zectasy

advertising helps but really i think if you have a good product and if you can get people to spread the word...my famils business all started in my grandmas basement with 4 tanning beds...my grandma was working 70 hours a week...no advertising at all...we had the best tans in town and people found out from other people...grew pretty big now we have a building right across the street from the college...just stay strong and good luck

zectasy

also the BEST thing and most affordable thing i would really look into is advertise in highschools newspaperss....should be cheap and tons of HS kids tan...least at my salon they do...then that way at least the word will spread...

MATT A

Who's dropping the money?

erickajm

My first day I had one person come in. I thought about the flyers on the cars..not illegal but if anyone complains when the ppl drop them on the ground..you can be fined here.

All About Fun

Erickajm...I don't where in Pa you are...but I am also from Pa and it is Illegal here to put flyers on cars...

PatParadise

We purchased a salon that wasin going down hill in January of 2003. It took awhile to convince my wife that we needed to advertise and change out as many of the thirty minue beds possible. We purchased a rundown business located in one of the fasted growing areas in the state. The second year we advertise one hundred thousand ads per month and use volume rather size. The back of gocery stores receipts bring our best bang for the buck. We started with a data base of 1100 cosutomers which has grown to 3000 now after less then two years.

We found deals on the Internet for used beds and now have sundash beds throughout except for one ets 32 lamp facial. For 2004, CUB receipts account for approximately 1,000,000 ads. we have only taken in 260 ads. We also ad in various coupon books for a local paper, Wise Buys, and Metro Super Savers. The ads take awhile to get a hold. Our pricing structure is 25% less than our competitors, the only way to get a customer base. this year we expect to tan 24,000 sessions, last year only 12,000 sessions. Next we expect to tan 36,000 sessions. Its is easy to figure, in our state you tan 12 times the number of sessions sold in January. This is quite typical based on two years of busniess, plus managing another salon in a nearby community. Hope this gives an understanding of what your doing. My wife and I have full time jobs and work evnings and weekends seven days a week. Our daughter manages the store during weekdays. I sometimes take vacause to give her a break. This year we were able to pay our son to work every other week so we could go to the lake.

We expect that next year will bring poistive cash flow. for the first two years we used the tax losses to get income tax returns which helped fund business. all in all it takes $250,000 and four years of working for nothing to make a business, if located in a succeful area suceed. You may need other jobs until business turns around, or else have a lot of money to use for advertising, like $2,000 - $3,000 per month and lots of give aways. Good luck from circle pines minnesota, pat paradise

Steve Underhill

This is a good topic and it brings to point a very important issue. Buying equipment and opening your doors will not make you successful in this industry. This is why it is so important to have a comprehensive business plan and an initial advertising budget. Where you advertise and what you advertise is determined by the time of year, your location and most importantly if you are a new salon. News papers will not bring you business. Yellow pages will not bring you business. You must incorporate a form of in your face advertising. Please if potential new salon owners are listening; stop wasting time and effort, GET SOME KNOWLEDGEABLE HELP BEFORE YOU GET STARTED. If you are under funded, wait until you are properly funded. It is just as easy to do it right.

planatan

I wonder if your equipment mix is too much on the low end. Its not the number of tanning sessions, but the amount you make on each session. It may be better to tan less people at double the revenue.

Another question for other salons. How long did it take you after opening to be in the black? 4 years in the red (or breaking even) seems like a long road to profitability to me.

My salon turns a good profit each and every month. Luckily I've never had to experience a month in the red.

Neon Beach

Yes, this is normal for most salons 6 months of the year.

ChristineE

I'm sure he appreciates your advice 2 years later LOL

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No longer a ban virgin. I feel so dirty.