What should a sales person look like in 2026?

I get it, most ‘sales people’ are not called that these days, Business Development Manager, Business Consultant, Business Representative etc etc, but at the end of the day, these marvellous folk have a job, and that job is to sell. Or is it?

What should a sales person look like in 2026?

I’m not talking appearance here, although it is very important as hairdressing and barbering are such visual jobs and 99.9% of salon staff always look fabulous. So it goes without saying that ‘sales people’ need to look the part, not necessarily in an 1980’s power suit and briefcase kinda way, but definitely in keeping with the environment they work in, fashionable without being too casual (that’s what I think anyways).

But aside from that, what should a salons product company representative be? The list is potentially endless, but some of the (add on) things that I believe are crucial for success in achieving sales (and targets) are not necessarily the actual selling.

Strategic planner: Helping salons understand the dynamics of clients and their specific needs is a great starting point. From understanding generational differences and what excites different age groups, to recognising buying patterns and how specific moments in the calendar cause spikes in sales of products and services.

Team Motivator: When something new comes along, salon teams need to get excited about the potential additional revenue that can be generated from introducing the product or service to their clients. When a product just lands at the salon door with no real idea as to how to promote it, nothing happens.

Product advisor: It’s all well and good getting a range of products into the salon, but if they just sit there gathering dust, the brand just becomes another worry for the salon owner. Sharing expert knowledge about products and how best to recommend them helps the salon team feel more confident in recommending. But the approach needs to be one of sharing what experiential moments are and how they encourage sales, rather than (old fashioned) hard selling as that leads nowhere fast.

Display/Merchandise Guru: Understanding the benefits of interactive displays and how they can generate sales of their own accord is a key role that can help salons increase their retail and in-salon services offering. That doesn’t mean spending hours creating window displays to outshine Harvey Nichols, but it does mean helping salons understand why displays and correct merchandising are important.

Social Media Consultant: In the most basic way, help is always needed to get greater leverage and business from social platforms. Sales people can help salons and their teams understand how to use each platform to maximise effectiveness across all client age groups, Facebook for the more mature client, Instagram for the middle age bracket and TikTok for the younger clients (Ideally a blend across all platforms is the best way), but helping salons understand gives them better scope for creating posts that have benefits.

Consistent Helper: It’s a two way street; help the salon grow their knowledge and understanding, and in return they help by shifting more units and generating bigger orders for the sales person every time they visit the salon. Consistency is key.

Trend Aware: Understanding what’s happening in the world of hair and sharing upcoming trends helps salons focus in on potential new avenues of income. Pantone colour of the year is a classic example of this; salons should be thinking of ways to promote ‘Cloud Dancer’ as a new, innovative colour, and sales people should be helping by recommending the best products, from chemicals to care that can help achieve sales.

Of course on top of all that, there’s the actual ‘sales’ to be done, orders need to be taken and journey plans have to be adhered to. But if the above aspects are introduced, salons will appreciate the effort taken and in return be more loyal and committed to growing their business with their ‘trusted’ sales person.

What should a sales person look like in 2026? A multi talented, caring, informative, helpful, engaging, sales and business growth individual. Not much to ask really is it!

#ProForPro #SalonProfessional