If you want to start a tanning bed salon then you are lining yourself up for a very lucrative business opportunity. Of course there is negative press but, the tanning bed business is booming. However, you know that you want to start a tanning bed salon business but you may not be sure of how to go about it, so here are a few first steps you should consider as you plan to get started.

Know your starting budget

As with any business you will need some start up capital for your early costs. The costs are going to be many things from getting equipment to having money for premises, and do not forget you will need cash flow to pay yourself and any employees for the first month or two as your business starts up. Also marketing will need to be done so that people know you are there. Because of all this it is vital that you set yourself a budget to work in and make sure you stick to it so that you are not creating any financial headaches for yourself before you even get going properly.

Know Your Competition and USP

There are lots of tanning salons these days so it would make sense to visit any in the area where you are planning to open up. When you visit these salons make sure you check out various factors such asthe decor and what they are charging their clients. How does there salon make you feel? If it makes you feel relaxed and comfortable then use some of that in your salon. If it makes you feel uncomfortable then of coursedo the opposite of that salon.

Also what can you do to make you a bit different and build your USP (unique selling proposition). Try not to be run of the mill and do, something like a free drink for your customer or or even have a beautician working at the salon so the client can get a manicure or something similar after they have had their tanning session.

Market Your Business

Marketing your business will be crucial in the early days. After a while if you do some of the things mentioned above then you will have a tanning salon with a great reputation and you will get more and more business from referrals, but in the early days you will have to advertise. But advertising does not have to break the bank, you can use cheap tools like flyer's to get you going (and remember to include your USP on the flyer), or you could do a press release about your salon and its USP and send that into the local papers (that method is FREE by the way). Finally you could put a small classified in the local paper or your local business directory. This should be enough to get the first few clients for you.