Operating Costs & Revenues

The retailer or salon owner must know the proper methods of selling goods. Obviously, the salon owner already should know the market for his salon service, but dealing in hard goods can be a different technique. Selling takes place in three ways. There is personal selling where a salesperson or the product itself confronts the consumer and says, "Buy." Advertising is the presenting of a product through a medium such as television, radio or the press. Finally, promotion backs up a product through in-store displays, radio contests and similar tactics.

Each time a retailer introduces a product, there must be a promotional campaign. Be it large or small, the promotional package must get the word to potential buyers that the product is available to them. A simple way to promote a product line (such as tanning lotions or cosmetics) is through an in-house promotion with fliers handed or mailed to steady tanning customers.

In any case, promotion can come from two sources: producers and retailers. The producers push the product by offering inducements to wholesalers and retailers to stock the item. They can provide promotional materials or special discounts to help push the product out. The pulling technique is used to stimulate consumer demand for a product. Here the consumer doesn’t see the product at the store first (as in the push method of promotion) they might see it on television. The next time the consumer is in a store, he or she thinks to ask for that product. The producer has created a strong demand for the product and now the retailer will have to stock it.

Selling Services And Products

A successful business depends upon how well a service or product is marketed, and the tanning business is no exception. However, not everyone is a born salesperson and some people need a little more direction.

How do salon owners and employees, whether they be in tanning, nails, massage or body wrap facilities, go about selling packages, lotions, clothing and accessories to clients? There are specific techniques for selling in each of these areas.

1. Tanning Packages

The vast majority of regular tanning customers purchase their tanning time in packages; an arrangement that is to their benefit as well as that of the salon. The principle at work is that the customer receives a discount on the price of each session in exchange for paying for a number of sessions up front. Within this loose guideline, there are many options for setting up tanning packages.

There are basically three different categories of packages that can be offered with tanning; you can work with minutes, sessions or unlimited packages within a set time period. Effective selling of any package involves spending time with the customer and finding out what they want and need.

Obviously, a person who wishes to get a tan just before going on a vacation is going to need a different package than a person who plans to be tanned for an entire season. If you can diplomatically determine what customers need to satisfy their wants, you can offer them the appropriate package right off the bat and avoid trying to sell them something they can see they don’t want.