February is a month of duality. On one hand, it’s often the coldest month of the year for most parts of the United States. On the other hand, it’s the month people associate with love, romance, and the joys of being in a relationship.
In a strange way, that duality is reflected in our industry. February’s biting cold can be difficult to withstand, especially if you’re sensitive to wintery temperatures. Yet, January and February are the tanning salon industry’s peak seasons.
As any salon owner knows, winter months can become hectic and demanding. This is the best season to work on expanding your business, raising money for new equipment and bolstering your salon’s position in the industry.
By now, you probably have a fairly strong idea of what goals you have for your salon—both in terms of revenue and client experience. If you haven’t already, now is the time to create an actionable business plan for the next three quarters.
It can be so difficult to keep your eyes on the prize and implement plans when your store is flooded with customers asking for the latest spray tan technology. And yet, you have to make a concentrated effort to make sure you keep your plans on task.
Rome wasn’t built in a day. So, you shouldn’t expect to be able to accomplish everything you want to do overnight. The best way to tackle any long-term problem is to make small moves that contribute toward those goals.
Having small, daily tasks geared to achieve is the easiest way to push your business to the next level. If you’re the “planner” type, it’s a good idea to actually write reminders into your planner or add reminders to your online calendar.
For example, let’s say that you have been considering hiring a new ad agency or PR agency to help your business gain more traction. A good micro-task would be to call three agencies in one week to see which works best for you. That could be followed up with quick Zoom calls, pricing questions, and a final selection.
And remember: even the most bitter of winters will eventually have the sun shine again. So if you’re having difficulties, trust that those struggles are simply temporary growing pains.
