Hi I'm new here

[caribbean tan man]

IDEAS

run a report in your salon software that pulls the 50 top spenders and then cater to them.

send post cards to your database ONLY!

get a referal program then make up cleint referal cards give them to all your clients.

stop the 1st tan free especially in the gym next door. these people are most likely going to come to you anyways...its too conveinient not to! My comp is next to the local gym and does nothing for the members. me and the other salons in town are the ones TRYING to get more of the gym members.

give the Gym employees the FREE tans...walking advertisements.

Give the gym members a "special package" like 37 days unlimited instead of 30.

Give the gym members 1/2 price single visits or 1/2 price upgrades.

go to www.vistaprint.com make birthday postcards and send them out everymonth with a offer. stick to 1 deal and be consistent. i do 20% off during b-day month only. works well

FIND MEMBER SUNSALLY AND PICK HER BRAIN.

[tanstar]

you have to be careful on getting a job yourself and paying someon to run your business. if you can get a job making a substantial amount more while your business is in the hands of someone who i'm sure will not have the same goals as you go for it. But if thats the case, why did you open up a tanning salon in the first place.

[megatanman]

I was weary too of leaving my store in the hands of my employees,but I was also working a full time job when I took over my salon.Working 8hrs for someone else followed by working the salon during the peak hours.Roughly 6 months of kicking my azz with 16 hrs days.I decided to go full time at the salon.I spent countless hours working with my employees and getting them to "do as I do".I am now confident to leave my business in there hands,which gives me time to dedicate to my machine shop.Sometimes what you have to do takes priority of what you want to do.

A tanning salon is fun,but too much work for the money IMO.If it wasn't for the interaction and relationship I built with my customers,I would have got out of this business already.

My advice is train people right and pay them well,if if you have another source of income,you will make it.Once the business is well established,then you can make it a full time gig.

[ekc123]

I have an online job that I do part time from the salon which allows me to make some extra cash and still run my business. I prefer to be at my salon as much as I possibly can, because I too believe that there will be few people with the same drive and goals as you have for your business.

[paradisebeach]

what is your online job that you do? I need one too!

[tanstar]

megatanman, where in Ohio are you.

[tanstar]

I guess my point is, if your going to pay somone $25,000 a year plus bonuses to run your store and your go out and get a job making that or less. why get into the business in the first place.

[megatanman]

Originally Posted by tanstar

I guess my point is, if your going to pay somone $25,000 a year plus bonuses to run your store and your go out and get a job making that or less. why get into the business in the first place.

Starting a new business is risky,I would have not quit my good paying day job for a start-up,thats for sure.The industry is saturated with tanning salons and unless you have a prime location with no competition,business will be rough for a few years.


So many of these salons are literally popping up next to other salons and your left playing cut-throat to keep your business alive.You can try to tuff it out a few years and see who goes out of business,most likely it will be the newer guy.The guy that has a well established salon and his equipment is paid for has the ability to take a hit to keep others from taking his business.

Most of these super and mini-chains owners also work in the tanning industry,how do you think they got into the tanning salon biz?The hardest part is competing with them.Then theres the distributor/owners,a whole different monster.

Pricing,customer service and how well you run your biz will dictate your fate.No one likes it when a Super-tan or TNT moves in next door,but if your price and service is fair,you might make it.But remember,those chains will lose money for awhile before they close up shop,usually the little guy is the one who loses.

Im right outskirts of Cleve.

	Superior UV

[tanstar]

megatanman, you still have not told me where in Ohio your at?

[mr belvedere]

I think he's in the Oh part?