ist magazine July 2022

Notes from the Road

O ne of the biggest obstacles salon owners face today is staffing. Some may blame the lackluster available talent over the last year on things such as stimulus and unemployment payments, lucrative work-from-home jobs or even a generational difference in the work ethic of available employees. Hiring and re taining a solid salon staff remains a constant battle I hear about regularly. This month, we are going to break down exactly who a successful salon is looking for, as well as where to find them. Let’s face it: there is a huge difference between an employee and a salesperson. Any successful retail-driven business is going to find, hire and recruit strong sales people. Statistics for 2021 show the turnover for salespeople was around 27% within a two-year period – almost double the rate for the overall labor force. So, how do we find salespeople? And more importantly, how do we keep strong salespeople? First, you need to identify your ideal candidate. Before posting your “WE ARE HIRING” sign and conducting interviews, identify exactly what qualities and traits your ideal candidate will possess. What traits do your current top performers possess? What traits are currently missing from your sales team? Overall, most successful salespeople have some key personality traits that you should seek out in any position you are looking to fill. Goal Oriented: This is crucial. All successful salespeople possess an intense drive. It can be fueled by a financial element, peer recognition or just self-mo tivation. No matter what it is, there is always motivation. Seek people who thrive in a goal-oriented environment. Are You Recruiting or Hiring? How to Find Rockstar Sales Staff By Lisa Saavedra

A People Person: A good salesperson is able to make a connection with everyone they meet. Your strong salespeople are not the ones who are shy or timid when talking with clients. Resolution-based: Every sales transaction is different, every customer has different needs. A strong salesperson is able to pivot any sales conversation to guide the consumer to the goods and services that fit their needs. Self-improvement: The world’s sales leaders are also still students them selves; there is always more to be learned no matter how long you have been in the sales industry. Some of the best sales candidates are active listeners who have a strong focus on self-improvement. Recruiting goal-oriented, motivated and coach able salespeople is the key difference between an average-performing salon and a strong one. Prior to interviewing, you will need to write a thorough job description. I recom mend enlisting your current salespeople to help with this. List exactly what traits your ideal candidate has, as well as a detailed description of what you expect from them. A well written description should draw the candidate to your organization as a whole, as well as the available position. Your job description needs to be easy to understand, appealing, and outline a realistic picture of what the potential role entails.

Once you have determined the type of salesperson you are looking for, as well as a future job description, now it’s time to recruit the ideal candidate. The first part of recruiting is getting the word out about your available position. I recommend reputable channels so that you attract a pool of quality prospective employees. Utilize your outer circle: Have you recently had a great experience with a salesperson at a retail establishment? I would contact them and see if they are a good fit for your organization. If they are happy where they are, ask if they know anyone who is like-minded that fits your requirements. I also recommend sharing your job description and candidate profile with as many people in your inner circle as possible. This is so they can potentially recommend someone they think will be a good fit for your company. LinkedIn and networking events are also great places to find sales-minded people open to explor ing new opportunities. We all know sales drives any company! Recruiting goal-oriented, motivated and coachable salespeople is the key differ ence between an average-performing salon and a strong one. 

About the Author: As Director of Brand Development for Devoted Creations’ family of brands, Lisa brings 17 years of industry experience, knowledge and

enthusiasm to all aspects of the business, including social media, product development, training, customer relations, public speaking and marketing strategies. Lisa worked at the salon level managing a large chain of salons, which infuses her sales training and brand concepts with real world experience.

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Lisa has been chosen the IST Magazine “Person of the Year” five times.

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July 2022