Blog Entries for Ron Wilson

How to Conduct a Direct Mail Campaign for Your Tanning Salon

rwilson@etstan.com — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 01:00:00 +0100

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 c [...]

Social Media Marketing for Tanning Salons

rwilson@etstan.com — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 01:00:00 +0100

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 [...]

Vitamin D Deficiency Common in Pre-menopausal Women with Breast Cancer

rwilson@etstan.com — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 01:00:00 +0100

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 [...]

Rhode Island Seeks to Further Limit Teen Tanning

rwilson@etstan.com — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 01:00:00 +0100

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 i [...]

A Weapon in the Fight Against Flu and the Blues

rwilson@etstan.com — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 01:00:00 +0100

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 thr [...]

Important Steps in Opening a Tanning Salon

rwilson@etstan.com — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 01:00:00 +0100

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 [...]

Missouri Wants to Ban Teen Tanning

rwilson@etstan.com — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 01:00:00 +0100

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. [...]

Shining a Light on Tanning Bed Bulbs

rwilson@etstan.com — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 01:00:00 +0100

Tanning bed bulbs are probably one of the most critical components of your business. You may have the slickest indoor tanning facilities, the best tanning beds and the hottest lotions, but if your bulbs aren't up to scratch, your customers simply won't get the tan they want.

That said, tanning lamps are a huge investment, so how do you choose the right tanning bed bulbs? And once you've made your choice, how do you care for and maintain them? It's not that easy, which is why I've pu [...]

What if They Ask: Can I Tan With Baby Oil?

rwilson@etstan.com — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 01:00:00 +0100

It�s almost the stuff of urban legends � the famous (or infamous) baby oil tan.

For years people on beaches and in backyards slathered themselves down with baby oil to get a deep, dark tan. And it worked. People who could tan would find they did tan when they �laid out� coated with baby oil.

Those were also the days of some pretty serious bikini lines.

But as always, times have changed, and so have people�s tanning accouterments. So is tanning with baby oil a cla [...]

What if They Ask: Can I Tan On a Cloudy or Cool Day?

rwilson@etstan.com — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 01:00:00 +0100

Seasons come and seasons go, and along with them, warm weather. Clearly it�s more desirable to lay in the sun during the warm, balmy temperatures of summer than during the more chilly temperatures of spring and fall.

Still, personal comfort aside, does the temperature affect the ability to tan? Do you get goose-bump patterns if you�re cold? (The answer is, of course, no.) What about laying out on a cloudy day � is that a waste of time, or is there a silver lining?

Why? Well, apparently, over-exposure to UV rays can actually cause sterility. And because the tip of the male penis is ac [...]

Vitamin D Links to Colorectal Cancer Patients

rwilson@etstan.com — Fri, 15 May 2009 01:00:00 +0100

Yet another personal health study has been published linking vitamin D deficiency to colon or colorectal cancer. According to the scientists at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute, "vitamin D deficiency is associated with an increased risk of developing colorectal polyps and cancer ."

And while this isn't necessarily new news, it's one of the first studies to measure the impact of vitamin D supplements as opposed to simply measuring the outcome of a vitamin D deficiency or measuring vit [...]

Vitamin D Deficiency Linked to Aggravated Asthma Symptoms

rwilson@etstan.com — Fri, 15 May 2009 01:00:00 +0100

I'm definitely not a regular reader of the American Journal of Respiratory and Clinical Care Medicine and I'm going to guess that neither are most of my readers. However, next month's issue of the journal has a compelling article connecting vitamin D deficiencies with increased or aggravated asthma symptoms.

And while the article title, Serum Vitamin D Levels and Markers of Severity of Childhood Asthma in Costa Rica , may not suggest it's the most compelling nighttime reading, anyone [...]

Low Vitamin D Levels Can Increase Swine Flu Risk

rwilson@etstan.com — Fri, 15 May 2009 01:00:00 +0100

If you're like me, you've been following the swine flu outbreak with cautious interest, you're aware of it, know how to keep yourself safe, but you certainly aren't in a panic. Basically, I know it's out there, I'm practicing good hygiene (frequent hand washing, avoiding shaking hands or touching people, avoiding groups and public gatherings), but I'm not letting it run my life.

That doesn't mean my ears don't perk up when I hear a swine flu story on the news or see a mention of it i [...]

Skin Type May Affect Vitamin D Levels

rwilson@etstan.com — Thu, 14 May 2009 01:00:00 +0100

Last month, USA Today published an interesting article covering the relationship between skin types and vitamin D absorption .

While dark-skinned or darker-skinned individuals always thought themselves to be safe when it came to sun exposure, it seems they may now have to worry about being too safe. You see, darker-skinned people tend to absorb sunlight and synthesize vitamin D at a much slower rate than light-skinned individuals.

According to Boston University professor Mi [...]