Chicagoland Salons Rally To Make Impact

If you know Don Hirsch, president of Chicago-based Ultimate Exposure Tanning Centers and member of the ITA Board of Directors, then you know his passion for the indoor tanning industry. A salon owner for decades and a former distributor, he has seen the industry at its highs and lows, and is committed to helping other salon owners take on a more active role in the industry.

“I talk to salons all the time and realize that many of them don’t have any idea about the things that are happening at the national level, such as the passage of the TAN Act,” he says. “Many don’t realize that more and more municipalities are looking for ways to make money and are imposing additional taxes or legislation that directly affects indoor tanning.”

Concerned about the lack of industry awareness and involvement, he invited other Chicagoland salons to attend a Dec. 5 meeting at his headquarters to discuss the issues facing them on the local and national level. About 15 to 20 industry members representing more than 200 tanning salons braved an ice storm to attend the meeting—some even drove more than three hours.

“First and foremost, salons need to realize that while we are competitors, we are not the competition,” he says. “Salon owners nationwide need to get more people interested in tanning and active in fighting the anti-tanning critics that continue to beat the drum.”

The meeting’s success turned into a grassroots campaign among salon owners, who decided to work together as partners to promote the benefits of tanning and vitamin D. Those in attendance all agreed to devote 15 percent of their advertising space to promoting the sunshine vitamin. The key, Hirsch says, is to increase awareness about the benefits of tanning and get more people coming to the tanning salons.

“We have to change the way people view tanning and educate them about all the benefits,” he says. “We have to increase the number of people who visit tanning salons on a regular basis. We have to find ways to bring in a new stream of customers, rather than relying on our current clientele or those you might pick up when other salons close.”

The salons agreed and pledged ongoing support of their regional efforts as well as national efforts. In fact, all those in attendance joined the ITA and contributed to the Berman media campaign.

“The time to act is now so we can change our business and get more tanners in the doors,” Hirsch says. “In the past, no one really worried about regulations, but those times are behind us. Tanning critics can’t pass legislation if public perception is in our favor. Now is the time to get involved at the local and national level.”

The paradigm of the business is shifting, and more of the U.S. population should be tanning, Hirsch notes, adding that salons above the 37th parallel should be advising clients that there is less sunlight in their areas from September through March. “If we can get these months to be our busiest and the rest of the months to stay the same, then the industry will rebound,” he says.

What can you do? Promote February as National Vitamin D Deficiency Month. Make sure your employees are up to date on the latest scientific studies regarding the benefits of vitamin D and use them in your advertising campaigns. You might be surprised at the new customers who come to you for a dose of sunshine.