Are you ready for the travel season? From every indication, Canadians are ready to travel, and according to the travel industry they are getting booked up. So, what we saw in the U.S. last year, which recovered faster then Canada, we should see this year. But don’t forget about the clients that losing their tan right now and those that can’t afford to travel – the lipstick effect.

With JCTA membership increasing year over year, the JCTA has increased the advertising budget for the year. We will continue to drive Canadians to member salons via the TanResponsibly.ca website. Remember every page on the website shows the closest 3 member salons near them. The JCTA marketing team is gearing up to promote moving indoors for your tan starting in October. Google will be the major place the JCTA will be marketing. Almost 80% of marketing spend will be on Google,, with 20% going to promoting the Tan Nation Facebook page.

I want to thank the following lotion manufactures for their contribution of lotions for the Tan Nation giveaways we do twice a month to keep out followers active. The following Industry Advocate Lotion Manufacturers contribute to the giveaways every year: New Sunshine, Devoted Creations, Sunless Inc, Sun Evolutions, Everyday Shorts and MR International. Also, a big thanks to Uvalux and Tanning Depot for all the help they give me in getting prizes out to everyone. Please support the lotion manufacturers that support you.

The Marketing Campaign will move to pretanning for vacations in November. The main focus will be again teaching Canadian to get in early for their base tan. It takes at least 10 sessions to get a base tan. So many people think just because they see some color by their 3^rd or 4^th session they have protection. This is just the start of creating the base. This is why when you look at an exposure scheduled on a sunbed (vertical or horizontal) they have a 4-week schedule and then a maintenance exposure schedule. The more we teach this to our clients, the less the risk of sunburning on their vacation. This is the reason they come in. Salons should start their marketing on base tans early, and get this into their minds 30 days before they leave.

Next up, in mid-February, the campaign will move into the lifestyle part. We’re calling it “Treat Yourself”. This is the time salons should be promoting their monthly EFT program to secure tanners for the offseason. I know it sounds early, but this will help to get clients wanting this year-round, making it a lifestyle change. If you haven’t got other equipment outside of tanning, it may be time to invest in this type of equipment since it helps keep your clients throughout the summer months. More and more salons have discovered by having additional equipment they don’t lose as many clients. Make your salon unique; your clients are using these services elsewhere. The campaign will include making vitamin D the natural way and other photoproducts, as well as that sunbeds can be a surrogate for the sun when it’s to cold to go outside. Supplements are not required when you get it naturally. We may make sunlight artificially, but it’s the same wavelength Mother Nature makes. We’ll also be promoting the new equipment out there that enhances a tan and provides skin rejuvenation. The evolution of equipment has been moving fast over the last few years, from LED facial lamps to using red and blue light, whether by fluorescent or LED.

The Campaign will turn back in to pretanning/sunburn prevention in March, promoting “Never Sunburn” and directing Canadians to tips on preventing sunburns. Promoting base tans to get ready for the Canadian summer sun. So many people sunburn in the first part of summer since they haven’t acclimatized their skin for the higher UV Index. Our goal as an industry should be to teach sunburn prevention. Make sure your staff is ready to answer your clients’ questions. Have them certified and trained.

Hopefully everyone has heard about the JCTA Member Exclusive Insurance Program which is affordable and comprehensive but requires everyone to be certified and trained. Why does the insurance company require training? Because it helps lower the price of insurance when the insurance underwriter knows the staff is qualified to set exposure schedules for tanners. The risk is reduced for both the client and insurance company. I would suggest you give Brokerlink a call to get a quote. Again, you don’t have to be a member to get a quote.

Back to the final section of the Marketing Campaign which starts in May – Spray Tanning. Spray tanning will be promoted throughout the lifestyle campaign as well. But we do a big push for special events like weddings in May and June. This year we’ll be updating the website with some of the new equipment out there. There’s also a great interview with a model we used for some ads talking about her experience with spray tanning. This includes helpful tips she learned.

Hopefully sales this season will be what the U.S experienced last season. We are normally 4 to 6 months behind them. Join the JCTA and help promote the sunbed community; it only costs on average $1.34 per day and includes training from Smart Tan Canada.  When you go with Brokerlink for insurance, you get full coverage.

May your 2022/2023 be the best you’ve ever seen.

Steve Gilroy, Smart Tan Canada Vice President, JCTA Executive Director