gravesmc

What can I say? Thanks to everyone who took the time to reply. We we know we have to stay positive and move forward with everything we have, and knowing we have everything to loose, including our home, if we don't continue. I felt so much better after reading these posts. We started getting scared when the $100,000 we put up for this project (against our home) is almost gone and we are still not open. It took awhile to get an electrician, and the cost was $12,000!!!! We had no idea it would be that much. We have done everything we could to keep the costs down. My husband built all the rooms by himself, and the counter. We have done all the work ourselves , which is why it has been taking so long to open, but at least is will be in the busier season. That will help keep us motivated and we know we have to save it all for the slow times. We will keep our personal spending at a the lowest we can to survive.
It is going to be hard to get the customers from the competition. They know we are opening have have been running constant sales. I am going to offer free tans for the weekend we open to get them in our door, but of course, they will use up their packages first, before and IF they change over to us. I am going to work as many of the hours I can and hire one employee since we will be open until 10:00 pm (That's what the two biggest competition has for hours) I am going to offer 10% off to the hospital employees, students, and the local gyms, something the others are not doing. What is the best way to advertise? So many people don't get the newspaper anymore, but I feel we at least need a grand opening add in the paper. We will do radio, and our salon is located on a very busy intersection, so window advertising will be good.
We have decent new beds, including a Mystic Spray, which the salon down the road does not have. That was a big expense, but hopefully it will be worth it.
We know we will not make any money for awhile. We just pray that we will make it.

geminitanning

Do a postcard mail-out for the area advertising your grand opening. I would skip the newspaper ad, but that's just me. I never saw much success from them.

Black Sun

Opening up a business in this economy, with a presidential administration totally against small businesses is a death wish.

A salon 2 miles from me opened last month. Real nice place, top of the line UWE beds (2-I-Dreams in place, Cayenes etc). They can't even get hired help. This is an industry which at a time had HS girls lining up to apply for a job in a tanning salon. When nobody now a-days don't want to work in a salon, what message does it send for thosse who would tan?

It is no longer a "build it and they will come" industry. There are many negative forces both in/out of the industry that are making this more than a risk.

A nice coffee emporium would have been a better choice

gravesmc

That is a great idea!! How do you know who to send them to?

dnjplus6

Check with your local post office. They may be able to help you with what mail routes you want to target. Ours has a card program that will do it all for a pretty cheap price. We are considering it.

Organicshimmer

Gravesmc are you still in business? How is it doing?

Esglow

I just wanted to add that I think it is important that in times of desperation to not devalue your services by cheapening them just to make a buck now. I see a lot of salons do this keep your beds clean and your lamps fresh and your prices fair! You will be thankful down the road and customers won't except a deal of the week.

__________________
Erica/Love My Tan

suncitypembroke

Let me start off by saying , there are leader and follower, which are you??? I to started my business from the equity of my home except I put it all in.150,00 plus another 50,000 final count over 300,00, started from nothing to 6 figure a years, it took awhile but it there. Depress over what your dream, we all dream but sooner or later one of those dream will come tru, now your dream is here and you want to fail before it start, Little piece of advice DO NOT THINK ABOUT MONEY, only sucess, with that MONEY will come, Stop wimpering and start your dream,or you WILL lose it all. I now have 2 salon and work for all I have , didnt know nothing about tanning but gave it my all and learn all I could and now it paying off. Just be Mindfull at what ever you do and it will all work out...Your friend Joe

delany

making 6 figures does not mean you are making a profit. I have plenty of friends that have salons that make 6 figures, but that only covers their expenses, they are not taking a salary, working open to close and have not even started to pay themselves back for the investment they put it.

I always think about money. Without that, you can not have a successful business. If you run out of it, how are you staying open? if you dont make any, again, how are you staying open? Yes to think success sounds fantastic, but in the end, we are all working towards making money.

gravesmc

Thank you so much for asking.
Only just now saw this post. It has been soooo busy!!! I am doing well and will soon be celebrating our 1st year in business. February and March have been awesome, and I am getting new customers still on a daily basis, mostly by referals. Still working most of the hours myself, but I'm hoping to have my bank loan and cc paid off in 3 years, then maybe I can make some money. We keep the spending at an absolute minimum though...I'm used to going to bed hungry some nights but I beleive we will survive this business.