An Open Letter to Tanning Industry Business Owners

It would be an understatement to say that there are people who are concerned about the future of the tanning industry in the current economy.

After all, with budgets getting tighter, lingering concerns over tanning safety and tanning companies consolidating, there may be some need for concern.

However, before you as a salon owner or tanning bed vendor get overwhelmed, we want you to realize there are many ways to combat the uneasiness in the industry, and they all include learning the appropriate way to approach the tanning business and its purpose in general.

You Are NOT Sailing a Sinking Ship

First of all, the economy may be sinking, but if you look closely at historical data, one thing that always rises in a sinking economy are activities that relax or comfort. Some say only vices fit this category but there are legitimate personal services such as tanning and massage that do well in tough times. It is no coincidence that these services and other gratifying experiences do well during a recession; people need relief and tanning or "getting your nails done" provides it.

Some people tan simply for the quiet time and 20 minutes of absolute peace and well being that only a trip to the tanning bed can provide. So, when speaking with clients or creating marketing messages, remember that your customers are coming to you seeking a respite from the stress and strain of life in the 21st century.

The Bright Side of Consolidation

While lotion and equipment consolidation may seem like a threat to the tanning business, why not view the developments as making it easier to stock your store.

Think about it, wouldn't you rather deal with a just few wholesalers instead of bunch of different companies? Perhaps consolidation will lead to bigger discounts since you will be doing larger amounts of business with one company instead of just a little bit of business with a few.

However things shake out, consolidation and globalization are a fact of the modern economy. If doing business with the large wholesalers is not your style, that's OK too. There will always be room for specialty wholesalers and manufacturers. Just make sure your tanning business offerings match your available or selected resources.

Let's Put This To Rest Once and For All

Finally, we all need to diligently continue to address the concerns about the safety of tanning by carefully rethinking the way we market & promote tanning.

As you know, tanning is perfectly safe if used in moderation. Why not help your customers see that tanning is more akin to dark chocolate (a little is good for you but a lot is, well, not so much) than cigarettes.

Smart tanning helps rather than harms and we need to emphasize this point to everyone, especially our staff. Perhaps its time to angle the marketing focus away from sexy & seductive bodies to balanced health & energy. Emphasize the need for Vitamin D from the sun to aid in overall mood and physical health. Stress the fact that, despite uninformed claims otherwise, a person who practices smart tanning, is more prone to good health, rather than cancer or other common misconceptions.

So, as a collective group of tanning industry professionals, lets resolve to market our services in a way that appeals to a health conscious society and take advantage of the exciting changes in this dynamic industry.

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An Open Letter to Tanning Industry Business Owners