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Old 07-13-2014, 12:01 PM   #1 (permalink)
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Thumbs down OUR JASON STARTED IN APRIL..........>

This year, our second quarter sucked. Normally, a cold wet (haven't hit close to 90 degrees) quarter would be great. April was down over 20%, May was down almost 50%, and our June was down 60%. With the cool wet spring, our sales should have been up, but a sign of the times to come, come all too early. I should have closed a year ago, because July will be my first month in over 28 years, that I won't make expenses. This is really bad because I own the building, and don't have rent to pay.
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Old 07-13-2014, 01:19 PM   #2 (permalink)
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Re: OUR JASON STARTED IN APRIL..........>

Yup.............. This whole season was just not right. We need an election year soon !
I think people have money but are to darn scared to spend it. I'm trying a couple of free upgrade days for awile. First one was great, second not so much. Trying it for 3 more weeks.
First time in over 20 years I have cut hours.
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Old 07-13-2014, 03:46 PM   #3 (permalink)
 
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Re: OUR JASON STARTED IN APRIL..........>

We've been lucky, up every month this year...also net way up as we lost our manager better than a month ago and absorbing the hours ourselves until late fall til we rehire replacements.
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Old 07-15-2014, 11:44 AM   #4 (permalink)
 
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Re: OUR JASON STARTED IN APRIL..........>

I know it is possible for sales to fluctuate. The question that you must ask your self: Am I doing everything possible to maximize the income potential of my salon? Are there things that I should be doing that i am not doing? If sales decline in any given month, that can be possible for any salon. However if your sales are declining month after month, you must make changes because that trend will not change without making changes.

When salon owners ask me, how much business should I be doing, my answer is always the same. Based on todays tanning industry trends and consumer, if you have a proven business model and you are doing everything you should be doing in terms of marketing and advertising, your salon will maximize its income potential. If your salon is showing a steady decline in sales you need to evaluate and make changes. Pure and simple an salon must always be evolving.

That is clear to see when salons say I am doing terrible while other salon owners say I am doing great.

At times it can be difficult to admit that you need help because you don't know how to stop the bleeding. So the easy thing is to blame the industry or anything other than yourself.

What is wrong with your salon? What should you be doing differently? That is different from salon to salon. Your salon must be evaluated based on what you are and are not doing?

There comes a point when you just lose interest and are tired. That is the result of experiencing failure. However that can be changed when you experience successes. It starts by stooping the decline in sales and moving them back in the positive direction. That is done by making changes, in some cases small changes, in many cases major changes. Without change there can be no change.

I am truly sorry to hear your numbers are declining at such a major rate. You have a major decision to make. Do you want to be responsible for fixing what must be fixed. Are you willing to accept that you have been responsible for your salons decline. Are you willing to to make changes that may take a great deal more effort than you have been giving?
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Old 07-15-2014, 12:25 PM   #5 (permalink)
 
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Re: OUR JASON STARTED IN APRIL..........>

Sometimes, just the fact that you have been there a long time is itself a problem that needs to be overcome. It is a perception problem with the public, and may have nothing to do with you or your store. look at the industries that have the same problem. Nightclub and restaurants are good examples. Sometimes, there just is nothing you can do short of a name change, ownership change, or complete remodel to change the slide. Some owners are just not up to that after 20 + years.

Also, I you are having a seriously off year, do not feel alone, no matter what you hear on these sites. 2014 1st quarter US GDP was off by at least 3%; that may be revised downward this quarter. If GDP is negative again this quarter, then we are technically in a recession (again).

In vegas, the streets are lighted and paved with gold. Everyone who comes back from a week in vegas, came back a winner....who is paying for the bling down there? If the few success stories we hear were the norm, there wouldn't be 10 salons a week for sale on these sites.
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Old 07-15-2014, 01:42 PM   #6 (permalink)
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Re: OUR JASON STARTED IN APRIL..........>

Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Underhill View Post
I know it is possible for sales to fluctuate. The question that you must ask your self: Am I doing everything possible to maximize the income potential of my salon? Are there things that I should be doing that i am not doing? If sales decline in any given month, that can be possible for any salon. However if your sales are declining month after month, you must make changes because that trend will not change without making changes.

When salon owners ask me, how much business should I be doing, my answer is always the same. Based on todays tanning industry trends and consumer, if you have a proven business model and you are doing everything you should be doing in terms of marketing and advertising, your salon will maximize its income potential. If your salon is showing a steady decline in sales you need to evaluate and make changes. Pure and simple an salon must always be evolving.

That is clear to see when salons say I am doing terrible while other salon owners say I am doing great.

At times it can be difficult to admit that you need help because you don't know how to stop the bleeding. So the easy thing is to blame the industry or anything other than yourself.

What is wrong with your salon? What should you be doing differently? That is different from salon to salon. Your salon must be evaluated based on what you are and are not doing?

There comes a point when you just lose interest and are tired. That is the result of experiencing failure. However that can be changed when you experience successes. It starts by stooping the decline in sales and moving them back in the positive direction. That is done by making changes, in some cases small changes, in many cases major changes. Without change there can be no change.

I am truly sorry to hear your numbers are declining at such a major rate. You have a major decision to make. Do you want to be responsible for fixing what must be fixed. Are you willing to accept that you have been responsible for your salons decline. Are you willing to to make changes that may take a great deal more effort than you have been giving?
You are sooooooo full of it
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Old 07-15-2014, 03:32 PM   #7 (permalink)
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Re: OUR JASON STARTED IN APRIL..........>

The perception that my decline is due to the fact, that I have failed to keep my salon fresh, and interesting is somewhat true. My equipment is all about 9 years old, but in excellent condition. Every piece on my equipment, is operational, and as clean as new. I keep my salon spick and span, with no dust bunnies anywhere. I'm sure if I bought all new equipment, I could increase my sales somewhat, but surely not my bottom line. At this point in my career, I would be foolish to spend money, I would never get back. As for my customers going to my competition, I have no competition. My salon is new and fresh every September with new freshmen and transfer students coming to college. The enrollment increases every year here, but my sales continue to decline. Bottom line here is, there are some things which I could do better, but other influences are effecting my drastic decline more.
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Old 07-16-2014, 03:02 AM   #8 (permalink)
 
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Re: OUR JASON STARTED IN APRIL..........>

Yes, a good tan at a fair price just isn't good enough anymore. You need billboards all over town with " 1st month of tanning for $18.88" The bottom line is that the tanning industry has tried now for 30 years to turn indoor tanning into a full time year round business model. We have succeeded in doing the exact opposite. It is getting more seasonal and shorter than it ever has been. The best that we can seem to do is to try to get people to finance 2 months worth of tanning over 12 months.
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Old 07-16-2014, 08:03 AM   #9 (permalink)
 
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Re: OUR JASON STARTED IN APRIL..........>

I don't offer the low eft...hoping they don't use it in order to be profitable. Our most bought packages are $100 and $200, and a $55 monthly plan. This helps us, even in the off Jason months. Don't have to sell but a few of each daily to have decent days.
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Old 07-17-2014, 03:36 PM   #10 (permalink)
 
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Re: OUR JASON STARTED IN APRIL..........>

Quote:
Originally Posted by parrot head View Post
The perception that my decline is due to the fact, that I have failed to keep my salon fresh, and interesting is somewhat true. My equipment is all about 9 years old, but in excellent condition. Every piece on my equipment, is operational, and as clean as new. I keep my salon spick and span, with no dust bunnies anywhere. I'm sure if I bought all new equipment, I could increase my sales somewhat, but surely not my bottom line. At this point in my career, I would be foolish to spend money, I would never get back. As for my customers going to my competition, I have no competition. My salon is new and fresh every September with new freshmen and transfer students coming to college. The enrollment increases every year here, but my sales continue to decline. Bottom line here is, there are some things which I could do better, but other influences are effecting my drastic decline more.
Parrot, you can't be losing clients to comp if you don't have any, so improving your store would not make a difference. If your clientele is mostly college. your comp is the economy and the kids perception of tanning. Neither one of those is going in your favor.
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