Q: “Help! We’re going to a wedding expo and we’re the only tanning business exhibiting there. Do you have any ideas for displays, games, giveaways, etc.?”
A: Tanning salon owners and spray tan techs can really boost their revenue by tanning brides and wedding parties. This is why it’s a great idea to exhibit at a wedding expo. This puts you and your business in front of many soon-to-be brides and in many cases, their mothers and/or members of their wedding parties. I understand that you want to make the most of this experiences. Here are 13 things right off the top of my head. If you can do some or most on these list, you should have a successful wedding expo experience.
1. Have a portable portal for signing up weddings parties on your smartphone.
2. Create a price brochure as “expo specials” for spray tanning that gives a discounted price for booth spray as well as customer han held if you offer that.
3. Let the bride and groom tan free IF they have a wedding party of 6 or more paying the discounted price.
4. Get credit card info, wedding date, and the date prior to the ceremony they want to get their tan so you can schedule especially in the case of customer handheld sprays.
5.You can also offer a bachelorette night party special if it is a week or two prior to the wedding. “Girls may go wild,” but none wants to be seen not looking their best!
6. Obviously you should extend the same discount to anyone from the families that want to take advantage of the lower prices.
7. In addition I would throw in a couple of free UV tans for all who participate in the spray option to potentially create another customer on that side of your salon.
8. Don’t think about taking equipment with you to the expo UNLESS you have a portable custom spray booth and want to offer spray tans at a discounted price as a “show special.” But beware, you may have more bodies than the schedule has time for.
9. Approach the owners or managers of the expo for a little quid pro quo, meaning that you will give them a certificate for two free UV tans to stuff in all the bags they hand out to brides-to-be.
10. Also, they will probably do live announcements during the event and tell the event management that you will hold a drawing to give away a free month of UV tanning every hour the show is open as long as they announce a name over a PA system. (To register for their free month of tanning, they need to go to the your booth by name or table to register.) You get traffic, and the entry info required should be email address, wedding date, and phone number for your future marketing efforts.
11. With the tanners’ permission, get pics of each attendee you spray tan to post to your FB and Instagram. (What better way to show people the great work you do?)
12. I would be cautious about taking product for sale unless you have enough staff present to insure security for what your selling.
13. Speaking of staff, all should be wearing salon shirts, dress appropriately. makeup and hair done well… and for the love of all things indoor tanning, all of you should be rocking a killer tan!
Thank You for Your Question!
It was a pleasure answering it. I hope the information I shared helps you out. If you have any other questions, don’t hesitate to ask this tanning salon business consultant.
