Grand Opening

[COLOR ME BEAUTIFUL]

Ok I am going to be doing a Grand Opening for a newly remodeled 5 bed tanning salon it was an already existing 7 bed tanning salon..I added a 3 station salon and am needing ideas for the GRAND REOPENING of the salon I thought I might try the FREE TANNING DAY and offer some great deals we have alot of college kids ( we do a month unlimited for any student for $24)and I think if we offer them a 2 for 1 sale or something like that we could really have some good results...I am just not sure where to start advertising or what kind of packages to run ....I thought maybe a raffle of some kind would probably go over well and maybe some basket deals. What kind of packages should offer? I think maybe buy a lotion and give away a free tan or two?? I just am not to sure where to start ....I would love some input!!!!!!! THANKS AGAIN

[Ziti]

Congrats on your "new" place.

First, I would raise your unlimited "monthly" plan. $24 and no contract is silly. You will be regretting this very soon.

If you do a FREE TAN DAY, keep it to one day. Others on these boards will say do a FREE WEEKEND Or WEEK. To many FREE doesn't put $$ in the bank.

FREE FRIDAY, with good incentitives can really go well but... This time of year is going to be hard. UNLESS your area is big on Winter tanning and/or Holiday Parties.

Since you have Hair stations, try a Free Tan in the BEST bed you have with a purchase of haircut, perm, or color.

Have a little wine, cheese and crackers for a Treat.

good luck

[Wicked1]

Also have a raffle . Everyone that buy a package or a product over a certain amount $$$ give them a ticket and at the end of the day draw out a winner. give a prize that doesn't cost you an arm and a leg, but seems quite expensive to the customer. People will spend up big just to get something for nothing..

I usually do something like this the week of christmas and draw it christmas eve. I do up a basket with samples of lotion and skin care products that I have been given through the year with a bottle of plonk.

The only rules are 1 ticket per purchase. They can make a purchase everyday and get a ticket each time.

So since you have a salon in there as well you could do a basket with hair products and tanning products.

[Tanning Queen]

Dont give away the farm. Buy one get 50% off or something of that sort. Give them reasons to spend more money. Especially this time of year.

[Wicked1]

I collect all the freebies I get during the year and make a basket out of it, even the grog is free so it doesn't cost me a thing..

But since you are just opening maybe you could get some free stuff from your reps. Not sure if your reps do that there..

[glowtan]

Most of the lotion vendors will send you free stuff 2 times per year for a special opening. They just require you to fax them a flyer showing your Grand Opening and showing their logo or product information. They will send you tons of individual lotion packets to give away and usually some t-shirts, etc. Call the vendors ASAP. Also, instead of doing $24, do a certain time the students can tan cheaper. My slow times were 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm, so i offered $2 off my super bed price and said tan in any bed for that price with a student ID between 4-6. If school gets out there at 2, then say 2-4. You can sell a cheaper package as well, but they have to use it during those hours. Also, raffle off for a bottle of Crystal. I did this and it more than paid for the bottle of Crystal.

[COLOR ME BEAUTIFUL]

OK so say I do the free tan..DO you give a free tan to anyone or do you have to purchase something for the free tan ? I am thinking of doing ---10 sessions for $20 --- Unlimited month for $25---With any of the packages get $5 dollars off a lotion $30 or more. What do you think? I am thinking of running a morning special we are kind of slow right now in the morning so I thought if I did a walk-in for $3 instead of $5 in the morning it would be a good idea...Does anyone do a free sample day? What kind of samples do you do ???Thanks

[Tanning Queen]

10 for $20????? It is close to cost per session! $2.00 a tan is NEVER going to get you any income. Raise the prices. Dont discount anything. Make them buy more in order to pay less. Buy a package, get a second at 50% off or buy 20 sessions for $x.xx get 50% more (ex: 10 sessions) for $10 more. Buy a lotion get teh second at 50% off, 3rd for 75% off and any additonal for 80% off or something of that sort.

DONT discount walk in prices. Your goal is to get them to buy a package. Give them a deal on that instead.

Yes, you give EVERYONE a free tan. Free sample day is good if you got the samples for free. If not, dont give it away. Costs too much and you will get teh people that will never buy, just use your free stuff.

[Brian Oshman]

Someone has no clue. You will be out of business by summer time with all of the great "free" promotions.

[sunsally]

Well - first - your month pricing for students is VERY low unless you also have "upgrade" beds you can sell them up to or get a LOT of cross sales for the hair from the tanning. I would raise this some and offer other options - like a week (see below). With the remodel, this is the PERFECT time to be able to justify a small price increase -- especially when you are also running specials and other options so it isn't has obvious.

Also - your mornings will almost ALWAYS be slow - especially in a college market. I wouldn't bother dropping your prices. Just use that time for paperwork and cleaning.

That said, this time of year is generally slow for tanning, but college kids will hit it more.

Since you added the hair, you also want to think of specials that promote both sides of your business.

I'd suggest things like:

25% off a tanning pkg with any hair service (Or 25% off any hair service with purchase of a tanning package)

Buy a month of tanning, get 40% off any tanning and/or hair products

Pick a price point and bundle several things -- for example - if a haircut is normally $20 (I have no idea) and a month of tanning is $24 students (but should raise this to at least $30) maybe offer a "Bronzed & Beautiful" month plus cut for $39.95. That way you can raise the month price without it seeming as "noticeable".

For your market, you might start running "week unlimited" packages. If your month is $24, and your single visit is $5 - change your month to $30 for students (that is just $1/day - even though not all will come every day of course!). But at the same time -- unveil a new "WEEK" package -- for only $12. That lets them buy a week of tanning and even a sample for less than $20 -- which they have in their pocket. Then the next week, they do it again. You will wind up making MORE money - and they will feel like they are paying less (especially when you bump up the month price at the same time).

Hope those help spur some creative thinking for you!

[cehlers]

Wow 10 tans for $20 doesn't even cover my cost- We also have a hair salon inside our tanning salon for our grand opening we did $5 haircuts, free eyebrow wax, free tan day, free hot dogs/cookies. It went over very very well-the hair salon specials brought in new tanners and vice/versa. Good Luck-
we also sold lotion packetts for $1 the ones you get from the distys. We also run $38.99 for 30 days unlimited tan-and thats not enough $ to cover, but we will raise prices come December.