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During busy season, most indoor tan- ning businesses have their marketing and promotions in full swing. With their best offers broadcast across multiple media channels, this is the time our industry puts a lot of messaging out there. But it's not enough to let the public know that you've got the best deal in town: This is an opportunity to let everyone know you're a professional salon. Tell people you follow specific standards to protect your clients from overexposure, and that you are in favor of responsible sunbathing. Drive the message home by working with local charities and even your competitors. There are three salon owners in Windsor, Ontario who have been competitors for over 25 years now. Each of them owns two locations in or around Windsor, and all of them are members of the Joint Canadian Tanning Association as well as Smart Tan Canada. I've worked with this group for years in their quest to actively promote a positive message about the industry. Their initial problem was that they were market- ing this information on an individual basis, so they had a hard time keeping the mes- sage out there. Through industry events, they got to know each other and decided to promote the indoor sunbathing community together. Now there are about six salon owners in this area working together. They formed a combined ad campaign, community fundraiser and radio show called "Ask the Experts" to get the positive message out. Their Blue Monday event donated 10 percent of their sales to the Distress Centre of Windsor Essex County while giving their clients 10% off purchas- es that day. Ads ran a few days prior to the event, and a talk show took place on the Saturday morning before. Christine Bernauer of On the Dark Side Tanning Salons, John Kraus of Sunsetters Premier Tanning, and Lori Armstrong of Bright- Side Tanning joined me to bring our combined knowledge and experience to the local live radio show. We discussed how important it is to sun- bathe before a sunny vacation – how win- ter skin needs to be acclimated to handle a high UV index in a tropical location. We explained that a base tan in combination with sunscreen creates dual protection. We pointed out how professional salons follow JCTA standards to protect clients from overexposure. We also told listeners how necessary it is for everyone to know their skin type. The show also gave us time to talk about how trained and certified op- erators make sure clients follow exposure schedules for equipment so they can create the perfect tan without burning. Christine summed up the promotion perfectly: "We all agreed that we need to unite and work together to send a positive message to our community about tanning and our services. We focused on tanning responsibly, skin typing, building a base tan and the importance of choosing a certified salon with Smart Tan-certified operators." Take some time to invite your competitors to chat over coffee and see what you can do for your community. Together, you have the power to educate your consumers on the brighter side of indoor sunbathing. CANADIAN UPDATE 21 ❘ SMART TAN MAGAZINE ❘ MARCH 2015 WWW.SMARTTAN.COM Steve Gilroy is vice president of Smart Tan Canada and publisher of Smart Tan Canada Magazine. He is also the director of the JCTA. He can be reached at 866-795-3755 or SteveG@SmartTan.com. The JCTA can be found online at TanCanada.org. COMPETITORS BECOME COLLABORATORS