“What is your best tip for surviving the slow summer months?”
Summer is approaching, and with the sunny days comes a significantly slower pace than most tanning salons have experienced during the last several months. Over the years, we’ve found that salon pros have different ways of approaching their business operations during the off-season; some never really have one![gap height=”20″]
IST asked some salon pros to share their thoughts about shifting the focus of their business during the next few months. If you’re new to the industry, you’ll certainly grab some great ideas here – and even a tan biz veteran may be able to glean a tip or two, as well. Read on![gap height=”20″]
We asked our group of salon pros from all over the U.S.: [gap height=”10″]
Justin: While some salons break even or make a few dollars, most lose money for 4+ months out of each year. We would all love consistent revenue, but for us in Michigan, seasonality is just the nature of the business. By accepting this fact, we enjoy our summer and brainstorm new ideas. Because of wedding season, we do focus a bit more on spray-tans during this time of year. Otherwise, my tip is to enjoy yourself, take a nice trip, but make sure you stick to your budget to control your losses until the following busy season.[gap height=”15″]
Rhonda: In order to survive the slow summer months, we focus on SUNLESS! Throughout the entire summer, you’ll find that your tanners spend most of their spare time outdoors. For those who tan at the beach or in a sunbed, they may want that extra bit of instant color before they head out on their cruise, to attend a family reunion or take a summer vacation; but those who never go in the sun are the people you should put most of your focus on. [gap height=”15″]
Summer is the time when everyone wants to be in shorts, a slinky sundress or a bathing suit, and who really wants to have white legs? We offer a ton of different summer specials on sunless sessions, our most popular being the BOGO – buy one session, get one 50 percent off (the half-price session expires in 30 days). The reason we have an expiration date is because we want to get them back in the door ASAP! Not only will this create the opportunity for upselling future memberships and/or packages, but it also allows us to sell more retail sunless and maintenance products. Once you get your clients hooked on sunless, they’ll keep coming back for more and be your greatest source of referrals for future business, as well.[gap height=”15″]
Cami: The summer can be tough, but here in Maine, it kicks off a little later than in most of the U.S. The key, of course, is to keep our tanners coming in for sessions. We offer some irresistible summer deals: buy three months of tanning for only $99, and we offer a calendar with daily specials during the summer months. Our guests can come in and every day get a different deal on products or services. It’s always worked well for us![gap height=”15″]
James: The summer months are a time to reflect on the past busy season and evaluate plans for the next year. Since it’s still fresh and the data is available, we create our marketing calendar 12-15 months in advance – a great way to control budgets, as well. It’s the best time to negotiate media buys and get your entire staff on-board and included in the decision-making. The marketing calendar has been one of the best resources we’ve created and is a great way to keep everyone focused on the upcoming year.[gap height=”15″]
Kevin: If your salon is membership-driven, it’s all about keeping tanners coming in throughout the off-season. You may want to try this: offer a $20 lotion credit for every month that they stay on the EFT program through the summer. You can limit the number of months or have a maximum credit amount. We all know that most people don’t tan indoors all year; being able to draft their EFT another three months can really help you get through the off-season. The lotion credit is an inexpensive gift and may also result in additional product revenue. Happy selling![gap height=”15″]
Eileen: It’s summer survival! Time to rethink your game plan and put on your game face! Each year, we are faced with a slowdown for UV tanning. These tanners for the most part, don’t really fear the natural sun and enjoy achieving a great summer tan outdoors. But, don’t overlook those who can’t tan with UV or have indoor jobs that keep them from getting a summer glow. By shifting your attention to spray-tanners, you can enjoy a “busy season” all summer long! This summer, we’ll give away free spray-tan gear with our logo on it with the purchase of a spray-tan package. If you don’t offer a spray-booth or custom airbrush, there are great DIY at-home “spray-tan in a can” products available from our top tanning product distributors. One of our favorite promos last year was our “Summer Legs” bag deal. We fill an adorable, clear tote with a pair of foldable flip flops, a self-tanner spray and of course, a shave-minimizing moisturizer – all at a great price. We’re going to run Facebook ads for skin care products, so that when our guests start to bare their skin, they can get all the products that help them look their best. We will create a “Summer Survival” deal including all of the above and add in a teeth-whitening to kick off the summer. Get creative and make it happen![gap height=”15″]
Michelle: For me, the best way to survive slower summer months has been to diversify. I’m trying to move into other services that are not as seasonal as indoor tanning can be. I received my certification this past year to do permanent make-up and eyebrow micro-blading. That has brought in some new people who I doubt would have otherwise come to my salon. I know that as we get closer to the summer months, we also will bring in some SPF lotions, sunburn relief gels, and a lot of after-tan lotions. We also tend to sell more self-tanning products during this time, as people want to have that sun-kissed look all the time – not just for a big event or travel. I do my best to keep up on cosmetic trends and watch what is going on within the industry. Who knows? I may pick up on a new trend to check out by reading these comments from my fellow salon pros![gap height=”15″]
Drew: The best ways to survive the slower months are to 1) shape your season, and 2) not fight nature. [gap height=”15″]
1. In shaping your season, offer tanning specials before peak time to get people coming in earlier and keep them coming in at the end of peak season. This helps you drive some of the “busy” before and after the time when it would typically be. [gap height=”15″]
2. Don’t fight nature! Don’t try to push UV tanning like crazy in November – it’s just not as popular that time of year. Use this time to market your other services: red-light therapy, teeth-whitening, sunless (focus on holiday events!) and spa services. [gap height=”15″]
Teresa: It’s that time of the year when our “busy at the counter” turns into “busy outreach.” We reach out to other businesses that cater to people who might be indoor tanners. For example, we cross-promote with gyms, nail and hair salons, massage centers, chiropractic offices and those that offer natural health care products and services. We contact apartment complexes and community centers, as well. We recently added Infrared Sauna Therapy that has become very popular with those who are health conscious and looking for alternative pain relief. This year, we’re going to set up educational booths and displays at local community functions and really try to get involved in events to keep our name out there. [gap height=”15″]
At the beginning of summer, we gladly donate cases of ingredient-safe sunscreen at local pools and aquatic centers, along with information on sun safety and nutrition. One of the only true ways to change the public’s perception of tanning is to reach and educate them, one-by-one. We educate our clientele with email marketing, social media posts and in the salon by providing info on how nutrition and food choices affect the skin when tanning. Our focus also turns to updating the salon’s décor, providing continued education for our staff and cleaning up our salon database. Sit back and take a look at the past season. What could you do differently to improve your guests’ experience? What can you add to the salon that will fill a community need? Busy season is coming to a close in the salon, and our type of “busy” changes with the seasons. [gap height=”15″]
IST thanks these salon pros for generously offering their expertise. Cheers to summer survival![gap height=”10″]
[gap height=”10″]Justin Carpenter, Co-Owner
J2 Tanning
Lansing, MI
[gap height=”10″]Rhonda Massey Shaffer Culligan, Owner
Body Heat Tanning
Coral Springs, FL
[gap height=”10″]Cami Hondel, Owner
Local Acapulco
South Portland, ME
[gap height=”10″]James Israel, CEO
Beach Bum Tanning & Airbrush Salon
Eastern U.S.
[gap height=”10″]Kevin Moore, Owner
Artisun
Washington, PA
[gap height=”10″]Eileen Morris, Owner
Body Images
Wilmington, DE
[gap height=”10″]Michelle Norvell, Co-Owner
Bare Necessities
Puyallup, WA
[gap height=”10″]Drew Spurgers, Owner
Exotic Tans
Conway, AR
[gap height=”10″]Teresa Terry, Owner
Electric Sun Tanning
Gardner, KS
