Salon Owners Share Words of Wisdom

Invariably, one of my favorite presentations at any tanning expo is the panel discussion. It’s rare that you find such a broad spectrum of business owners assembled at one table, willing to share candid insight into their success (and sometimes, even their failures). Where else would a salon professional cut to the chase and say, “You’ve got a quarter of a million dollar salon; why would you trust it to an 18-year-old kid who can’t sell”?

That’s right, all bets were off for the panel at JK-North America’s West Coast Tanning Expo. They fielded questions from the audience for nearly 90 minutes, with JK’s Jerry Deveney serving as moderator.

Here is Part 1 of some of the best takeaway points I gleaned from the discussion:

Mike Blore, California Sun

• Blore reminded salon owners that they need to stay business-focused when it comes to employees – and not err on the side of getting too personal. For instance, if an employee isn’t working out, sometimes you just have to cut your losses.

• One hiring tip he’s implemented is asking new employees to come in with a 500-word essay on the benefits of indoor tanning. Besides showing an employee’s initiative, it also helps them become more educated, as well as equipped to speak with customers.

• Focus on your brand and become very brand-aware. They give out branded bottled water through partner companies (limos, clubs) and wear their salon T-shirts and hand out water and other freebies at events to keep the California Sun brand seen.

Adrienne Aaron, Electrik Beach

• Aaron says the best marketing decision she’s made in 20 years was hiring J-Woww to do appearances at three of her salons. Although it required a major shift in the year’s marketing budget, she says the resulting hype was worth every penny. The Jersey Shore celeb took advantage of the salon’s red light therapy services when she visited, generating even more buzz than anticipated.

Vince Lorraine, Tropi-Tan

• Lorraine emphasized the importance of staying on top of your business’s financials. He says that once you’ve got two or three years of salon data to work with, that by October or November, you should start to know exactly what to budget for the following year. This includes forecasting marketing, payroll, increases or decreases in sales, etc.

Holly Bare, Toucan Tan

• Bare stated that training (product, sales) is a huge key in employee success.

Josiah Garlan, Bodyheat Tanning

• Many salons grasp the concept of giving new customers a free tan, but Garlan encourages salon owners not to limit the goodwill to an entry-level session. He suggests that giving a client a higher-level experience will hook them – which, in turn, can lead to a higher-level EFT sale.

Rick Kueber, Suntan City

• Kueber agrees with Garlan when it comes to freebies for new clients. “Don’t worry about what you collect the day you get a new customer,” he shares. “Just make them happy.”

• There isn’t one “magic bullet” to make a salon successful – every market is different.

• Kueber shared two of the best pieces of advice he received from mentors years ago. Don Hirsch told him to invest in his infrastructure (management, HR...) before expanding, and Tony Hartl advised him to focus on his own business/salons (since we can’t control what our competitors are doing anyway).

Lacey Todd, Xclusive Tan

• Todd has had great success with salon T-shirt promotions. For instance, customers who wear their Xclusive Tan shirt to the salon on a Wednesday receive either a free upgrade or half off a spray tan.

• The salon also hosts “Pitch ’n Trade” events. Customers can bring in a tanning lotion they got somewhere else, pitch it and receive 20 percent off a new bottle.

Robbie Segler, Darque Tan

• Segler shared a mega-marketing plan-ahead concept that incentivizes customers to come in year-round. For $20, the salons sell an 18-month calendar with 15 deals on various days throughout the year (free upgrade, upgrade with purchase, etc.). He emphasized that the value of a great promo isn’t the promotion itself, but the way it equips salon staff to speak up.

• Social media marketing is huge for Darque Tan. Whether it’s on Facebook or through a text club, Segler says it’s the best way to connect with your customers for cents on the dollar.

I’ll share a few more thoughts from the panel in my next blog, which will wrap up our Vegas show coverage.