As the hot summer months descend, many salon operators reach a crossroads: some people prefer the comfort, convenience and control of indoor tanning at your facility, while others enjoy outdoor sun exposure. And, it doesn’t take a degree to understand just how busy your average customers are: kids, school, work, job security, relationships and more put stress on our lives and our time. For you, the question is, “How do we augment income during the summer?”
[gap height=”20″]One industry veteran I’ve known for quite a while is Dennis Ligon, Owner of the Sundays Blue Box Resorts salon chain . He and his wife, Sue, developed an impressive business around the Hampton Roads area of Tidewater, VA and have had great success with diversifying their salon menu. I recently chatted with Dennis about an easy add-on service: the Fujimi Massage Chair.
[gap height=”40″]What made you look into alternative services?
[gap height=”20″]A: Joe, after a serious demographic study, I saw a downturn of new tanners and felt there was a need to upgrade the value of our tanning membership. The Zero-Gravity Massage Chair is something virtually anyone can use. It absolutely upgrades the salon experience we offer.
[gap height=”40″]What factors influenced your decision?
[gap height=”20″]A: I have great respect for Mike Blore, owner of the California Sun chain (in CA). He has Fujimi chairs in his salons, and gives it phenomenal reviews. I’m one who believes in following success, and on Mike’s recommendation, I decided to take a chance. Within a month, I had rolled out the Zero-Gravity Massage Chair in all 18 facilities. I felt was a great fit for the look good/feel good lifestyle of our target market. It has also opened us up to people who are not frequent tanners, but love the relaxation of the session at a fraction of the cost of traditional massage.
[gap height=”40″]Many salons are cash-strapped now and reluctant to invest in new equipment. Can you speak to this entry barrier?
[gap height=”20″]A: I bought all of my chairs; the cost doesn’t compare to upgrading to larger/newer sunbeds, but the investment allows you to create a whole new “story” for your salon! Fujimi sessions really add a lot of value to your tanning packages with relatively low investment. I also believe it can keep people active in their memberships for longer periods, rather than freezing or canceling them.
[gap height=”40″]Compared to sunbeds, how does the Fujimi chair stack up as a revenue producer?
[gap height=”20″]A: We did not set our chairs up as a stand-alone revenue stream; we integrated sessions into our memberships. We created a spa service package to go with our tanning membership in order to keep the pricing the same, but it raised the value. It’s received great response, and we also see steady usage that we hope will translate to long-term EFT session packages.
[gap height=”40″]Dennis, do you think this a novelty with limited appeal? How do you get guests to try/buy?
[gap height=”20″]A: Of course, we teased it in our advertising: “WHAT IS ZERO-GRAVITY MASSAGE?” Our promotional offer is a one-month, multi-level tanning membership combining spray-booth and airbrush tans with Fujimi massage – for the price of one Fujimi session. We offer a free session to every person who comes through our doors, and our staff has done a great job promoting its relaxing benefits.
[gap height=”40″]Does the Fujimi chair have crossover appeal?
[gap height=”20″]
A: We offer family memberships, and I love the fact that a mom will come in with her 15-year-old daughter (who she used to leave at home), and she can jump into the massage chair while mom is tanning! This just adds more value to what our salons offer to the entire family!
