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MEMBER OF THE MONTH 47 ❘ SMART TAN MAGAZINE ❘ MARCH 2015 WWW.SMARTTAN.COM solved over a cup of coffee with the owner, or whatever it takes to help the customer see the good intentions of the business. "We have converted a lot of customers, but it's hard to change those habits, and there are a few who we have just had to ask not to come back. You have to draw a line in the sand somewhere," says Andy. But the rules aren't just for customers: Andy insists that his staff sets a good exam- ple by following their policies and proce- dures. "If you can't tan yourself properly, how can you tan a customer properly?" says Andy. "I train tanning advisors who understand that you can negatively affect someone if you aren't responsible." If a team member breaks the 24-hour rule or overexposes in a tanning bed, they are sent home for a week off without pay; the second time, the employee is fired. MARKETING BY THE NUMBERS To supplement his business degree, Andy empowered himself through various classes and seminars about search engine optimization and social media. True to his business plan, he focuses on marketing that yields measureable results. It all started with a Groupon. "At the time, social media was becoming popular for businesses but I didn't know anything about that stuff. I saw a Grou- pon for a one-day seminar that taught the fundamentals of internet marketing, and my jaw was on the floor: I had learned so much, I couldn't believe it," says Andy. Immediately, he started revamping his website content and looking for more class- es to inspire a marketing makeover. We- binars, seminars, conferences and classes rounded out his marketing knowledge until he felt comfortable putting new systems in place. He has created basic procedures for his team to update content on the salon's blog and social media outlets. One important strategy was to create op- portunities for online sales. During UTan's anticipated Black Friday sale, customers could skip the lines and buy discounted memberships right from their website. Online visitors can even get gift cards at a discount by visiting the retailer's website. Andy also relies on email marketing to target his customers. He is careful about emailing them more than once a month, but always seizes the opportunity to give clients updates about changes in store hours, new equipment or other valuable information. For potential customers, Valpak has been a great way to spark interest. Unlike many salons, UTan's coupons are not limited to new customers only. Instead, they advertise that new clients get a free tan and offer great coupons to everyone. "I look at how many coupons are redeemed and if it comes close to covering the cost of the campaign, I keep doing it, because that doesn't account for the residual income when people return to the salon," says Andy. But, like so many indoor tanning business- es, UTan's strongest form of marketing is word of mouth. Andy feels that service can make or break a salon's reputation, and believes that the pride his team takes comes through in customer referrals. But feeling and believing isn't enough: He also pays close attention to the number of new clients UTan gets each month, and allows the numbers to do the talking. MANY EGGS, MANY BASKETS The future looks bright for UTan, in part due to many side projects that keep owner Andy busy and the salon on the verge of its next iteration. After buying out two local competitors, UTan has doubled its business and will soon need to expand. Andy has also taken on various roles within the industry, helping the JCTA with its Tan Responsibly campaign, becoming a distributor for Therasage infrared massage products, and working on a team to devel- op a new kind of light therapy. His deep investment in the industry indicates not only his dedication to staying in it, but his confidence that smart tanning is the way of the future. To learn more about the salon, visit www.utan.ca. Web Exclusive Visit www.smarttan.com/utan to discover how a unique commission schedule and thorough hiring practices have contributed to the salon's success.