EFTs

One of the smartest things a salon owner can do to ensure they still have money rolling in during JASON is to offer EFTs, or electronic funds transfers. These membership programs allow you to have clients fill out a short enrollment form, including their checking, savings or credit-card information—then you can automatically draft the membership fee from the associated account each month. The best part? You get paid regardless of whether the client comes in to tan.

If you haven’t implemented this service, you need to get on the ball. A few things to ask yourself when setting up EFTs:

• Will I charge an enrollment/membership fee?
• Will I require them to sign up for a certain number of months to be part of the program?
• How much notice will be required for cancellation?

You also will need to decide whether you want to draft EFTs on your own, through salon software or outsource the billing to a payment-processing company. If you choose the latter, there are a number of companies available with industry-specific experience.

Final Thought: To really sell those EFTs, you may want to consider offering incentives, such as a lotion/upgrade discount or complimentary eyewear. Of course, the best incentive for clients is the fact that EFTs are cheaper than buying single tans or monthly packages, but little extras definitely can help close a deal.