As evidenced by a huge turnout and the myriad offerings
at its recent Southwest Tanning Expo, Salon Support really goes all out
for its clients.
The more than 500 attendees of Salon Support’s sixth annual Southwest Tanning
Expo enjoyed a day filled with beneficial training and information. The
day began with two seminars – “Effective Lotion Sales Techniques,” presented
by Jeremy Bleeker, Salon Support National Sales Manager, and “Salon Marketing
Ideas that Really Work,” hosted by Tony Ford, Salon Support CEO. As a special
surprise, Tony and Jane Ford arranged for Emmy Award-winning reporter Jeff
Crilley from Fox 4 News to present “How To Get Free Publicity.” Then, after
treating the attendees to a delicious lunch, Salon Support opened the exhibition
floor, allowing salon pros to sample the 2007 offerings from the participating
vendors, as well as attend vendor presentations.
“We know that everyone was able to take something that they learned and
utilize it, and that was our goal,” commented Tony Ford. “We consider ourselves
partners with our salon clients,¬ whose role it is to educate as well
as distribute products to them, and we’re happy to be able to host an event
that provided so much.”
The Expo offered a crash course in the tanning biz for Stacy Johnson, manager
of Eclipse Tanning Salon in Mesquite, TX. “My grandparents, R.J. and Mary
Smith, purchased the salon four months ago, so Salon Support’s event really
helped me learn a lot about indoor tanning, especially selling lotions,”
she explained. “We’ve incorporated a lot of the sales techniques we learned
during the Australian Gold and Designer Skin presentations and have already
seen a difference in our sales. All in all, it was a wonderful experience!”
Penny Gunn, who purchased A Beach Somewhere in Gladewater, TX last August,
took home some good advice from the Salon Support event. Not only did she
receive some great lotion sales tips, she also learned a lot from Jeff Crilley’s
presentation on free publicity. “I took his advice and approached my local
newspaper about becoming a guest writer about sunlight and tanning-related
topics, and they accepted,” Penny explained. “This is a good way to develop
a relationship with the paper, which will help build my salon’s name in
the community.”
While every Expo attendee walked away with valuable information, a total
of 15 salon pros also went home with prizes they won during drawings held
at the event. The grand prize, an entertainment system with a large, flat-panel
TV, was won by Melissa Johnson of Krisko’s Tanning in Nacogdoches, TX.
Jane and Tony Ford, co-owners of Salon Support, are happy with the Expo
turnout, and especially pleased to see so many salon pros making use of
the training and education opportunities. These types of value-added services
are all part of the Fords’ business philosophy. “Salon ownership is hard
work, so it’s up to the distributor to provide new product information,
programs, inventory tracking and anything else that helps their clients
continue to be successful,” Tony said. “We’re proud to be that type of distribution
company!”
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