This business lives or dies by the quality of people who work in the salon and the national chains have very little advantage over somebody who wants to start a salon by themselves. The reason for this is that the cost of the actual products used in the beauty treatments is minimal and therefore they do not benefit greatly from their buying power.
The main cost of running a beauty salon includes rent, rates and labour and therefore you can compete with the big boys on an equal footing. Recently I have been writing blogs and articles about the types of businesses to avoid! This is not one of them.
There are many different types of course one can attend to learn about the beauty trade and some are very good. Without learning some new skills and educating yourself prior to opening you might as well not bother. It probably is a good idea to work in a busy salon first so that you learn the ropes before starting your own.
Most people starting for the first time will not have any established clients and will therefore be relying purely on passing trade. This is why it is absolutely essential to get a location that has a lot of foot-trade and decent parking nearby.
Kitting out the salon properly from day one will make the difference between success and failure. People do not mind spending a little extra if they feel that they are being pampered in a nice, luxurious & comfortable environment. In my opinion many women go to a beauty salon for a treat or some relaxation as much as the actual beauty treatment.
The layout of the store should allow everybody to move around easily and each chair should have all the supplies within easy reach thereby minimising time wasted looking for essential products or equipment. Having proper equipment allocated to each chair is essential.
A busy salon will need a diary system for booking in clients and somewhere handy for them to sit whilst waiting for their treatment. The waiting area also has to well fitted out and stocked with the latest fashion and women's magazines.
There are many small bookkeeping packages that can make life easier but I would always advice somebody starting in business for the first time to outsource this completely to a competent book keeper leaving you completely free to focus on growing your business.
Marketing a beauty salon if you have chosen the right location is very simple. You can distribute leaflets offering half price treatments to your local area. Speak to shops around you and offer the owner a free treatment in return for them allowing you to stick a poster in their window.
Build loyalty and get your customers to come back by offering them money of vouchers at the end of the treatment. Make sure that these do not offer a discount on their regular treatment but rather persuade them to try something else next time they visit.
Stay away from news papers or radio unless you have a big budget and are willing to repeat the advert at least a dozen times. Research has shown that people need to view / listen to your adverts a number of times before it actually sinks in and most of your budget will be wasted on people that not in your catchment area.
Obviously this is a huge topic and I can not cover all treatments and the legal aspects involved so getting professional advice is necessary prior to opening. Many books have been written about the subject and there is a wealth of free advice on the internet.
Pamper your clients, make them feel special and they will keep coming back.
Not all tanning salons do very well, and that can become a nightmare for some owners. However, that can easily turn into your dream come true if you play your cards right. There are many different reasons why any type of business just doesn't survive. It can be poor management, a lack of advertising to the right market, personal issues, or a combination of such problems.
A tanning salon has to be easily accessible in order to do well. Customers want to be able to go tan before work, at lunch, and after work. They don't want to spend a great deal of time traveling to the location. If the building is being leased it is possible for you to move the equipment to a new location though.
They may be going somewhere else already though. You need to find out what your competition is. Are there three other tanning salons in town or ten? These numbers are going to be a big issue to consider. How are you going to offer something more than what the others have? How are you going to get their customers to step into your business and try it out?
Tanning equipment is essential if you are going to have such a business. However, there are many types of tanning services. There are also many models offered of the various types. You need to be able to offer quality tanning areas or people won't be returning. Carefully evaluate what that tanning business has. Can you operate successfully with it? Can you afford to invest in new equipment if necessary?
Of course the amount of money you have to invest in the business is going to be a large factor. Get a good estimate of any necessary repairs. You also need to get an estimate for changes you wish to make. You should have money put aside for emergency repairs as well. You may end up with a water leak or power problems that need to be resolved quickly.
Back to the issue of advertising - you may have the best tanning salon in town but people have to know about it. Don't be afraid to get creative with your advertising strategies. Be proud of the business you have to offer them. People love something of value so give them a free tanning session or a discount. This will get them in and once they see how it is operating they will likely come back on their own.
It is very possible for you to turn someone's tanning salon nightmare into your dream come true. However, you must take the time to really learn what the problems were that they experienced. This way you can decide for yourself if they are things you can easily address. Some of them may not be feasible and you will then want to walk away from the opportunity.
The good news though is that tanning salons are very popular business locations. People love to look great without having to spend a great deal of time in the sun. If you weigh the pros and cons of this type of business opportunity you just may discover it holds the key to your personal and financial freedom.
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Both Naz Daud & Betty P Davis are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.