Free Tan Weekend - Ftw

[Tanning Queen]

Great job Vanz!

[vanztan]

Well, thankyou! I didn't know what to expect! But, it was so neat because a couple of moms brought their teens in and I said, "So, are you gonna try it?" and they said no they were here to bring their girls in and sign them up and I said "Well, you're the one paying for it so why not try out the big bed, it's free!" They signed up too!
I got such great feedback it was wonderful because as you know you put so much into this and then you turn on that "OPEN" sign and hope your decisions were the right ones.

I am going to post pics in the Newbie forum as soon as my mom forwards hers.

[baskinthesuntanning]

Vanz thats awesome on the turnout! I'm looking forward to this. What did the radio station do at the salon? Were they just mentioning it or they participating in anything?

[SSmith]

what specials do some of you do on your tanning?

Offer more, and Don't discount on your free tan weekend..

Buy XYZ get 25% more (minutes,points,weeks,etc)
IE
Add 25% to all your packages Buy 1 month get a free week, buy 2 months get 2 weeks free...
In store promotion the week before no earlier if you can help it.. Email marketing, and get postcards and hand deliver to businesses in the area, hit the streets and use word of mouth, go to the local college and high school and hand out the post cards..
You don't need to spend a lot to make it successful, because if you spend 10K on advertising you now need to make 10K more to make it successful.
Good luck

[vanztan]

Ok, I will try to answer a couple of you with one post on what I did.

All week I mentioned that I was free tanning on Sat with WZOK live broadcast. I was running my specials through the end of that day and if they bought any package ahead of time they could come in and try a better bed for free (I said I would make sure they would get an upgrade and not a lower one). My specials were: waiving the EFT fee, BOGO on my unlimiteds, and extra SunPoints with certain packages, plus 10% off all bottles of lotion.

Most of my level 1 EFT's upgraded that day after they tried the better bed for free. I had balloons, cookies, pop, etc. My daughter wore a big sun with the words Vitamin "D" on it and out by the road with my other daughter holding up a sign that said "FREE TANS TODAY"
The radio station was inside broadcasting and interviewing some people as they came out. We did an on air teeth whitening where a customer put in on during one interview and then the next interview the disc jockey was amazed and kept talking about it.
I got 4 live spots where I got to talk and tell my specials. I also said the first one up to the counter that bought "Black" got 6 sessions for free which happened in 5 minutes.
I wouldn't advertise often on the radio unless it was something big, but I have to say with them live in the salon it became a feeding frenzy for 2 hours! So it more than paid for it.
Oh, I also advertised the Grand Opening in a shopper paper that went out to the county I am in.

[dbl-a]

I'm having one Nov 7-9. Like the one last May, my level 1 will be free and 2-5 will be $3,$5,$7,and $9. I upgraded 80% of the people to the bigger beds by one simple line, that today is the chance to try out the big beds for a fraction of the cost. Actually I will charge 3,6,9,12 this time and I will sell them on our VIP at the same time by stating that they can tan for the VIP price today without a membership. I need to really push the VIP. Probably waive the fee that weekend.
I charged last time successfully and had a wait in levels 2-5 all weekend. If they aren't going to pay a few bucks, they probably won't pay full price or spend over $100 on a package. I really didn't know what I was doing since it was my Re-Grand Opening if it wasn't for Tantoday, so THANKS EVERYONE HERE!

[northtanman]

personally i think its a scam, if you advertise "free tan weekend" but only includes your entry level beds. when i advertise "free" it needs to be free! no strings attached. best results come from no surprises. not that your way does'nt work..it usually does, but i think you'd have a better return allowing all units "free" these people whom pay just to do your upgrade price, may of bought a large special plan. instead they just pay for the upgrade that day.
of course we all have different idea's.

[dbl-a]

I think if they were all free it would be a shitstorm

[Parrot Head]

Ya don't give anything free away when you're on a college campus. I've got enough bottom-feeders and free loaders as it is now. You simple do the college discounts and give them a good value for their dollars. You give free tans when you don't have any business and your equipment sucks. A local competitor of mine, had two weeks in a row, where they gave away free tans. Those two weeks were my most productive weeks that I've had this year and it made this September a fantastic month. I had a great special ($100 for 100 days) and I made over $10,000 in one day. I didn't give anything away for free and I'll sure have a lot of customers for the next 100 days.

[vanztan]

Well, all free worked for me- not one of the EFT's I signed up that day was for the entry level bed. I guess you gotta know your customers and yourself.

[northtanman]

Originally Posted by Parrot Head

Ya don't give anything free away when you're on a college campus. I've got enough bottom-feeders and free loaders as it is now. You simple do the college discounts and give them a good value for their dollars. You give free tans when you don't have any business and your equipment sucks. A local competitor of mine, had two weeks in a row, where they gave away free tans. Those two weeks were my most productive weeks that I've had this year and it made this September a fantastic month. I had a great special ($100 for 100 days) and I made over $10,000 in one day. I didn't give anything away for free and I'll sure have a lot of customers for the next 100 days.

simple math. you sold 100 $100 specials in one day? wow, if so! something to think about. 100 days for $100 does sound better than when i run a special on my 3 month unlimited for $99 and it does'nt hardly sell.

[Parrot Head]

I have to admit that this special was really promoted at a college get-to-gether, where the local business owners sit up tables and welcomed all the new freshmen and transfer students. We gave away hundreds of buy one, get one free coupons and that helped to get the kids into our salon. The kids had their debit card accounts full of money at the start of the new school year and it was an easy sell; WOW, 100 days for $100 dollars! This special was only for that first week and that included any of our 3 levels of tanning.

[baskinthesuntanning]

do you guys do appointments or no appointments on your FTW???

[dbl-a]

We're taking apts for levels 2-5 and spray tans.

[Tanning Queen]

I never did. First come first serve. Somehow it worked out. Never really had too much of a wait. Plus, the problem with appts is what happens if someone is late? Throws off the whole day.

[baskinthesuntanning]

Originally Posted by Tanning Queen

I never did. First come first serve. Somehow it worked out. Never really had too much of a wait. Plus, the problem with appts is what happens if someone is late? Throws off the whole day.

I know thats what is making it hard. Do we have apts so people can get in a try the bed they've always wanted to, but risk them being late? Or just say screw-it if you really want to use "that" bed you might have to wait a few minutes....

[Tanning Queen]

Make em wait! If it is a super long wait, let them know if they purchase a package that day or whatever youw ant them to buy, they will get a free upgrade to that bed after the weekend is over. And you can offer to upgrade the package to the better bed (if they didnt buy it during the weekend) for the price it was during the special. IF you want to be that nice. Or you can just say, "I know you are going to love it so why dont you go ahead and get the package now and you can have 2 free sessions in it later. " Or somethign like that to seal the deal.

[baskinthesuntanning]

k, thanks queen for the info! greatly appreciated!

[dbl-a]

If they're late, then they wait!

[Tanning Queen]

No problem. I used to make a good chunk of change every time we did a FTWE. We even started extending the hours of the salon by the 3rd year because we were packed from open to close. All I can say is to make sure you have enough staff on hand to turn over the rooms fast and to sell their asses off! We would rotate every hour since all the girls were sales people (I ditched the bed cleaner position) so that everyone got a chance to sell and clean. And, make sure you have enough product in stock for the sale and get lots of samples for giveaways.

I also had some other things that clients could win if they purchased stuff. For each $x spent, the got to put their name in for a prize. I had different things to win. I had gift baskets with lotions and stuff, I had GC's for local restaurants, I gave away a TV, Ipods, DVD players, etc. I had friends in all kinds of businesses I worked deals with. Some stuff I paid for and others I got donated.