You may think this story about my unbelievable tanning experience is quite entertaining. I will agree with you, but have to tell you that it did take me quite some time to get to that point. For a very long time I was quite embarrassed about the entire situation. I was also upset at myself for not taking the time to ask any questions as this would have clearly let me know what I was in for. It is very likely I would not have booked my appointment for this procedure if I had all of the facts before hand.

Technology has certainly offered us some new things when it comes to indoor tanning. For years I have been a fan of tanning beds as I simply burn when tanning outdoors. Since I don’t want to spend all summer either white or red, this works well for me. I hadn’t started tanning yet and we were going to take a vacation. I wanted to get some color in a hurry and a local tanning salon had just started an airbrush option.

I guess I was nave as I just didn’t have enough information to be in this predicament. I was more focused on what the end results would be. Imagine me hanging out in Las Vegas with a very nice bronze color on my skin. I was going to look great! The only instructions I got on the phone were to be on time and to wear old undergarments should I choose to leave them on during the session.

I was told to wear old undergarments if I wasn’t going to get the airbrushing done on my entire body. So this is what I had on when I found out a technician working there was going to be coming in the room with me to apply the tanning solution to my body. I am sure you can imagine my surprise and my horror at this prospect.

My initial reaction was to simply tell her no way and to get dressed quickly. Yet I was also embarrassed to tell her I wasn’t going to be comfortable with this. To her merit, she did her job very well. She tried her best to make me feel comfortable during it. I was just unable to relax and I am sure she has dealt with that before. I was certain though that airbrush tanning wasn’t something I would be doing ever again.

The entire process only lasted about 15 minutes. Yet as you all know, time can seem like eternity when you are in a situation that doesn’t sit well with you. I think I would have rather spent that afternoon at the dentist than at the tanning salon. When she asked if I would like to schedule another appointment I told her I would call, but of course I didn’t.

Even though I did get a tan that looked real, it just wasn’t a procedure that works for me. I am not comfortable in that type of environment and I didn’t schedule another appointment for that reason. For those that aren’t too worried about being in that type of position with a stranger though I would recommend it.

Make sure you know what you will get with your tanning experience. It really does pay to take a few minutes and ask questions. The owners of such facilities should also make it a point to readily offer this information. I am sure I am not the only one that had such an experience. Yet it was also something I learned from as a consumer and that has served me well.

If you are thinking of opening a tanning business, or are in the process currently, you should start thinking of how you will market it. A well done marketing campaign needs to be started early. However this does not mean that you will need to devote a lot of time to marketing, there are other important areas of business too. Many owners do not think about marketing until it is too late, which affects how many customers will be lining up for to tan. Read the following advice and start planning the marketing for your tanning business now.

Your first marketing campaign should being as soon as you have a location. Let all the businesses in the area know that you have purchased or leased the lot, and what your plan is with it. This will become a conversational topic between them and their customers. Humans are curious beings and they will ask the local owners if they know what is going on. By casually giving them this information you are having them spread the word around for you. You should also post signs on the windows and/or door of your business saying that a tanning business is in construction. The longer people know your business is coming the more they will think about it, and want to visit. Then all it will take is one visit and you can hook them.

You will need to decide on a name for your salon and a logo early. This way you can order your signs in advance. Many shops open with temporary banners where the signs should be. This makes you look very unprepared and unprofessional. People will choose not to even enter your salon assuming the inside is not ready either. Even if you spent months designing it perfectly.

Once you have your logo and name start creating drafts of the pamphlets you will use. A lot of owners wait until they have everything else bought and installed before they being working on the pamphlets. However once everything is done you should be opening for business and making money not trying to piece together a pamphlet and get it printed. By starting early you can create the layout and leave spaces blank for things you do not know. For example if you know the type of membership you will offer list them, and leave the prices blank until you have finalized them.

A few weeks before your tanning business is set to open you should be ready for a full swing marketing campaign. Advertisements, pamphlets and signage should all be ready to go out. You should have a list of good areas to post signs about your salon, and places where you can leave pamphlets. You should also have all the contact information and due dates ready for the local newspapers. Placing grand opening announcements is an amazing way to attract customers. By planning in advance you will be more relaxed when it comes time to open. Also all of your advertisements will look professional, attracting more customers. By putting forth a good marketing campaign you are setting up your tanning business for success.

When opening a tanning salon it is important to know that there are three main types of indoor tanning. These are UV tanning beds or booths, spray tan booths and airbrush tanning. The most popular of these three is UV tanning beds, however spray and airbrush tanning booths are growing more popular every day. Indoor tanning has become a booming industry since it is such a safe alternative to outdoor sun tanning.

The light coming from the UV tanning beds is good for both your body and mind. Just like sunlight the UV rays deliver vitamins to the body to make you feel better. Did you every wonder why you feel so happy and relaxed after a day on the beach or laying on the deck? Spray and airbrush tanning do not offer these health benefits since they do not use UV lighting. However, unlike UV beds, spraying and airbrushing tans the customer immediately. Multiple trips are not needed to see a difference. They let a person go from snow white to Caribbean bronzed in minutes.

Successful indoor tanning salons often focus on the ‘salon’ part. This doesn’t mean you should be providing services found in other salons, like massages and waxing, it means you should be pampering the customer. Going indoor tanning should be a pleasant, relaxing experience for the customer. By making sure your customers are relaxed and feeling pampered you’re giving them a reason to come back besides having a nice tanned glow. This will make the customers want to come tanning even if they don’t care about looking tanned. This love for the treatment will also be important for you when tanning outdoors is easy and convenient to them.

A great way to get the relaxing, indulging feel in your salon is through the décor, music and a few added extras. This does not mean that you need to spend a lot of money. Make sure you pick music that is relaxing but upbeat. You want the customer to be relaxed through the process, but you also want them to leave with a big smile on their face. A common practice is to give a customer a towel to use after they are done tanning. If you just warm the towel first you are giving them a more comfortable sensation after getting out of the warm bed. Making them more comfortable and relaxed. After UV tanning the body is warm and dehydrated, just like after lying in the sun drinking water is important for the body. Offering bottles of water to customers is nice but also can be expensive. Having a water cooler and paper cups will help customers feel refreshed and happy, but also be inexpensive for you.

It is important to have properly trained staff at your salon. A major attraction of indoor tanning is that it is safer than tanning outdoors. Trained staff will know how the customer can tan to receive the best results safely. No one wants to leave a salon with sunburns or a streaky tan. Keeping the staff, and yourself, up to date on current tanning tips and tricks is also important. You always want to be ahead of the game while offering the best there is for the customer and creating a large profit for yourself. Just make sure you find out how to start and run your indoor tanning salon without getting ripped off, many people promise that only their equipment will make you successful.

A tanning salon may be the perfect business for you to take part in. If you love working with people and you are involved in what goes in such a business it could be a great match. It can make you lots of money and you will feel good seeing people come and go that feel good about how they look as well. There is a great deal to learn though about such a business so give yourself the time to really look into it before you decide.

There are many little things you have to be able to offer to your customers. They expect excellent service every time they come to your tanning salon. If they don’t get it they may just go someplace else without telling you what the problem was. You need to be able to offer them products for tanning as well as equipment that will get the job done.

With a busy tanning salon, there is just too much going on to do it all by hand. You need an effective software system that allows you to schedule appointments based on the amount of time each customer will be in the tanning area. This way you can get the most out of it but not keep people waiting.

Being well organized and not falling apart when a situation occurs is all part of taking care of your business effectively. Understanding you must be flexible and that you can’t control everything going on is important. Staying cool under pressure is essential if you want to be successful.

Be a responsible tanning salon owner by making safety a priority. Customers should be made aware of the risk involved with indoor tanning. They also need to have eye protection offered, clean tanning stations, and equipment that is inspected on a regular basis. If you can see the importance of such issues then a tanning salon may be the perfect business for you to consider.

No business can be started though without some type of investment. If you are serious about doing this you will be willing to put your own money on the line. You can also get a loan for the additional funds you need. Be aware that you have to pay it back though. This will help eliminate the issue of borrowing more than you really need to get things in place. You can buy newer equipment and make upgrades later on with your profits.

Not everyone is cut out to work with other people though. If you would rather work by yourself them it won’t be a good business for you. There will be customers, employees, and suppliers that you will have to deal with all day long. Some people really enjoy this type of work while others don’t. If you plan to take time off you will also need someone reliable you can count on to take your place.

There are many different things to consider before you commit to starting a tanning salon. Don’t get involved in it and then realize you aren’t happy with it. You want your own business to be something you are passionate about. It needs to be what you want to spend your time doing. No amount of money you can make is worth not loving what you will be doing.