15 Tips for Opening and Operating a Profitable Tanning Salon

Below are 15 tips that will help you open a tanning salon.

1. Family Support.
Before you decide to open a tanning salon, make sure your family can support the enormous stress and time investment that owning a tanning salon will bring.

2. Business Plan.
You will need to write a complete business plan with a full marketing plan included. This will help you establish you goals and make a plan to achieve those goals. The financial section of the business plan will help you establish a budget. Remember most businesses fail because they failed to make a clear plan for success.

3. Pricing.
You will need to create a pricing schedule to figure out what you need to charge in order to be profitable. Then purchase your tanning beds with upgrade features based on your pricing schedule. Do not undervalue your product - it's always easier to lower prices Vs raising prices.

4. Money.
You will need sufficient capital to purchase tanning merchandise and tanning equipment (tanning beds). You will also need enough working capital to last through your first year in business in case profits are lower than expected.

5. Budget.
Budgeting is key in any business but especially so for businesses that have a slow season. You must make sure you budget your money so you can still pay the bills during the slow season.

6. Lawyer.
Get an attorney to review all your lease agreements before signing to avoid sticky situations.

7. Location, Location, Location.
The location you choose will make or break your tanning salon. When choosing a location for your tanning salon be sure to evaluate it based on:

• your desired demographics (within 3 - 5 mile radius)
• accessibility
• parking
• visibility from the street
• electrical service availability
  

8. Lease Negotiation.
Try to get a month free rent or buildouts in your lease negotiation. Of course what you can get is dependent upon the location. If it is a location that has never been rented you have more room to negotiate.

9. Tanning Salon Decor.
Try to make the lobby appear gender ambivalent. Having an overly feminine tanning salon can make male customers feel awkward and vice versa. Also having a heavily themed tanning salon might be fun at first, but can get old and difficult to change/update. Keep things simple and clean so you can really showcase your tanning lotions and other products.

10. Lobby/Waiting Area
Ensure that you have enough space to properly display all your tanning products as well as comfortably sit your clients while they wait. Also make sure you have room to grow as during the tanning slow season you might need additional products and services such as a nail technician, massage area, swimsuits or a vending machine.

11. Tanning Beds.
Make sure you choose beds with different performance levels so you can separated them using price. Basic tanning beds will be the lowed price point, then the 12 minute tanning bed will be an upgraded package at a higher price. Variety is key here so you can satisfy a wide range of clientele. Choose beds with different tanning times, facial tanner options, and stand up tanning beds.

12. Operating Software.
Make sure you research this extremely well. It should be easy for you to use and teach others how to use. Make sure you thoroughly test out he demos and choose the one you are most comfortable with. Also make sure you purchase the support that comes with the software in case any glitches occur.

13. Additional Income - Merchandise.
Make sure to display your products so they are easy to see and reach for customers. Be careful not to over order your merchandise and get stuck with high overhead and low cash flow.

14. Staffing.
Make sure you sit down and write out a how to guide for the way you want your tanning salon run. You must have uniformity in your employee training and stress all the key selling points of your tanning salon and tanning lotions so your employees can sell. Also having your employees wear uniforms is a to ensure a professional appearance.

15. Tanning Business Mentor.
Try to find an experienced tanning salon owner that can serve as a mentor to you. Learning from other's success and mistakes can be a great strategy.