6 Steps to Start a Spray Tan Business and Succeed!

The popularity of the spray tanning business has gone through the roof over the past decade, and the reason for this trend is rather simple – sunless tanning is a fast, cheap and an effective alternative to UV tanning. We all have busy and active lifestyles, which means some of us don’t have the opportunity or time to travel to warmer states each season. If you, like me, must have bronzed skin all year round, spray tanning is THE way to go.

The spray tanning industry has been booming, this is thanks to  spray tanning systems, both mobile and regular, becoming more economical. With costs rapidly dropping over the past couple of years, this beauty niche is on the rise.

Chances are, you have already thought about opening your own salon and have started considering spray tan business names.

Our team at Artesian Tan would like to be the first to wish your business every success. Here are 6 tips from our experts to get you started.

Starting a Spray Tan Business

Here we have a short yet thorough guide for those who want to set off on their own sunless tanning endeavor. After all, it is not just about coming up with spray tan business names and buying the right tools for the job. It’s about understanding the market and the industry itself.

Here we have some basic tips on how to set up your own spray tanning salon and succeed:

1. Learn What Your Business And Your Customers Are All About

Spend some time every day researching the market and your future customers. Watch videos and new tanning tutorials, read articles and blogs, find out what’s trending. Yes, you may find a lot of junk, but you also may find some real gold. Next time a customer asks about a spray tanning fad, you’ll be prepared to shed some light on the matter. The more you know about your industry, the better you will be at it.

2. Choose Your Equipment Wisely

If you are just starting out, you need to figure out what type and scale of equipment your business will be requiring. 

This depends on the following factors:

• Type of your clientele
• Size of your clientele
• Type of your spray tanning business (are you opening a salon or going mobile?)

This is crucial for all beginners as you don’t want to spend a lot of money on equipment you don’t really need. Once you’ve made your decision, it is time to:

3. Purchase Your Tanning Kit

The tools and material you need to consider include:

• Spray tan kits
• Spray tan machines
• Spray tan guns
• Spray tan screens and tents
• Spray tan extraction booths and fans
• Disposable products (hair nets, latex gloves, sticky feet, face masks)
• Tanning solution and lotions

Experiment and practice.

4. Get Proper Training

Find the most suitable spray tanning training program for you. Things you will want to learn about:

• skin preparation
• details about ingredients
• techniques of solution application
• safety
• customer care

Learning about all these aspects will help you speed up the learning curve.

5. Calculate Your Costs

Research the market in your vicinity to see what the market cost is for this business in your area. Offer an introductory discount or package deals at the beginning to attract customers. However, make sure you don’t cut yourself short.

Also, keep a list of supplies and costs, for this will help you determine whether your overhead costs are in line with your pricing.

6. Promote Your Business Properly

Once you are all set, it is time for advertising. The word needs some spreading in the beginning, so go ahead and advertise your spray tanning business via:

• local online directories
• local newspapers
• bulletin boards
• social media platforms
• your own website.

Remember: the crucial step towards creating a success spray tanning business is building up faithful clientele.