setting up spray tanning

[hippy-chick]

how much outlay is it to set up spray tanning.
I have a shower in the room, understand its the solution and the compressor machine?

 

[carrie g]

It depends on which system you go for. If I were you I would do as much research as you can and find a machine with little or no overflow.
Get a few companies in to do demos.
I made the mistake of investing in a set up that means I need to air my room for a good 15mins before I can do another treatment and have to literally wipe down the walls afterwards (I too do my spray tanning in a shower cubicle).
Most importantly of all. Do you really need to offer spray tanning??
Can you afford the outlay right now? (I think it cost me about £1000).
I did exactly what you are doing. Opened up, business was slow to start with and thought that I needed to offer something else. Listened to the hairdressers. Bought a spray tan machine. Hardly ever use it!!!
People discount spray tanning so much. To be competitive you end up charging about £12 a time, no matter what they say about it only taking 5mins to spray someone, it takes your client about 10 mins to get ready - taking off make-up etc. Then they need to feel dry before they get dressed, another 15mins. 5 mins to set it all up, 10mins to clean it all up (if you are lucky and have no overspray, you can do a massage straight after - if you are not, you will need to wait for the air to clear first, its almost impossible to get an extractor fan for a shower).
So, the maths, is approx £12 an hour, minus solution £2-4, sundries £1.
I'm not saying its a bad idea, just do lots of research. Its very seasonal too.

 

[KattyB]

I have just invested in a St tropez spray tan cubicle in my new salon as nowhere else in the village offers it and it is cheaper for a client to have this done for £25 than pay £37 with my competion for a manually applied st tropez.

I did my research at the G-mex trade show. Fake bake were giving it the hard sell, approaching people and taking details etc. Most of the other companies looked slightly unprofessional and the equipment was not very impressive. St T on the other hand were very relaxed and stated their equipment sells itself, no pushy sales people, very imformative, spent over an hour talking to them about all the options then got up and walked away without any pressure to sign up.

I went back first thing in the morning and signed upto a finance option with St T. I think I paid a deposit of £130 and then once I take delivery I have to pay the same again each month for 3 years. It means that I have the professional set-up and just have to do 5 tans a month to cover the cost. I also got over £1000 worth of retail stock with the offer. It has built in extraction which means I meet the health and saftey regs too.

Hope this helps!

 

[hippy-chick]

thanks guys.

yes, Carrie, you are right, I'm listening too much to what other people think would go well. They've also tried to persuade me to do waxing as it was their no 1 treatment before but I just can't step over from doing holistics to doing beauty as well, its just not my thing. (no offence to anyone at all, I wouldn't expect expert nail techs to go gooey eyes over a new massage technique).

Biz is actually OK, but obviously need to keep bringing people in and as pointed out in another thread of mine, my treatments are thought of as indulgent/pampering and NOT essential.

Have put a hold on doing the threading course until next year as again, think I;m just rushing into whatever.

 

[KattyB]

Hi Hippy chick

Just realised you just do holistic at the moment and I don't think the spray tan is a good idea then IMHO.

Its funny you should post this because in the newspaper today I have seen an advertisement for a salon in the next village which specialises in Holistic therapies advertising a New spray tanning booth!! I couldn't get my head around this as their business name has the word holistic in it and I just found it strange to offer a beauty treatment as well. I think it looks like they are trying to jump on the band wagon and try anything to make a pound or two maybe because the holistic side of the business is not busy.

I would expect an holistic therapist to offer various types of massage, reflexology, reiki, hopi ear candling, indian head etc, not cosmetic treatments. If you are specialising in holistic treatments then I recommend thats what you market, stand up for what you spent so long training in and believe in these treatments and this will influence others.

 

[hippy-chick]

thanks Katty B.

I totally agree, I just do holistics, although I've included a holistic facial, but I use essential oils, crystals, reiki and jade rollers, with the double cleanse, tone and moisturise.

I think that holistics is seen by many as a pampering indulgence, and beauty and hair and nails are essential to maintain.

although, once I've got a client in, I usually get them coming back on a 4-6 week basis.

Yes, I should embrace what I have got, and I love love love what I do, which shines out with my treatments. Theres not one treatment that I do which I inwardly groan at.

 

[carrie g]

Unique selling point!! The rest of us are searching for one and you have it! A business is not built in a day, I'm sure your bank manager will give you loads of statisics on that.
Your 3 month trial is a tough call. November is notoriously quiet, you need to promote your gift packages, get in touch with your local posh free mag, offer their beauty editor a freebie and big yourself up. You should just be winging it for the Christmas edition.
December is huge, mainly for gift vouchers, manicures, Pedi's, waxing and facials, I do quite alot of massage around this time, but you need to pinpoint your 'perfect' client. Then hit them with your USP.
January is slow , concentrate on detox & new years resolutions - great time to promote courses, you should be planning this now, Feb is really quite awful, thank goodness for Valenines Day and March, March is ok.
Most of all, work out how much you need to make to survive, don't make rash decisions, concentrate on your strengths - now is not the time to take you out of your comfort zone, if you do better than that, thats great. I think you will. have confidence in yourself. DON'T BUY A SPRAY TAN MACHINE!!!

 

[hippy-chick]

thanks Carrie,
you make perfect sense, and i do feel more comfortable in myself.

at the end of the day, my USP is that I am not a beauty salon offering massage - I am a massage therapist through and through.

and, no, I will not be buying a spray tan thingy.