The Midwest Rocks
Salon Owners In The Nation's Heartland Ready For The 21st Century
by Scott Hoover
It always amazes me how different our tanning salon customers are in the various parts of the country. After spending more than two weeks in the Southeastern region of the United States, it was time to go back on the road and visit the nation's heartland. In many aspects, the salons I visited in the Midwest were very similar to those in the Southeast; however, the customer demographics are very different.
For example, in the Southeast, tingle products were all the rage, and in the Midwest, the more conservative tanners opted for non-reddening products. This was just one of the many observations I brought home with me from the second half of our Tanning Tour '99 to promote responsible tanning. Once again, I would like to thank our Tour sponsors, John Abaté International™ and Vitasun USA, for their continued support and cornucopia of products. Check back in March for the continuation of the Midwest Tour.
Malibu Tanning
(2 locations)
Amy McClure-- general manager
Goshen, Ind.
New Location, Same Success
 Tina Pestow, Megan Crothers and Amy McClure |
Amy McClure, general manager of Malibu Tanning in Goshen, Ind., knows a successful location when she sees it. Although the salon only has been open for six months, the salon already boasts a database of more than 4,000 clients.
"The salon really has been welcomed by the community," says McClure. "Our customer base includes mostly working class couples, 60 percent female and 40 percent male. One of the main attractions for our customers is the fact that we offer three different levels of tanning including low-, medium- and high-pressure."
When asked what has been the hardest part of starting a new a salon, McClure answered education without hesitation.
"Educating our clients about responsible tanning is a full-time job," she notes. "First we have to find employees who are willing to take the time to learn about tanning. Then, we have to get the clients to take the time and listen to the information that our employees are telling them. It's hard, but I also believe it is the key to running a successful indoor tanning salon."
VITALS SIGNS:
Years in business: 3
Services: Tanning
Number of units: 40
Number of employees: 20
Busy season: December to March
Average tanning sessions per day: 450-500 (busy season), 70-100 (slow season)
Average client age: 28
Average tanning session price: $8 low-pressure, $15 high-pressure
Best marketing tip: Know your products
Best advertising avenue: Radio
Biggest business obstacle: Finding good employees
Beauty Body Works
Paul and Jeanna Miller--owners
Nappanee, Ind.
Tanning, Hair, Nails & More
 Dawn Hollar |
As indoor tanning salons move into the 21st century, more and more are considering adding ancillary services in an effort to raise their bottom lines. One of the most successful ancillary services that salons are finding is day spa amenities. Paul and Jeanna Miller of the Beauty Body Works in Nappanee, Ind., not only are cashing in with day spa amenities but also with the growing hair and nail salon business.
"Most salons start out as tanning salons and then add other services," says Dawn Hollar, an assistant with the salon. "What the Miller's have done is add tanning to an already growing hair, nail and day spa salon and it has been extremely successful."
Although more than 80 percent of the salon's customers are women, Hollar has seen an increase in the amount of men visiting the salon.
"By adding tanning, we have seen the amount of men increase over the past couple of months," she says. "Men seem to be coming in with their significant others and then tanning while they get their hair or nails done. What has really made the salon successful is that our employees know the products that we sell and are very good at educating our customers."
VITAL SIGNS:
Years in business: 6 months
Services: Tanning, hair, nails and massages
Number of units: 6
Number of employees: 15
Busy season: February to April
Average tanning sessions per day: 50-100 (busy season), 25-50 (slow season)
Average client age: 27-34
Average tanning session price: $8 low-pressure, $15 high-pressure
Best marketing tip: Know your products
Best advertising avenue: Direct mail
Biggest business obstacle: Keeping good employees
Tan-N-Glow
(2 locations)
Diana Likens and Kelly Smith--owners
Warsaw, Ind.
Just Like Home
 Kelly Smith and Diana Likens |
One of the main attractions of many small businesses is the "homey" feeling customers receive when they walk in. It has been just that feeling which has made Diana Likens and Kelly Smith, owners of the Warsaw, Ind.-based Tan-N-Glow, so successful. For more than 10 years, they have been welcoming everybody by name as well as offering some of the best facilities in town.
"We think it is extremely important, especially in a small town such as Warsaw where just about everybody knows your name, to offer good customer service." says Likens. "It also is important to know everything you can about your equipment so you can explain the features of each of your units to your customers."
Likens adds the hardest part of being an indoor tanning salon owner is dealing with fly-by-night salons that try to give away tanning.
"So many salons just don't realize that you can't say in business by discounting tanning all the time," she notes. "If you just provide good customer service, your customers will keep coming back over and over again."
VITAL SIGNS:
Years in business: 10
Services: Tanning
Number of units: 5
Number of employees: 9
Busy season: March to May
Average tanning sessions per day: 300-400 (busy season), 75-100 (slow season)
Average client age: 25-49
Average tanning session price: $8 low-pressure, $15 high-pressure
Best marketing tip: Know your equipment and lotions
Best advertising avenue: Word-of mouth and newspaper ads
Biggest business obstacle: Educating clients about responsible tanning
Chicago Tropic
Tanning
Michael Kosmicke--owner
Chicago
Getting People In The Door
 Michael Kosmicke |
If you ask Michael Kosmicke, owner of Chicago Tropic Tanning in Chicago, what the most important aspect of running a successful indoor tanning salon is he would tell you getting people in the door. It is theory that has made him very successful.
"In any market, but especially in the Chicago market, walk-in customers are very important," he notes. "Where the salon is located we get so many people walking by during lunch or while they are shopping, if we can get just a small percentage to come in and experience tanning, it has been a good day."
Kosmicke, like many other salon owners, also has noticed that tanning has become less seasonal, and although there still is a drop off during the summer and fall months, more and more people are tanning year-round.
"I think more people are becoming better educated about tanning," he notes. "So instead of just coming in before their vacation to tan, they are trying to keep a good base all year long."
VITAL SIGNS:
Years in business: 8
Services: Tanning
Number of units: 18
Number of employees: 7
Busy season: March to May
Average tanning sessions per day: 90-150 (busy season), 75 (slow season)
Average client age: 25-40
Average tanning session price: $7
Best marketing tip: Use different specials to get people in the door
Best advertising avenue: Coupon books and direct mail
Biggest business obstacle: Educating people about tanning
Safari Beach Club
(2 locations)
Randy Anderson--owner
Munster, Ind.
Getting Bigger All The Time
 Sharon Dykema and Randy Anderson |
When customers walk into Safari Beach Club in Munster, Ind., they might think they have been magically transformed to a far away island paradise. Then again, many island paradises don't see as much business as Randy Anderson, the salon's owner. With more than 4,800 square feet of space, the salon sees more than 500 customers on an average busy day and has more than 24,000 clients on the customer list.
"The salon just keeps growing," says Anderson. "We do a lot of advertising on local movie screens and through direct mail. Our advertising campaigns have been extremely successful in bringing in old and new clients alike."
Anderson also runs a number of special promotions where for one day only new customers purchase a session for just $1.
"It has brought in some unbelievable numbers," he says. "If we can get new clients in to purchase packages or to have our current customers renew, it helps the bottom line throughout the year."
VITAL SIGNS:
Years in business: 12
Services: Tanning
Number of units: 36
Number of employees: 22
Busy season: March to May
Average tanning sessions per day: 480-500 (busy season), 125 (slow season)
Average client age: 28-38
Average tanning session price: $8 low-pressure, $30 high-pressure
Best marketing tip: Sell sessions
Best advertising avenue: Yellow Pages
Biggest business obstacle: Negative publicity
Southern Exposure
Lisa and Chad Lee--owners
Lincolnshire, Ill.
Ready To Grow
 Lisa Lee |
For many small-business owners, the hardest part of starting a new business is keeping your head above water the first few years while still looking toward future growth. This is not a problem that Chad and Lisa Lee, owners of the Lincolnshire, Ill.-based Southern Exposure, have had.
"We have our feet in the door of a project that is going to be constructed directly across the street from our current location," says Lisa. "We already are starting to plan how the salon is going to look and what we are going to do with the extra room."
One of the hardest aspects of purchasing their current salon has been overcoming the negative impression many of their clients had about the old salon and its former owners.
"We have had to do a lot of work not only on the salon's image, but also educating the customers about responsible tanning," she says. "Today, we have more than 3,000 customers in our database, which isn't bad for a five-bed salon. We continue to market to many of the salon's previous customers and little by little, I think they are realizing that we are here to stay and to accommodate their needs."
VITAL SIGNS:
Years in business: 3
Services: Tanning
Number of units: 5
Number of employees: 2
Busy season: February to June
Average tanning sessions per day: 60 (busy season), 25 (slow season)
Average client age: 25-30
Average tanning session price: $6.50-$7
Best marketing tip: Salons must advertise
Best advertising avenue: Radio
Biggest business obstacle: Overcoming "bad vibe" from previous owners
Southern Exposure
Judy and Dan Ross--owners
Libertyville, Ill.
Family Affair
 Judy Ross and Juvi Rodriguez |
It happens all the time--a family-owned business is passed down through the generations. Dad was a police officer, son becomes a police officer. Mom was a doctor, daughter becomes a doctor. How often though do you find an indoor tanning salon fitting into this scenario? For Judy Ross, owner of Southern Exposure in Libertyville, Ill., and daughter Lisa Lee (see previous article) the salon business has become just that.
"It's kind of funny because I never thought Lisa would want to own a salon," says Ross. "But when she purchased her salon, I was very happy and sad at the same time. Happy for her and for her success, but also sad because I had just lost my best employee."
One of the most successful ways Ross has found to market her salon within her own strip mall is to give preferred pricing to other clients within the mall. In addition, she gives bonus points to her customers who refer other new customers to the salon.
"The bonus points is just a good way to reward customers that bring new people into the salon," she notes. "For me, it basically adds up to free advertising."
VITAL SIGNS:
Years in business: 6
Services: Tanning and activewear
Number of units: 13
Number of employees: 3
Busy season: February to May
Average tanning sessions per day: 200-250 (busy season), 75-80 (slow season)
Average client age: 18-40
Average tanning session price: $5 basic bed, $12 upgrade
Best marketing tip: Good customer service
Best advertising avenue: Yellow Pages and radio
Biggest business obstacle: Keeping and finding good employees
Ultra Tan
Derek Wojtasik--owner
Palatine, Ill.
Getting In Shape For Tanning
 Betty and Derek Wojtasik |
Derek Wojtasik, owner of Ultra Tan in Palatine, Ill., knows all about staying in shape. However, will being a professional bodybuilder help Wojtasik when it comes to opening a new tanning salon? Only time will tell, but if the first two months are any indication, success will follow this man in whatever he tries.
"We only have been open for two months but we already have experienced a very good reception from our clients," he notes. "Being that we have such a good location, I am very confident in our long-term success."
The location that Wojtasik refers to not only includes the location of the salon in a very popular and brand new strip mall, but also of its location in Palatine, in a neighborhood considered in the top 2 percent in all of Illinois.
"Many of the people who live in this area are extremely wealthy," he says. "Many of the Chicago Bulls and Chicago Bears players live in this area, as well as a number of the local celebrities. I think with all the advertising and some of the connections that I have in the area, everything will turn our very well."
VITAL SIGNS:
Years in business: 2 months at this location
Services: Tanning
Number of units: 24
Number of employees: 2
Busy season: March to May
Average tanning sessions per day: Not known yet (busy season), 100-120 (slow
season)
Average client age: 24-32
Average tanning session price: $9
Best marketing tip: Find a good location
Best advertising avenue: Direct mail
Biggest business obstacle: Bringing in new clients
We Be Tannin'
Renee Lukasik and Michele Buscemi--owners
Aurora, Ill.
New To The Scene
 Renee Lukasik, Erin Rodriguez and Disa Buscemi |
One of the problems when opening a new salon is knowing what, if any, ancillary services a salon may want to offer. When Renee Lukasik and Michelle Buscemi opened We Be Tannin' in Aurora, Ill., approximately nine months ago, they stuck to the basics and just offered tanning. It is a decision that Lukasik says the salon will be changing in the near future.
"We have had so many people that tan here ask whether they also could get a massage or a body wrap that we definitely are going to add these services in the future," she says. "Hopefully, within the next six months to a year we will be able to at least add body wraps to our services offered."
Due to the fact that the salon is located in a fast-growing suburb of Chicago, Lukasik says the best form of advertising is the local newsletters that are printed for neighboring subdivisions.
"We have tried a number of different advertising avenues, and the newsletters have worked the best," she notes. "The salon also is located right next to a country club and we do get a number of customers through word-of-mouth from some of our current clients."
VITAL SIGNS:
Years in business: 9 months
Services: Tanning
Number of units: 6
Number of employees: 2
Busy season: January to July
Average tanning sessions per day: 100 (busy season), 20 (slow season)
Average client age: 25-35
Average tanning session price: $7-$8
Best marketing tip: Know your products
Best advertising avenue: Newsletters
Biggest business obstacle: Just doing tanning. Wants to add more services
