ETS Tanning Bed Blog

Tanning is the only thing you can do to change your appearance literally overnight.

Sometimes we just need a personal change. Change our look, change how we feel, change our image. Maybe you've got a special meeting coming up, or a surprise vacation, or you just feel like trying something new.

If you ever want a quick change, there are a number of things you can do. You can change your wardrobe, but that's expensive. You can change your hair color or hair style, but you'll be stuck with that for months, and a good hair stylist can cost you $100 or more.

Tanning is a good option, because you can start to develop a tan and healthy look after just one session, like you just took a quick trip to the beach for the weekend. And a couple of sessions in a week or two can enhance it.

Sure, you can go to the gym, but as soon as you're done, you'll look the same, just sweatier and stinkier. (Now, we do advocate going to the gym or getting some form of exercise, but it doesn't bring the quick change you wanted.)

Tanning is fast, convenient, and controlled. You can choose your session time, session cost and results you desire based on the various tanning bed alternatives offered in salons. Your salon professional will guide you based on skin type and your personal tanning experience.

While we like the sun and advocate people spending time outdoors, we also know that schedules don't always afford us the time to spend outside during the day. And by the time we've got a block of time, it's dark outside, or cold and in the middle of winter.

So if you want to make a quick, inexpensive change to your image, consider indoor tanning as a way to stick your toe in the water. Try it out and see if you like it.

Installing tanning beds is one of those details whose timing is critical. There is actually a bad time and a good time to install tanning beds. Finding the right time can make everything go smoothly, keep installation times short, and can even save money. A bad time can result in damaged beds and delayed openings.

Installing a bed while the building contractors are still working is risky. It's just smarter to have the contractors doing their finishing touches, or even finished, when the beds are installed. If installers show up too early, and have to work around the contractors, it can actually take longer than waiting until the contractors are done.

If contractors are still fixing drywall, installing the floor, or painting, the tanning beds can be damaged. We've had clients who ended up with paint on their beds, drywall dust, and even dents and scratches.

One of our customers, who's opening his third salon, understands what it takes for a smooth installation. He makes sure to have everything ready for us, and as a result, his installations are the smoothest we usually have.

Everything in his new salons are nearly complete – rooms are drywalled and painted, the electricity is on – which ensures his contractors and our installers are not disturbing each other or waiting for others to finish. The installers can actually get done in a single day, rather than working for a day-and-a-half. This saves installation costs, and makes sure his salon opens on time.

We understand the eagerness for new salon owners to get their tanning beds installed. But it's more beneficial to have everything in place rather than to rush and risk damage to the beds. By making sure everything is completed before the installers show up, you can reduce the risk of damage, and keep extra costs at a minimum.

One aspect of business that's almost as important as customer service is vendor relations. While the customer is vital in buying the product, the product must first be acquired and maintained in order to supply the demand. For tanning salons and owners, having a great vendor relationship is crucial, because you'll be known by the products you use, sell, and promote.

Your hands are very important in the self-tanning process.

When you're applying self-tanning lotion, the problem is that you'll end up rubbing more tanning lotion onto your hands than the rest of your body, and they'll look unnatural.

If you want a natural looking, glowing tan, the last thing you would have is tanned palms. If your hands are orange or built up, everyone will know it's fake. Of course, the best tans come from tanning beds and indoor tanning, rather than lotion. But if you're traveling, or your schedule doesn't let you visit your regular tanning salon, then this will do in a pinch...

The best method is to wear gloves while you're applying the lotion. You can buy latex gloves at Wal-Mart or Target, and these are ideal. They're thin, inexpensive, disposable, and they don't soak up the lotion like cloth gloves will.

If you don't have any gloves, then it's important that you wash your hands several times during the application process. Be sure to scrub the creases in your hands and in between your fingers. You don't want any build-up in those areas. But don't skip the gloves if you can help it.

After you're done washing your hands, be sure to use a moisturizing lotion so your hands don't get dry and cracked. Repeated washings can dry out your hands quickly, so be sure to take care of them.

Tanning regularly is the key to getting the best tanning bed tan. If you let your sessions lapse, your tan will soon follow.

Building Up a Tan

When you first start building a tan, you should be going to an indoor tanning salon between three and four times a week. Once you’ve built up that base tan, you’ll only need maintenance sessions between one and three times a week, depending on your skin tone. If you’re using a high-pressure bed, you can often get away with going once every two weeks.

Customers want stand-up tans – they’re faster, give a better quality tan with no pressure points and are often perceived as hip & fun.

A tanning bed unit like the SS756V (the V stands for “vertical) features a true 200-watt system, meaning your clients can get an incredible standing tan in about 8 minutes. Speeds like that are especially appealing to your customers on the go.

Beyond its speed and power, the SS756V has some other great features…

Tanning beds have traditionally been divided into 4 levels, level 4 being the highest quality. But, the new Velocity HP 1000 is so advanced; it’s being dubbed the first level 5 tanning bed.

Standing 7.5 feet high, the Velocity HP 1000 is a radically new type of horizontal tanning bed with an open and inviting design that has no sides and puts space between the tanner and the bulbs. It’s incredibly innovative and so distinct and unique that true tanning bed connoisseurs will be clamoring for it.

Of course, the Velocity is more than just a pretty face…