Editorial

Tanning franchise is golden with franchisee support

“It’s sort of a well-kept secret,” says Bob McQuillan, Vice President of Franchise Sales and Marketing for Hollywood Tans, “but the tanning industry is huge. Tanning represents over $5 billion dollars a year in sales and is popular all across the country.”

Hollywood Tans of Sewell, New Jersey , was incorporated in 1994 and began Franchising in 1998. With about 325 units currently open and a presence in 31 states, they are well-established across the U.S.

“People see tanning as a way to pamper themselves,” says McQuillan. “For just a little time and money, they can make a nice improvement in their appearance and it makes them feel better about themselves. If they are going on vacation or if the seasons are changing, then can avoid the shocking look of pale white arms and legs.

“Also, there are those people who miss seeing the sun for long stretches of time and they use tanning to treat winter depression. UV exposure,” says McQuillan, “does so much for both the mind and body and is an excellent source of vitamin D.”

Clients of Hollywood Tan salons are typically female and range from 18-45 years old, although the mix of people interested in tanning is changing. Where there used to be a much heavier usage among females than males, the current percentage is about 65 percent female and 35 percent male.

There are a number of tanning businesses in the U.S. but Hollywood Tans has an edge that makes them unique. “We actually manufacture all of our equipment,” says McQuillan. “We build our tanning beds and booths, as well as our millwork facility, where we fabricate the front counters and display shelves and we even private label all of our tanning lotions. We are a one-stop shop for our franchisees.”

According to McQuillan, a Hollywood Tans salon is a little different than most salons in that the majority of units are stand-up booths. “The booth is just better than a bed,” says McQuillan. “They tan faster and better and are more sanitary. You get a more even tan because all the bulbs are an equal distance away. For the salon owner, they are also better because they take up less space and clients take less time to tan, meaning you can increase the number of people you serve.”

Because the tanning equipment is actually manufactured by Hollywood Tans, the franchisee gets a lifetime warranty. Training also includes trouble-shooting the equipment so an owner will avoid down time.

Spray-on tans are also offered at Hollywood Tans. “This technique is still in its infancy but we have been using it for about six years and the spray-on tan continues to improve. The product uses a DHA base (sugar-based protein) component which is the same thing used in breads to make them brown. A spray-on tan takes several hours to develop and will stay on for 5-7 days,” says McQuillan. “Safety is a concern for us and we certify our franchisees in the use of the tanning equipment.”

Research has shown that in tanning, location is everything so to help their franchisees, Hollywood Tans works with the top brokerage firms in the country to find the best location for each franchise unit. In addition, the corporate office will sign the franchisee’s leases with the landlord. “The benefit of having Hollywood Tans involved with the lease process is that they can leverage for upgrades to the property by virtue of the overall size of the company. “In the long run it helps bring down the cost of the investment to the franchisee,” says McQuillan.

Training is a big part of becoming an owner of a Hollywood Tans salon. They offer a full week of training at headquarters in New Jersey and a large portion of that is classroom work and about 25% i spent working in salons and learning about the Hollywood Tans tanning equipment.

Support for the new franchisee continues beyond training as Hollywood Tans provides a project management team to help with build-out of the salon. Finally, Hollywood Tans sends a corporate trainer to the franchisee’s salon for the first week to provide one-on-one help with selling products, training employees and learning the business.

An important aspect to the business is that a salon can easily be run by a manager, meaning that an owner can handle several salons. “I own a salon that is 3 hours from my home,” says McQuillan. “That’s another way this business is particularly franchisee-friendly. I have a great manager who runs my salon but I can keep track of sales real-time through my computer and I even have a remote camera that allows me to see what’s happening in my store.”

Whether someone wants to be a hands-on owner or wants to keep his job and have the salon as an investment, Hollywood Tans is able to help the franchisee reach his goal. “Many franchisees own multiple units which is a terrific way for someone to grow their business,” says McQuillan.

The ideal franchisee for Hollywood Tans is someone with a business background, particularly if they have played a sales and marketing role, says McQuillan. “We are seeing more women becoming franchisees, both as part of a husband and wife team and as solo owners. This has been beneficial to our system because a variety of franchisees makes for a good mix of ideas and input and we learn as much from them as they do from us. We’ve found that women are especially good at managing the details of their businesses and they are quick to get things going.”

Hollywood Tans, as part of their one-stop shop plan, also has an in-house graphics department that has designed all the materials a franchisee will need to market the business. They provide radio, TV, posters, banners, direct mail pieces and more. This is all available on the website for the franchisee’s use. In addition, the corporate office sends each salon a monthly shipment of materials they can choose to use such as promotions and specials.

“We support our franchisees better than any other system,” says McQuillan. “First we sign the franchisee’s lease. Then we both build and warrantee the equipment. Our training is thorough and provides the tools needed for a successful franchise, either as a single or multiple unit owner. And, you can even keep your job if you wish. I don’t know of a better opportunity.”