13th March 2026
Regular readers will recognise this articles title – Don’t Sell – Do Tell. It has been a phrase I have used frequently for the last 7 years, ever since Don’t Sell Volume 1 was published.
Those four little words can have a dramatic impact on how clients respond to product recommendations when sat in a salon chair. What clients are looking for in this day and age is an engaging conversation about the products and equipment their hairdresser has chosen to use on their hair, and why they chose them. Based on the information shared and how it was delivered, a decision will be made as to whether or not a purchase will happen.
But before that conversation has even begun, the individual who has chosen to visit their salon of choice to have an appointment with their trusted expert, they have carried out research in one form or another, this was looked at in length in Don’t Sell Volume 2. From checking out socials, a brilliant way to share product and service information, to online reviews, word of mouth from family and friends, each different generation now does their own research before they go to their hair appointment.
In many ways this takes away a lot of pressure from stylists as part of their work has already been done, but it also can cause problems if the brands on the salon shelves are also available on the high street. Competing against mass market channels is never easy, but if it is something that has to be done, stylists should do it by telling and not selling. If their dialogue is informative and engaging, it might be enough to encourage their client to purchase direct from the salon.
Alternatively, introducing new brands into the environment, brands that support the SALON PROFESSIONAL WORLD makes retailing a more successful aspect of the client experience. Talking about products that are recommended because they are the very best for their hair without the person sat in the chair being able to google and find them cheaper has got to be a positive way for salons to increase their retail sales without resorting to a hard sell. In many ways, Don’t Sell Volume 3 helps the hairdressing world perfectly as it looks at how to choose alternative ranges and then how to market them to make retailing more successful.
As we know, hairdressers tend to shy away from selling, but telling is more natural and that helps the dialogue flow better, leading to more sales because of the approach taken by the stylists and the responses from clients. This is the crux of the Don’t Sell trilogy, helping hairdressers understand all the different nuances of ‘selling’ in a more ‘telling’ way.
#DontSell #DoTell #ProForPro #SalonRetail #SalonProfessional
