Why is it...

[frankieb]

...that customers come in and tell you how nice your salon is...
...how clean your salon is...
...how you have the best lotions...
...how they get the best results from your equipment...

...and then complain about the price?!?

I guess that I keep forgetting that I do this out of the kindness of my heart. Who needs to make money? Let 'em all tan for FREE!!

[Kathe]

I just had someone come in. She was sent by a current client. She said her friend said we were the best salon around and she would get a great tan and we were very clean. Then she said, wow you are more expensive than the salon near my house. LOL Guess they don't make the connection. Not to mention that they have someone behind the counter that absolutely knows what they are doing instead of some teeny bopper.

Gotta laugh

Kathe

[eyecandytanning]

You charge for tanning? Maybe that is where I am going wrong...writing this down...lol

[frankieb]

Charging...yes. Making money...well....

[Glowtanning530]

You do not even want to go there.
I so bad want to post in every room
"lets walk down memory lane. Three years ago you had 6 20 minute beds that hadn't been lamped in god only knows. The walls were pepto pink, the girls were rude, the carpet (oh yes you read that right) was NASTY and rolling up. You paid $65 for a month of tanning.... oh and you also paid $10 less for your prepaids however they exp in 3 months.... I lowered level 1 prices, and yes I added 2 12 min beds for $70 a month but would you say those beds are significantly nicer than the ones you previously paid $65 for, oh where are those beds you ask. THe dump I couldnt pay anyone one to take them. Oh yes and I did increase prepaid costs slightly but you have a year to use them. Hours you say? well previously the salon MIGHT open at 9 depending if the 18 yr old hired to do it gets out of bed and it closed at 6. " I want to say thay every time i hear wow its more now... um not really. I have actually showed people their previous records where they paid $65.

[dcjjp1]

I get the same thing all of the time. I let them know that we've aggressively priced ourselves within our market and that we may not be "right" for "everyone"

It gets the point across.

When they see all of the good looking people all tanned and fashionable, they want to be like them so they buy something.

I am also selling an experience as well.

[W8INLINE]

In the last 10 years I too find myself having to "explain" why our prices are like that. I think I have a solution.

I have a very very old 28 lamp bed. I have a small room in the back and I use it for storage. I moved the mop bucket out and put that old bed in. I NEVER clean the room and I have a sanitizer bottle in there for them to clean the bed. I use my old lamps, to replace the ones that no more light up, so I get 2000 hours from a set of lamps, and the price for that bed...VARIES...depending on how much they want to spend. So far I average $3/session, $10/week or $20/month.

I got the idea from the lotion display setup...(have a $100 bottle so you can sell the $75 ones)

Now people seem to understand the reason prices are the way they are.... and I am kinda making money on a room I used to store my mop bucket

[Glowtanning530]

I want to get a canopy and offer unlimited months for $9

[eyecandytanning]

hey the canopy idea was mine! Planned on setting it up in my lobby with a lounge chair...stop stealing my ideas! lol

[island bloom]

So nice to hear I'am not the only one hearing this. I am really tired of defending my prices compared to my competition who has been in business 9 years and not updated one thing. I too am selling the experience, not only the newer beds but the amenities we offer, the atmosphere and knowledgable staff. Can't wait to see what grief I get in the coming months when I take what I have learned from this site and stop running specials during season like the people in this town are used to.

[Glowtanning530]

Who you telling if I hear one more time that the salon down the street is selling a year of tanning in their 1 "high pressure tanning bed"
That has 100 watt lamps i am going to stab myself

[solman]

Same thing happens here too. I just smile, thank them for the compliments, and take their money. After the first month in business I was tired of trying to justify my prices. I've used some version of dcjjp1's line about "may not being right for everyone" on numerous occasions. It actually seems to help close the deal. Nothing like positioning yourself as "exclusive" to make them want you more.

[eyecandytanning]

Dont stab yourself...shiv them in the parking lot

[dcjjp1]

My line almost is kind of like a verbal Bitch Slap.

[EliteMike]

Had a lady come in and do it to me as well yesterday. I just got back from a long flight with a layover and I woke up at 5:30am. I was a bit cranky. She started bitching about how much more I am but I'm more convient and cleaner than the salon down the road. Then she bitched that I don't keep sanitizer bottles in the rooms. Told her that if i leave the bottle in the room you will feel like we don't clean at all as well as other personal reasons for not leaving bottles in the room.

I laid it out flat in not the nicest way. Didn't care at this point. This was after the fact that I offered to give her my old coupon of adding 2 sessions onto any package. I asked what she didn't like about the other salons. Typical answer... they were dirty and didn't do much for her. I said well there's a reason why they are soo cheap. It takes a lot of money to keep a salon in the shape I keep it. I told her I just came back from a "business" trip and checked out a salon and the same bed is 5.00 more than my walkin price. I then shut my mouth and she bought 5 sessions which was actually 7 sessions. You dont' like it, tough $hit get lost, don't waste my lamp usage time.....

[Glowtanning530]

me:hello thank you for calling glow this is tiffany
girl: what is your cheapest package
me: well how often do you think you will be tanning?
girl: just want to tan at the cheapest place...
what i wanted to say.... I have a lawn chair i can put in the parking lot and charge you $5 a month you will have to fold it up when you are done and put it away

[aimeekat]

Hey Mike, I know that place. And you're jealous.

[EliteMike]

Yes I am, although raise you unlimited! at least for Kelly, she'll pay more!

[Uvangel]

I'm rude. I tell them if XYZ is cheaper then why R U here??

[solman]

Originally Posted by dcjjp1

My line almost is kind of like a verbal Bitch Slap.

Yep...