Eye Pro, Inc.

January 2014

Julie George, owner of 26 Club Sun salons in southern Alabama and northwestern Florida, knows how important it is to promote the use of eye protection to her guests. “I’ve been in the tanning business for three decades; I have been certified a number of times and so have my staff members. Over the years, we needed to devise a method to take the message we learned in certification about eye protection directly to our tanners.”

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December 2013

I recently visited a well-known salon chain to train their staff on the importance of eye protection. The owner proudly told me that they INSISTED all their tanners use eye protection – that the concept was “pounded into their clients’ heads.” I looked around the gorgeous salon. And I looked again. There was not one sign posted to indicate that eyewear must be worn during tanning sessions. There was a basket of eye protection at the front counter, but it was pretty much obscured from view. I did notice signs all over the place promoting lotion usage and the salon’s membership program. Oh, and nicely displayed goodie bags showing the week’s “featured item.”

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November 2013

I recently visited a new tanning salon, and heard a guest say to the staff, “I don’t need eyewear. I just close my eyes.” Sadly, the salon employee answered, “Bed 14 is ready!” and that was that. Here are some strategies for convincing your salon guests that closing their eyes during a tanning session is NOT enough…

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October 2013

These six words can ultimately affect both the profitability of your business and the long-term health of your tanners. I always recommend you ask each salon guest about their eyewear with this specific wording, as it is very polite, and because the only way your guest can respond is by showing you her eyewear. If she starts to panic because she doesn’t have it, jump in quickly and ask, “Forgot it today? We have a sale on this very inexpensive goggle, or we have disposable, one-time-use eye protection for just fifty cents.”

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September 2013

Almost everyone knows that overexposure to UV light can cause erythema
– also known as sunburn – and we know those symptoms well. They include reddening of the skin, an itching sensation, and in more extreme cases, blistering and peeling. But did you know that you can also burn your eyes if you overexpose them to UV light?

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August 2013

I was recently asked if a person could suffer loss of night vision from tanning indoors without eye protection. The answer is ABSOLUTELY!

The ONLY way to lose your night vision is from UV-overexposure. This can happen from outdoor sun exposure or from tanning indoors without eye protection.

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July 2013

Traffic’s slowing down in your salon – selling those bottles of expensive lotion has gotten a lot more difficult since the rush to be golden for Spring Break or prom is over. There are fewer guests to whom you can pitch your upgrade beds … so what do you do? Think about focusing on sales of smaller-ticket items this month, with the goal of selling more items to more tanners for less money per tanner. Let’s try pushing the lowly eyewear sale!

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June 2013

This is Part 2 of what Planet Sun Manager Jen Palumbo shared with me regarding how she and her team handle resistance and objections to wearing eyewear from customers at the chain’s eight New Jersey salons.

Tanner: I don’t want to spend the money.

Employee response: Yes, we understand that not everyone wants to spend $1 on disposable eyewear each time they tan; but did you know that we have other options for as low as $3?  That’s a small, one-time investment to save your vision.

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May 2013

This month’s column is a two-part article about Planet Sun, a chain with eight locations in New Jersey. Manager Jen Palumbo shared the responses her team uses when they meet with client resistance to wearing eyewear. What does your staff say when they hear these objections to wearing eye protection?

Tanner: I have never worn eyewear before, why start now?

Employee response: While you are lucky to have not seen any immediate side effects from not using eye protection, this tactic does not provide nearly enough protection for your eyes. Think about how thin your eyelids are…

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April 2013

WOW! It’s tough to get your customers to spend the big bucks. However, I’m going to give you five ways to sell more small priced items and bring in easy sales. Here’s your new mantra: SMALL SALES ARE EASY SALES! So, let’s get to it!

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