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Old 03-25-2011, 01:55 PM   #1 (permalink)
 
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Tanning Salon Survey

First off I am a newbie here and have found lots of great information. I am working on opening a new tanning salon and as part of my business plan want to do a questioniare online to get a better grip on what the community would like in a tanning facility. My plan is to run an anonymous ad in our local paper asking a few pointed questions about other local tanning facilities (like- tired of outdated tanning beds) and then giving a website address to go take a survey of what they would like to see in a salon, price they are willing to pay, etc.

Being new to the tanning industry, the questions I can think to ask in this survey are limited. Can you'll provide me with some questions to ask so I can do a good survey.

Thanks
Larry
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Old 03-25-2011, 02:56 PM   #2 (permalink)
 
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Re: Tanning Salon Survey

I am confused. Is this a questionaire to satisfy your own curiosity as to whether opening a tanning salon is feasible?

Or is it to complete a biz plan?

Either way, it is, IMO, a waste. First off, by placing it in a newspaper you are warning your competition of a new salon opening...bad strategy for obvious reasons..too numerous to list.

People are not going to reply..if they do, it will be from the competition telling you what you don't want to hear
You do not need a questionaire for a good biz plan. Any bank is not interested in what Joe Public has to say. They want to see a plan to pay back the loan. What makes you the risk they do not want...what kind of exit plan is in place should the business fail...how will they get their money.

You need to go to SCORE or local SBDC for guidance on a professional winning plan

Also, if for a loan, Banks are not loaning money out to this industry knowing of its high failure rate. You'd be easier to get approval if opening a motorcycle shop. Loan officers know what the industry stats are..and they have been declining rapidly the last 5 years.
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Old 03-25-2011, 07:04 PM   #3 (permalink)
 
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Re: Tanning Salon Survey

Black Sun- thanks for the reply. Maybe the questionnaire is a little of both. We have only one tanning place in our town of 14,000 and it is run out of a screen printing/sign shop. I have had numerous people approach me on opening up a quality salon and my purpose was to get more information on what clients would like to see in a salon.

Part of placing a anonymous ad in the paper is to let the competition that another salon is coming to town. I can assure they are not financially able to make any changes and this might just push them into selling out to me (I don't want their beds I want their location for another business). As to a bank lending money, I have two other successful businesses that have a large equity in them for security.

Maybe I am using this to anonymously send a message move over- a new player is coming to town and any information I gather could be of some assistance.

Larry
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Old 03-26-2011, 03:06 AM   #4 (permalink)
 
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Re: Tanning Salon Survey

Sorry, but I see many flaws with this. Personally, I would not do it.
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Old 03-26-2011, 05:05 PM   #5 (permalink)
 
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Re: Tanning Salon Survey

I would think that if you must do this "survey" that you would be better off going to the local mall and asking people yourself. Ask people you know that tan what kinds of things that they like/dislike about where they go and what they would like to see. Base your questions off of what you think people want and then ask your friends/family who do tan for their input.
I did not need or want to do anything with any kind of survey when I made up my business plan. It wasn't needed. Banks don't care about that, they want to know (Like said before) how they are going to be paid back and things of that nature. I went in with a 2 inch binder full for my business plan. I also made the bank officer (whom I gave it to) sign the confidentiality form in it. He was surprised about the binder for the business plan to begin with (as most people just write out a page or two and call that a plan) and then the form to sign, as he had never been asked to do that before. I told him that I don't put 3 years of research into anyone's hands without that signature. He signed, I got approved, but we are also talking about a time before the economy totally tanked. My business plan offered everything that they needed to look at, including my exit strategy (in case of failure) and my marketing/advertising and everything.
Good luck to you if you decide to do this, but make sure you do the homework before you open, not after and have to make a decision on whether you have to close up or not.
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Old 03-26-2011, 06:25 PM   #6 (permalink)
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Re: Tanning Salon Survey

Your survey will be worthless.............. People lie.

A realitor sold me on a survey for my last store, I should have gone with my gut feelings after being in the biz for 22 years. Plus done my own reseacrh as before.

I'd be a lot better off now.
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Old 03-27-2011, 12:31 PM   #7 (permalink)
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Re: Tanning Salon Survey

Surveys don't mean squat! People will tell you what you want to hear (lie), AND lenders won't lend money unless you have the loan backed by 200% collateral. This collateral has to be totally separate from any salon association. In other words, banks won't lend you money to buy a tanning salon.
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