Tanning: Is it something im doing wrong?

[Violet Star]

Hi Geeks,Sorry im being a pain tonight but im really concerned about something. Ive just been doing some deep thinking about the tanning side of my business. I have been qualified for 2 years.

I started tanning in Dec 07 and tanned for a year and a half and had a small 3 month break from advertising and promoting last year , kind of let it slip but took bookings if they rang.

But ive noticed allot of my clients dont come back to have another than im not sure if this is because of something im doing wrong or is it because they want it for a one off? i always ask my clients is this tan for a special ocassion and 9/10 it is for a wedding, party or special day.

I really dont have any regulars i have a girl who comes every 4 months to have tan. I used to have a client who come every single week ( but she was a teenage girl and said she found it hard to afford it) Along with a few others which i dont hear anything from now despite sending promotional texts each month.

I had a lady who come for a tan for Valentines she wanted to be extra extra dark so i provided what she asked for, i text a week later to ask her if she wanted to book again for this week she said no i have now got my friend to do my spray tanning again. And i thought what did i do wrong?

I would appreciate some help and some honest opinions do you think its me? i provide tans for all my family every week and they look great!
thanks so much xxx

 

[julesgems]

Hi

Don't be disheartened! It's probably nothing you are doing at all. Some clients come for tans only on special occassions, others as you said before - only when they can afford it.

If you are confident that you are giving a good tan, then you have nothing to worry about! I have very few regulars for tans. most are as you said every 3 / 4 months when they have a special do! Or in the summer they get more regular because they wear less clothes!

Keep advertising and keep tanning!:hug:

 

[collin]

Whilst it is of course always a possibility that your customers arent happy with your tans I suspect its as Julie has mentioned so stop worrying.

It is probably worthwhile putting as much energy into finding new customers rather than pondering on why those that have been to you arent returning.

Look at ways of marketing your buisness cost effectivley...flyers etc as well as maybe your pricing structure..are you to expensive/what are your compeditors charging etc...or maybe introduce some form of system that rewards customers that come back...maybe £XXX for a full body and then a discounted rate if they come back 7 days later for a top up...maybe offer a discount on a course booking.

Like a restaurant does constantly and especially during a rescession phase...revise your menu as needs must.

HTH :hug:

 

[Violet Star]

Thanks guys!

I asked my mum and sisters what they think of their tans and they say they love them and they done so well.. so i cant really get my head around it?

Perhaps it is because most people use tans for a special occassion as 9/10 they say it is.

I have been doing all my advertising over the last few days, got new flyers, put my website on gumtree etc.

I have been doing it for 2 years but i went through a stage where i didnt advertise at all, so maybe its my fault for not doing so?

xx

 

[collin]

Thanks guys!

I asked my mum and sisters what they think of their tans and they say they love them and they done so well.. so i cant really get my head around it?

Perhaps it is because most people use tans for a special occassion as 9/10 they say it is.

I have been doing all my advertising over the last few days, got new flyers, put my website on gumtree etc.

I have been doing it for 2 years but i went through a stage where i didnt advertise at all, so maybe its my fault for not doing so?

xx

Well thats good news.....yes to sustain buisness turnover if word of mouth isnt doing the trick for you you should regularly market your buisness.
I would suggest you do revisit your menu and look at ways of offering course deals to customers
Good luck :hug:

 

[ukfaye]

Hi hun, dont be disheartened, I think it can really depend on where you live what sort of people you get. Where I live they are just not the sort of people to have tans all year round. They like them for holls weddings etc but not every week.
You are fairly near so could be the same. Just spend a day getting yourself on every free ad website cards in newsagent windows and give some cards to your nearest hairdressers, with a discount for them if they can hand them out. I've just contacted the secondry schools near me, as its school proms soon.
Like Collin said consentrate on the new customers hun.
Good luck Faye.x:hug:

 

[Jaffacake]

I only have a few die hard week in week out customers, all the rest are special occasion, going out, going on holiday customers, but I have loads on my books so that keeps me busy.

I do an offer of a gift for every 6th spray tan, whenever that may be, doesnt have to be in a certain time frame. Normally give them a bottle of moisturiser or something that doesnt cost me much, but a few pounds out of 6 tans is a small price to pay to keep them happy! :green:

Sometimes I dont hear from someone for 6 months or more, and sometimes I never hear from them again! dont assume its you doing something wrong, its probably that they cant afford it every week or two, or maybe they just didnt like the tanning experience, i.e development time, trying not to touch it etc etc. It's not everyone's cup of tea. :hug:

 

[number1kitty]

Have you called your customers? I would ring them and ask why they havent been back. Just tell them you havent seen them in a while and see if they were happy or not.

Its alot easier to market to our existing clients than find new ones.

90% of my tanning customers come back to me on at least a fortnightly basis.

I have recruited girls to cope with demand and they are also getting clients coming back for repeat tans. And the product I use isnt that great really, as I am in the process of getting my own label.

Money is not an object to clients when it comes to their looks, and there probably spending that money on shop bought fake tan creams, other spray tan technicians or sunbeds.

People who like their tans, like their tans! They are die hard and never ever want to be white!

Kate