If you’re not paying attention to your client demographics, you’re not setting yourself up to maximize success now or in the future.

In many salons, an increased focus on wellness services has brought in older clientele, which is fantastic. But for those thinking long-term, the prospect of your primary customer base “aging out” of the market has been a longstanding concern. Today’s younger generation is often reported to be less likely to tan— though that trend is showing signs of reversal—leaving salon owners to wonder whether they’ll be able to fill the shoes of boomers and Gen Xers who have been the backbone of the industry for decades.

But several factors now work in our favor. Salons that combine tanning and wellness services are seeing measurable benefits. Wellness offerings are attracting older clients who might not have visited for tanning alone and are also bringing back former tanning clients who return to explore wellness. Looking forward, national media reports indicate that the allure of a tan—if not indoor tanning specifically—is gaining traction among younger generations, alongside their growing interest in skin care and wellness.

The most successful tanning businesses today are more profitable than ever, but that doesn’t always mean they’re attracting more customers. Most have achieved success by offering premium services to a smaller number of clients, increasing revenue per customer rather than overall volume. That strategy got us this far. To continue growing and improving profitability, however, salons must expand their client bases, whether it’s through tanning, wellness, or both.

Doing so will depend largely on service and equipment selection and brand positioning, but marketing will also be a significant factor in determining how successful you are at creating new customers. The good news is you don’t have to choose between appealing to current core clients and cultivating the next generation.

By targeting marketing efforts to specific age segments, you can reach the right audience with the right message at the right time, maximizing engagement and sales across your entire customer base, and ensuring that every investment in content, promotions, and advertising drives measurable results. This approach allows you to maintain loyalty among existing clients while simultaneously attracting younger generations, creating a balanced, sustainable growth strategy that strengthens both revenue and long-term brand relevance.

Click here to read the entire article in the latest issue of Smart Tan Magazine online.