It’s A.P.R.I.L.

A – Appreciation

It doesn’t matter if this is your first year in the tan biz or you’re an industry veteran, this is your favorite time of the year! Salons are filled with new and existing tanners and there is no better opportunity to show them your genuine appreciation for their continued support.

Every person who comes into your salon represents residual income, not only from their individual spending, but from the potential customers that happy tanners send your way. Let them know how much they are appreciated and always with a smile. Little things go a long way toward making your customers feel appreciated. Always remember: Retail is Detail!

P – Planning

Plan an event! Free Tan Weekend, Tan Fest, Customer Appreciation Weekend, etc. This is the perfect time of year for an event, since salons have the most foot traffic. During the spring, many people will come to you in preparation for Spring Break or an upcoming wedding, and if they’ll receive more value tanning at your facility as opposed to the one down the street, they will choose to tan with YOU. I know a salon in a small Kansas community that does a very successful free tan weekend every year in April, and they make it a community event. The staff serves burgers and hotdogs to anyone in the town who stops by, they have specials on packages and products, and anyone can use any piece of equipment that weekend for free. The salon operator plans for this by letting his tanners know about specials and promotions two weeks in advance, so that they make sure to tell their friends and family. It’s also advertised heavily on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. By planning for their event to be a big deal, it becomes a big deal.

R – Reputable

People don’t do business with businesses, people do business with people. Maintaining a great reputation with both customers and the community is crucial to the longevity of any business. As word of mouth and social media help to spread info at record speeds, it is important that any reviews of your facility are positive.

I – Implement

We’ve talked about how to appreciate your customers, the importance of planning an event during your busy season, as well as making sure your business has a positive image – now, it’s time to implement these practices. Is there an area you can improve on? What steps do you need to take to make the most of this busy season? If you need help planning your event or ideas for customer appreciation events, referral programs, or even where advertising dollars are best spent, use your resources. Distributor representatives and the staff at your favorite lotion manufacturers are capable and willing to offer ideas that are proven successful.

L – Loyalty

The loyalty of both customers and staff is an important aspect any business needs in order to thrive. Your salon is, most likely, seeing more people now than it has in the last few months. Building loyalty with each customer helps ensure future business for years to come. Establish a customer experience so enjoyable that they want to tell their friends and family. Loyalty creates repeat business, which in turn, creates more revenue.

“Make sure your business is creating a service
experience so good that it demands loyalty.”
– Steve Maraboli