Sunless Sales System: 5 Steps to Year-Round Retail Growth

By Kristin Jackson

If you want more than just a sunless season and instead want year-round retail growth, you need a plan, not just a promotion. The most successful salons aren’t guessing at what to stock or hoping for sales to happen. They have a Sunless Sales System.

Here’s how to build yours in 5 simple steps:

1. Know Your Core 4 Sunless Products

These are your non-negotiables—what every client should be using before, during, or after their tan:

Prep: Exfoliator or pH balancing spray
Color: Mousse, mist, airbrush, or booth tan
Maintain: Tan extenders, moisturizers
Perfect: Bronzers, gradual tanners, correctors

Tip: Don’t overwhelm your shelves. Focus on 2–3 top performers in each category.

2. Train Your Staff to Speak “Sunless”

Confidence converts. Make sure your team:

Knows when and how to recommend products
Understands ingredient benefits (e.g. hyaluronic acid = hydration = longer-lasting color)
Roleplays objections like, “I don’t need anything extra” or “I’ll just use lotion at home.”

3. Set Up Smart Merchandising

Put your best sunless sellers:

By the checkout
In bundles (Tan + Extender = Stay Golden Kit)
On clean, seasonal displays with “Before/After” visuals or scent testers

Pro Tip: Add signs like: “Want your glow to last longer? Ask us how.”

4. Track KPIs that Matter

Your system can’t grow what it doesn’t measure. Start with:

Average sunless retail per client
Add-on conversion rate (who buys after a tan?)
The top-selling product each month

Use what’s working. Phase out what’s not.

5. Plan for Peaks and Valleys

Sunless isn’t just for summer or events. Promote it year-round by:

Marketing it as a skin-first glow during colder months
Offering “Glow Goals” memberships with retail built in
Featuring staff tan picks and tutorials on socials

Remember:

You’re not just selling products. You’re building a confidence routine for your clients. When your sunless strategy works year-round, so does your revenue.

Want help planning your Q4 Sunless System? Reach out to your Heartland rep—we’re here to help.