In episode 1 of the Cool Cast, Impact Cryotherapy chats with tanning industry expert and cryotherapy advocate, Rachel Ballman, Owner, Bronze Baxx Tanning Studios and Cool City Cryo.
Rachel owns 5 luxury tanning studios in Canada that utilize UWE equipment, Ergoline, spray tanning and body contouring. She’s also implemented IVs and infrared light therapy at a few of her locations, as well as cryotherapy.
Rachel is a cryotherapy advocate — she has seen success with the therapy in her studios and is excited about the tanning industry waking up to the idea of implementing cryo machines as an added service and revenue-generator.
Highlights from this episode:
- Rachel dives into why she believes that the tanning industry is excited about cryotherapy as a business add-on. “If you look at any luxury operator, any big chain, anyone being successful in tanning salon retail spaces, they all offer spray tanning — you’re nonexistent if you don’t. I really see this as kind of the evolution for the tanning and, like, cryo being such a big gift to the tanning industry because it’s also such a sexy service that we’re, “that’s us,” — you know? The tanning industry, we love these new great services that people can’t get off the internet. That they get to come in and get a great feeling and a great look — and something that contributes to their happiness or their overall health and well-being. That is the tanning industry’s mission,” she comments.
- Tanning salons owners are starting to ask one another other about cryotherapy and have begun seeking industry experts to discuss the concept with but, no one has fully committed to implementing it into their store. Rachel believes this is because “people haven’t found the epicness of Impact, so to speak, and the right equipment. If you call yourself a luxury tanning salon, it’s all about the equipment and I don’t think that the tanning industry has found Impact.” Why Impact? “Impact has proven [that our machine] is a consistent piece of equipment that’s accurate and has a full-blown company and team behind it for installation and training — we’ve invested in making sure that we have our ETL cert, we’re completely compliant and we work with gas suppliers across the country,” comments Chad. “It’s one thing to say, ‘hey, I did a cryo project — it’s doing great’ but to do that same project 5, 10, 15 times, you better have the right partner —and I think we fill that space and that need in the market with our equipment,” he adds.
- The tanning industry is seasonal and it has a significant slow season. “Spray tanning softened the blow a little bit there for that but then all the sudden I noticed when looking back over my numbers os after adding cryotherapy, revenue-wise, I no longer have a slow season,” notes Rachel. ” My cryo [usage] went up while my tanning beds service went down in August, September when, you know, everyone’s on vacation so they’re already out tan in the sun — but cryo just stayed.”
- Cryotherapy diversifies the tanning industry’s offerings. ” [With cryo], I see my 35-year-old client getting ready for her wedding as well as her mom that has arthritis because she found out that cryotherapy will help ease her pain — I’ve really expanded my demographic reach,” comments Rachel. “Cryotherapy has totally changed the game.”
- To Rachel, it’s no question that the tanning industry needs to bring in cryo. “You’re either going to see a studio pop up next door to you because they’re gonna milk your clients that you already have coming to your door or you’re gonna see it in the gym where all your client’s going to,” she notes. She then poses the question, “what if you beat them to it?” “If you, can’t part with the tanning bed – put the cryo machine your lobby.” Cryotherapy is a 3-minute experience, it flows in the tanning business, it’s phenomenal.””Cryo is a huge gift to the tanning industry right now – it is an exciting wellness offering,” adds Rachel.