance the customers skin colouring. Choosing a lip liner to work well with the shade, and showing the client how to apply it, and explaining the 3 benefits of using a lip liner. Also then choosing a lip brush available to buy and using that to apply the lipstick.
Finishing with a gloss to hold the colour longer.
This is then showing the customer how to apply the product best, explaining how to make it last and also ensuring the client is happy with the end result.This process should take no more then 5 minutes and giving your staff the skill set to do this, will ensure both you and the customer is happy. They may now buy, lip liner, lipstick brush, lipstick and gloss, versus just a lipstick. If the lipstick is for an occasion to suit an outfit for an example, I would then also encourage the staff to choose a second lipstick that would suit the customer for every day use.
Link Selling in Make-up, is really about good people skills, and trained makeup artists. It is so important for the staff to be given these tools for dealing with customers. Ensuring that the staff are always wearing the product will always help too.