ETS Tanning Bed Blog

Direct mail is a great way to find new customers for your tanning salon. But if you're not careful, you'll end up wasting money by paying too much postage, reaching the wrong customers, and even wasting money on printing. Here are a few ways you can make sure your direct mail campaign is the most effective.

It starts with the right mailing list.

Most people will buy a mailing list for a specific ZIP code, thinking "people with a lot of money live in that area," or "that's a younger neighborhood." Maybe those people do live there, but each ZIP code is a microcosm of your city: various ages, income levels, and races. Needless to say, not everyone is a potential customer. So blanketing a ZIP code to reach one "type" of person is not a good use of money.

But it is possible to get a mailing list that's made of people who typically come to your salon. Check your salon software. What is the average age of your customers? Are they married? Male or female? Build a profile of your typical customer and purchase a mailing list of people who fit that profile. If you want to make things even more targeted, get that list in a 5 mile radius around your tanning salon. These kinds of targeted lists will cost more than a general ZIP code list, but you're talking about a difference of spending a few more dollars to save a few hundred on postage and printing.

Send postcards, not letters or brochures

Not only do letters cost more in terms of printing, paper, and stuffing envelopes, but for some products and services, letters just aren't as effective, postcards are. And why you get your postcards, make sure they're big enough.

Most people will print a 4.25" x 5.5" postcard (1/4 of a sheet of paper), thinking they're saving postage. Smaller is cheaper in terms of printing, but your message and image can be lost with too small of a card. You can actually mail up to a 6" x 11" postcard for the same price as the 4.25" x 5.5", and get your message across more effectively. So talk with a professional graphic designer to determine the best size for your postcard.

Don't do it yourself

The biggest temptation for most people is to stick the stamps to the postcards themselves. That's a huge mistake. By sending your work out to a direct mail house, you'll be able to take advantage of postal discounts the mail houses can get that you'll never see if you stick your stamps on yourself. The savings can be as high as $.20 per piece if you do it right.

This rule also applies to the actual postcard design. Unless you or your staff have a background in graphic design, don't try doing this yourself. The quality of your work won't be up to par with the image and brand you've worked so hard to create for your tanning salon, so don't hurt that image by creating a less-than-professional card.

Direct mail is still one of the most effective ways to find new customers. Fewer people are doing it, which means your postcard is more likely to stand out. Plus targeting your mail is a great way to reach only the people you want to reach. So when you start your next marketing campaign, give direct mail a try.

If the only web presence your tanning salon has is a static web page that hasn't changed in three years, you're missing out on the power of social media marketing. Whether it's Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, or even just simple email, please do me a favor and get out there and start connecting with your clients. Go to where they are. Here's where you can find them.

Facebook

Most of the successful tanning salons I know have a Facebook presence. They use their Facebook salon profile as a way to stay in touch with clients, allow clients to become "fans" of their business and advertise secret, "friends-only" promotions.

Twitter

Twitter is a free social networking service (often referred to as "micro-blogging") that allows its users to send and read other users' updates on what they're doing. If you're a Facebook user, think of Twitter as a feed that consists solely of status updates.

A tanning salon can use Twitter to keep clients abreast of upcoming specials, tanning tips or new lotions. Even if you don't plan on maintaining a regular presence on Twitter, you should check it regularly for mentions of your salon, both positive and negative. You can also find me on twitter at @RonWilsonETS .

MySpace

If your clients are using MySpace, your tanning salon should be too. Get on there, create a simple and clean profile (avoid the hard-to-read backgrounds and over-the-top dancing bologna) and let your clients add you as a friend. Like Facebook and Twitter, you can use the social networking site to send out updates and messages.

Email

If your staff and your tanning salon software have been doing their job, you should have an email address and contact information for every client. With the right salon software, you can even set up automated emails to remind clients of an upcoming membership renewal, special or anniversary.

Don't Be a Spammer

Social media and social networking may seem like a cheap and easy way to advertise, but if done incorrectly, it can backfire.

The last thing you want to do is spam your clients. If you start sending out daily messages about salon specials to your clients' inboxes, people will drop you as a friend and contact. Instead, limit social networking messages to items that have a purpose. For example, letting clients know about an occasional special, a new tanning bed, a change in hours, or an upcoming event, not endless drivel about how you're the best tanning salon in town.

Studies are finding pre-menopausal women in early stages of breast cancer also suffer from Vitamin D deficiency, indicating there might be a link. Vitamin D is a booster of the immune system and helps the body fight off a variety of bacterial infections – and possibly more. There’s an increasing amount of evidence which shows breast cancer is less likely in women with high levels of Vitamin D.

Researchers at Columbia University reported that in their study of 103 pre-menopausal women with early stage breast cancer, 74 percent of them had a Vitamin D deficiency . This was supported by results of other studies in Toronto, Canada, which showed the same category of women had better treatment outcomes when they had adequate levels of Vitamin D in their blood.

The reports also show these deficiencies may not be corrected with a daily supplement of 400 IU/day (the generally recommended amount) especially during winter months due to lack of sun exposure, a primary source of Vitamin D. Some of this can be made up with safe (limited exposure with UV-B rays) indoor tanning which stimulates production of this valuable vitamin in the skin. New information indicates as much as 1000 to 1500 IU of Vitamin D per day may the amount required to be effective for breast cancer prevention.

Experts have begun singing the praises of vitamin D, a primary source of which comes from UV-B rays found in sunlight and tanning beds. Many tanning salons have beds with high UV-B ray output, like our SS755 Tanning Bed which makes it ideal for people in cold winter climates who want to not only maintain their tan, but feel good and get a healthy dose of vitamin D.

Parents generally have some serious say-so in their children’s lives up to age 18, when they legally become adults. And as such, many states require parental permission to allow teens to tan at an indoor tanning salon.

However, now in Massachusetts, state lawmakers are proposing to go a step further, and require a complete ban on indoor tanning for anyone under the age of 16 – and Rhode Island is likely to follow. This is leaving many tanning salon proprietors scratching their heads in frustration.

Most already have strict policies in place for minors. One Rhode Island salon owner says all their clients under 18 must have a consent form signed by a parent in front of an employee. “When parents come in and we explain all the facts, it’s clear how time intervals work and how to tan responsibly,” she says.

Parents themselves may object to having their authority usurped by state politics, and some point out that getting a tan in a controlled environment is better than over exposure outside. Another salon owner agrees the ban is going too far and points out: “I think the laws are sufficient as long as they are enforced.”

When it comes to parental permission, the ban may be a moral battle ground, but for salon owners it’s also a business battle ground – with a significant impact on the business bottom line. One owner claims it would affect almost 75 percent of her business – especially during certain times of the year.

It’s all about tanning responsibly, salon proponents say. “Teens can go out and get fried outside, too,” says one salon client. “In my opinion, if they’re going to tan, it’s better to do it in a controlled environment.”

There are 29 states which currently regulate teen tanning.

To learn more about legislation in your state, contact your local government or visit the Indoor Tanning Association website .

The recent swine flu scare had everyone worried about their health, but there’s good news for those “ounce of prevention” types and it’s called Vitamin D. Having enough is important because recent studies have shown when levels of vitamin D are low, we’re more susceptible to colds and flus. So while not exactly a cure, it is effective in staving off those rampant viruses floating around at the office.

Vitamin D is actually a hormone which encourages and empowers your immune system through the production of cathelicidin (a protein that fights bacteria). Its two biggest sources are the sun and fortified milk – but you can also take supplements or visit your local tanning salon for some full spectrum UV light therapy. The latter is also a recognized treatment for seasonal affective disorder (winter blues) and much cheaper than a Mediterranean cruise.

Dr. Jan Gurley — Doc Gurley — a medical blogger for the San Francisco Gate, speculates that increased vitamin D intake in the summer is one the reasons the flu tends to disappear in the summer . She also says ultraviolet lights can help kill the influenza virus on surfaces .

Most people can take up to 1,000 IU of vitamin D per day, but if you're not sure, just get a blood test and let your doctor help you find your optimal level.

Vitamin D is quickly turning into the wonder vitamin of this decade. It's easy to get (sunlight in the summer, tanning salons in colder weather), inexpensive (sunlight is free, most tanning salons have membership programs, and vitamin D milk is $3 per gallon), and it can help fight a number of different ailments, including certain cancers, seasonal affective disorder, and even the basic flu.

Salon ownership doesn't begin with planning an opening. There are steps to opening a tanning salon, both behind the scenes and front-and-center. And where does it begin? With choosing a location, of course.

1. Choose the best location.

You can't overcome a bad location, that's just the way it is. So, here at ETS Tan , we help new tanning salons do demographic studies and competition analysis on a particular area to help them find the best location.

We look at the population, the competition and the commercial landscape and we ask "are there enough people to sustain a tanning salon and if there is competition, how many beds are there now, and how can we control that market?"

2. As the owner, get involved.

In the old days, you could throw a few tanning beds in a storefront, throw up a sign and enter the world of salon ownership. Today, owners need to be more involved.

We can actually help walk you through the ins and outs of salon ownership and if you can't be as involved as you'd like, then we can offer advice on hiring a skilled, experienced and passionate salon manager.

3. Hire the right staff.

Your staff are the front lines of your people. They talk to people, represent you, deal with problems, make your sales, maintain your beds and keep your salon clean. And the sad truth is that even though most people care about their jobs, some people don't. It's your job to hire people that care.

4. Nail the perfect mix of equipment.

I know, I know, I sell tanning salon equipment, so why isn't it at the top of my salon ownership list? Well, to be honest, location is critical, you're critical and so are your staff. All of these elements together can actually overcome equipment that's less than ideal. But, you're more likely to see success with a nice mix and selection of quality tanning beds.

5. Learn how to market.

How you put together your advertising, your decorating, your pricing structure, your membership fees, the lotions you're going to carry, other products you might stock and all your other offerings are all going to come together to create your salon image.

Are you going to be a high end spa/tanning salon or more of a budget-friendly facility? How will your marketing reflect that?

6. Find a salon ownership mentor.

Here at ETS Tan, we can help to connect you with a fellow tanning salon owner who has seen some success and is willing to help walk you through part of the business. Having a mentor (outside of your competition area, of course) can help you avoid common mistakes, bring new ideas to the table and learn from the expertise of others.

7. Learn how the equipment works.

You have the best equipment available. That's great. Do you know how to work it? Can you fix it if something goes wrong? Do you know how to maintain it on a day-by-day or tan-by-tan basis? We'll walk you through every nook and cranny of every tanning bed and tanning bed system you buy.

8. Learn how to sell lotion.

Pinpoint the lotions that you want to carry and connect with their sales reps. How will each company work to help you make sales? Will they provide training? Displays? Free samples?

9. Get a good web presence.

A solid web presence is mandatory. This is how the majority of your new clients will find you. And remember, you can't just create a page and forget about it, it should be dynamic and updated regularly. Not only does this keep your customers coming back, it also keeps your search engine rankings high.

10. Plan your opening.

Finally, now that you've stated to get a handle on tanning salon ownership,  now it's time to plan your opening. Will you do a soft opening? How will you advertise? Will you use direct mail to target the neighborhood? will you advertise in the local paper? Remember, your opening and its marketing needs to reflect that same branding and style that you want from your salon.

Missouri will be joining the ranks of 16 states that are considering legislation to limit or ban teens’ use of indoor tanning salons . Legislative proposals range from requiring parental consent, to requiring a doctor’s note, to outright banning of minors.

This is in addition to the 29 states which already have restrictive indoor tanning laws for teens on the lawbooks.

Proponents of such limitations say it’s for the protection of minors, much like the cigarette sales laws. But opponents disagree – arguing this goes too far. “You cannot regulate everything in this world,” says one state senator in Florida who voted against such bill when it came up in his state. “I suppose we could say the same thing and outlaw tanning on the beach.”

Salon owners emphasize that tanning beds are much safer than tanning outdoors because it’s a controlled environment, and certified operators are trained to help tanners use the beds safely. “It’s a lot easier to get a sunburn when you’re outside,” says John Overstreet, executive director of the Washington-based Indoor Tanning Association which represents approximately 20,000 tanning salons. “In a tanning salon you know exactly what you’re getting.”

Dermatologists say tanners are more susceptible to skin damage prior to the age of 18, but indoor tanning advocates believe that educating users is adequate to avoid the overuse that leads to unhealthy burning. Many salons already voluntarily require parental permission for minors who use their facilities.

It is estimated that well over two million teens use indoor tanning salons annually, and the loss of revenue is certainly a concern for salon owners. But the ITA is quick to point out its also a violation of parental rights – and just bad politics. In a formal statement opposing the ban to teen tanning, they call such legislation an “unnecessary intrusion of government in our daily lives.”

Over-regulation is a serious threat and one that could seriously hinder our industry. So, if you live in Missouri or know anyone in Missouri, I urge you to write a letter and encourage your friends to write letters speaking out against this ban.

To learn more about legislation in your state, contact your local government or visit the Indoor Tanning Association website .