katieSST

My husband and I are getting ready to reopen a salon in our area. The previous owners are selling us EVERYTHING...but we plan on updating the furniture, paint, etc. to make it our own. It is a very small salon, but they had a large base of clients. It has 5 rooms, but only 3 are being used. I have a few questions though...

1. We want to incorporate a Mystic Tan into our salon. There is only one other salon in our area that provides this service, so I know it would be profitable. Since we are just starting out, I don't want to buy a brand new machine. Any advice on what model I should get? Also, is there any kind of plumbing invloved, since most of these machines have self cleaners?

2. The salon has 3 medium pressure beds and a cyclone stand up bed. The cyclone did not generate much business with the previous owners, but they used it as an extra bed for people who did not want to wait. Would you recommend keeping the stand up bed or replacing it with something else that may be more profitable?

3. We are also thinking about doing some sales in the salon, like candles or something...just to bring up our sales. Any good ideas for that?

Thanks!

rrm44

1. dont go with mystic. If the other salon has it, offer something better like the versa spa. I have seen some used ones for sale on here and tantoday.com. Plumbing is minimal. Basically you have a pipe where water can come in and out of the machine. Very simple and give better coverage and color than mystic.
2. what the **** is a medium pressure bed? I think they made that one up. There is low pressure, high pressure, and high performance. If it didn't generate much business for the previous owners, it probably wont for you either. Replace it!
3. try different things... you never know what will work

movieking

High performance? That's a new one.

rrm44

lol! thats what everyone down here call it, so i ended up stuck with it!

Black Sun

candles or Tanning? If you want to sell candles, look into opening a Yankee candle shop.

Tanning is tanning...stick with it, concentrate on it. Don't spread yourself thin by being a wal-mart...I could never understand tanning salons that sell bathing suits, sunglasses etc. Invest the money in upgrades to equipment and products that have a good return/profit margin.

Identify yourself as a tanning salon only.

Michelle N

See, now my way of thinking is that I would not want to sound as uneducated as the rest of the salons around.
I had the same thing - medium pressure (makes me cringe just to hear it in my head). I call my beds by their names. It is up to you to correctly educate your customers when they come in. Unless you don't want to be any better than the other salons....

Brian Oshman

Atta girl Michelle, smack 'em around.

katieSST

Well, now I know there is no such thing as a medium pressure bed. Just quoting the previous owner...and I'll be sure to correct him.

We have to do other sales...we don't live in a big city, so tanning alone just won't cut it.

What do you think about the Innovation Mystic Tan machine? I found one for a good price and it is only 2 years old. Anything in particular that I need to know about it?

Michelle N

Brian - I was waitin on you and after 3 days couldn't take it no more!

Poster - I wasn't trying to say that you are going to do the same thing as the previous owners. I have the same issues here where I am and I just choose to make myself the salon that educates the tanners on the correct equipment and tanning methods and explain the differences. It is an uphill battle (being different than the mainstream) but it does set me apart as my clients walk out of here with so much information every time they come in. So far, there has not been any question that I haven't known the answer for. I pride myself in the education that I have and that I provide for my tanners.
This is just part of the way I chose to set myself apart and it works well for me. I see too many salons that put anyone walking in their doors into any bed for full time and tell the person to just push the button. To me, that is not acceptable.

katieSST

oh I understand! I didn't take it personal or anything! :)