Marketing for the Holidays

The holiday season has finally arrived! We who all who work in the tanning industry know that we have not four but three seasons to work with (spring, summer, and the holiday’s). After the last few months of work being slow, the holidays is the perfect time to bring in much needed income. But the holiday season is short with only two months, so the time is now, and the word must be got out before it’s to late.

A main source of income this time of year in the tanning industry is the spray on tan. Spray tanning with airbrush and turbine equipments is an easy and inexpensive way to add income to our salons. Equipment is affordable and also other products like the spray tanning solutions and tan extenders. You also can make higher profits on spray tan services than you’re tanning beds and airbrush tanning also saves on energy cost.

This time of year, customers are all looking for some kind of good deal. With times being hard, we all have less money in our pockets to splurge on our pampered perks. So step up your game with your assisting clients by offering them some kind of incentive. Discounts on tanning packages are always a good option or you could offer a discount or free spray tan. Whatever you may offer, make sure it gives them something to look forward to and something to make them feel special. In return, your customer will become a more loyal member to your salon and talk more about you to others who are potential customers.

As most of you already know, the best business we receive is by word of mouth. Our clients are our biggest form of advertising and yet sometimes we forget this. Get your clients talking about your salon or mobile services to others is not hard at all. Try making about 50 free tan gift cards for your most valued clients this holiday season. Give each one of your valued customers a gift card to give to someone else. The point is to have potential clients come in and try your services. Hopefully that person will join and become a new member bring more business to your salon.

Keep in mind that giving away something for free is going to cost you, so you must do everything you can to get that person to buy. This is where your customer service really needs to be at the top of its game. Step outside of your box and try to see what a new person may think when they walk in your salon.

Appearance will have their first reaction so make sure everything is clean and orderly. You want them to see your salon as well managed with a scent of cleanliness in the air.

The second thing they will notice is the person working behind the counter. Workers must have a clean and neat appearance and a smile on their face, with a prompt greeting, welcoming them to the salon. This shows customer service is a priority and they want be disappointed.

Performance of your equipment will be the next thing they notice and so make sure all equipment is cleaned and running smoothly.

Before new client leave, ask them how they liked your salon or see if they will fill out a short and private questionnaire. A great option when giving out free tans and also allows you to get customer feed back on how you can make your salon or services better.


Another option that must be considered is other local salons. If you think about it, tanning is apart of the beauty industry just like hair and nails. Some salons offer multiple services but at the same time, some of us specialize in just one area. It’s these types of salons that should come together and help each other. By helping each other we in return find a bigger local market. Start a referral program with these other salons. Get local hair and nail salons to refer your tanning salon or mobile services to their clients and in return you will refer your clients to them. All that really needs to be done is the exchange of business cards to give to customers. Make sure there is some understanding on how cards are given out. The person giving out the cards needs to be aware of what they say about the other business and know a little about it.

Back when I started doing mobile tanning, I came up with this idea of giving a free spray tan to hairdressers once a month. In return all they had to do was give out my business card to clients interested in spray tanning. I ended up building a whole cliental within three months and was doing mobile tanning services full time. The gallon of tanning solution a purchase to do those free spray tans each month was the best marketing I ever did.

Some of you may know I worked in a tanning salon for several years before the owner closed. I had so many ideas and fell in love with the industry and the people and I knew from then on, what my career was going to be in. I asked the owner to buy the airbrush equipment she had (which was Badger Airbrush) and all the tanning solutions she had. But instead of selling it to me, she gave me the equipment and products telling me “You’ve been good to me, now its time I’m good to you. Take the equipment and go make something of yourself.” I hope I did her proud and she is smiling at me now.

From Tanning salons, to mobile tanning, and now my own company selling tanning equipment, I have to say, my greatest joy has always been working with my clients. I love you all and hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Gina ManisOwner Sunless Tan Masters LLC

Promoting Spray Tans in the Winter Months

Winter is just around the corner and as we all know our tans will be going into hiding very soon. Tanning in the winter just doesn’t seem as important as to the rest of the year.  But there are those moments, where a little cleavage is needed and we need the nice golden and rejuvenating tan skin that makes us all feel young and desirable again.  What better way to tan for those moments than with a spray tan?
Salons and business owners should take this time to market their spray tan services more.  Give deals and when I say deals I mean GREAT deals. Think about it for a moment.  By bringing in more spray tan customers you can boost sales and cut expenses. Here are a few;

• Spray tanning is fast and easy.
• Solutions are less expense than ever before.
• You save power with spray equipment over tanning beds.
• Your customer will feel instantly better with their appearance.
• By helping your customers save, they feel more appreciated to you.
• Prepare for the sale by ordering in Gallons or more bulk.

Depending on what you charge for your services, think about cutting your prices in half or close to it. You may be thinking that is too much. But if you can have a customer come in twice as much as before, would your sales still not be about the same?  Sure you may be buying a little more on solutions than before but maybe you also can look into something less costly in blends of solutions for this type of special. The point is you need to keep those customers coming in and if your customer feels they are getting a deal, they will be back.

Some ideas on promotions are (example);

• 5 Tans for $50
• $10 Tan a week
• Buy 5 Tans get 6^th Free
• Free Spray Tan with any Tan Package
• Mother and Daughter Special’s
• Couple’s Special
• Holiday & Event Special

Modify them to suite your needs. Have restrictions or time frames where needed.

Marketing is the key factor in upping your clientele this time of year.  A promotion this big should hit all key areas in marketing for your business.  You will want to start with your own client base to start. The customers that are coming to should be the first to know of your promotions. Also change it up a bit and offer different specials at certain times or have more than one going on. Get the word out to your local area and bring in signup bonuses for new clients. Get those gears turning in your heads and come with a creative way to market your items and services.

Winter is not a loss. Many small salons cut back business hours because business is slow this time of year.  But you do not have to cut those hours. You have to be innovative and refresh.   Sure your sales may not be as good as they are in the peak season but you can still make a decent profit for your business.  We all take a loss this time of year because we are a seasonal business. But we don’t have to just go with it. We can fight against it and make our businesses stronger, better, and bigger than ever before. Success never happens overnight but takes time. So good luck this winter and I hope to hear what all of you will be doing to promote spray tanning this winter.

Safety while Spray Tanning

Due to the new allegations by, ABC News, that spray tanning is not safe; we must take matters into our hands and fight the war FOR safety within our businesses. Protective materials are needed for our workers and also our clients. Another bar has been set for spray tanners and it is time for us to learn new techniques and better habits in the protection of all around us.

A new safety line will be on display through us by the end of June. These products will able to better protect us all. In the line you will see nose filters for clients and masks for worker to use whichever they may like.  Eye covers for clients and safety glasses for workers will also be listed products. Package lip balms and even though you may already have them, gloves to.
Please respond if you have any questions and we will be glad to help. You can read more below on the news reports that were mentioned above.

We are still in August but some of you may be noticing a slight decrease in business this month. This is the time of year many salons across the US start to see a decline in business and customers coming in. Like clock work every year, we as salons have our peak time and our slow times, but this doesn't mean we can't still have good business coming in. It is time for us to put our thinking caps on and come up with a plan to boost our sales and offer something different and unique. So let's bring all our ideas to the blog and start posting them for everyone to see. Your ideas are welcome and we hope we can offer a few of our own.

Is Spray Tanning Safe ? The Uproar in 2012

The question is really unknown at this time.  ABC News  came out with a broadcast last week which states within it that sunless tanners are not safe. This has brought many of you who do spray tanning to us for more information.  Even though it has not yet been proven that spray tanning is dangerous, we need to take better precautions with our health and with others.
In the broadcast, Joe Levy a salon owner himself and a spokesman for the spray tanning industry, was questioned about the hazards of the DHA ingredients for in Spray tanning solutions.  I feel that he did a great job in defending the salon industry in the broadcast.  He later posted a video on Youtube stating that he felt that ABC was targeting salons but not other main distribution companies for their lack of warnings on these products. You can see what he had to say himself on You Tube now with Joe Levy.
 FDA has always had DHA (dihydroxyacetone) listed as safe for external uses such as on the skin but not for internal uses.  Their last update on their findings were in Aug 2006 and there statement is published online for you to see. (FDA- DHA dihydroxyacetone)
The Scientific Committees of Europe  also has a study on DHA that you might like to see.
Another new article was posted on Yahoo News about Spray tanning  and the dangers you may face. You may like to see what they have written in this.
These articles and broadcast are really focusing on spray tanning and salons who do these types of services. It is hard to say yet on where this may take us in the near future but we do need to get on top of it now. Sunless Tan Masters will be listing several new safety products for spray tanners around the end of June. We will also be coming up with new disposable bundle sets that may be able to help salons cut these extra cost.
As for consumers who use salons for spray tanning, they could see a rise in cost due to these new safety precautions. 

So many states and organizations across the US are trying to get underage clients ban from tanning beds.  What does this mean for our salons and our business?  With so many of our client underage, how are we to fulfill the loss of income we will face? On top of the new tan tax on our beds, we have so much to think about and how our businesses will be changing in the near future. We love to hear your opinions and how you may be dealing with these issues.

Is a Mobile Tan Business right for You?

Helping people with the purchase of spray tan equipment, whether it is for their homes, salon and spa businesses or even mobile tanning, has been a pleasure of mine.  This time of year I am helping more salons than ever before, in the purchase new equipment for there businesses. But it is the small personal businesses which are looking to get started that I would like to focus on in this blog today. There are many challenges and questions that need to be answered before even the purchase of equipment itself. So lets ask the big questions and see if a mobile tanning business is right for you.

Question One: Who will be my competition and how are there services? Research is key for your local areas. You need to know what others are doing and what type of deals and services they perform. Remember they already have a place of business that is viewed in your area and already have some marketing in play. So you need to be creative and know how to step it up an notch. Don't just do this one time but research your competition often to see what they are doing new. I always think it is best to come up with at least one new idea a month.
Question Two: What type of marketing can I do and how much do I have to spend? Many of your clients at first will come from word of mouth spread by your friends and family and there are many things you can do there in spreading the word. But to make a successful business, you always need to bring in new clients. Check local papers, radios, bulletins, billboards, and other local medias to find what is working for others. Also look online for local listing and place your business in some of them. With more people having the web at their finger tips, you can't go wrong there. Know what you have to spend and stick with a budget for several months and try different things. Have those friends also helping you out, they won't mind giving a review or giving a card out here and there. They want you to succeed.
Question Three: How much time are you looking to invest and how far will you go? With mobile tanning, your on the go, so you need to be flexible with your hours as much as possible. You also need to know how far in your local areas you will travel since this also deals with your time. Stick with certain areas and don't travel outside of them unless it is really worth it (say a tanning party or something big). Keep plenty of time between appointment so your never late and make sure you always have clear direction to where your going. Trust me, getting lost and being late, is not professional.
Question Four: What do I need to know for my business and the education of skincare? Spray tanning is about skincare and a look people are trying to preconceive. They want to look good and knowing about skin type and issues will really help you along the way. You don't need to know everything but learn the basic skin types and about skin tones. Common issues like breakouts, dry skin, oily skin, and even skin cancers and knowing what products can help with each will give your clients a respect for you and what you do. It doesn't matter if the client know about a certain treatment or not, they will be grateful that you know and at least care more about them than just a spray tan session. So do your homework, write notes, or even get pamphlets from local dermatologist office to help you and your clients. Finding a online training course for spray tanning is always good because they have many of these topics covered.
Question Five: Do you have the right attitude to be a tanning professional? You might wonder why I ask this but it is a question that should be asked. People who succeed in this business are outgoing, friendly, and can show a positive and professional manner. Who you are in your business, will in the end having them come back again and again. Your clients will want to like you and be comfortable about letting you in there homes and the privacy you can offer them. You have to give of yourself and at the same time know when to hold back. Your business will strive in not only what you have to offer them in a product and service but as a friend.

Even though there are only five questions, they are very big ones. You have to commit to each one of them if your going to be a successful mobile business. Mobile tanning can be fun and interesting and has shown me many rewards. But it starts with you and only you can make it a success. So know your stuff and lay the ground work before purchasing equipment. Buying equipment and supplies is quiet easy compared to all the other. And there are many professionals online to help you along the way.

We try to bring you some great specials here and there throughout the year.  Since this is the time many of you like to stock up on supplies and solutions, we are running a special on some of popular brands in gallons.  Check them out under our Discounts & Specials Tab at the top of your screen.

We have also finally been abe to bring back our amazon checkout.  It was taken off at the end of last year due to our system was doing an upgrade and a feature within that program was not working correctly. NOW, everything is back and running and we know are glad to welcome back our amazon customers.

You may also be seeing better deals on our disposable items and larger packages. Our suppliers have really worked with us to be able to bring better pricing and a better product to all of you. Please contact us if you have any questions regarding these items.

And Finally, a new collection of tanning solutions have come our way this month. The Tanning Essentials Collection of spray tan solutions is a wonderful high quality product that gives excellent results. The brands covered are the ever popular organic blends of Celestial Tan, and Focus. And lets not leave out the LiquidSun and That's So blends that are also organic blends.

So much is going on and happening right now for many of our Salon owners across the nation. We are here to help by phone or email support whenever you may need. We may still be small but we are growing and it is because of great customers like you who make us a success. So please keep your feedbacks coming and we will keep on improving in our services to make things more easy for you all. With shout of Good Luck, we wish you all the best.

Now you can purchase the popular Maxi-Mist Tanning System and the Pro System in an arrangement of colors.
This machine is one of our most popular for mobile businesses, home and smaller salons. The regular bronze color machine with basic spray gun is $319 and if you would like it in another color it is only $100 more. You can also get this in the Pro System with Pro series and basic spray guns at additional cost.
The maxi mist systems also comes with extra cups, a spare part kit with rings and filters, and you also 4 free samples of tanning solution to start you off.
We hope you like this new feature of color options with your machine and please let us know if you have any questions.