smart Tan Magazine is the leading source of information for indoor tanning salons, covering everything from the newest tanning technology, Vitamin D and the lastes tanning lotions to detailed ways to improve your salon's success.
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MEMBER OF THE MONTH WWW.SMARTTAN.COM FAST FACTS ABOUT THE SALON Levels of Membership: 12 Levels of EFT: 5 Employees: 3 UV units: 8 Most Used Bed: Heartland 5400 Best Selling Lotion: Girlfriend Sexy by Swedish Beauty SERVICES AND PRODUCTS: UV Tanning Sunless Spray Booth Infrared Sauna ADVERTISING: Website Facebook Twitter YouTube Traditional Mail Coupon Mailer Email Billboards Newspapers Radio Cross Promotion Groupon MARCH 2015 ❘ SMART TAN MAGAZINE ❘ 44 Although he wasn't necessarily set on a tanning salon from the outset, Andy knew that this specific location required just the right business. At his partner's suggestion, he ran the numbers to find that an indoor tanning salon held more promise than he imagined. By 2000, UTan opened its doors to the campus and outlying community. With a business degree and a landscaping company already under his belt, the new salon owner was confident that his new endeavor would succeed. Fifteen years and many changes later, Andy has proven him- self right. A focused approach and attention to outcomes have kept the business strong. ROOTED IN VALUES When Andy realized he wanted to go into the tanning business, he knew even before UTan opened that he wanted to do things differently. Long before legislation came into the picture, UTan self-imposed parental consent guidelines for clients under the age of 18. The principles of education, professionalism and service drove all of the salon's important decisions. Their loyalty to these values is most evident in their willing- ness to change. UTan is dedicated to doing their best by clients, which means always looking for a better way. The first major change was inspired by the salon's marketing. As Andy attempted to improve the search engine optimization of his website by improving the copy, he found himself disappointed by the many things he was prohibited from saying about tanning. Instead of feeling defeated, Andy was em- powered to try a new service: an infrared sauna. "Operating a sauna at the price point we were was less profitable than a fully utilized sunbed, but during a time when we had less tanners, we were able to start talking about the power of infrared light," says Andy. "Soon we had numerous doctors referring patients to our facility for skin disorders or muscle injuries. That's when we became UTan TheraSpa." Infrared equipment was a win-win for the business: Customers who tried it loved it, and the salon benefitted from the positive media associated with the service. Not all diversification attempts resulted in