wolf9471

If a small town has approximately 2000 women (4000 total) in it, how many tanners can be approximated? I do realize that they will be drawn from out of town due to its small size.

Neon Beach

Years ago, the rule of thumb was that only 10% of the general public used indoor tanning facilities. Not sure if this has changed in either direction, and I think that was based on the entire U.S., not just certain groups of States.

Steve Underhill

There are other things that must be established before you can make client or income projections, How many tanning beds are in this town now. I need to know more about the community.

wolf9471

Can't I just take the estimate and divide by the number of beds already? It is middle class/blue collar community.

Steve Underhill

I wish it was that easy. Let’s say there are already ten tanning systems in that town and they are all in beauty salons, nail salons, and maybe a gym. These are all secondary tanning businesses and would not have a negative effect on a primary salon. On the other hand if they are in a tanning salon we must look closely at the salon. Unlike a large city that has a much stronger demographic that the competition is not as crucial to your success, the small town should be evaluated quite differently. Small towns also give you the opportunity to come into the area and capture the entire market depending on the tanning that is already there.

Neon Beach

Steve, thanks for your input.

Now, just out of curiousity, do you have any current statistics, say nationwide, as to what percentage of the population utilizes indoor tanning facilities? The figure I used above is, I'm sure, antiquated.

wildchilde

Quote:
On 2005-01-18 10:18:00, wolf9471 wrote:
If a small town has approximately 2000 women (4000 total) in it, how many tanners can be approximated? I do realize that they will be drawn from out of town due to its small size.

I have about the same situation small t own rather community not incorporated to town. to northeast is larger town about 8 miles or so and to the south of me about 7 miles then to the southwest another larger town but about 25 miles around. we do have our own school, salon (2) dollar store...yada yada. The other salons just south of us all have old beds i'm talking the crappy old 24 bulb beds from back in the day paid for prolly 3 to 4 years ago at minimum. I am somewhat worried about getting started but everyone sounds excited for us and finally having somehting close. (2 miles from the high school) the other salon i'm not worried about much cause not in my immediate area. would take me 20 min just to get there. hopefully the demographic thing will work out for me. should finish being ready to open by feb. 5th or sooner if i'm lucky. i'm in hopes it's not too small of an area. any suggestions or ideas welcome along w/ the demographic input. I know this ended up being long so thanks for listening.

DWhite6872

Neon is right with the normal percentage and Steve is right ...there are sooooooo many variables. If you PM me and give me your address I can run your 1,3,5 mile radius for you...you can also join Claritas.com ..but there are a lot of variables...

Steve Underhill

Actually I can provide custom designed demographics at any radius, .5, 1,2,3,4,5 mile and with only the information that is important to a salon. Now let’s profile a typical small town community and salon. If you look at most businesses in small towns they look very mom and pop, never like you would see in a city. If your salon look like nothing that small town America was used to, more like you would see in very large town, instead of just rooms and equipment. The tanners in that community would be so impressed with what they see because it is like going to the big city. This salon would generate a great deal more business than the old town looking salon and it would shut the door on the competition. I am not talking about expensive HP equipment just two levels packaged and presented like a national chain. This would make this not just a profitable salon but also the happening place in that town that the locals would want to be a part of.

Steve Underhill

As I have pointed out on many occasions. A salon should be view as a $70 bottle of lotion. The packaging and presentation is what sells that $70 bottle of lotion and the lotion itself must deliver the promise made by the packaging. The packaging and presentation of your salon is what sells tanning. The equipment must deliver the promise that is made by the salon packaging. The sale is made in the lobby not in the tanning room.