Did you get married on your first date?

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Neither did I. Neither did anyone I know. Come to think of it, have you ever heard anyone say “We dated for 2 years and then got married – I wish we had gotten married after our 1st date.”

What’s the point?

Too many salons ask spray tanners to marry them on the first date (sign up for EFT), and it is causing the salons to lose customers and sales.

Most businesses that are really good at acquiring new customers make it very easy and inexpensive for the customer to try the product and get hooked. Once the product/business delivers on the big promise, it’s easy to get customers to join for the long haul.

What businesses?

  • Netflix, Hulu, Pandora, Spotify, etc.
  • DropBox
  • Mobile phone carriers
  • Cable TV
  • Satellite/Dish TV
  • Storage Units
  • Gyms/Yoga/Pilates


Have you noticed that ‘no contract’ is becoming much more common for mobile phone carriers?

Sure, an EFT – unlimited monthly spray sessions for $59.99 – may be a great deal.

But, most people just want to try spray tanning once, or a few times to see if they’ll like it and will use it.

Why is the choice $59 for one, or $59 for unlimited?

Nail Salons and Wax Salons continue to grow and have become a part of the standard beauty regimen without EFT, or without charging a very high price for a single treatment. Same with other services many people use routinely – car wash, dry cleaner, coffee shop.

Even the mighty Amazon has had very limited success with their ‘auto-replenishment’ program, even with products that are bought very frequently – diapers, formula, wipes. Why? Most people are not comfortable being locked-in — they are afraid they will not use the service, or it will be too difficult to cancel.

If you are not getting the amount of EFT sign ups you desire, the problem is probably not the EFT deal but rather human nature — most people don’t want to get locked in.

Make it easy for the customer to sample spray tanning – if they like it, the EFT will sell itself.

 

Check out 2 most popular posts:
1,022 salons grew spray sessions by 28+%
Simplified (not lower) prices grow sales & sessions

Tan Salons & McDonald’s

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Have you noticed that McDonald’s and Wendy’s now have 2 or more drive-thru lanes? Have you noticed Chick-Fil-A has people standing in the driveway taking orders on iPads (even in Winter)?

Must cost a fortune. Or, maybe it pays for itself – those big companies are not in the habit of wasting money on added expenses.

What’s the benefit – to McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Chick-Fil-A —– their customers?

McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Chick-Fil-A

  1. They take orders faster than many competitors
  2. They get customers their food faster than many competitors
  3. They show respect for their customer’s time

 
Their Customers

  1. They are given the gift of time and convenience


Sunless, Inc. has performed studies which demonstrate that adding 1 additional spray room to the salon increases sessions by 40%, provided the salon is also charging a reasonable price for walk-in single sessions.

Why would adding a booth increase sessions?

  1. Tanners are not kept waiting.
  2. Salons give tanners the gift of time
  3. Tanners select your salon over your tan competition, and other beauty treatments like nails and wax

If you’d like to discuss ideas to build a bigger and more profitable spray tan business – connect with your a Sunless, Inc. representative at 888-974-9977.

Check out 2 most popular posts:

Your competition is Not other tan salons

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Well, it’s not Just tan salons.

Women have just so many dollars to spend on …

  • Nails
  • Wax
  • Hair
  • Massage
  • Clothes
  • Spray tan


She has to decide:

Which one do I like the most?
Which one gives me the best bang for my buck?
Which one is reasonably priced?
Which one is quick?
Which one will get me a compliment?

The outer layer of a human’s skin sheds every 7 days – thanks Mother Nature.

So, the benefit of a spray tan cannot match the number of days provided by those other beauty options.

Better set a reasonable price for a spray tan if your salon is going to be the first choice for those beauty dollars.

If you’d like to discuss ideas to build a bigger and more profitable spray tan business – connect with your a Sunless, Inc. representative at 888-974-9977.

Check out 2 most popular posts:
1,022 salons grew spray sessions by 28+%
Simplified (not lower) price grows sales & sessions

Millennials – a management nightmare! Really?

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What retailers offer the very best customer service and customer experience?

Disney
Chick-Fil-A
Apple stores
Chipotle

Those stores are stocked with Millennial workers.

How have they solved the … Millennial dilemma?

Mission:
They clearly, simply and repeatedly communicate how the retailer will make their customers day and life a little better. The retailer can’t save the world or change someone’s life but it can give a moment or two of unexpected delight. So, the mission doesn’t have to be fancy or high-minded, just real and doable. 

Training:
The companies have a very defined process of do’s and don’ts to deliver the mission. They train their staff to act that way and then hold employees accountable and train/coach it every day, every shift. Wash, Rinse, Repeat!

Check out 2 most popular posts:
1,022 salons grew spray sessions by 28+%
Simplified (not lower) price grows sales & sessions

“No Problem” — is a problem

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According to customer service expert John DiJulius of the DeJulius Group the phrase/response “No Problem” should be banned.

What does John know?

Well, aside from his enormously successful customer service consulting business, he owns the John Roberts Salon chain in Cleveland, which is equally successful. 

So, why is “No problem, or Not a problem” a problem. 

It usually follows when a customers says “Thank you” – when a customer has showed respect and courtesy to a staffer. 

“No problem” is a ‘flip-response’ and does not properly demonstrate respect and courtesy. John coaches that it is better to match respect/courtesy with the same, such as: “You’re welcome, or My pleasure, or Certainly, or  Absolutely”

Check out 2 most popular posts:
1,022 salons grew spray sessions by 28+%
Simplified (not lower) price grows sales & sessions

3 x $25 … worth a lot more than … 1 x $45

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The NFL (National Football League) is a huge business.

Ever go to an NFL game at a big stadium? Practically have to mortgage the house to pay for the outing.

What does that have to do with your salon?

In 2017, the Atlanta Falcons did what no other NFL team could – they increased DOLLAR sales dramatically … food/beverage +16%,  Jerseys/Hats/Gear +88%.  

How?

The Falcons did the unthinkable, making a move every other NFL team thought was foolish.

They reduced prices to a more reasonable level. The new price wasn’t exactly ‘low’, but lower and ‘reasonable’ for the average customer. Lower/reasonable prices actually grew dollar sales – whodah thunk it? 

So?

One of the top reasons spray tanners don’t tan more often is price … they feel $40+ for spray tan is just too much and EFT is not for them. They pay less for a manicure which lasts much longer.

If a ‘walk-in’ single session price is $15-$25, they’d be much more likely to tan more often. 

3 x $25 —— or ——- 1 x $45?

If you’d like to discuss ideas to build a bigger and more profitable spray tan business – connect with your a Sunless, Inc. representative at 888-974-9977.

Check out 2 most popular posts:
1,022 salons grew spray sessions by 28+%
Simplified (not lower) price grows sales & sessions

Make local Bloggers (and her followers) fall in love with spray tanning

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Bloggers have lots of fans who follow their advise.

So, Mystic Tan invited 50 bloggers to spray tan and then write about their experience – good, bad, in-between, anything they wanted to write – no strings. The bloggers lived all across USA. 

Other than covering cost of the tan ($45 on average), they were not compensated. Mystic Tan had no previous dealings with the bloggers.

31 accepted the invitation.

The results – drum roll!!!!

They loved it – yes, loved it.

Most of the posts were ‘crazy’ similar

  • Never did it before
  • Was afraid I’d turn orange/Ross
  • Salon staffers were friendly and helpful
  • Anxious to get in booth
  • Spray experience was quick & really pleasant
  • Tan turned out great — much better than expected

 

What now for a local salon?

Find local bloggers who write about beauty, health, lifestyle, fashion, culture, society, entertainment.

Where? Local … Newspapers, TV stations, Colleges, High Schools, Chamber of Commerce.

Invite them to tan for Free (any & all options, don’t scrimp with bloggers, ask them to bring along 1-2 friends) and ask them to write about the experience – no string attached.

Once bloggers get hooked on the spray tan, they’ll keep mentioning it in other posts, and on social media.

If you’d like to discuss ideas to build a bigger and more profitable spray tan business – connect with your Sunless, Inc. representative at 888-974-9977.

Check out 2 most popular posts:
1,022 salons grew spray sessions by 28+%
Simplified (not lower) price grows sales & sessions

Free Spray Tan Day – it turns a lot of customer off

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4 reasons why Customers get turned-off by “Free Tan Day”:

  1. “Free Isn’t Free”
  2. Free spray only includes lowest level tan, which does not provide enough color for many tanners  
  3. The limitations of Free are not clearly communicated
  4. Staffers start up-selling when it’s supposed to be a ‘Free Tan’

Ideas to improve Free Spray Tan

  1. No fine print – be clear about what is being offered
  2. All tan/color levels included in free offer (from Light to Dark)
  3. Go easier on the Up-sell — lots people trying for 1st, or trying again after long lapse. Offer an easy to buy 2 or 3 tan package, rather than EFT.  


Free spray tan days should create (new) raving fans, who brag about their tan and your salon to their friends – creating even more paying customers.

Make Free, Free … so this day will become your #1 driver of new customers.  

If Free Spray Day is not driving the kind of results you planned, call your Sunless, Inc. representative for more ideas to win more new customers at 888-974-9977.

Check out 2 most popular posts:
1,022 salons grew spray sessions by 28+%
Simplified (not lower) price grows sales & sessions

Doing fewer spray sessions than your competition? Find out

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You can find out how many spray tan sessions your salon performs vs. other salons in your State and USA.

The chart below depicts actual data from the latest 12 months, which show that Salon ‘A’ performs 4.9 tan sessions per day on average, versus all other salons in South Carolina which perform 6.1, and all salons nationally at 5.8. So, Salon ‘A’ performs 24% LESS session on an average day than nearest competitors.  Yikes!

A Sunless, Inc. representative can do the same calculation for your salon, and more importantly discuss ideas to build a bigger and more profitable spray tan business – call 888-974-9977.

FYI: Regarding data about a specific competitor – Your rep will not disclose specific data for another salon – only generalized data for the local market, state and nationally.





Check out 2 most popular posts:
1,022 salons grew spray sessions by 28+%
Simplified (not lower) price grows sales & sessions

Simplified (not lower) price grows sales & sessions

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Customers are often confused by all the spray tan options & prices, even when a salon staffer takes time to explain it. That complexity and confusion hurts sales.

Sunless, Inc. has case studies which show that simplified price for the tan and ‘additives’ increase the number of sessions and the revenue per session.

How does simplification work?

In most salons, over 12 months, the average revenue per spray session ranges from $12 to $19 (varies by market).

How is that determined?

    1. What were total number single spray tan sessions at your salon in 2017 (e.g. no deal, deal, free sessions): ____
    2. What were total Sales dollars from all single spray tan sessions at your salon in 2017: ____
    3. Divide # Sessions by Sales = Salon’s Average Revenue per Single Session: ____
    4. Make that your everyday price for a single spray session (no additives): ______
    5. Additive price: Keep it simple … Charge $3, or $4, or $5 for every additive: $_____
    6. EFT price? It’s already a great deal – don’t change


Believe it or not, the simplified approach makes it easier for the customer to understand the options and, more important, easier to say “Yes”.

So, press the EASY button to increase sessions and dollars per session.   

If you’d like to discuss ideas to build a bigger and more profitable spray tan business – connect with your a Sunless, Inc. representative at 888-974-9977.