Dear Readers,
March is, of course, a typically big month for those of us in the tan biz and hopefully, your team has been properly trained and is ready to hit those budget numbers on which you’ve so diligently worked. I’ve recently traveled to several regional trade events and talked to hundreds of salon owners who are reporting that both January and February were not meeting what they had forecast. Several common issues have been mentioned to me – topping the list were the weather and negative press.
The weather is beyond our control, but the most recent damaging press is a direct result of people in our industry making and misguiding salon operators to make medical claims about tanning, further drawing negative attention from the medical community. If you’ve heard me speak in the last two years, I’m sure you know what I’m about to say. We must STOP making medical claims and focus on self-regulation of our industry, setting salon operator training and certification standards, and working with our adversaries to find common ground.
The tanning industry isn’t going away; therefore, we must do what is necessary to protect, preserve and grow it. How do we do that? By supporting those in our industry who are qualified to communicate with our adversaries and determine how we can coexist. What can you do? Make sure that your staff has learned to operate your facility in the most professional way possible. It’s never been more important to train and certify your team, even if your state does not require certification. We should be doing everything we can to speak in a common voice as salon operators. That’s why I created Sun is Life® Training & Certification – and you can start it right now.
I’m proud to report that Sun is Life online certification is quickly becoming an industry standard – and you don’t have to wait for it to come to your area. Your staff can be trained at their convenience, no travel expenses involved. You can go online anytime, 24/7 and get the best training and certification this industry has to offer.
Last month, we introduced the free Sun is Life Webinar Series, hosted by ist Magazine columnist and industry veteran, John Farr of The Power Group and by Sun Is Life Director, Tony Brown (see story, pg. 128). Continuing through 2013, the Webinar topics include sales, marketing, human resources and management, and combined with our 25-module online training, Sun is Life will help you with every aspect of your business. Over 100 people a week are currently getting trained with customized learning plans – it’s a perfect time to turn your staff into a team of salon professionals.
Many people in our industry are dedicated to helping salon operators build their businesses, one of whom is profiled in our “Industry Close-up” this month – Bill Gallagher, President/Co-owner of distributor, Suntan Supply. I always enjoy reading how people got their start in the tanning business and John Ribner does a great job of getting people to tell him their “life stories”.
Also in this issue is a feature about increasing revenue with spray-tanning, “Creating Long-term Sunless Tanners”. I think it’s great that salon professionals contribute to our articles, sharing their tips and knowledge with others in the tanning community. Be sure to also check out the columns by our group of contributing writers, who take the time each month to offer their expertise. Good people in this industry!
A lot of good people have been providing and attending regional expos around the country – the season is wrapping up for these “Industry Happenings” but we’ve got more coverage in this issue from several recent events.
Cheers to a great season!
