Tanning Bed Room Decorating Ideas

Start a tanning salon by following these 10 steps:

You have found the perfect business idea, and now you are ready to take the next step. There is more to starting a business than just registering it with the state. We have put together this simple guide to starting your tanning salon. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.

Check out our How to Start a Business page.

STEP 1: Plan your business

A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:

What are the startup and ongoing costs?
Who is your target market?
How much can you charge customers?
What will you name your business?

Luckily we have done a lot of this research for you.

What are the costs involved in opening a tanning salon?

First, you'll need to decide if you want to have tanning beds or spray tanning available for your clients. This will help in determining the type and size of space you need. Once you've secured a space, it's time to start purchasing supplies.

Spray tan machines cost anywhere from $500-$5,500, while UV tanning beds can cost upwards of $10,000 each. Both can be found used for a moderate price.

Once these important purchases have been made, you'll just need a few basic items, which will run you approximately $4,000:

Lamps
Lotions
Eye protection
Timer system for each bed
Cleaning supplies
Signs and brochures regarding tanning bed safety and UV ray exposure
Upgraded electrical for tanning beds
Cash register and credit card machine
Marketing products

Read our tanning salon purchasing guide to learn about the materials and equipment you'll need to start a tanning salon, how much to budget, and where to make purchases.

What are the ongoing expenses for a tanning salon?

Your energy bill will be one of your largest ongoing expenses. Salon owners report paying anywhere from $500 - $1500 a month. Exact amount will depend upon the time of year, how many beds you own, and how busy you are. Payroll and payroll taxes are also a major expense, which will fluctuate seasonally with the business.

Budget for at least $200 per month for cleaning and maintaining the beds. Retail products will set you back another $1,000 per month. If you decide to do spray tans rather than tanning beds, your inventory costs will be higher, but can be offset by a lower energy bill.

Who is the target market?

While you will always have a revolving door of first-time clients, most tanning salons thrive from their repeat customers. These individuals are committed to looking their best and maintaining a golden tan is part of that look.

How does a tanning salon make money?

Revenue from a tanning booth is generated on a per client, per visit basis. Many salons have multiple beds and/or spray tan options available and are priced accordingly. Visits last up to 15 minutes per session and will vary based on the client's specific needs.

How much can you charge customers?

Customers are charged per visit. Tanning bed sessions range anywhere from $5-$20 each, depending upon the length of the visit and the level of tanning bed used. Spray tans are billed the same, with salons charging between $25-$50 per visit.

How much profit can a tanning salon make?

Your business' profit is directly tied to the number of beds you maintain and how often those rooms are filled. On average, each room should generate between $12,000 - $15,000 annually. Each visit will cost you $6 - $9 in supplies and energy costs. Some salon owners report making upwards of $58,000 in profit, while others claim to have very little left after business and personal expenses. The one item they all agree on - more beds = more profit.

How can you make your business more profitable?

Tanning businesses who have reported higher earnings offer a variety of tanning options and skin care products. If you're looking to increase your business' profits, consider including the following in your business strategy:

Stock your shelves with skincare and tanning products
Become certified
Offer both airbrush tan and UV tanning
Offer a mobile service for spray tanning
Set up membership options, with each tier offering different incentives
Offer additional spa services. If customers only have to go one place for multiple services, they're more likely to return

What will you name your business?

Choosing the right name is important and challenging. If you don't already have a name in mind, visit our How to Name a Business guide or get help brainstorming a name with our Tanning Salon Name Generator

If you operate a sole proprietorship, you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name. Visit our DBA guide to learn more.

When registering a business name, we recommend researching your business name by checking:

Your state's business records
Federal and state trademark records
Social media platforms
Web domain availability.

It's very important to secure your domain name before someone else does.

STEP 2: Form a legal entity

The most common business structure types are the sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company (LLC), and corporation.

Establishing a legal business entity such as an LLC or corporation protects you from being held personally liable if your tanning salon is sued.

Read our Guide to Form Your Own LLC

Have a Professional Service Form your LLC for You

Two such reliable services:

You can start an LLC yourself and pay only the minimal state LLC costs or hire one of the Best LLC Services for a small, additional fee.

Recommended: You will need to elect a registered agent for your LLC. LLC formation packages usually include a free year of registered agent services. You can choose to hire a registered agent or act as your own.

STEP 3: Register for taxes

You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business.

In order to register for taxes you will need to apply for an EIN. It's really easy and free!

You can acquire your EIN for free through the IRS website, via fax, or by mail. If you would like to learn more about EINs and how they can benefit your LLC, read our article, What is an EIN?.

Learn how to get an EIN in our What is an EIN guide or find your existing EIN using our EIN lookup guide.

Small Business Taxes

Depending on which business structure you choose, you might have different options for how your business will be taxed. For example, some LLCs could benefit from being taxed as an S corporation (S corp).

You can learn more about small business taxes in these guides:

LLC Taxes
Sole Proprietorship vs LLC
LLC vs Corporation
LLC vs S Corp
How to Start an S Corp

There are specific state taxes that might apply to your business. Learn more about state sales tax and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides.

STEP 4: Open a business bank account & credit card

Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.

When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil.

Additionally, learning how to build business credit can help you get credit cards and other financing in your business's name (instead of yours), better interest rates, higher lines of credit, and more.

Open a business bank account

This separates your personal assets from your company's assets, which is necessary for personal asset protection.
It also makes accounting and tax filing easier.

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Recommended: Read our Best Banks for Small Business review to find the best national bank, credit union, business-loan friendly banks, one with many brick-and-mortar locations, and more.

Open net-30 accounts

When it comes to establishing your business credit, net-30 vendors are considered the way to go. The term "net-30," which is popular among vendors, refers to a business credit arrangement where the company pays the vendor within 30 days of receiving goods or services.

Net-30 credit terms are often used for businesses that need to obtain inventory quickly but do not have the cash on hand.

Besides establishing business relationships with vendors, net-30 credit accounts get reported to the major business credit bureaus (Dun & Bradstreet, Experian Business, and Equifax Business Credit). This is how businesses build business credit so they can qualify for credit cards and other lines of credit.

Get a business credit card

This helps you separate personal and business expenses by putting your business' expenses all in one place.
It also builds your company's credit history, which can be useful to raise money and investment later on.

STEP 5: Set up business accounting

Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business. Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.

STEP 6: Obtain necessary permits and licenses

Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.

Federal Business Licensing Requirements

Legislation is being processed which will restrict tanning booth users to consumers over the age of 18.

State & Local Business Licensing Requirements

Though this varies by state, tanning salons are typically required to provide consumers with warning statements informing them of the risks that accompany UV radiation. Consumers must sign the warning statement after reading it. More information related to tanning business regulations can be found here.

In addition, certain local licensing or regulatory requirements may apply. For more information:

Check with your town, city or county clerk's office for information about local permits and licenses.
Get assistance from one of the local associations listed in US Small Business Associations directory of local business resources.

Most businesses are required to collect sales tax on the goods or services they provide. To learn more about how sales tax will affect your business, read our article, Sales Tax for Small Businesses.

For information about local licenses and permits:

Check with your town, city or county clerk's office
Get assistance from one of the local associations listed in US Small Business Associations directory of local business resources.

Release of Liability

To avoid liability and potential lawsuits, tanning salon businesses should have their clients sign a release of liability. Here is an example of one such form.

Recommended: Rocket Lawyer makes it easy to create a professional release of liability form for your tanning salon when you sign up for their premium membership. For $39.95 per month, members receive access to hundreds of legal agreements and on call attorneys to get complimentary legal advice.

STEP 7: Get business insurance

Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your company's financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.

There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If you're unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance. This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so it's a great place to start for your business.

Learn more about General Liability Insurance.

Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers' Compensation Insurance. If your business will have employees, it's a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers' Compensation Coverage.

STEP 8: Define your brand

Your brand is what your company stands for, as well as how your business is perceived by the public. A strong brand will help your business stand out from competitors.

If you aren't feeling confident about designing your small business logo, then check out our Design Guides for Beginners, we'll give you helpful tips and advice for creating the best unique logo for your business.

How to promote & market a tanning salon

Not everyone is a tanner. As a salon owner, it's important to know and understand your clientele. Focus your marketing efforts on consumers who pride themselves on health and beauty. This could include hair and nail salon customers, gym members, and people preparing for a special event. Many have found success through offering a free initial/consultation visit, which gives you an opportunity to show them why your establishment outshines the rest.

How to keep customers coming back

As with any small business, word of mouth can make your business. Remember, your customers are spending their money on a luxury service. Show them you appreciate them by always giving them a relaxing and enjoyable experience. Your pricing should be transparent and your staff should be energetic and helpful. Most importantly, your workspace should always be immaculate.

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Still unsure about what kind of business you want to start? Check out the latest Small Business Trends to help inspire you.

STEP 9: Create your business website

After defining your brand and creating your logo the next step is to create a website for your business.

While creating a website is an essential step, some may fear that it's out of their reach because they don't have any website-building experience. While this may have been a reasonable fear back in 2015, web technology has seen huge advancements in the past few years that makes the lives of small business owners much simpler.

Here are the main reasons why you shouldn't delay building your website:

All legitimate businesses have websites - full stop. The size or industry of your business does not matter when it comes to getting your business online.
Social media accounts like Facebook pages or LinkedIn business profiles are not a replacement for a business website that you own.
Website builder tools like the GoDaddy Website Builder have made creating a basic website extremely simple. You don't need to hire a web developer or designer to create a website that you can be proud of.

Using our website building guides, the process will be simple and painless and shouldn't take you any longer than 2-3 hours to complete.

Other popular website builders are: WordPress, WIX, Weebly, Squarespace, and Shopify.

STEP 10: Set up your business phone system

Getting a phone set up for your business is one of the best ways to help keep your personal life and business life separate and private. That's not the only benefit; it also helps you make your business more automated, gives your business legitimacy, and makes it easier for potential customers to find and contact you.

There are many services available to entrepreneurs who want to set up a business phone system. We've reviewed the top companies and rated them based on price, features, and ease of use.