As with any business owner pursuing entrepreneurial dreams, it is in every tanning salon operator’s best interest to be fully-equipped to make a living in the indoor tanning industry. Some of the finest sunbeds, sunlamps, ancillary products such as red-light, hydro and cryotherapy, swimwear, jewelry, a seemingly endless supply of top-end lotions and much more are available just for the asking. The industry has come a long way for sure. However, there is one constant – one that has plagued us practically since the beginning of our industry: a lack of factual indoor tanning knowledge. Yep, many operators are still missing it!
A big shout-out to those who step up (and continue to do so) and complete accredited industry certification; but there are many who haven’t. Think about any service you spend your hard-earned money on; restaurants are among the first that come to mind. Now, envision that the restaurant staff has zero training – that’s right, no skills in cooking, serving or bartending. Nope, they just wing it. Well, there would have to be an incredible streak of good luck to keep an establishment like that open and making money, right?
Over the years, I’ve heard many excuses from salon owners when asked “why not get training?” They include: no time, don’t need it, why start now, it costs too much and others. In reality, that’s pretty lame. Don’t you owe it to yourself and your staff to possess, understand and be able to relay factual info about the products and services you offer? I’m not speaking about sales training; our industry has some exceptional trainers who navigate all across North America to provide salons with exceptional education. My hat’s off to them – they are truly road warriors who help you sell their products. I’m referring to an understanding of UV light and how it interacts with the skin, the tanning process, photosensitive reactions, federal and state regulations and much more.
Successful SIL graduates are eligible to be highlighted in a “Salon of Distinction” feature!
Let’s do a quick poll: How many of you reading this can confidently and accurately explain the tanning process to your salon guests – simply and in a manner they can understand? It’s arguably a pretty thin group; but I could be a little off, so try it out on your staff tomorrow.
I’ll cut to the chase. If you feel less than confident about your industry knowledge, you need to take advantage of an incredible deal. Our “Train Your Entire Team for Only $99” offer is a fantastic way to jump-start our Sun is Life® Certification program. It’s offered online 24/7 to accommodate practically anyone’s schedule. SIL is also offered at our industry’s leading expos – companies such as Four Seasons, URI, Superior UV and Heartland Distribution either have offered or will offer the certification in a classroom format. I’ve had the pleasure of teaching the classes and admit they have been incredible experiences. Even this old dog learns something new in these training sessions – they’re fun and educational!
To top it off, successful SIL graduates are eligible to be highlighted in the magazine as a “Salon of Distinction.” Some operators have their feature articles framed and display them in their salons, and they promote the achievement locally and on social media. Others even go on to take top business honors in their locales – read about two of them “In the News” on p.12 of this issue.
So, it’s up to you. Visit sunislife.com to gear up now and get your staff trained and primed in time for the upcoming season … No more excuses!
