Fashions may change, but skin is always in at Lectric Beach Tanning Club’s Lotion Night series, which took place on four nights in late March at each of the company’s salons in the metro-Milwaukee area.

A yearly event meant to introduce clients to new products just in time for busy season, the evenings are also an opportunity to reeducate, sample and connect with loyal tanners, Lectric Beach senior manager Pamm Timm says. “Winter can be a long season where we live and as spring rolls around and people begin to shed clothing layers they realize, now is the time to jump start their summer tans and wow, do they need moisturizing!”

Amid balloons and candy dishes, champagne glasses are set up with various product dollops and small silver spoons as a way for clients to sample fragrances and learn some of the lotion’s properties and benefits, as well as give it a try.

“Everyone is encouraged to try a new sample that night while they tan,” she adds holding up individualized sample cups,” Timm says. “If they purchase a bottle after tanning, they also receive a small gift bag with three additional sample packets and a $10 gift certificate to Lectric Beach. For every tube or bottle they buy – tingles, sunless spray, tan extenders – they get another gift bag, which encourages them to immediately use the certificates towards pricier or additional product purchases.”

Bundling was the theme hard hit on by staff this year. Manager Tiffany Leysenaar explains even regular tanners are sometimes unaware that using a bronzer-heavy product layered on every other day can give faces unnatural color or that lotion containing tingle might be just the trick to lock in fabulous leg color.

“You don’t use the same kind of soap on your face and your body, do you?” Leysenaar asks. “No, you probably have a shower gel and a face cleanser, because the skin in those areas can be so different.  Well they tan differently and take color differently too.”

Lectric Beach staffed each of the four-hour presentations with a member of their management team and a couple of sales associates to ensure smooth customer service and quick equipment use turn around. Employees earned commissions exclusively and instead of offering deep discounted prices on just those nights, Lectric Beach emphasized it’s already product-focused March specials, which included packages of free tanning sessions or upgrades for product purchases in the Jwoww or Kardashian lines, as well as Swedish Beauty’s Sexy Girlfriend with DHA bronzer and Australian Gold’s G Gentlemen with Colorguard technology.

“Throwing these little one-location ‘parties’ is a way to get the staff and the clients rejuvenated for spring, for new product and familiar with old favorites,” says owner Dion Borkowicz. Invites for the event went out via email and Facebook postings as well as through the company’s text club  and in-store signs, he adds.  Sample giveaways were provided by New Sunshine L.L.C.

“Our distributor does so much to support our efforts and all of it effects the bottom line,” Borkowicz says.  “Lotion Nights are something we all look forward to.  It’s a sure sign of spring.”