This year, summer begins on June 20! Soon, regular salon tanners will be vacationing and traveling. That means many operators will be experiencing what is considered Slow Season. Let’s talk about some fun and exciting things you can do to keep your guests engaged with your business.
With summer starting toward the end of the month, you can host a “Countdown to Summer” promo – include a daily or weekly giveaway and announce it with consistent social media posts. You could do one big giveaway on the first official day of summer. Whether it be a free package or a bundle of products, a giveaway is always an effective way to get customers engaged. Creating fun graphics in Canva (online graphic design app) will keep them watching your posts and generate excitement for the upcoming giveaway items.
Knowing your customers and what kind of specials attract them is key. Start planning by looking at past promotions to see what has been most popular. Try “Happy Hour” tanning from 5-7pm when guests can upgrade to the next session level for free or receive half-off their sessions. Offer BOGO “Glow Before You Go” sunless sessions that allows guests to test a spray-tan first and then, use the second session to perfect their tan before vacation.
With a little pre-planning, summer brings many opportunities for sizzling sales!
New customers may be coming to you for a good pre-vacay base tan. Educating them about the appropriate equipment and lotion to achieve their goal is crucial. Even if they are familiar with the products/services, a refresher will make them self-aware before diving right in. For example, remind guests that it is ideal to start tanning at half the maximum session time. If they burn in their first session, it will take longer for them to see results – especially if their skin type is more fair than the average tanner.
For all summer tanners, a starter kit would be a great way to promote your favorite products. The kit could include a multi-use product (made for various equipment types), as well as an indoor/outdoor lotion. Since spa services like red-light are huge right now, this will promote the ability for tanners to use their new product for more than just UV sessions. Indoor/outdoor lotions – such as accelerators and natural bronzers – will also benefit tanners who plan to take their new lotion to the beach. There are some advanced, low-DHA products that can be used outdoors, such as DC Vacay Vibes and Cactus Cabana. You could include a facial tanning product in the kit, as well as a tan extender. Create a sunless bundle for those who are traveling and on the go, and need a post spray-tan touch-up.
As summer approaches, the leading product manufacturers will start exciting mid-season releases – DC included! You want to properly launch these in your salon, as well as on your social media platforms. Before putting them on your shelves, being well informed about these products – you and your staff – is the key to sales success. You could promote the new products as “limited edition” or another call-to-action phrase that will get your customers’ attention.
The best way to smoothly transition into the summer and Slow Season is to know your business and customers inside and out. If you aren’t fully invested and knowledgeable on the trends in your salon, you might find it difficult to create a successful approach. With a little pre-planning, summer brings many opportunities for sizzling sales!
