Once you’ve decided on the equipment, supplies and solution you plan to use for your sunless business, you might be wondering whether you need to pursue training. The answer is absolutely! 

A common mistake made by many new technicians is assuming that airbrush tanning is simple and anyone can do it. This can be costly to your reputation. Performing an airbrush application is truly an art. When a professional ice skater takes to the rink, their movements look effortless and flawless. It makes the spectator feel as if they could get on the rink themselves and perform a triple toe loop. Three seconds onto the ice, an inexperienced skater will realize it is not as simple as it appears. The same concept holds true for performing an airbrush.

In order to give a perfect airbrush application, there are specific techniques and details that must be mastered. Training and certification are not licensed requirements. However they can be the difference between a great result and a lost customer. As we all know, a bad reputation spreads faster than a good one.

Choosing a Company for In-Person Training

There are several sunless tanning companies that offer specialized in-person training. You want to choose a company that has the application expertise to train your team to perform a flawless, beautiful airbrush. Some factors you should consider while doing your research are:

1. Is sunless training part of the company’s expertise? Spray tanning has become such a hot service that non-sunless companies are beginning to offer airbrush solution and products as part of their catalog. This does not mean they are training experts. When reviewing the company’s training programs, make sure to investigate their training expertise. Ask questions such as:

a. How is their training different from their competition?

b. How long have their trainers been airbrush technicians?

c. Have their trainers provided this service to paying customers?

The goal is to hire a trainer that can not only teach you the technique, but can help prepare you for real-life scenarios that you may encounter as a technician.

2. What does the company’s program cover?  There are several aspects of the sunless tanning business, not just the technique. The trainer should show you how to work with the applicator and explain how DHA works. In addition, they should teach you the proper way to educate your clients on how to prepare and care for their sunless tan. The trainer ought to offer tips on troubleshooting issues you may encounter.

3. Where is the training course held?  Training can be conducted in a classroom setting, at the sunless provider’s headquarters or in the technician’s place of business. There are several benefits to having a trainer come to your place of business. Being trained in your own environment allows your technician(s) to learn with your equipment. A good trainer will make suggestions on how to optimize your airbrush space, making it more comfortable for the technician and client.

Most companies will offer a certification of course completion. Certification instills confidence in the technician and will prove to the clients that the technician has completed a course specific to spray tanning.

Web and Video Training

There is a lot of information on the Internet that allows a technician to see how to perform an airbrush. If you have spent any time on You Tube, you may have seen video after video of technicians demonstrating how to airbrush. Unfortunately, you will see a lot of what we call “airbrush hosing.”  This is where the technician is haphazardly spraying the client with no regard to the areas they are covering. This is not the technique you want to emulate. Keep in mind that clients can go to a spray booth for a general application “hosing” technique; you are providing a specialized service that garners top dollar.

Videos are another option for training. These are usually a less detailed version of onsite training. Some companies will offer a training manual to accompany the video. This is nice to have as a reference when you are not near your computer or television. Keep in mind that videos and manuals cannot replace a live trainer who can tailor the training specific to your needs. Nor do they critique your technique to ensure you don’t develop bad habits.

At the very least, airbrush professionals should complete an online certification program that provides educational information about the sunless-airbrush process and components. This type of training is accessible 24/7 and can be done at the technician’s own pace. Although it is not a replacement for in-person training with a hands-on professional, it can provide a cost-effective foundation on which to build. Online certification can also supplement the practical application instruction you personally provide new employees down the road, long after you’ve mastered your own technique.

Justifying Training Costs

Learning to airbrush is a critical investment in your success. However, in many cases, proper training can be more costly than the supplies and equipment. The price for higher-level training can range anywhere from $250 to $5,000, depending on the company and type of course desired (e.g. video or live course). As a result, many technicians will shy away from getting trained, but they shouldn’t.

Keep in mind that clients are looking for a perfect airbrush tan. If the technician’s application skills are subpar, the client will not return, resulting in lost sales. Worse, they will tell their friends. Conversely, a properly trained skilled technician can build a huge customer following. The return on your training investment will continually pay you back.

As with any industry, operating a sunless tanning business requires the right tools and training in order to give a proper service. Technicians who make an investment in their training are making an investment in their own profit potential.

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By Pam Lontos

Which are you more likely to believe: a company representative telling you how great their product or service is, or a recommendation from another person about how it worked for them? If you’re like most people, the words from a fellow consumer pull more weight than even the best written ad copy. That’s why no matter what product or service you’re selling, you need to use testimonials from satisfied customers in every ad and marketing piece you create.

One of the main reasons why people don’t buy something is that they’re fearful of making the wrong decision. So when they see that a product or service is endorsed by someone else — someone in their same situation — that fear is minimized. Therefore, testimonials are a great way of influencing others to feel comfortable about buying your products or services.

Unfortunately, few business professionals actively seek out testimonials from their customers and clients. They mistakenly wait for people to give them testimonials, and when they do get them, they don’t know how to use them effectively. In reality, getting and using a list of strong testimonials is easier than you think. The following tips will help you get testimonials to increase your profits.

How to Get Them

• Choose satisfied customers who represent your target demographic. The best testimonials are written by people who are similar to your ideal customer. Therefore, be specific about who you solicit a testimonial from. Look through your customer files and choose the people who exemplify the best case scenario for your product or service. Say to them, “I’d love for you to share your experience with Product A. Would you please write a short testimonial?” Most people will cheerfully say yes. Since you want more happy customers just like these, let their words sell for you.

• Offer to write the testimonial for them. Often, if someone declines your request to write a testimonial, it’s because they’re too busy or feel they don’t have adequate writing skills. In that case, offer to write the testimonial for them. Simply say, “I’ll be glad to write the testimonial for you. Just tell me what you’d like to say about the product. You can review what I write and we can use it as is or you can change it.” Most people will leave the testimonial as is, happy they didn’t have to take the time to write it.

• Look through your past notes and correspondence. Chances are you’re sitting on a pile of testimonials and don’t even know it. Go back through your past emails and correspondence from customers and clients. Are there a few nice sentences in some of those messages? If so, ask the person if you can use their words in your marketing materials. They’ll often agree.

How to Write Them

• Show results. Whether you write the testimonial or your customer does, it needs to specifically show what results the person experienced from the product or service. A testimonial that simply says what a wonderful company you have or how nice you are is not saying anything meaningful for the reader. A specific testimonial will speak to results, for example: “Dr. Smith’s treatment ended my 20-year battle with migraines.” “Joe’s contracting remodeled my kitchen for $2,000 less than other bidders.” “Jones and Johnson CPA Firm reduced my tax liability by 30 percent.” The more specific a testimonial is, the stronger it sells for you. Specific testimonials take away the fear of making the wrong decision and help people feel safe about making the purchase.

• Keep it short. Each word of the testimonial should have value. Therefore, if someone writes you a page-long testimonial, edit out any words that don’t directly address the end result he or she received from your service or product. This doesn’t mean you change the meaning of what someone writes; you simply edit out the parts that don’t contribute to the meaning. For example, if someone writes a page about everything your company did to help them save 30 percent on their heating and cooling bills, you can condense it to one sentence, as in “As a result of ABC Company’s inspection of our home, we saved 30 percent on our monthly utility bill.” Often, the more words you take out, the stronger the testimonial becomes. Also, it’s easier to read and will stand out more.

• Include a name and title when possible. Rather than attribute your testimonial to “John S., Nebraska,” use the person’s real name, company name, title, and/or location whenever possible, as in “John Sanders, salesperson at Acme Company,” or “John Sanders, Omaha, Nebraska.” This makes your testimonial more believable. Most people will be happy to include their full name and other information, because the strongest human desire is to feel appreciated and recognized. Getting their name in print somewhere fulfills that need and is often perceived as fun.

How to Use Them

• Include a testimonial or two in your ads and marketing pieces. Whether you’re doing a print, online, radio or TV ad, be sure to include some testimonials. For print, it’s best to have testimonials stand alone from the text rather than try to weave them into the ad copy. For radio and TV, either the announcer or an actor can recite the testimonial, or if your customer is agreeable, have him or her appear in your radio or TV spot to give the testimonial personally. Other marketing pieces that should feature your testimonials include your web site, brochures, direct mail pieces, postcards, billboards, newsletters and even social media updates.

• Create a book of testimonials. Each time you receive a kind letter from a customer or client, highlight the key parts (the parts that state benefits to the customer), put the letter in a clear plastic sleeve and compile it in a big binder. Keep this book or binder of testimonials in your salon or office for customers to browse through while they’re waiting. Or, if your business is online, create a page where you feature all your testimonials. There’s no limit to how many testimonials you can include in your book or on your page.

• Frame your best testimonials. Frame some of your best testimonial letters and post them on your salon walls. Again, highlight the best parts so your customers can easily see the benefits.

The Ultimate Sales Tool

The next time you’re writing copy for an advertisement or marketing piece (and struggling with what information to include) simply go to your past testimonials. It’s always better when someone else sings your praises, so let your customer sell for you. The sooner you start using testimonials in every marketing message you create, the sooner you’ll realize that testimonials really are the ultimate sales tool.

Pam Lontos is president of Pam Lontos Consulting. She consults with businesses and experts in the areas of sales, marketing and publicity. Lontos founded PR/PR Public Relations and is a past vice president of sales for Disney’s Shamrock Broadcasting where she raised sales 500 percent. She is the author of “I See Your Name Everywhere: Leverage the Power of the Media to Grow your Fame, Wealth and Success.” For more information on her consulting services, call 407.522.8630,pamlontos@gmail.com or visit www.pamlontos.com.

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This year’s Industry Choice Awards (ICA), sponsored by Island Sun Times (IST), made dozens of indoor tanning product and service providers extremely happy. Winners were named in almost 30 categories, from lamps to lotions. Only tanning salon professionals were eligible to vote.

Among the winners was our own TanToday.com, which won for “Favorite Discussion Board” for the second year in a row. Karen Butler, the forum’s community manager, acknowledges that much of the thanks goes to the forum’s early pioneers. “As society becomes increasingly mobile, it gets easier for salon professionals to interact online. And yet, the discussion boards were started more than a decade ago by people who had the drive and vision to focus on the benefits of collaboration … rather than obsessing about the perils of competition. Our ongoing goal is to continue to be that online gathering place where salon professionals at all stages of their career can unite to help keep our industry at its best. Many thanks to our veteran salon owners and moderator team for sharing their expertise, as well as to our newer members, who often bring unbridled enthusiasm (and their fare share of questions and ideas) to the table. We also appreciate our corporate sponsors who help make the venue a reality.”

Here’s the complete list of winners:

Industry Online

Favorite Discussion Board – TanToday.com

Favorite Website – Supre Tan

Salon Support

Best Customer Service – Four Seasons

Favorite Training Program – New Sunshine

Favorite Distributor – Four Seasons

Salon Operation

Favorite Product/Service – Text Ripple

Sunless Systems

Favorite Booth – Sunless Inc., VersaSpa

Favorite Airbrush  – Norvell Z3000

Favorite Solution – Norvell Amber Sun Premium

Salon Software

Overall Favorite Program – Helios

Tanning Systems

Favorite High-Pressure Sunbed – Ergoline Open Sun 1050

Favorite Low-Pressure Stand-Up – Ergoline Sunrise 480

Favorite High-Pressure Stand-Up – TanAmerica X2v HP by Heartland

Favorite Low-Pressure Sunbed – Ergoline Sun Angel

Product Marketing

Favorite Campaign – Devoted Creations

Accessories

Favorite Eye Protection – Wink-Ease

Favorite Salon Accessory – Wink-Ease

Sunlamps

Favorite Sunlamp, Low-Pressure 121W – CosmoLux 9K90

Favorite HP Sunlamp – Supra Technologies

Favorite Sunlamp, Low-Pressure 120W – JK-Light Genesis 120

Lotion

Overall Favorite Lotion – Trust Fund Baby by Devoted Creations

Favorite Package Design – Obsidian by Designer Skin

Favorite Scent – Ravish Me by Designer Skin

Favorite Bronzer – Obsidian by Designer Skin

Favorite Tingle Product – Bombshell by Designer Skin

Favorite Non-Tingle – JWoww Black Bronzer by Australian Gold

Favorite Moisturizer – Hempz by Supre Tan

Industry Contribution

Person of the Year 2011 – Max Recone, MR International

Lifetime Achievement – Rick Norvell, Norvell Skin Solutions

Congratulations to all of this year’s winners, and special thanks to IST and all the salon owners who took the time to cast their votes.

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The California Indoor Tanning Trade Organization (CITTO) is bracing for change, helping salon owners in The Golden State to prepare for proper implementation of the new UV minimum age.

Effective Jan. 1, 2012, the minimum age for UV-light tanning in California will increase to 18. (There is no age limit on UV-free spray tanning.) CITTO recommends that if they haven’t already, salons should immediately begin to prepare their staff and clientele – especially those ages 14 to 17 years old – for this change.

As a reminder:

• Salons will no longer need to collect parental consent forms. However, they should hang on to any forms previously collected, in the event they need to refer to their record-keeping efforts prior to the change. 

• Businesses should adjust their salon software accordingly to prevent any problems.

No doubt, news outlets may be checking in with salons to gauge the change’s impact. In addition, salon owners should ensure all staff are prepared to deal with underage tanners, particularly in the event of undercover investigative reports.

Customers looking to tan in 2012 need to have a birth year of 1994 or earlier (of the corresponding month/day of service) to be of legal age for UV tanning. CITTO suggests creating a salon policy of carding those 21 and younger to ensure proper age verification is taking place.

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LookingFitSiteFeed/~3/vY3YqO6_b34/california-bracing-for-new-tanning-age.aspx

Talk to any indoor tanning salon owner and they will tell you that color is the most important factor when deciding on a spray tan solution. They want their formula to produce a rich golden tan that keeps their clients begging for more. However, the quest to find this solution can lead an airbrushing salon down several wrong paths if they do not know what to look for. 

Understanding DHA

Most technicians know that depth of color will depend on the percent of Dihydroxyacetone (DHA) in the formula, but not much more beyond that. The primary ingredient in all sunless solutions is DHA . DHA is a clear liquid that stains the skin by reacting with the amino acids on the epidermis, causing a bronzed color to appear. In other words, DHA adheres to dead skin cells. As the cells begin to shed, so does the DHA attached to them. All sunless solutions contain a certain percentage of DHA. Professional-grade solutions can range anywhere from 5 percent to 12 percent. A higher percentage of DHA will produce a deeper result. DHA takes between four to eight hours to fully develop on the skin.

How Solutions Are Different

There are essentially three different types of formulas that are the start-point for sunless solutions:

• Glycerin Based (oil-base) – This type of solution has thicker consistency that attracts moisture to the skin, but it takes longer to dry.

• Water Based (non-oil base) – This type of solution has a thinner consistency. Many times the added ingredients (such as aloe; vitamins A, C and E, etc.) will thicken the solution.

• Quick Dry (non-oil base) – This type of solution also has a thinner consistency and includes higher alcohol content.

A manufacturer may add other ingredients to the formula to enhance the viscosity, fade time, dry time and fragrance. These ingredients may also help determine how well the DHA develops on the skin. 

What Are Bronzers?

Bronzers are a temporary color added to the solution to assist the technician with the application process. They also give a pop of color for the client to see while the DHA develops. This is a short-term coloring, similar to certain types of makeup that wash off immediately. It is not representative of the final color.

You may hear clients say, “I don’t want a solution that has any red,” or “I want my solution to have ash (e.g. green) in it.”  The common misconception with these requests is only the cosmetic bronzer can have an ash or red base, as DHA has no base. The hue of bronzers will not have a bearing on the final color.
There are several ways to mix colors when creating the brown found in most bronzers. The ratios used will determine if they have an ash or red base. The most common formula is a combination of equal parts of red and green. Solutions that have an ash base bronzer use more green than red. Conversely, a red base bronzer has more red than green. 

So what happens when you use a red base bronzer on a red undertone client?  You get a red brown coloring. What happens when you put an ash-based bronzer on an olive or yellow skin tone?  You get a dull muddy color. The key thing to remember is that bronzers have absolutely no bearing on the development of the DHA, but they will affect how the client looks while it develops.

Wading Through Ingredients, Bronzers and DHA

So, how does all this talk about ingredients, bronzers and DHA help you decide which solution to purchase? The answer to that depends on your preference. There is no one-size-fits-all with airbrush solution. While some people love a solution with a thicker consistency, others like it thinner. Some like bronzers, others do not. There are some key things to consider when you are looking for airbrush solutions:

1. Where do you live?  If you live in a hot or humid climate, you may want to consider a quick-dry formula that is non-oil based. If you live in a cooler, dryer state, you may want to consider using a water- or Glycerin-based solution for the winter months.

2. What type of consistency do you like to work with?  If you have a hard time controlling your application technique with a thinner solution, don’t use it. Go for a thicker-base solution.

3. Are there enough levels of DHA to work with several skin tones?  Make sure you have enough DHA percentages on hand to work with all skin types. 

4. Does it dry in a timely fashion?  Ideally, you want your clients to dry in five minutes. 

5. Is it too tacky?  All solutions will be slightly tacky. If the solution is tacky for longer than an hour, you may want to consider a thinner viscosity.

6. Is the fragrance tolerable?  Keep in mind that not all people want to smell like a coconut. Pick a solution that is either fragrance-free or has a light, fresh scent. Remember, your clients will wear it for eight to 12 hours, but you and your technicians will smell it all day long. 

Don’t let the fear of orange keep you from trying a new formula. This will not happen if you avoid over-spraying or using a DHA level that is too dark for your client’s skin tone. By trying different solutions, you may discover a great new formula, or realize the best solution is the one you are currently using.

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LookingFitSiteFeed/~3/CiW4qMbLsHQ/sunless-solution-purchasing-tips.aspx

By Dale Willerton

Commercial leasing can be a complex matter. Whether you are looking at signing your first commercial lease or are approaching your lease renewal, there is a great deal involved. To better help you, check out these excerpted tips from “101 Leasing Tips for Tanning Salon Tenants.” Watch for more tips in future Looking Fit articles.

Tip #15 – Size Up the Opponent: The fact is, different leasing representatives are motivated in different ways. For example, an in-house leasing representative working on salary will be more concerned with your stability as a tenant. Whereas an outside realtor will finish the deal, collect his commission and may never work with that landlord or ever see you again. Sizing up your negotiating opponent and their personal motivation is part of a well-planned leasing strategy.

Tip #49 – Who Should be the Tenant? Don’t enter in a lease agreement (or an Offer to Lease) under your personal name. This will make you personally liable for everything. Instead, form a corporation or holding company that will become the tenant. If you are negotiating on locations, but don’t intend to incorporate until a later date, then the Offer to Lease should state: Your Name on behalf of a company to be incorporated (or Nominee). If you are opening multiple locations, it is often wise to form a new company for each lease agreement for further protection. Corporations also have tax benefits as compared to sole proprietorships.   

Tip #75 – Keep Success Quiet: One of the main reasons a tanning salon tenant will be forced into a rental rate increase for a renewal term is the landlord’s belief that the tenant can afford to pay it. The better your salon is doing, the quieter you must be about that success. It’s important that you stifle your staff, as they are often the ones who tip off the property manager. While a landlord usually won’t accept any blame for poor business performance, he will take credit (and rental increases) when times are good.

Tip #1 – Allow Sufficient Time. For a new location lease agreement, get started six months in advance to avoid unexpected situations and delays. Lease renewal negotiations should begin between nine and 12 months before the term expires. This will give you ample time to look at other sites (even if you don`t want to move) and do your homework. If you can`t get a decent renewal rate, would you rather find out you need to move with only six weeks or six months left on your term?

Tip #96 – Reduce Your Square Footage: Many tanning salon tenants are suffering from too many square feet. For some salons, a reduction in their leased area now, at renewal time, or by simply moving at renewal time, will solve their problem. With a proper space plan, some tenants could reduce their area by 10 percent to 30 percent with minimal inconvenience. This reduction in gross rent could justify the process.  

Got a leasing question? Would you like to receive a complimentary copy of the booklet “101 Leasing Tips for Tanning Salon Tenants?” E-mail the address below.

Dale Willerton is The Lease Coach – a lease consultant who works exclusively for tenants. As an ITA member, he has spoken at many North American tanning conventions (including 2011′s JK Vegas show and Smart Tan Downtown in Nashville). Willerton is the author of “Negotiate Your Tanning Salon Lease or Renewal.” Call him at 800.738.9202, email dalewillerton@theleasecoach.com or visit www.theleasecoach.com and/or www.helpuleasetanning.com.

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By Jeremy Herring

It’s kind of cliché to constantly remind readers of the speed at which technology has evolved, and yet it is that same blinding speed which seems to be the catalyst behind so much of the dissatisfaction and anxiety consumers express in the consumer technology marketplace. Whether the pace of new technology will ever slow is anybody’s guess, but it is always important for the providers of emerging technologies to remember that above all, consumers simply want to know that they have the option to choose.

Take for instance the Apple iPhone. Who could have predicted that in four short years, Apple could have gone from a newcomer to the mobile phone market … to the dominating force behind the industry, driving innovation and (let’s be honest) fashion into an otherwise rather utilitarian industry. The iPhone became an instant best-seller and has remained so with every revision subsequently released. It is now the standard by which all other mobile phones are measured.

On the other hand, the one hurdle which Apple was only able to overcome by sheer scope of innovation was the three years of exclusivity the iPhone had to endure with mobile service carrier ATT. Many consumers LOVED the iPhone but HATED ATT. The problem was … they had no choice of carrier. It has recently come to light that even Steve Jobs didn’t want to submit to an exclusivity contract, and had he been able to avoid it, then it is likely that the iPhone would have become even more ubiquitous than it is already. It was a sacrifice that was made in order to bring the device to market and consumers became mesmerized, enamored and addicted.

Then came the fall from grace. At the same time that the iPhone’s exclusivity contract was ending and additional carriers were able to pick up the ever-popular model, security experts announced that they had found the Achilles’ heel of not only the Apple design, but also competitor Android. It was revealed that the functions used by the mobile devices to triangulate the user’s position were also storing this information indefinitely – and even worse, periodically sending this information back to its designers for reasons unknown. It was not revealed by the manufacturers initially and therefore the appearance of impropriety was a black eye that no amount of positive spin could overcome. American consumers value their privacy – or at least the notion that their privacy is equally valued by the merchants with whom they choose to share information. In response to the scandal, both Apple and Google released patches to allow users to opt-out or at least control the amount of information their devices share about their usage habits, including their movements.

You would think that the notoriety and negative publicity witnessed as a result of this event would have at least made merchants and marketing behavior analysts tread much more cautiously when it comes to insulating consumers from dictatorial uses of technology to track their habits. You would be wrong. In the recesses of 2011’s Black Friday headlines was a little-noticed but still significant article about several shopping malls which sought to employ mobile signal triangulation to track the movements and patterns of shoppers during the Black Friday retail surge. With no identifiable information being collected or stored, all they wanted to accomplish was gaining a better understanding of how consumers move from store to store. This would help with future decisions about the placement and structure of retailers, services and amenities. The consumers, however, saw it much differently – an involuntary monitoring of their movements which could possibly be overlaid with purchase receipts to actually build an identifiable database of their actions. The only opt-out would be to turn off the mobile devices being tracked. The communication of this policy was printed and posted throughout the shopping center on the day it went into effect, the busiest retail shopping day of the year. Consumers were understandably concerned, as were a few local legislators. In response to the negative public reception, some of the malls opted to not employ the technology.

Ironically, the Tuesday following this Black Friday debacle is when Google chose to release the beta version of its new Maps program, which allows users to locate themselves within a large venue such as an airport, arena or shopping mall! Facilities can submit their floor plans to Google Maps, and when a mobile device user is in the vicinity of a venue with indoor maps available, they can use the indoor maps to navigate the facility. Since GPS signals alone are not accurate enough for close proximity location – and also are less reliable when indoors – Google Maps also uses triangulation with wireless carrier signal and known Wi-Fi hotspots to pinpoint the user’s location within several feet. It’s the very same scenario that was publically condemned when the mall attempted to do it, but embraced when Google offers it as a free service!

The difference? Two factors. First and foremost (and for the purposes of this article) is the presence of consumer choice. Google offered a convenience feature which users can opt-in or out at their pleasure, whereas the malls could not offer the same voluntary conditions and still be able to accomplish the goal they sought to achieve. Second, and a bit lesser in prominence, is the question of intent. Consumers using their own mobile devices are in full control of their personal data. Malls using consumers’ mobile devices to track them present a sense of uneasiness because there are so many unknowns, such as how much data is being collected, how it is being used, and who else may have access to the data. With no options and little information provided in order to make a decision anyways, consumers feel they have no choice and are simply forced to submit to an authority which exercises no accountability for its actions.

This is the same perception that drives so much of the paranoia about government surveillance, the Transportation Security Administration and even pending copyright legislation. In each case, data is being collected, but the processes and extent – and even the genuine intent for such expansive measures – are sheltered behind cloaks of national security or intellectual privacy. Instead of consumers, the targets are national citizens, subjected to procedures and invasions of privacy without adequate explanation of how it is expected to improve their life. These fears might be without merit, but in the absence of transparency of the processes, people are left to imagine the worst-case scenarios. It’s not long before every single new development or technological advance is received with skepticism and accusations of being an Orwellian master plan packaged as a consumer convenience. Whether you trust your government’s intentions or not, simply because there is no opportunity to choose or opt-out changes the perception of a benefit into a covert threat.

Take for instance another technology which may soon impact our lives in a more direct fashion than it has in the past: unmanned aerial vehicles. We’re very comfortable with this technology as it stands today. Unmanned remotely controlled flying drones swoop over battlefields providing close-proximity aerial reconnaissance, telemetry for subsequent weapons targeting – and in some cases, are themselves equipped with light weaponry. They cost far less than a manned aircraft, are smaller, lighter, quieter and expendable. They protect our soldiers from most of the need to go into harm’s path and help to keep them safe when harm is necessary. We are comfortable with remote-control drones flying overhead on the battlefield half a world away.

Currently the Federal Aviation Administration is considering regulations and standards which would allow the same technology to fly over our heads here at home. Police departments could survey much larger areas from above than they can accomplish on the ground. High-speed pursuits such as those we see on television would no longer require a police helicopter to aid in the pursuit. A police helicopter can cost more than $1.5 million, plus the cost of operation, maintenance and specialized training. A remote-control surveillance drone could cost one twentieth the price and be easily deployed and controlled in high-crime areas or anytime localized police presence is required. Utility companies could survey remote operations without the need to operate their own aircraft or charter aircraft to access inhospitable regions. Farmers and land-management firms could spray crops, fight forest fires, perform geological surveys and protect vital assets without ever having to leave the home office and without putting human lives at risk.

Currently the FAA is tasked with determining the feasibility of allowing remote-controlled drones to fly over populated areas. Protocols for safe altitude, loss of control mitigation and avoidance of tall obstacles (as well as other drones) are all factors that need to be considered. In the end, these are easily addressed. The stickier questions that are not exclusively the FAA’s to address are items such as: Who is licensed to operate UAVs in civilian airspace? What are the allowable purposes for such operation? What features could UAVs be equipped with and how will those be permitted to be used? How will the privacy of citizens be protected? If these are not addressed before the FAA decides, I can assure you, they will become headline-topping issues when citizens raise serious concerns about their privacy after infrared thermal camera-equipped drones with no agency markings are hovering around their houses taking pictures. On top of which, what is to stop private citizens from building and operating their own drones? Or a hostile foreign power? Can these drones be weaponized? All valid concerns which, when raised at this early stage, can seem alarmist – but by the same token, once the technology is entrenched in our daily lives become much harder to address. It all comes back to a matter of choices: Would I have the option to not be participatory in such pervasive aerial surveillance? When mandated from above, the answer is almost always “NO.”

After-hours conspiracy theorist Jeremy Herring is the business support manager for Helios LLC. He is chiefly responsible for Helios’ media and public communication, as well as overseeing any training initiatives. Herring can be contacted at herringj@gohelios.com.

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A few weeks ago, we ran an article titled, “Beyond the Bed: Adding Dietary Supplements to Retail Mix Boosts Salon Profits.” In it, Ike Blackmon, executive director of Creative Bioscience, shared information about indoor tanning salons that are starting to offer dietary supplements to beef up their retail sales.

This week I received a press release announcing that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) had issued seven Warning Letters to companies marketing over-the counter (OTC) human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) products labeled as “homeopathic” for weight loss. That release appears in full at the end of my blog.

I asked Blackmon to comment on the FDA and FTC warnings because some of his company’s products use hCG. However, there is a clear distinction between Creative Bioscience and the products and claims made by the companies that received warnings.

“In light of the recent FDA and FTC report, Creative Bioscience would like to make a couple of important distinctions,” Blackmon shares. ”You may have noticed that of the seven companies mentioned in the warning letter, Creative Bioscience was not named. Creative Bioscience’s hCG products are not homeopathic remedies, as the targeted companies’ products claim to be. Our products do not contain hormones of any kind. We are in full compliance with the FDA, FTC and all government regulations. We are in regular communication with the FDA and always strive to meet their requirements. 

“As for making unsupported claims, Creative Bioscience has never and will never fabricate information about our products or the results they produce. Our testimonials are all 100 percent real and come from satisfied customers who have used our products to achieve their weight-loss goals.”

Bottom line: salons that carry dietary supplement products such as those from Creative Bioscience needn’t be concerned about this latest news. However, if the salon carries hCG weight-loss products labeled as “homeopathic,” there could be trouble. Read the full release below for more details.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) today issued seven Warning Letters to companies marketing over-the counter (OTC) HCG products that are labeled as “homeopathic” for weight loss. As per the FDA website, the companies impacted include:

• Nutri Fusion Systems Inc.

• Natural Medical Supply LLC DBA HCG Complete Diet

• HCG Platinum LLC

• Theoriginalhcgdrogs.com

• HCG Diet Direct LLC

• Hcg-miracleweightloss.com

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a hormone produced by the human placenta and found in the urine of pregnant women. hCG is FDA-approved as an injectable prescription drug for the treatment of some cases of female infertility and other medical conditions.

The letters warn the companies that they are violating federal law by selling drugs that have not been approved, and by making unsupported claims for the substances. There are no FDA-approved hCG drug products for weight loss.

The joint action is the first step in keeping the unproven and potentially unsafe products from being marketed online and in retail outlets as oral drops, pellets and sprays.

The labeling for the “homeopathic” hCG products states that each product should be taken in conjunction with a very low-calorie diet. There is no substantial evidence hCG increases weight loss beyond that resulting from the recommended caloric restriction. Consumers on a very low-calorie diet are at increased risk for side effects including gallstone formation, electrolyte imbalance and heart arrhythmias.

“These HCG products marketed over-the-counter are unproven to help with weight loss and are potentially dangerous even if taken as directed,” says Ilisa Bernstein, acting director of the Office of Compliance in FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “And a very low-calorie diet should only be used under proper medical supervision.”

“Deceptive advertising about weight-loss products is one of the most prevalent types of fraud,” states David Vladeck, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “Any advertiser who makes health claims about a product is required by federal law to back them up with competent and reliable scientific evidence, so consumers have the accurate information they need to make good decisions.”

According to the Warning Letters, the companies have 15 days to notify the FDA of the steps they have taken to correct the violations cited. Failure to do so may result in legal action, including seizure and injunction, or criminal prosecution. 

Consumers and health care professionals are encouraged to report adverse events (side effects) that may be related to the use of these products to MedWatch, the FDA’s voluntary reporting program, by calling 800.FDA.1088, or electronically via the FDA’s site, www.fda.gov.

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PC Tan, importer and manufacturer of tanning equipment, has joined forces with Connecticut-based Future Industries – an agreement that allows the new partners to have a stronger national footprint and better serve the Northeast market.

Under the agreement, Future Industries, a tanning supply company, becomes an equipment distributor for PC Tan’s UV and red light therapy equipment in the Northeast.

“This was a natural transition for PC Tan and Future Industries,” says Susan Miller, CEO of PC Tan. “As a longtime industry leader, Future Industries has always represented premium quality equipment, and they are known for outstanding customer service and support. The Future Industries staff is a welcome addition to the PC Tan team.”

Future Industries has been distributing the KBL brand of equipment to their customer base in the Northeast for several years. PC Tan became the exclusive importer for KBL this year, a move that Twan and Karen Bentlage, owners of Future Industries, support. “It was natural for the two companies to decide to work together,” Miller shares. Now, Future Industries will also distribute uwe and Montego Bay brands of equipment in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont and parts of New York.

“Our agreement allows us to be part of a stronger national team representing three of the finest brands in the country – KBL, uwe and Montego Bay,” reports Karen Bentlage, president of Future Industries. “Future Industries has specific organizational strengths that are complementary to PC Tan’s business. PC Tan’s national footprint and strong focus on equipment, plus Future Industries’ strengths in customer service and support are a great combination.”

Miller and Bentlage developed mutual respect for each other as board members of the Indoor Tanning Association and have been respectful and friendly competitors for many years. The new partnership allows the two companies to offer expertise backed by nearly 50 years of combined experience serving the tanning industry.

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LookingFitSiteFeed/~3/5VIYNKLkn_A/pc-tan-partners-with-future-industries.aspx