Up Front In January

Industry Unites

PHOENIX—Last month, we told you about the Indoor Tanning Association’s campaign with Berman and Co. to increase the demand for indoor tanning and oppose anti-tanning “hype”

by raising awareness of the positive benefits of vitamin D. Donations are still pouring in—check out www.lookingfit.com/industryunites for an updated list of contributors. If you would like to make a donation, please contact the ITA by e-mailing admin@theita.com or calling (888) 377-0477.

It’s 2008—Are You Certified?

PHOENIX—Make sure your staff is certified. NTTI is offering a special 5-Pack of Basic Certification for a reduced price of $164.95—a savings of $130. To take advantage of this offer, visit www.tanningtraining.com/5pack or call (800) 529-1101.

CTS Is Making Strides Against Breast Cancer

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich.—Employees of CTS: The Tanning Experts and their families joined 10,000 walkers on Oct. 13 for the “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer” walk in Detroit, which raised more than $25,000 for the American Cancer Society. CTS parent company, The Nailco Group, sponsored the event and brought an incredible 400 walkers. CTS and The Nailco Group have been proud participants in this important event for nearly a decade.

2008 Top 250 Salons To Be Named Next Month

PHOENIX—The LOOKING FIT staff is hard at work determining the Top 250 Salons listing for 2008, which will be announced in a special Feb. 15 issue of LOOKING FIT magazine. Salons were nominated in a number of ways—by themselves, their peers, distributors or manufacturers—and filled out a comprehensive survey about the salon business.

For more information, contact Rebecca Pray at (480) 990-1101, ext. 1603.

Jan. 19-20
Future Industries/Original Dr. Müller’s
3rd Annual Northeast Tanning Expo
Trumbull, Conn.
(866) 742-9333, ext. 160
www.netanningexpo.com

Jan. 25-26
Team Heartland Southeast Event
McDonough, Ga.
(800) 554-8268
www.heartlandtan.com

Jan. 26
Ryco Tan Supply Expo
St. Louis
(800) 775-7926
www.rycotansupplylampsandparts.com  

Feb. 1-2
Team Heartland Midwest Event
Lee’s Summit, Mo.
(800) 554-8268
www.heartlandtan.com

Feb. 1-3
American Sun Systems, Forever Tan’s
15th Annual Southeastern Tanning Expo
Winston-Salem, N.C.
(800) 537-9113
www.americansunsystems.com

Devoted Creations Launches ‘Green Line’

Devoted Creations has launched its new “Green Line” for the 2008 tanning season, which incorporates 100-percent recycled bottles, paper labels, organic lotion and 100-percent recycled displays. Devoted Creations also will make a donation to the Global Green Organization for every bottle purchased. “This line has caught the eye of many people in and out of the tanning industry,” says Lewis Henry, president of Devoted Creations. “Personally, I believe it is the most exciting thing that has hit our industry in a very long time. The salons that carry this display will set themselves apart from the competition while doing their part to reduce their impact on the environment.”

For more information, call (800) 488-5524.

NAILsavers Announces Sales Contest

PASO ROBLES, Calif.—NAILsavers™ is having a sales contest for its newest product, the GOTCHA COVERED FACEsaver, a UV face protector mask made with Solarweave®, a sun protective fabric. The contest runs from Oct. 12, 2007 to April 15, 2008. The salon that sells the most FACEsavers during that time wins airfare and lodging for two at the Westin Regina Golf & Beach Resort in Los Cabos, Mexico for a week. Visit www.nailsavers.com for contest details and additional information on the FACEsaver.

ProSun Invites You To Visit Its Facility

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.—ProSun International is offering to pay to fly salon owners who are interested in its equipment to the company headquarters in St. Petersburg, Fla. While there, salon owners will have the opportunity to tour ProSun’s facility, view the available equipment and try beds for themselves. To see if you qualify for this special offer, call (800) 874-2776.

Ohio Recertification Special

PHOENIX—Reminder: Tanning salons in the Buckeye State are required to recertify employees every four years. Be sure to check your basic certification certificates to ensure you are in compliance. NTTI has a special $34.95 online recertification special that also includes a free NTTI membership. Visit www.tanningtraining.com to take advantage of this offer or call (800) 529-1101.

Be On The Lookout For LOOKING FIT’s e-Newsletter

PHOENIX—Make sure you are on top of your game by having all the top indoor tanning news, marketing tips and salon business solutions e-mailed to you, care of LOOKING FIT’s e-newsletter. Simply log on to www.lookingfit.com and fill out the “Sign Up For Free e-News” section. You’ll also receive the special Marketing 101 e-newsletter that provides indoor tanning salon owners with marketing tips and practical know-how to compete in today’s marketplace.

Teaching Your Customers To Tan Responsibly

PHOENIX—LOOKING FIT’s consumer Web site, www.tanresponsibly.com, helps your customers and potential customers find handy tips on the latest tanning trends. Remind clients to check out the weekly Bright Side Blog and monthly Web exclusive articles for answers to responsible and moderate tanning practices, and to stay up-to-date on news that matters to them in our Tanning, Fitness & Lifestyle, Health & Nutrition and Skincare Essentials sections.

Get Your Facts Straight

PHOENIX—The 2008/2009 LOOKING FIT Fact Book will be published March 15, so be sure to order your copy. The Fact Book is designed to be an on-hand reference guide so that when you have a question, the answer can be found easily and immediately. Use the Fact Book as a daily tool to help steer your salon on a successful course.

For more information, call (480) 990-1101, ext. 1285.

Palm Beach, Desert Sun Raffle Winners

NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Palm Beach Tan and Desert Sun Tanning raffled two $500 gift packages of Australian Gold products at the ITA Tanning World Expo. The lucky winners were Diana Daniel from Logansville, Ga.-based Cocoa Beach Club and Michelle Chafin from Leesburg, Ga.-based Extreme Tanning Salon.

TANOLOGY Awards “Retailers Of The Year” At ITA Expo

CARLSBAD, Calif.—Photo Therapeutics, maker of TANOLOGY and Lumière Light Thèrapie, honored TANOLOGY’s top 2007 retailers at the ITA Tanning World Expo in Nashville, Tenn. Ed Sharon, general manager of Rochester, N.H.-based Hair Excitement, Inc., received the platinum award; Ric Rooney, owner of Colorado Springs, Colo.-based Physique Transformation & SunSpot Atlantis, received the gold award; and Mike Lofthouse, owner of Macomb, Mich.-based Body Bronze Tanning, received the silver award.

Worldwide Specialty Lamp Congratulates ITA Drawing Winner

NASHVILLE, Tenn.— Worldwide Specialty Lamp would like to congratulate Linda Paris, the winner of its 2007 ITA Tanning World Expo drawing. Paris won a Philips Streamium wireless music system. Worldwide thanks everyone who stopped by the booth to enter and already is looking forward to seeing everyone at the 2008 ITA show.

THE TANNIE Wins Best Salon Accessory At The ITA Expo

NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Annette and Fritz Boothe of Mul-Ti Enterprises, maker of THE TANNIE, TANFACIA and THE MANLY, thank all of their distributors and salon owners for voting THE TANNIE as best salon accessory at the 2007 ITA Tanning World Expo.

“We are so honored to receive the award for ‘Best Salon Accessory,’” they say. “We believe in our products and we thank everyone for helping turn our dream into a reality.”

For more information, call (877) 482-6643.

South Beach Tanning Announces Plans To Franchise

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla—South Beach Tanning Co. has retained the iFranchise Group to help launch its brand into a national franchise chain. Founded in 2003, South Beach Tanning Company is a unique chain of upscale salons with a South Beach chic appeal, and offers its clients a specialized choice of state-of-the-art equipment and the latest tanning accessories that deliver exceptional results.

South Beach Tanning will launch the franchise marketing program at the Franchise Expo South in Miami Jan. 11-13.

For more information, call (407) 310-3599.

People On The Move

Mystic Tan (Farmers Branch, Texas) announces the promotion of Wolfgang Manz to vice president of worldwide sales. This new title is in addition to Manz’ current position as CEO of Mystic Tan Europe. (877) 668-8826 

Heartland Tanning, Inc. (Lee’s Summit, Mo.) is proud to announce Jeremy Bleeker as the new national sales manager for lamps and lotions. Bleeker has been sales manager at Salon Support for several years and looks forward to his new challenge with Heartland. (800) 554–8268 

As part of the “new face” of Sun Club Distributors (Chatsworth, Calif.), the company is happy to welcome Jason Barkley and Al James to the warehouse staff following a recent expansion to allow for the addition of new tanning lamps and products for its customers. (800) 862-3340 

Fantasy Tan Global Enterprises LTD (Batavia, Ill.) is pleased to announce the recent hiring of three new employees. Nyssa McComb, customer service representative; Jennifer Devine, regional sales representative; and Ed Garbowski, tech support. (888) FAN-TANS 

Tan, Inc. (Grand Rapids, Minn.) has added three secretaries— Kyla Elliott, Keri Ekse and Betty Lundquist—and five salespeople— Rick Hickey, John Stoeke, Bryan Holl, Alissa Groshong and Jeff Greniger—to the company to help serve salon owners. (888) 567-5630

Growth & Development

El Camino Resource Ltd. (Broomfield, Colo.), a nationwide direct lender since 1979, has created a Web site to help salon owners with financing. Visit www.salonhelp.com for information on how to finance, buy and sell equipment, and re-establish solid business credit through leasing options. (818) 226-6612

Eye Pro, Inc. (Fort Wayne, Ind.) announces the launch of its updated Web site. The site offers a free, pre-recorded training video for salon staff, as well as a section specifically for tanners. Visit www.eyepro.net to check out all of the new features. (800) 726-8322 

PC Marketing (Ridgefield, N.J.) has opened a full-service distribution center in Moulton, Ala. Along with the company’s New Jersey distribution center, this addition allows PC Marketing to service 82 percent of salons nationwide with a maximum shipment transit time of two days. (800) FAST-TAN 

International Tanning Technologies (Brook Park, Ohio), manufacturer of Sunsource tanning beds and standups, has expanded its assembly workforce by 30 percent since October in response to increased sales. ITT also is planning to devote more of its floor space to manufacturing, and expects to begin producing its new upgrade bed early this year. (800) 247-8752

Sun Capsule (Wakefield, Mass.) recently launched its new Web site. The new site continues to provide salon owners with the opportunity to create their own Sun Capsule with the Interactive Design Center, and now features more financing and equipment options than ever before. (800) 272-8267

Pro Tan Inspired By Miami Ink

SUNRISE, Fla.—Pro Tan is introducing an exclusive line of sun protection products designed for those who have tattoos. The new Miami Ink™ Sun Care Revolution line is inspired by the hit TV show, Miami Ink, which features a group of tattoo artists in Miami. Because tattoos fade from sun exposure, the best way to protect and preserve the color of a tattoo is to use sun protection. Pro Tan’s Miami Ink products feature ColorBrite™ Technology, which is designed to help renew and rejuvenate the appearance of a tattoo while protecting it from UVA and UVB rays.

For product information and a free Miami Ink poster, call (800) 555-8895.