The summer flew by, the kids are back to school and there’s a hint of fall in the air. With the snap of your fingers, all of a sudden we’re in the New Year and preparing for another busy season. Wait, did I say “preparing”? If you wait until January to prepare, it’s too late. Start NOW. You’ll have about two full months to get ready – and you’ll need it!
Of course, you’ll want to begin with an overview of your entire business, but let’s start by assessing its strengths and weaknesses. If your business grew, you need to know why. If your numbers are down, what caused the decline? Was it the economy, the weather, poor branding and advertising or the negative media? Next, your plan should at the very least include a review of these particular areas: marketing, branding and advertising, your competition, your equipment lineup and your team.
How do I look? Observe the way your business is perceived in your community. Did you submit any news releases to the local media? If not, put that on your list. Did you participate in any local charity efforts or “give back” programs? Again, if you do this, then make sure you promote it – earned media is a no-brainer. Was your social media campaign (i.e.; facebook, Twitter) effective? How were your eblasts received? Did you send too many or not enough? Are you constantly building your email database? If you’re not, get started! Analyze each of these segments and assemble your marketing plan for next year.
Let’s move on to your competitors. How aggressive were they last year? What are their strengths and weaknesses? Have you visited their salons? What type of equipment do they offer and what is their pricing structure? How would you rate their professionalism on the phone and in person? The answers to these questions will hold some of the keys to your own future equipment choices and staffing decisions. You may find out that your competitor added a new sunless system and a stand-up unit to complement their UV services. Check with your existing customers to determine the demand for sunless and/or a stand-up. If it’s strong, adding another sunbed could be way off the mark from what your customers really want.
Now, let’s move on to your staff. What did the inspection of your competitors tell you? Was their salon clean or did it look like it needed a lot of work? Was the staff dressed in salon logo shirts? If you felt that set them apart, consider doing the same. Adding a name badge for each team member can create an even better team attitude. Did you ask the competitors’ staff any tough questions such as, “How is a tan created?” “Is there a risk for skin cancer?” “Can you use a sunbed if you’re pregnant?” If they answered each one factually and professionally, then you may have your work cut out for you! This leads us directly to the need for factual information and top-quality education for your team.
For some of you, tanning salon operator training is mandated by state law; for others, it is not. Clearly, there is a need for not only more industry education, but better education. Unfortunately, not everyone feels the need to be better trained and possessing of factual information. Regardless, you owe it to yourself, your staff, your current customers and future customers to be educated by an accredited training and certification program.
Indoor tanning is your chosen profession and your job requires you to provide people with UV exposures in order to change their skin color. You and your staff have to be completely aware of the risks of overexposure, medication issues, eye protection and more. Our Sun is Life® Training and Certification is a great option and right at your fingertips. You may want to attend an upcoming expo and take Sun is Life as a classroom course. But, it’s also available online, 24/7, in the convenience of your own home via the Internet.
Our certification program covers such topics as Understanding UV Light, The Skin’s Reaction to UV, Photosensitivity, Eye Protection, State and Federal Regulations, Lamps, Lotions and Sunless, Equipment Operation and Maintenance, and Salon Operations. If you’ve already achieved Sun is Life certification, you may want to slide over and increase your professionalism through our Sun is Life training. Both of these courses were developed, in part, not only by indoor tanning industry veterans, but also a leading LMS learning company and a major university. The interactive, 15-minute modules are an easy choice at only $9 each.
Providing your staff with a complete understanding of salon operation basics and industry best practices provided in either program can clearly set your business apart from your competitors – and that’s a great way to prepare for a successful 2013!
