How to sell salon and spa retail with confidence
I was lucky enough to interview Daniela Woerner from Spa Marketing Made Easy (know her podcast? it's fabulous!) about how to sell retail products in your salon with confidence, even if selling makes you sweat!
Daniela has a program called Spa Retail Rockstars, and she dropped some 24 carat secrets for us.
Here are some of her secrets for selling skincare as an esthetician, even if you HATE selling…
Selling Retail Increases Client Retention
Clients who purchase two or more retail products have an 80% higher return rate (iSpa study).
Using the right homecare helps clients see better results, making them more likely to return and refer others.
If They’re Not Buying from You, They’re Buying Somewhere Else
Clients already spend money on skincare—if you don’t guide them, they’ll grab products from Sephora, Amazon, or drugstores.
Most mass-market skincare brands invest in marketing, not quality ingredients or research. Your clients need someone they trust (you!) to help them choose the right products.
Selling Should Feel Like Serving, Not Selling
Mindset shift: You’re not "selling"—you’re educating and helping your client achieve better results.
Would you recommend something different to your mom or best friend? If not, then you should feel 100% confident offering it to your clients.
Clients want a solution, not just a product. Position skincare as an essential part of their treatment plan.
How to Make Retail Sales Feel Natural (Not Pushy!)
✔ Set the expectation early: At the start of the appointment, ask, “Would you like me to explain what I’m using and why, or would you rather relax and I’ll share recommendations at the end?” This makes clients expect guidance from you.
✔ Recommend a full AM + PM routine upfront: Instead of suggesting one product at a time, lay out a complete routine. Clients appreciate a clear plan rather than feeling like products are randomly being pushed at them.
✔ Use a short, confident explanation (aka “product elevator speech”): Tell them what the product is, why it’s beneficial to them, and how it fits into their results. Keep it under 15 seconds to avoid overwhelming them with too much info.
✔ Don’t talk too much after recommending: Once you’ve made the recommendation, stop talking and let them decide. Many estheticians talk themselves out of the sale by over-explaining!
Your Confidence = Their Confidence in Buying
Clients pick up on your energy. If you’re hesitant or unsure, they’ll hesitate too.
Practicing how you talk about products (even rehearsing out loud to yourself) builds confidence and makes your recommendations feel natural.
Selling isn’t about persuading—it’s about showing clients the best, most effective path to their skincare goals.
Make It Easy for Clients to Buy
If clients have to hunt down products later, they probably won’t buy at all.
Have the products ready at checkout and use assumptive language (e.g., “Here’s what you’ll need to get started” instead of “Do you want to buy this?”).
If you’re using Pomp, it’s even easier—clients can buy directly from your link, and you don’t have to stock inventory.
Retail Sales = More Revenue Without More Appointments
Retail is a sustainable way to increase income without adding more hours to your schedule.
Many estheticians make $1,000–$8,000/month in additional income from retail alone.
“You can survive on services, but you can retire on retail.” 💡
My top recommended app to sell more retail with ease? Check out Pomp and the exclusive offer we came up with for estheticians in my community!
Go here to learn more about Pomp and use code STEPHANIE50 for 50% off the Elevated Plan for 3 months!
