Health & Fitness Products, Services In The Tanning Salon

Tanners are obviously body-conscious—that’s why they pay money to tan in your salon. But have you thought about taking advantage of that mindset with something other than tanning? If not, you’re missing out on a great add-on sales opportunity through health- and fitness-related products and services.

Fitness and the tanning industry always have been closely connected; in fact, when tanning first began to boom in the ’80s, the fitness industry was one of the first areas to embrace it. Of course, the reason the two industries are so easily linked isn’t just due to their appearance-oriented clientele—it’s also because having a tan can enhance an exercise routine by helping make people look fit (just consider the name of the magazine you are reading).

In the salon setting, there are a few different ways to incorporate health and fitness services. The following is a look at what options are available, what kind of training is required and some ideas on how to market these services to your current clients and to new customers.

Body Wraps

One of the most popular health services to offer in the tanning salon setting is body wrapping. Dating back to ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome, body wraps traditionally have been used to remove toxins, restore nutrients, tighten and tone skin, reduce inches and provide temporary weight loss.

There are two main types of body wraps: those that utilize pre-warmed wrapping materials and those that utilize infrared-heated silicone bands. People undergoing pre-warmed wraps typically have their torso, legs, arms and neck wrapped, and the wrapping cloths often are pre-soaked in a variety of mixtures—from herbs and minerals to essential oils and sea salts—to help tone and soften the skin. With an infrared body wrap, the client’s thighs, hips, abdomen and arms or calves are wrapped with silicone bands. The bands are plugged into a control unit that warms them with infrared heat and keeps them at a set temperature throughout the treatment.

In both types of wraps, the goal is to create a thermal blanket that promotes sweating and the release of unnecessary interstitial fluid (fluid located between the small spaces of body tissues). The warmth also increases blood flow in the areas it touches, which softens fat, breaks it up and releases it back into the blood stream to be burned as energy. Many body-wrap manufacturers say that customers can expect to lose a total of four to 15 inches with each treatment (many salons will measure the clients pre- and post-treatment to show them the difference).

• Training: Learning how to body wrap is fairly simple; in fact, many body-wrap manufacturers offer training videos and DVDs. You also can check with manufacturers to see if they offer in-person training sessions. (Set-N-Me-Free, a body-wrap manufacturer based in Portland, Ore., hosts traveling seminars on its toxin-cleansing, no-shower linen body wrap, as well as on body and facial masking, skin polishing, plastic-film wraps, home-care products and methods, and marketing techniques and strategies. Check www.set-n-me-free.com for dates and locations.)

Fitness Equipment

Fitness services—in the form of toning tables—first appeared in tanning salons in 1987, during a time when the industry was dropping off after a period of rapid growth—and some say the tables helped salons push through hard times. Today, stand-alone exercise equipment continues to work well in the salon setting. So, if you have the space for an additional room, but are looking to add a service that is more “gym” and less “spa,” exercise equipment—such as the Vacustep or Life Trends Toning Chairs—may be a good way to go.

The VacuStep is an elliptical trainer that uses a “skirt” to section off the lower body—and when the customer is using the machine, the “skirt” creates a vacuum-like effect. The combination of the elliptical exercise and vacuum effect directly activates blood circulation in typical problem zones (hips, buttocks, stomach and thighs), which—much like the body wraps—breaks up stored fat and releases it to be burned. The bonus is that the fat can be burned right away with the elliptical exercise.