HP, The High Performance Tan Formula

HP, The High Performance Tan Formula

Tim Sonnier owner Vital Performance Corporation

Are you looking for "lagniappe?" This French Louisiana tradition of "a little something extra" just may apply to HP2000. That's what Tim Sonnier, owner of Vital Performance Corporation, thinks when it comes to talking about his product line.

His mission is to utilize a combination of the latest technology with natural ingredients to provide his customers with this "little something extra."

The line of HP2000 products and the company's service have improved since he purchased it in 1997. LOOKING FIT recently took a few minutes out of Tim's busy day to track the evolution he and his company have enjoyed over the last few years.

Q: How did you first get involved in the indoor tanning industry?

A: In the early '90s, I was working in the weight-loss and physical rehabilitation industry while actively involved in bodybuilding. As a thriving bodybuilder, I found myself looking for ways to enhance my skin color by using dyes and, eventually, tanning beds.

I was thrilled when I was introduced to tanning lotions because tanning beds alone didn't raise my tanning plateau to the level needed for effective competition. After using them, I realized the importance of skincare and moisturization in the overall tanning experience.

Q: When did you first get involved with HP2000?

A: As a bodybuilder, and eventually a tanning salon owner, I first used HP2000 prior to one of my bodybuilding competitions. I was extremely happy over the lotion's absorption factor, and the results were unbelievable. In fact, my own mother almost didn't recognize me because of the enhanced tanning plateau I achieved with the product.

Soon after, I became an HP2000 distributor. In 1997, I made the decision to step back from my bodybuilding and purchase the HP2000 company. I relocated the company's headquarters from California to Baton Rouge--a decision that was not made lightly, but it proved to be an enjoyable and productive one.

Q: How have the formulations changed since your acquisition in 1997?

A: As with any new venture, you want to put your own touches on it. A few advancements in the line have included changing the packaging to be more appealing to the consumer. As for the product itself, we refined some of the formulas to create a more-effective lotion and paid close attention to the reformulation of HP2000 Facial Booster

This enhancement now has made Our Facial Booster one of our top sellers along with our Tan Maximizer. Our staff at the Louisiana offices also has grown to five employees. Because of the changes to improve our products and services, we've doubled our sales since I purchased the company.

Q: What specific improvements have been made to the HP2000 Facial Booster?

A: Our customers told us that the product was slightly too heavy, so we remedied that situation in 1998. We also had technology available that helped us improve our product fragrance. We increased the levels of caviar and sugarcane extracts to greatly improve our concentration of natural ingredients.

These improvements solidified customer satisfaction. We began receiving calls from female tanners and non-tanners raving about the benefits of our moisturizer. Many told us that because of its skincare properties, HP2000 Facial Booster had become part of their moisturizing and cosmetic routine.

This was reassuring since we had developed our products to heal, soften and nourish skin cells. This was accomplished by combining a pure aloe vera base with natural extracts, essential oils, vitamins and amino acids. This combination allows our products to feed the skin cells with nutrients necessary for cell growth, rejuvenation and overall skin repair. The skin is left hydrated, smooth and healthy.

Q: What has been your personal contribution to the success of HP2000?

A: As an entrepreneur and owner of a successful physical rehabilitation clinic and a medical weight-loss facility, I am aware of the foundation necessary to develop and manage a successful company while producing a great product. This foundation consists of an effective marketing plan, an organized staff of successful people and most importantly a product that works. With this foundation in place, I am confident that Vital Performance Corporation will spiral HP2000 lotions into one of the Top 10 lotion companies in our industry.

Q: Before you purchased the company, many in the industry feared that HP2000 wasn't going to be around for the "long haul." How have you eliminated that fear?

A: Before I purchased HP2000, the company had run out of product several times due to poor planning. Since I acquired the company, I have spent countless hours re-establishing the trust distributors and salon owners must have in a company to make us successful again.

The indoor tanning industry now realizes that HP2000 is going to continue in a direction that will give our customers the confidence they need. One-on-one meetings have built this trust and confidence with distributors and salon professionals across the country. I have focused on building relationships that promote the strong foundation that my staff and I have established over the last few years.

Q: How do you get the word out about your products?

A: Other than special promotions, we try not to use direct marketing outside Louisiana. This allows us to maintain a strong relationship with our distributors by allowing them to do their job. Currently, we have 60 distributors carrying our product line.

I am committed to speaking to people at trade shows and symposiums about our products. One of the biggest points I stress to our customers is that HP stands for HIGH PERFORMANCE not high pressure. Although our products can be used in high-pressure units, they are designed to be used in ALL tanning systems.

Because of my public relations experience in the healthcare industry, I love to get in front of an audience and educate people about the benefits of a healthy skincare regime. And, as a bodybuilder, I spend time with fellow athletes explaining the benefits of using HP2000 products in their tanning program.

Q: Do you have plans for new additions to your product line?

A: Yes, we always strive to bring offer our customers the highest-quality products at a reasonable price-point. However, we have kept our line to a minimum in order to benefit the salon owner.

I promote our line as easy-to-learn products. With our current selection of four products, a salon owner can train a new employee in minutes about the benefits of our tanning products. This quick training situation allows new staff the ability to increase sales for the salon owner minutes after they start.

Tanning professionals simply need to remember HP2000 products are formulated to accelerate, moisturize and protect the skin. The process is enhanced by quality, ingredients like aloe vera, l-tyrosine and other natural additives. When used as directed, our tanning products are formulated to increase tanning potential by 40 percent.

Q: What do you see in the future for the indoor tanning industry?

A: I see a continued drive toward education. When I was a new salon owner in the late '90s, I had no one to turn to for education. I was fortunate enough to have a few friends who were knowledgeable about the industry give me the information I needed to succeed. Today's larger manufacturers are offering the education and training necessary to make it in this industry. This knowledge will be necessary for the continued expansion of our profession.

My staff and I will continue our goal of promoting education through participation in trade shows, symposiums and face-to-face contact with customers. Recently, we added two new staff members--Emilie Hill, executive assistant and Brad Johnson, sales manager--who will work to educate indoor tanning professionals nationwide about our products. This effort will help salon owners increase their sales while offering the added benefit of simplified training through a compact product line.