Tanning is big business in the UK, and when done right, it can be a great way to make money with a modest investment and low overheads. However, it doesn’t mean that it’s fail-safe, and many tanning shop owners end up making mistakes that could affect their margins. In some cases, it might be their pricing, location, or services. But in others, it’s either simply negligence or poor spending habits. Here are some ways that you could make your tanning salon more profitable starting today.
Get a Better Deal with Your Energy Supplier
The first thing you have to do is see if you’re getting a good deal with your supplier. You cannot just go with the first supplier you come across or assume that one supplier will be better based on brand alone.
Use a service like Utility Bidder to compare business energy prices. They have deals for tanning salons specifically. You’ll be able to compare different suppliers and get a quick quote. This will allow you to see if you could get something better elsewhere, or use this information to haggle down prices with your current provider.
Give More than You Take
Sometimes, giving out something free is the best way to get someone through the door. Go on social media and run some limited time promotions. Consider diversifying your product offering as well with things like massages or a beauty salon.
Give loyalty cards to clients and give them a free massage or service after a certain number of times. Offer free tea or coffee to people waiting. These are all the kinds of things people will remember, and keep them coming back. More importantly, these will be reflected in reviews and they’ll be more likely to speak about you to their friends and family as well.
Sell Merchandise
There are tons of ways that you can upsell your clients and most top salons do more than only sell tanning sessions. For instance, you could sell everything from goggles to towels or even sell your own lotion. Don’t feel intimidated by this; getting your own lotion is simply a matter of finding the right private label supplier who’ll allow you to put your brand on their formula.
You should also go big on promo merchandise. But don’t make the mistake of forcing it on your clients. You could give out things like umbrellas, carrier bags, water bottles, etc., but have them choose. Leave them around the counter and have them actually pick them.
This way, you’ll know that it’ll be valuable to them and build your brand through exposure. Who knows, maybe someone will ask if that’s where they get their beautiful tan from. Never underestimate the branding power of promotional items and how much word of mouth advertising they can generate.
Conclusions
Tanning salons are a great business model, but one that has to be executed correctly. Make sure that you consider using these tactics if you want to increase your bottom line and build your clientele.
