Advice For Managing A Counter

[swedyn08]

So, I am moving to San Francisco from Seattle on this Tuesday.

I found a job as a counter manager for Smashbox Cosmetics. I've worked at both Sephora and Ulta in the past so I am pretty familiar with the product. I love it and think it will be a really exciting thing.

I do have a couple concerns though!

I have never been in a real "leadership" role before and while I have many qualities that will make that aspect easy for me, I would still like if I could get a few pointers!

The counter I will be running had a manager who was promoted within Smashbox and then the counter manager who came after that fell very ill and kind of took the business down with her. I'll be coming in and in essence I will have to rebuild the business and clientel. It's in a smaller outerlying area in the bay area and the guests are the "smalltown" type that haven't really been able to experience much outside of the MAC world.

MAC is fabulous product, I would never put it down, but I know that I am enthusiastic enough about Smashbox that I could totally get people into my product.

What would you all reccomend I do to help build my business?

 

[baybehbekah]

well coming from a smashbox counter manager herself

its a tough business, at least for me. i feel it might be alittle easier for you because of your california location & the brand's awareness is there more but here in the northeast it is a struggle. really you have to get on the phone and start calling people. invite them in for a make-over, or as smashbox likes to say a "make up lesson" but with a brand like smashbox you really have to sell yourself. people will come back to you because they like you not because they are amazed by the brand itself. now don't get me wrong i think it is a beautiful product and i really do love the brand but coming from a small store and a one man counter its all about selling yourself and your knowledge to your clients. i am assuming you are working at nordstrom which is nice because their personal book system is really nice for cosmetics. if you can have your DM print a list of all the people that have purchased smashbox in the last 6 months or so and thats a great way to start. but thats what i would i do and i feel that it works for me. if you want more specifics on anything just let me know. hit me up with a PM or here but just know that the brand doesn't sell itself, its all about you

i dont know if you have a full timer or part timer but same idea, they have to sell themselves and be 100% in product knowledge.

and i find that in order to truly turn the brand (any brand) around you have to go through all 4 seasons, and then you'll start to see the return of customers. i have my loyal clients but for people to remember you're in nordstrom (assuming you are

) means you have to put in the time. the nice thing about smashbox is that they are really good for their support and really do want to push you forward in a positive way!

anyhoo, again if you have an questions i will try my best

but i'm sure you'll do great and find your niche! good luck

 

[claresauntie]

Hi, hon. Congrats on the job!

Working off of the previous poster's assumption, if you're at Nordstrom you have it a lot easier! Get your department manager to pull all of the Personal Book info from the previous counter manager (she'll probably do that anyway) and start sending Thank You Notes that also mention that you're now on the team. ("Hi, Ms. Jones. I'm ____, the new counter manager at Smashbox. I noticed you purchased some ____ and ____ recently. Isn't ____ a fabulous color? I love to pair it with ______. I wanted to take a moment to thank you for your time and your purchase, and hope you are loving your products - I'm sure you are! I know you have choices, and I appreciate that you thought of us here at Smashbox! I hope to work with you soon! Love and kisses from _____.") Nordies customers really love the thank you notes! You may write your hand off, but make 'em personal and write 'em often!

Organize events - multiple events. You have a great bunch of national artists, so use 'em! Get them in and think of some really inspired themes. You can obviously start with Spring Trends, but come up with some others. Have mini -events every Saturday to drum up interest in the counter.

Get your girls to walk around the mall on slow days and offer makeovers to teens. They love that sh!t! And if you get in with the local teens, they'll tell their friends who will tell their friends and you'll be slammed in no time.

Always touch base with the existing client base when you have an event, a shipment, or a new product.

Every time you contact a client, make sure you mention (or have your team mention) that there is a new counter manager - most clients know that this is a possible opportunity to come back to a brand they left due to frustration with staff. So your team needs to say "My new counter manager had a great idea - we're calling everyone who loved our xxxx product in the past and letting them know about yyy product that just came in because we think it's right up your alley!"

Ask your store manager if you can put "coupons" in the bathroom. If you can, get a pretty basket for each bathroom with the following: your business card and a coupon for a complimentary color matching - punch holes in them both and tie them with a pretty ribbon. Make the text nice "Come see us at Smashbox! Bring these cards to the Smashbox counter manager, ________, and she'll help you figure out what colors are best for you this Spring!" Even better if you can wrangle some sample size somethings-or-another to use to lure folks in - people love that! ("When you come in to find your Spring colors at Smashbox, get a complimentary sample of _______ if you bring these cards and ask for the ______, the new counter manager!"). Clearly, your staff can make cards with their names, too - don't make it just about you.

Search your client records for folks who bought foundation or skincare about 4 months ago - call them and say "I thought you may just be about out of your xxx product - when you come in to refill, do you want us to do a complimentary Spring color match for you? I can book that today!"

Get your team PSYCHED about the product again - talk about fun ways to wear the makeup, days where you all wear the same eyeshadows but in different ways to show the clients how it can look different. Plan contests with your team - the highest sales of the day on Saturday get a little Starbucks (or e-Bar if you're at Nordies) gift card; the highest # of products in a single sale during the week gets to pick a Saturday off. Pick a slow moving product and issue a challenge - sell 5 this week and get an appropriate reward (lunch on you?). Who booked the most guests for the next event? YOU WIN A PRIZE! Each morning, congratulate each member of the team for something in writing on a pad you keep at the counter - anything true. (Becky - great job on that prom makeup! Susy - you handled a bad situation with style! Phil - way to sell!) Morale is your focus! Getting your team enthused will get your clients enthused.

Thank everyone. Your staff - every single day. Your clients at every sale, at the end of every call, at every "drive by" at the counter even if they don't buy.

Always introduce yourself and challenge yourself to remember your guests faces and names (if possible). And if you are at Nordstrom - USE PERSONAL BOOK! It will save your life!

 

[swedyn08]

I would like to thank you both for your excellent advice!

I think that this will definitely be a brand where I will have to work hard to sell myself. Really upstaging the fact that I am the new counter manager and introducing myself to EVERY guest as well as making a strong effort to remember the names of every guest who comes to my counter will really do a lot as far as bringing people back to Smashbox.

Enthusiasm is always important! The way you hold yourself will directly impact the way your guests act and in turn feel about the product. If you act as if the product is mediocre and the guest does for whatever reason take it home, they will be very inclined to return it. If you're excited and love it, then it gets them excited too and they feel confident not only in you but in your product.

I definitely agree about the brand presence. Since Smashbox Studios and their modeling agency and everything are all based in California, it's far more likely to be a familiar brand here then anywhere else.

I LOVE the idea about the thank you cards. I remember recieving one a long time ago, and as dorky as it sounds I got little butterflies in my stomach because I genuinely felt that the brand who sent it truly appreciated ME and not just my money. Whatever the case, I would love to give that same feeling of appreciation to every guest that I am going to have. Working on promotional things, events, and freebies whether it be samples or color matching types, would be a great way to drive business in too.

I think that I will be able to bring people in because I plan on staying with Smashbox for the long haul and having a familiar face will always bring guests back.

Thank you so much for everything!

 

[lara]

Claresauntie, that's a fantastic post. I'm new to management as well and whilst I'm an operational wizard (hand me a P&P/store operations book and give me fifteen minutes, and I'll have the whole thing memorised with time to spare) but I've still got my training wheels on in regards to driving events, capturing interest above and beyond our regular traffic, etc etc etc.

I second building yourself with the brand - I introduce myself to everyone, always give out my card with purchases, encourage people to come back and tell me how they went with their products, and to call me with any questions and whatnot. I've been making this a personal focus and it's really started to pay off in the last month or so. I've always had people come back and ask for me (usually in the form of 'that bubbly girl with glasses and black hair') but now people are asking for me by name and don't want to deal with anyone else. Always a great ego boost!

 

[amoona]

Which Smashbox are you going to be at out here? Downtown or Stonestown? If you're going to be Downtown then you'll be good - that entire cosmetics department at Nordstroms does pretty well. If you're going to be at Stonestown then you're really going to have to work it. The MAC there does well but I rarely even see an associate at Smashbox or a customer. But you seem like you're excited and that's the most important thing. Your enthusiasm will show through with customers.

I don't work at a Nordstroms but it seems like you've got great advice from everyone already. Good luck, and let me know which one you'll be at I'll come and say hi.

 

[swedyn08]

Quote:

Originally Posted by amoona Which Smashbox are you going to be at out here? Downtown or Stonestown? If you're going to be Downtown then you'll be good - that entire cosmetics department at Nordstroms does pretty well. If you're going to be at Stonestown then you're really going to have to work it. The MAC there does well but I rarely even see an associate at Smashbox or a customer. But you seem like you're excited and that's the most important thing. Your enthusiasm will show through with customers. I don't work at a Nordstroms but it seems like you've got great advice from everyone already. Good luck, and let me know which one you'll be at I'll come and say hi.

I will be at the Nordstrom's in Pleasanton. The Stoneridge shopping center.

 

[baybehbekah]

Claresauntie, that was an amazing post! i wish i read that when i started! great advice!

 

[amoona]

o ok i thought u were going to be in san francisco. sorry i don't know about that mall that's far out. good luck though!

 

[Robeka Steam]

Hi Everyone,

I did a search for what to expect as a counter manager and found this forum, very helpful!!

I'm in the same boat as far as looking for advice from my fellow peers in the industry, I am happy to say I got a starting part-time position at Sephora vs. the counter manager position.

I am really happy and I am going to be getting additional training with skin care and color!