T-shirts are a staple of the modern wardrobe, which explains why many tanning salons have initiated T-shirt Tuesday promotions to amp up their marketing. Typically, these promotions give customers special discounts if they wear the salon’s branded t-shirt into the store on Tuesdays, but the real intent is to increase word of mouth by having the shirts worn around town. It’s a fantastic idea, but you may not get the results you’re hoping for without the proper execution.

Here are a few tips to help your T-shirt Tuesday succeed:

Create a t-shirt your customers will want to wear. If you’re just slapping a logo on a basic t-shirt from the cheapest t-shirt printing company, it’s probably not being worn in the context you’d like. Don’t make the mistake of designing a billboard instead of a garment. Think about it: Your customers come to the tanning salon because they care about their image, so you’ll have a difficult time getting them to pay for something this is unflattering.

This means you’ll have to put significant time and energy into developing a shirt concept. Find a local t-shirt printer where you can see samples in person. The material, color and cut of your shirt can make a big difference in how well they sell. Work with your staff or hire a professional graphic designer to help you create something fashionable and fun. Once you’re set on a concept, ask if your vendor will allow you to test a sample to make sure the design is how you want it before the rest of he order is filled.

Going the extra mile during these initial stages increases the odds that your customers will wear their shirts proudly all day, instead of slipping them on right before they tan for the sake of a discount.

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