sellnsun201

We hold a 1 day event the beginning of March, everyone tans free, and we offer some great one day specials, without trying to give away the store at the beginning of the season. It is a great traffic day that kicks off the season and we say goodbye to Jason. But after many years, we feel we do the same specials. That being said, we need some fresh ideas, please share anything that has been successful for you. Thanks!!

SunseraWarman

What kind of specials do you run?

CrystalSS

Get about 15 cute little bags from the dollar store. Put in about 8-10 free sample packs in them....using the free sample packs you built up all year. Then give them as a gift with purchase for buying larger minutes packs. It is only the cost of a $1.00 bag you bought. Then show it as getting over $50 in free samples with purchase.

SunseraWarman

I would add on to this and say to make sure they are all samples of lotion that you currently carry so if the client likes it, they can buy a full bottle.

peach

People will buy stuff in your store, but not at the inflated MSRP prices that we like to charge in this industry. You don't have to give stuff away!

Businesses make billions of dollars selling stuff for a dollar. Try that. Try selling packettes for a $1. Sell 5 for $4, sell 10 for $8. it will help you sell bottles and it will discourage Walmart lotions and internet sales. We must change this old school paradigm that there are lotions worth $100. Most people couldn't afford that even if the lotion cured wrinkles and the common cold.

SunseraWarman

We go for high margins over high volume. We don't under value any of our products or services. Tanning is a luxury; luxuries are targeted at people with more disposable income.

I agree that there is a place in the market for higher volume, lower margin salons however that isn't our goal.

peach

Your strategy goes against all economic principles of supply and demand.

You are selling a homogeneous product (a product-a lotion ie Snooki that is exactly the same). In the long run you will not be able to continue selling the exact same product for $100 that is being sold elsewhere for $30. Your sales will drop and continue to drop until you sell your products at the equilibrium price- where supply and demand meet.

Right now you are losing sales, you just don't know it or just don't care. Even rich people will not spend their money foolishly.

SunseraWarman

Until my sales drop (which they haven't since we have opened) then I see no need to under value my products.


At our beauty salon a woman can get her hair cut for $40. At a salon 5 minutes away a woman can get the exact same service for $15. They have been struggling, we haven't.

peach

"Tanning is a luxury; luxuries are targeted at people with more disposable income."

-If we are going to ever grow this industry, we have to make indoor tanning accessible to more than the rich. Most of my customers are not rich; they want to tan, but cannot afford $100 packages and $100 lotions. So, our premium package that includes HP is $65 a month and the highest priced lotions (JWWOW) is $50-$60. Most of my lotions are name brand but sell in the $10-$40 range.

My goal is not higher margin or higher volume; my goal is higher revenue.

sunrisetan

You don't sell minutes do you?