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.

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.

Indoor tanning works, but how well it works often depends on you, the tanner. Follow these tips to get a golden tan with serious staying power:

Avoid the Shower Before and After you Tan

You shouldn't shower right before you tan. Showering can actually strip the body of its natural oils and you want your skin to be as moist as possible to both help the tan develop and prevent your skin from drying out.

Showering right after a visit to the tanning salon is also going to wreak havoc on your tan. A hot shower, soap, and a loofah is a recipe for an exfoliation disaster. So. . .

Don't Exfoliate

Exfoliation actually works to take a tan away. It's great for keeping your skin healthy and fresh-looking, but every layer you scrub away is a layer of tanned skin. Unless you're committed to regular tanning, try to keep the exfoliating to a minimum.

Wear a Shower Cap in the Tanning Bed if Your Hair is Treated

Wear a shower cap if your hair is treated because some of the dyes and chemicals will hurt the acrylic on an indoor tanning bed. Plus, some chemicals may also react with the UV-B rays resulting in possible discoloration. Tan and green outfits may look great in the fall, but for your skin-hair combo, not so much.

Moisturize and Use Lotions

This one should be drilled into your head by now, but it's so critical it's worth saying again and again: always moisturize after you tan . UV lights can dry out your skin and moisturizing can prevent tan-stripping flaky skin.

Tan Naked

Tanning naked is the only way to avoid tan lines. If you're concerned about "certain areas" that may have never seen the light of day, you can use commercial cover ups or a small piece of cloth for protection to protect yourself during your time in the tanning bed.

If you're going to start indoor tanning, you should begin with at least an understanding of the different skin types and where you fall within that spectrum. Why? Because the tanning needs and restrictions for Type 2 skin are going to vary compared to, say, Type 4 skin.

We provide all of this information to our tanning salon owners. If you're new to tanning, any salon owner can (and should) be able to provide you with this information.

Skin Type 1 - Sensitive skin, burns easily and severely and does not tan.

If you're very pale, have light eyes and have always burned easily, this is your skin type. Typically, redheads and people from far Northern Europe are Skin Type 1, and usually shouldn't tan.

If you fall under this skin type and still want to start indoor tanning, you really need to tread carefully. Work with your tanning salon to start as slowly and delicately as possibly. Don't push it, and don't assume you're going to get significantly darker.

For some very fair individuals or people with albinism, tanning simply isn't possible, indoor or outdoor. If you have Type 1 skin, consult your physician before you begin a tanning regimen.

Skin Type 2 - Light skin, burns easily and tans minimally.

If you're pale, but will occasionally tan, then this is your skin type. Skin type 2 is typical of most white people in North America and Western Europe. Start with a limited exposure and gradually work your way up. You'll need patience, but eventually, you'll get a great tan.

Skin Type 3 - Normal, burns moderately and tans average.

If you have a slightly darker skin tone, maybe brown or light brown hair, indoor tanning is perfect for you. Because you can limit your exposure, you're less likely to burn and your skin type makes you a great tanning candidate.

Skin Type 4 - Dark, burns minimally and tans easily and above average.

Olive and darker skin tones fall into this category. You rarely burn and tanning is a breeze for you. With the right lotions and exposure times, you can create a deep, rich indoor tanning tan that looks great.

But aren't there 6 skin types?

It depends on who you ask. We only put 4 skin types on the warnings on our tanning beds. But the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the American Academy of Dermatology have developed six skin types. Classification into the various skin types is based on two causes: a person's sensitivity to ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun or tanning beds and the person's skin tone.

The six types are:

I - White skin, easily burns, never tans.
II - Sensitive light skin, rarely tans, burns more often
III - Light skin, tans more, burns equally
IV - Light dark skin, tans more than burns
V - Darker skin, rarely burns, tans darkly
VI - Dark skin, never burns, dark even tans

 

I've blogged about the teen tanning ban in Texas before. And in the last few weeks, the situation has only gotten worse.

On April 22nd, the revised version of House Bill 1310 was passed by the Texas House of Representatives, meaning it has now made its way to the Texas Senate. What began as a ban on anyone under the age of 18 was downgraded to age 16-and-a-half. But, a ban is still a ban and could seriously hurt tanning bed business owners. Luckily, the Indoor Tanning Association –– the trade association for tanning salon owners, and tanning bed manufacturers and distributors –– is doing something about it.

According to LookingFit.com, the ITA is urging all Texas business owners, supporters and employees to join the fight against this bill .

They've created a pre-formatted letter wizard for tanning bed business owners that will automatically address and create a letter to your Texas Senate representative and even a separate letter for consumers .

The Texas Senate wants to dictate what they deem acceptable for families, and take decision-making out of the hands of parents. Their actions could ultimately harm the livelihoods of many Texas small business owners, which is the last thing we need in this economy.

Over-regulation is a serious threat and one that could seriously hinder our industry. So, if you live in Texas or know anyone in Texas, 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 .

Last time, we discussed how to get members to upgrade to the next level of membership in your tanning salon by increasing the value of each level of membership , offering additional upgrades, additional passes, and even giving commissions or bonuses to your staffers who sell them.

So what are some other ideas to improve the value of membership, and get those revenue-generating upgrades?

When you get to Level 3 membership, the benefits should be about the prestige of being members, rather than saving/spending money. That is, when does a bigger discount on a bottle of lotion become just another gimmick? A tanner who has three different bottles of lotion won't be as jazzed by a fourth.

Customers who feel extra special will be extra loyal. They'll become raving fans who become your unpaid sales force because they're telling their friends about your salon. Your Level 2 and Level 3 members may end up being some of your best forms of advertising, so make them want to tell their friends about your salon. The best way to do that is to offer special benefits and programs that only the higher level members can get.

Improving the Value of Membership

Here are a few ideas other salon owners have used to add value to the upper levels of their membership. If you have any of your own, add them to the comments section.

• Offer a wine and cheese night for Level 3 members. Put a price on it. Let Level 1 and 2 members come, but they have to pay for the price.
• Offer a text club. Send texts about specials out in reverse order. Level 3 gets the first round, Level 2 gets the next, and so on.
• Open up during special hours that only Level 3 members can take advantage of.
• Create a referral program. Give rewards to people who refer new customers to your salon.
• Give extra gifts like iTunes or Starbucks gift cards.
• Offer free access to special equipment like the Rejuvasun bed.