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View Poll Results: Do you give the first tan free?
Yes 24 29.63%
No 57 70.37%
Voters: 81. You may not vote on this poll

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Old 07-14-2012, 06:08 AM   #1 (permalink)
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Do you give the first tan free?

Why or why not?
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Old 07-14-2012, 08:05 AM   #2 (permalink)
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Re: Do you give the first tan free?

I do not, because they'll use that and buy nothing else. I use the buy one get one free.
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Old 07-14-2012, 08:24 AM   #3 (permalink)
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Re: Do you give the first tan free?

NO...............
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Old 07-14-2012, 08:26 AM   #4 (permalink)
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Re: Do you give the first tan free?

I did that back in 98 and quickly dominated my market and man was the comp po'd. Now that almost everyone around here does it; it has little impact.

I would say it depends on the situation. In my higher priced concept, I do not use it; I use the BOGO like parrot head.

I like what one large chain does; they offer a tour of the salon for around $10 and it includes all 4 levels even the HP and top VHO beds. It is a loss leader for sure, but once you have been there for 4 sessions; would you go anywhere else? You would also have to have top notch sales scripts to land them into an EFT that matches with their tastes.

I think the bottom line to this never ending discussion is this: If it is part of a well thought out sales structure and there is a clear mapping to landing the client, then go for it. If you are just doing it to get a body in the door in hopes of them staying, don’t do it.
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Old 07-14-2012, 09:32 AM   #5 (permalink)
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Re: Do you give the first tan free?

We always used it as a sales tool. Once you qualify the customer it can be very useful:

Phone rings and it it a person looking to get information about the salon. They have just moved into the area. Offer them a free visit to the salon.

Phone rings and it is someone asking how far the salon is from Marriot. No reason to offer them a free tan.

It is a VERY useful sales tool when used correctly. Remember tanners tan. Meaning most of your customers are not looking for just one tan so giving them a free tan in order to get them into your salon for the first time is a good investment. We figured it was an advertising expense.
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Old 07-14-2012, 10:01 AM   #6 (permalink)
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Re: Do you give the first tan free?

Here is a link to a write up puretan did on us back in the day. I would have never hit 4,200 new clients in my first year without a good marketing plan and a way to get them in the door; the first tan free.

http://www.puretan.net/Puretan/Revie...?media2Id=1684

As I was reading this, something stood out. I forgot about a promotion we did where people would come out and do some crazy stunt to get free tanning for a week. One guy had local radio jockeys pour milk on him and proclaim that he was now super white and now needed a tan. With today’s Youtube and Facebook, something similar would generate quite a bit of buzz. Hmmmm….

Something funny... my base beds were 28 lamp units!
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Old 07-14-2012, 10:50 AM   #7 (permalink)
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Re: Do you give the first tan free?

4200 new claints in one year? Heck it's takin' me 6 years and I don't have many more then that. I must be doing something right, because my doors are still open, though. No debt and watching my expenses, I'm sure, have a lot to do with this. At this time of the year, I normally have a nice cushion of savings going into the "not so busy" time of the year; not this year.
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Old 07-14-2012, 11:06 AM   #8 (permalink)
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Re: Do you give the first tan free?

Well, 98-99-2000 were great years for tanning; boom time. Much more challenging now.
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Old 07-14-2012, 11:25 AM   #9 (permalink)
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Re: Do you give the first tan free?

Boom time was also when I started, 1986. I had 24 lamp beds and could charge anything I wanted.
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Old 07-14-2012, 04:55 PM   #10 (permalink)
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Re: Do you give the first tan free?

Quote:
Originally Posted by parrot head View Post
Boom time was also when I started, 1986. I had 24 lamp beds and could charge anything I wanted.

Yep................ Had 20 of them ............ $60 a month
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