The Transformational Marketing of a Salon Makeover

John R. Farr, keynote speaker

Tanning salon companies may be getting bigger and the industry may be changing, but the same fundamental small business principles still apply for attracting clients. John Farr has learned a lot about the indoor tanning industry as a marketing consultant to more than 200 tanning retailers – relationships he built after working for more than 15 years teaching marketing techniques to the owners of independent video rental stores, many of who crossed over into tanning. Since speaking at Smart Tan's conference in 2005 Farr has worked with some of tanning's leading retailers.

In this session Farr will share two specific case studies of case studies of salon owners he's worked with and how they've re directed their marketing (specifics) and have become success stories. Farr will also apply specifics of what all salons should be doing to change their marketing approach – lessons that will apply to businesses of all sizes. He'll cover marketing strategies for tanning facilities and how they have been applied and mis-applied.

Farr has worked in the retail industry for more than four decades, the business of managing people for 35 years and the video retail business for more than 23 of those years. He served as director of marketing and operations for Target Store Entertainment Division, and in 1990 was named by the American Video Association as one of its “Video Executives of the Decade”. He holds an M.B.A. in Human Resource Management and has authored seven books on the subject of managing video stores and their employees.

Farr has led a program called “Amazing Transformations” in the independent video store market – a program very similar to the “Total Salon Makeover” led by the Smart Tan team at this event, transforming a failing video retailers into a thriving store.