[gap height=”20″]The term conjures up images of bikini-clad young women and muscle bound guys enjoying sun, fun and beverages in the warmer climates of the south. Beginning in March and running through mid-April, youngsters have flocked in droves to party and frolic in the sand on their Spring Break.
[gap height=”20″]Prior to the mid-80s, it was seemingly a “rite of passage” to come back from a Florida vacay sporting some result of sun exposure. Most, however, arrived back home with another affliction: peeling skin from sunburn. Then came the arrival of a new technology; the sunbed. Now, these young folks could pre-tan and develop a bit of natural sun protection prior to heading for the beach. And instead of lobster-red, they returned home with quite a tan and became the envy of those who stayed home for spring break. How did this ritual get started?
[gap height=”20″]Back in the late 1930s, a swim coach from New York’s Colgate University took his team down to Ft. Lauderdale in March to train in Florida’s first Olympic-size pool. Soon after, the city hosted its first swimming event with over 300 swimmers competing. In the early 1960s, the teen comedy Where the Boys Are starred an incredibly tanned actor, George Hamilton, and unveiled to America that Ft. Lauderdale was the place to party and find romance in the spring. It wasn’t long before “Lauderdale” was THE destination for spring break revelers.
[gap height=”20″]While attending James Madison University, I made it down to Lauderdale two years in a row during the “disco era” of the late 70s. Our days at the beach became nightly runs to the bars to imbibe and dance. Perhaps some of you remember Big Daddy’s – if not, think John Travolta and a spinning disco ball. Yes, I know … ancient history.
[gap height=”20″]The fun cascaded through the 80s and into the 90s, with MTV going live to the beach to give everyone who didn’t go on Spring Break an idea of what they had missed. However, the people of Ft. Lauderdale weren’t thrilled with the escalation of lewd and lascivious behavior being broadcasted across the country, and soon told the kids that they were no longer welcome. Locals enacted new laws to control the drinking and activities, prompting Spring Breakers to head for new and warmer climates. Locations in Arizona, Texas and Mexico brought their own style to the mix, as did the soon-to-follow destinations in Jamaica and the Caribbean. But the economic downturn in the mid-2000s left many without the cash needed – typically starting at around $1,000 – to fly or drive and stay for a week. But hey, if you can’t make it to the beach, you can certainly look like you did, right?
[gap height=”20″]So, what is Spring Break like today for tanning salons? I reached out to some industry contacts for an update: Todd Earnhart of Houston, TX-based Club Tan; Diana Gregor of Exotic Exposures; Amanda Juergen of South Beach Tanning Company in Statesboro, GA and Faraje Kharsa of iTan Sun Spray Spa (SoCal) offered their takes on Spring Break.
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With this year’s spring break in front of us, many tanners will trek back to the salons to get a beach-ready glow. What are your thoughts on the impact of Spring Break at your salons?
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[gap height=”20″]Faraje: “This year marks our 16th year in business, and we’ve always looked forward to providing our local community with state-of-the-art equipment and top-notch customer service every Spring Break season.”
[gap height=”20″]Todd: “We go back to the mid-1980s with Spring Break promotions. To get ready, we load up on samples for free giveaways and promote products that they may not have tried. We really try to create the inspiration during our open house to use all the best equipment and products – it’s addicting!”
[gap height=”20″]Amanda: “Ever since we opened back in 2003, we’ve experienced an increase in traffic during the month of March, with tanners visiting to either start the tanning process or boost their existing tans to get ready for Spring Break.”
[gap height=”20″]Diana: “We opened our salons in 2008 and 2009, and we have seen Spring Breaker traffic since the day we opened. It has slowed down somewhat over the years, but we still see a huge increase in business during the months of February and March.”
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What incentives do you offer folks who may have taken the winter off and are returning to salons for some spring color?
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[gap height=”20″]Faraje: “We incentivize Spring Breakers to visit iTAN with BOGO spray sessions and an all- access pass to our salons, including UV, spray-tan and spa services. By bundling our services, we’re able to increase perceived value of these offerings and make it more cost-effective for price conscious consumers.”
[gap height=”20″]Todd: “We get everyone fired up and kick things off with a February open house.”
[gap height=”20″]Amanda: “For the month of March, we run one of our most popular specials that we only offer twice a year – a 100% lotion rebate. How it works: buy any bottle of Devoted Creations tanning lotion and receive a 100% in-store rebate to use on single sessions for non-members, or for upgrades with a VIP membership. For example, if you buy a $60 bottle of DC tanning lotion you receive $60 in Bonus Bucks on your account! Customers love this special and usually purchase 2-3 bottles at a time to stock up on Bonus Bucks to use before their Spring Break trips!”
[gap height=”20″]Diana: “In January, we usually offer a three-month tanning package starting at $99 for our base level beds; we also offer lotion combos including moisturizers and body washes. Some people only want to tan for three months – after that, they want to lay out in the real sun, so the three-month package is very popular in our salons.”
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What are some popular destinations of your Spring Break tanners?
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[gap height=”20″]Faraje: “We frequently hear customers mention that they enjoy jet-setting to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico; Palm Springs, CA and Lake Havasu, AZ.”
[gap height=”20″]Todd: “Being from Texas, South Padre Island is a popular destination. Cancun, Destin, FL and the Gulf Coast are also extremely popular.”
[gap height=”20″]Amanda: “With all of our corporate locations being in Florida, some of the destinations we hear about are: Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach, Clearwater Beach, St. Pete Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, Miami Beach, and multiple cruise destinations.”
[gap height=”20″]Diana: “Since we are a Spring Break destination here in Panama City Beach, we usually have a lot of locals who come in to get ready for the season. Of course, we also have the service industry – bartenders, waitresses, beach promo girls, etc. – so, they are coming in trying to get tan and look their best before all the Spring Breakers get here.”
[gap]What do you do to prepare for the influx of tanners? Salon education? Re-lamping? Spring cleaning?[gap]
[gap height=”20″]Faraje: “We kick-off the busy season with our three-day $1 Semi-Annual Sale, which includes $1 UV, spray and spa services available at all 31 iTAN locations. This is a great opportunity to get new customers in the door to try our services and express gratitude to our existing customers for their continued loyalty. We started this promotion almost ten years ago with $1 services on Customer Appreciation Day once a year, and now it’s evolved to a twice-yearly promotion we’re known for in Southern California. Our customers love the savings they receive, just in time for Spring Break!”
[gap height=”20″]Todd: “We stay prepared all year long. It’s my opinion that a successful business always stays prepared. With one chance at a first impression, why wait for one period of time to put your best foot forward? Be your best every single day!”
[gap height=”20″]Amanda: “At the end of February, South Beach corporate multiple training classes that all sales associates have to attend to educate and refresh on sales and product knowledge before the influx of tanners for March. We also tend to overstaff the stores in March to make sure each customer is receiving the absolute best service there is and no one is being rushed or overlooked because we are short-staffed.”
[gap height=”20″]Diana: “We just wrapped up employee training in lotion sales; we also have monthly staff meetings to ensure all employees are properly trained for the increase in traffic we will see and to be able to efficiently handle that many people coming into the salon. Friendly customer service is a staple in our salons, so that can never suffer – no matter how many people are walking through the door.”
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Many operators have spent time putting together creative packages and marketing for Spring Breakers. Can you share some ideas?
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[gap height=”20″]Todd: “This is, quite possibly, the time of year when our veteran tanners are the hungriest for our services. Why would you diminish your profitability at a time like this? Our prices are consistent on a year-round basis. I suggest making a conscious effort to promote some of your quality SPF products for clients to take on their trips.”
[gap height=”20″]Diana: “Since Spring Breakers are usually only in Panama City for one week at a time, we offer discounts on 3- and 5-session packages so they can get a good value while they are here. For our locals, we offer lotions that come with one week of free tanning, depending on the product price point.”
[gap height=”20″]Tanning salon owners around the country embrace the Spring Breakers – whether they were buying sessions to pre-tan for the beach and then maintain their tans after they got home, or they were financially challenged and stayed home but still got a great “local” tan.
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Come on in! The rays are fine!
