Look for the article in Tanning Trends Magazine.
At New Life Tanning Centers, “new” is more than just a word on the sign outside. Here, it’s part of the business plan.
“There’s always a project, we’re always doing something. If you’re not doing anything new, if you don’t have goals and things that you’re actually setting in motion, you’re going to get bored and not be productive,” asserts owner Carla Plazas.
With years of experience – she started as a bed cleaner when she was just 14 – Plazas’ penchant for the “new” at New Life is clear. This marketing-savvy pro truly grasps and appreciates the dynamics of operating and growing her business.
“You have to treat it like a viable business,” she explains. “It’s not a hobby, and it’s not a game. To me this is my livelihood, it’s not something I’m doing on the side of a full-time job. This is it. And I am going to do everything I can to constantly improve. And I don’t mean improve by adding deodorant to the tanning rooms, I mean improving the structure of the business so I become more professional. This is not only for my customers but for my employees and the industry as a whole.”
Plazas purchased her first salon from the original owner, who groomed her to take over. Apparently, she paid attention. Last year Plazas opened her second location and is currently in the process of a 700 square foot expansion.
Creating consistency
After taking over the business in 2000, Plazas knew consistency – from store procedures to advertising – was vital. “When I built the second store I tried my best to duplicate what worked and improve on other aspects. And it worked, which I can say because of the success of the second store. So when I decide to open my third, I’ll do the same thing,” she says.
This philosophy has helped create a common vibe between both distinct locations. While the two stores differ in décor and general look and feel, the core principals in how things are handled, customer service and so on, are the same. Branding is more than what a salon looks like, says Plazas.
“We have a distinct logo. It’s not out there as far as font and it’s very basic. But we use it in all of our advertising. We don’t change it every time; we duplicate it wherever we can,” notes Plazas, who maintains the same specials at each store and allows customers to use either location.
While dabbling in newspaper and cable TV advertising, Plazas has found results in network TV. The salon’s consistent presence has helped build the brand, she says, along with the fact that she appears in the commercials herself. "We don't want to get into radio because we believe getting into one area (of advertising) and dominating it. We picked the medium of television since others in our area focus in on radio."
Being known for its affiliation with the Miss Georgia contest (New Life Tanning Centers is the official tanning facility for the contestants), is in itself a public relations advantage, but Plazas takes it a bit further. This year she teamed up with the Children’s Miracle Network and held her first annual Miss Georgia week. Customers were able to come in and take photos with the contestants using digital cameras and printers for a donation of $5.
“Anything we can do to give the tanning industry a better name will not only help us but the industry as a whole. And with so much bad publicity as there is out there, the more good publicity we can produce the better.”
Recruiting potential
During the growth process, Plazas changed the entire infrastructure of her business. This meant creating new positions to ensure consistency, seamless operation and a decrease in employee turnover. Now, both stores boast four levels of management: general manager, manager, assistant manager and two managers-in-training. Plazas believes the tiered structure provides an important opportunity for promotion that will facilitate further growth.
“They’re not necessarily positions that I have filled because if I don’t have anybody who’s qualified for it, then I’m not going to do it,” she explains. “I’m not going to give somebody something that they haven’t earned, or that they are not ready for. But there is room for growth. You’ve got to change [staff] mindset from ‘this is a dead end job’ to ‘hey, this could actually be a career opportunity for me.’”
Plazas works with local high schools and a local university to recruit talented employees. She’s made it a priority to build relationships with the career counselors and they know keep an eye out for students who might be a good fit for New Life Tanning Centers. Plazas insists on A or B students who take their studies seriously, and she prefers students who have an interest in marketing or business.
“The bad ones you weed out and the good ones you keep,” says Plazas. “The good ones you promote. You get interested in other things and you give them a direction to go in as far as the business. If someone is a guru with computers, then we get them to make our specials. And it might be some small thing, but you’re reassuring them and reaffirming what they’re good at. You’re taking someone’s interests, what they’re good at and you’re building on that. And if that keeps them interested in the job, it becomes less and less of a job and more and more of a career and interest.”
Inquiring minds
Plazas is always looking for news ways to improve, so to help her make important decisions, she often goes right to the source. Customer polling is a common practice at New Life Tanning Centers and Plazas believes she couldn’t move forward without it.
“If you don’t know what your customers’ opinions are, how do you know what’s broken and what you need to fix?” she asks. “How do you know that they’re not on the verge of choosing another place over you because of a nagging issue, whether it be a problem with an employee or a tanning bed. You’ve got to find out what people are thinking because often, they won’t just tell you. And if they go somewhere else, they may not come back.”
The polling process is simple. Plazas creates a few (you have to keep it short, she says) yes or no type questions and places a stack of them on the front desk. Customers fill them out and place them in a box. Responses are anonymous and customers feel comfortable and provide honest feedback. “It’s just to get a general idea of whether or not people are satisfied or if there are areas we need to work on. And we always get a pretty good response,” notes Plazas, who often gives customers an incentive to participate.
Plazas also polls potential customers. For example, after taking over the business she wanted to make sure the current advertising strategy was as effective as it could be. She discovered that it wasn’t. As a result, she came up with the logo: Columbus’s Cleanest Tan. Maybe not the million-dollar slogan, she says, but it really hits home with what they’re all about.
“We polled people that didn’t currently tan with us, and those people said that if they were going to choose a tanning salon, their choice would be based on which one was the cleanest. They cared about that more than price and more than results.”
This cleanliness mantra is reflected throughout the business. Employees are required to maintain very high standards – and be accountable for it. It’s cleanliness above all because, as Plazas puts it, “once you put it out there you darn well better back it up.”
New Offers
Plazas tries to stay away from discounts as much as possible, preferring free tans. The same goes for specials. When New Life Tanning Centers does run a special, it’s typically around paydays and only lasts a week. “We don’t want people to get in the habit of asking, ‘what’s your special?’ People should be able to come in and see that you have a good deal no matter when it is.”
Packages are based on “the more you buy, the more you get” model. In addition to a variety of points packages, which are active for one year and can be used by family and friends, there are two main memberships. For a one-time enrollment fee of $59.95 (includes first month of tanning) and $24.99 thereafter, customers purchasing the Tanning Club membership receive unlimited tanning and 50 percent off on upgrade points.
Ultimate Tanning Club members receive the same benefits, plus 70 extra points per month for a one time enrollment fee of $99.95 (includes first month of tanning) and $39.99 thereafter. Both memberships include frequent customer awards that allow points to accumulate for free sessions.
Plazas’ goal is to offer something for everyone. This applies to her product and service offerings as well as other elements of the business. But everything starts, she says, with high standards and firm policies on smart tanning. After that, it’s all about listening to your customers and making a continuous effort to improve. She’s learned, she says, that it’s impossible to know it all. “I learn something new everyday.”
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