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C AN ADIAN UPD A TE INDUSTRY NOTEBOOK THREATTriple Over the last several months, I have dis- cussed some of the strategies that are working for and against our industry. Polling, media interviews and meeting politicians are proving to be essential elements in the campaign against Sun Scare and the legis- lation it's creating. Let's take a look at these three methods and how we can make them work to our advantage. Polling is all about how you word the ques- tions. The Canadian Cancer Society has done a very good job in creating polls that show that the public wants a ban on teen tanning. How do they do this? By giving only two options: a ban on teen tanning or not taking action. The CCS poll shows that 66-85 percent of the Canadian public wants a teen ban. The limited amount of options prompted the response they were looking for. So what happens if you give the public three options? The JCTA answered that very ques- tion when they gave people the choice to vote for parental consent. This small change in how the question was presented made a big impact on the responses: about 66 percent of people voted in favor of parental consent. Below, you can see similar results in a poll conducted by CBC News in February. In this case, 68 percent of voters wanted parental consent. This kind of information can help us in interviews and meetings when we discuss solutions. Taking interviews with the media is another effective tactic that can give new perspec- tive to your community. But doing media interviews isn't for everyone: If you're not prepared for an interview, it's best not to do one. Saying the wrong thing can do more harm than good. However, there are 37 SMART TAN MAGAZINE [ SmartTan.com The first couple interviews can be over- whelming, but it does get easier once you understand how to give powerful sound bites and have key messages all prepared. Sounds bites are the pieces of your response the media uses, so keep your responses to the point – short and sweet. You will also need to know how to control the interview. How do you prepare? It's easy! Call your association for materials, talking points and advice. They may even have prepared responses you can use in the interview. Remember: If you want to kill a story, don't be combative. Stories are prolonged when benefits to doing interviews. The public per- ceives you as the expert. a reporter has two sides with totally oppos- ing views. Here in Canada, we say, "We believe in regulations which involve paren- tal rights, control of equipment and banning Type 1 skin. This is protection for all ages." This almost always changes the tone of the interview and sometimes kills the story all together – no combatants means no story. The thing that industry associations are push- ing most is political involvement. You hear it everywhere, and maybe the message is get- ting old, but if you don't put a face to the industry, then your government won't know anything about your business or our indus- try, and they will listen to the other side. This process takes time. It's like a first date: If you tell the other person you want to marry them, they'll run. Take time to let them get to know and trust you – they will start to believe. As a direct result of our meetings, my pro- vincial politician has spoken on our behalf to caucus committees and with our health minister. During a meeting in Ottawa regard- ing federal regulations, a policy advisor said to get information out to every federal politi- cian so they have knowledge of the industry. In March, the JCTA sent each of them a let- ter with a brochure, but the power of these efforts is magnified when our salons make themselves known. Be active and protect the rights of indoor sunbathers! 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.