Do you give the first tan free?

[House of Tan]

I average 50 new clients a month with SEO and social. I own all the top spots in searches in my area; this is my first choice of time/investment as well. 50 new clients a month for $70.99 - Can't beat that with any other medium.

Promotional tools while a part of marketing are not by definition marketing.

There is no greater promotional tool than Free. Statistics? Ask any DM group and they will tell you hands down that there is no better word to use.

If I wanted to take the time to look up something I already know, I could use Google to find dozens of studies on this to support my statement. I know there was a great in-depth article in INC magazine recently that is more than likely linked on their website if you want a quick read on the subject.

FYI eileen - I agree with you more than you think; we both do high-end concepts and I too do not use free, I do a BOGO as my promotional tool. I am saying that for some salons this is the best way to bring in the masses and then sort them. It is a tool, not the only tool.

[eileen]

I also do BOGO. I also have some other actual marketing results that pertain to us but they aren't really something I share in public.

[House of Tan]

Oh come on... I'm salivating!

I'll show you mine, if you show me yours

[Steve Underhill]

Always remember what you are trying to accomplish with any new tanner promotion. In order to effectively market your services today you must create a data base for known tanners and collect, email address, cell phone number and home address.
Every time you spend money on advertising, the point is to get the tanner in your salon where the sale is made.
Are you always going to get tanners that are looking for something for nothing? Yes, but you are getting information of a known tanner.
I have never been a big fan of a promotion for a new tanner that involves one tan. One visit will not give you the opportunity to really expose the tanner to the full extent of your services or develop that all important relationship.
I am a strong believer in tanning a new client for a week. It may be a week free or a week for $7 or something that gives you the ability to work with the tanner and establish needs, develop a relationship and make a sale.
Not understanding the importance of an offer of this kind will cost you potential clients in the end.
After you have created a data base and stayed on top of keeping it current will make or break a successful salon.
In a competitive industry, give yourself every opportunity to stand above the competition. This is difficult to do in one visit or until the tanner is actually in the salon.
There is no better offer that will bring all tanners in your market in than a week long offer at a rate that eliminates the decision to come to your salon.
Make no mistake; the effectiveness of any promotion must be backed up with a properly structured salon, pricing and customer service that stands above all others.

[Sparkie6176]

I am new to this site. I have a question. I am opening a tanning salon within the next 3 weeks . Problem is a family member that is ANGRY because they have told people they were opening this salon. She and her mom are heavy hitters at tanning beds. 2 to 4 times a week or more. A few years back her mom had a spot on her claiming to be cancer. had it removed but continued to hit the tanning bed hot and heavy. So now this person is putting on facebook that she is so SCARED of tanning beds that she is just checking into spray tans. She is trying to scare "her friends" to stay away from my salon mainly caue she didnt get her way. any advice to quiet her down?? She never gets in the sun only tanning beds to this day, but now she saying shes done alot of research and the beds cause cancer. She will be in one though before the week is up . Ha .

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[Turbo Girl]

I like to use scientific facts to combat these. Here's a link to one of the recent studies to use:

http://www.tantalk.com/general-tanni...sun-times.html

Also, there is plenty of info on this site that people have posted and also check out a few websites like these:

Sunlightruth.com
Smartan.com
Mercola.com

Hope these help!!

[sunrisetan]

Originally Posted by parrot head

Here's how my free tan experience ended up yesterday. Granted, I didn't give but a few hours notice, that I was going to do this. I tanned a total of 20 ppl and made absolutely zero dollars. The Saturday before, I tanned 18 ppl and made $20. I kept track of how approx., my sales would have been, had I not had free tanning--$14. I had customers walk right by my sidewalk sign reading "free tanning today", and not come in. I will never offer entirely free tanning again. I had 5 customers (bottom feeders), whom I hadn't seen in months, come in for a free tan, the rest were regulars and no new. BOGO is still the best.

thank you for disclosing your experience...i think it also shows desparation on a salon owner, i mean, tanning salon owners attempt at getting people to tan. with todays negative press, it to me, shows desparation!! "look, tanning is so bad, they are giving it away" :(

[sunsteph]

We NEVER do first tan free!! However we offer a sample cup of accelerator (which we buy in bulk) to new clients. "first tan free" is one of our competitors claim to fame. I find the only people coming in asking for a free tan, are generally not the caliber of client we cater to. With that being said, there definitely is a market out there for the type of tanner who wants cheap, doesn't necessarily care about quality or experience... Just not what we are looking for!!

[House of Tan]

To think that the only type of client that will come in for a "free" tan is a mistake. You will get some, but the greater majority are lifers that just need a reason to try your place.

[Robert K]

Those who tan tan!