Tanning salons attract the most appearance-conscious consumers in the world – people willing to spend their good money and up to 30 minutes or more of their valuable time at your facility, often more than once a week, to enhance the way they look and feel.
Week in and week out, hundreds of your salon guests demonstrate loyalty to your business as they purchase memberships and products. At the same time, they acknowledge their enjoyment of your services and that you, the business owner, offer an atmosphere conducive to both relaxation and revitalization.
You need to maximize the true profit potential presented by this unique, captive audience environment!
While demographics can vary, for most salons, 65%-70% of the customer base is typically females between the ages of 18-49. These same women also purchase a variety of other products that help enhance their appearance and attitudes – including hair, skin and nail care products, lipstick, weight loss and nutritional products, etc. These items are always on their shopping lists, and chances are good that when they leave your salon they will go to another retailer to purchase them.
The Opportunity: Let Them Buy These Items from YOU!
When I discuss the strategy of adding non-tanning related products and services to a salon – one of the first arguments I hear is, “I can’t compete with the big chains and the discounters,” or “I don’t know where to purchase these items in small quantities and at wholesale prices.”
First, I’m not suggesting that you become a Walmart with tanning beds. You can start by offering a few select items that appeal to your clientele.
Secondly, several companies that distribute products to our industry already offer many of these items at great prices. You shouldn’t miss out on additional revenue and profits due to limited product offerings and uninspired marketing efforts.
Cross-Promotion: Your Unfair Advantage
The truth is that you can compete with the big chains and the deep discounters – you just have to think “outside the bed” and use the valuable resources that are readily available within your business.
For example, let’s say you decide to offer a line of the popular “wet-style” hairbrushes similar to those sold in hair salons. (After all, you have hundreds of female salon guests and they all need, use and lose lots of hairbrushes.)
Now let’s estimate that your cost per brush is $6 and they retail for $12. But alas, you discover that the same item is available from a discounter down the road for only $10. Captive audience advantage aside, you can make an easy sale without lowering your price by including a free entry-level tanning session (or upgrade session, if you prefer) with each purchase.
The cost to operate a typical 32-lamp tanning system for 15 minutes, including lamp use and electricity, is about 35 cents. The single session price averages about $5. In reality, you can give the tanner a perceived discount of $5 that actually costs you about 35 cents. She now views the purchase price of the brush as just $7 and will redeem her discount by continuing to patronize your business.
You need to maximize the true profit potential presented by your unique, captive audience environment!
We all know how effective the “free tan with purchase” is when it comes to selling lotions. The same strategy can and should be used to sell everything in the salon. From sunglasses and beach towels to nail polish and hair care products – they all sell faster with a few tanning sessions included.
The first step is to select items that you believe your clientele will buy. Ask them and your team for input when making your choices. Next, contact your distributor to discuss what is available. Start with a limited inventory of one or two items to test the waters. Be sure to place the new products in highly visible areas and add a professionally designed sign that states: Buy Me & Tan Free!
I can personally attest to the proven success of such strategies … now it’s your turn!
