Marketing Ideas for a New Tanning Salon

When you open a tanning salon, getting customers to test your services can tricky. That's why spreading your name and generating interest from the beginning is crucial. Once you have a solid base of clientele, those customers will tell their friends and your salon has the potential to grow via word of mouth. So, after you've purchased all the items for your salon, hired all your employees and make your salon look clean and worthy of business, consider these marketing ideas.

Have a Grand Opening
Hosting a grand opening for your new salon will generate buzz and may even land you free advertising in newspapers since they often like to cover new businesses opening in town. Purchase a banner and call local TV stations and newspapers to make them aware of your new business.

Offer a Free Trial
People love free things. Take advantage of it when you open your tanning salon. Offering a free tanning session or a free trial size of tanning lotion with your first visit. So long as your customer service is great and your salon is clean, you'll likely gain regular customers, making the giveaways at the beginning worth your time.

Advertise in Papers
Newspapers, magazines and even independent newsweekly papers would be more than happy to sell you ad space. Rates vary depending on the media outlet you choose and size of the ad you run. Make sure you choose the right place to run your ad by asking about the outlets targeted audience and number of readers. Many readers are drawn in by freebies or discounts, so include one in your ad.

Social Networking
An easy and inexpensive (or free) way to spread word of your new tanning salon is to take advantage of social networking sites. Consider opening accounts (which are free) at Facebook.com, MySpace.com and Twitter.com. You can post pictures of your salon, advertise any sales or free offers and build a solid fan base.

Post Fliers
Posting fliers is one of the oldest advertising techniques and the method still exists for a reason. Spreading news of your new salon via posted fliers is not only a cost efficient way of spreading your name, but it actually works! Design a flier with all the pertinent information regarding your business (such as location, hours, costs and specials) and post them anywhere you're allowed to. Try super markets, coffee shops, record stores and anywhere else you gain permission to do so.