tanu01

I had a client with the same story only he was ON campus. With acccess to reg clients also. All kinds of specials for the students! Specials you couldnt refuse! Belly up in 2 years.
Bob

PipelineTanningCo

Well, where did his salon go wrong?

tanu01

To many specials,Hired a bunch of students that stoled him blind,and regular year round customers were chased away.
Bob

PipelineTanningCo

Shame, shame. I plan on working till I keel over and die, and only hiring 2 employees (both friends of many, many years) Im not trying to say "TAKE THAT!" or anything...sorry if it sounds that way

tanu01

Get them in the door specials are great,but make sure its one time per person thing. Its your job to sell them that first time. Study and learn. The guy that went under had should of known what he was doing,His mother still has 2 large
salons in a different part of the state.
Make sure you have a strong inventory control,He had one employee that would check in a lotion order and then take half of it to another salon accross town and sell it for half of what the owner paid for it.
Bob

PipelineTanningCo

Yeah good thinking, I already wrote an employtee manual and daily and closing procedures book, and I plan on taking inventory every morning and having an employee do it every night. Also, having a daily products sold list and reciepts in the nightly deposit should eliminate employee theft.

For a grand opening, I'll have a free weekend of tanning (but keep close tabs on who is tanning and make sure they only tan once, i.e. checking id's) Once my clients walk into my salon they will be hooked.
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[ This Message was edited by: PipelineTanningCo on 2004-09-19 21:11 ]

PipelineTanningCo

Any more advice? Keep it coming!

Dan Boone, ADI

Pipeline,
I know of one salon owner that operates two salons very near the campus. He opened his first salon ~ 25 years ago West of the campus. Over the years, he has expanded that salon to 30 beds and owns the entire building.

His newest salon has been around since 1979 (I think). I know it was there when I went to school. He bought it from the old owner after the concrete barrier was installed blocking foot traffic on National. (East of the campus)

This year, he updated both salons with new equipment.

You will be competing with two nearby salons that have zero debt & an owner that is pretty involved in the day-day operation.


You are obviously doing your research, and I hope my comments help you open a salon in an area that rewards your hard work.

Owning your own salon will be an exciting and rewarding venture.

Dan Boone,
ADI
Branson, MO.

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[ This Message was edited by: Dan Boone, ADI on 2004-09-20 02:56 ]

PipelineTanningCo

Dan, the reason I want to open this salon is from bad experiences at my competitions. Sure, he may be paid off and can lower his prices once I open, but his salon wont be able to touch mine with a 20 foot pole in many aspects. I have an ongoing list of bad experiences I had at his salon(s), but Im not here to bash anyone, Im simply going to capitalize in areas he is weak in...especially how he has his clients clean their own beds...im not to fond of that idea.

You might want to tell him that customers get kinda peey when a salon assistant turns their back on them to talk on the phone for another 2 minutes.

Thanks for the kind words of encouragement!


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[ This Message was edited by: PipelineTanningCo on 2004-09-20 04:05 ][ This Message was edited by: PipelineTanningCo on 2004-09-20 04:07 ]

studio 102

If you are planning to open with ERGO beds, especially the out dated, underpowered beds you mentioned, you will not be able to compete at all..
For the amount I could safely assume you are paying for the C-class Ergos', you could double your investment if better less costly beds are utilized.
Have you researched other companies?
Sontegra, AUVL/Future, TanAmerica??