If your tanning salon has been featured in an ist Magazine “Salon Spotlight™,” chances are you can get some free publicity in your local newspaper!
While having your business featured in IST’s Salon Spotlight can be a big boost to your ego, it can help your business, as well. How, you may ask? By helping you generate something called “earned media”, which is defined as favorable publicity gained through promotional efforts other than paid advertising. In other words, it’s free publicity. And in the case of those tanning pros whose business was featured in a Salon Spotlight, that publicity can reach your entire target market – with coverage in your local newspaper.
Local papers are always looking for news of things occurring in the community … and it’s not every day that a local tanning salon gets featured in IST, the premier, national publication for the indoor tanning industry. If your salon has recently been featured in an IST Salon Spotlight, the reporters at your local newspaper need to be made aware of it. The best way to get their attention is to send them a press release. To help you, we’ve created a direct, easy-to-use, yet informative format you can follow. It’s as easy as filling in the blanks and dropping it in the mail with a copy of the issue in which your salon was featured, along with a short cover letter requesting that they print your press release. You can even email a link to our digital magazine. After reviewing your info, it’s likely they’ll have a reporter contact you with more questions or to take pictures to accompany the story, giving you an additional opportunity to discuss the business you love so much.
Being featured in the local paper can create additional marketing opportunities for your salon. First and foremost is the article itself – people in your community will read that your salon was featured in a national tanning trade magazine, which might generate some interest in indoor tanning, as well as your salon. And, since most newspapers now have an online version, don’t forget to link the article to your salon’s Facebook page. Here, more of your clients/friends can bear witness to the national recognition your business has acquired. But why stop there? To get as much mileage as you can out of this earned media, offer a free gift – upgrade session, spray tan, lotion discount, etc. – to every tanner who links your salon’s story to their Facebook page with tags to your page. This will encourage them to share your good news with all of their friends! And it wouldn’t hurt to Tweet the news that your salon is in the paper to all your Twitter followers, either!
So you see, being featured in IST’s Salon Spotlight isn’t just an ego trip – it’s a great way to get free publicity for your salon with real-world marketing value. Try it and see!
Note: IST is always looking for tanning salons to feature in this popular section of the magazine. Typically, we only require that a salon has been in business for at least a year. If you’re interested in “stepping into the Spotlight,” give us a call at 810.230.1735, ext. 320, or e-mail john@istmagazine.com.
