You don't have to be in the beauty industry to set up a winning spray tan business. In fact, you'd be amazed at the many successful sunless tanning businesses that just started out as a hobby.

And no, ignore the naysayers that argue the sunless tanning landscape is saturated or as a standalone beauty service, it wouldn't attract as much attention. All that matters is, it pays to take the first step.

Once the wheel gets rolling, the right momentum will set in and before long you will be topping the charts of the most resilient startup entrepreneurs of this age.

Sounds too fancy to be true? Well, how about trying to adhere to the following 5 easy steps and see for yourself how possible it is to build a thriving sunless tanning business from the ground up.

1. Join the great resignation

Before starting a sunless tanning business, there are critical considerations you need to make. The very principal one is whether or not to quit your current job.

If you have been asking yourself these questions lately, then you may be ready to quit that dead-end job after all and venture into entrepreneurship.

• Is starting a business difficult?
• What tools do I need to start a business?
• What is the cost to acquire equipment for a new business?

Quitting that job to follow your dreams might actually turn out to be far more rewarding in the end. Not only will you gain the monopoly of time and energy but you will also have an unobstructed opportunity to throw your whole self into doing what you love.

2. Evaluate your opportunities

Becoming a spray tan artist demands a lot more from you than just quitting your job. You must strive to ask yourself deeper questions and attempt to answer them.

• Is spray tanning a worthy business to start?
• Is it a profitable venture?
• How much will it cost me?
• Should I set up the business at home or operate it on the go?

The answers to these critical questions will help you weigh all your available options with deeper clarity. For starters, you may consider working from home, say in a basement corner, garage, or shed. All you have to do is set up your tent and machine and start working.

As you build your capital, you may start considering a brick-and-mortar salon or a full-blown mobile business. Ensure you accurately weigh the pros and cons of each or any additional equipment required.

3. Learn from experts

Whether you have decided to set up an in-studio tanning or mobile tanning business, you cannot walk the journey alone. You need someone with more expertise and experience in the business than you to act as your business coach or mentor.

The person doesn't have to be personally known to you. You can easily launch your search online or seek reliable referrals from friends, colleagues, and family. Online sites like Quora, LinkedIn, LivePerson, SCORE, or Ideaswatch might be dependable starting points.

You will never go wrong by looking at things from an expert's lens. Their input will help propel you on the most productive and profitable route.

4. Price Appropriately

Setting the right price for your spray tanning is a function of many different factors. The right price goes beyond making you competitive in your vicinity. It culminates in earning you a fair wage for your services.

Launch your price setting by analyzing what your local competitors charge. Break down your analysis into the actual price charged, location, the tan types used, and the additional services provided. You will realize the deeper you go into the analysis, the more gaps you unmask.

Leveraging these gaps might make all the difference for your startup. For example, you might charge a little lower or average price, offer more unique tan formulas, or a wider array of brands.

Pricing will also be affected by the business model you adopt. For example, commuting to a client's house takes up much of your time compared to walk-ins.

5. Market Audience-First

While the spray tan marketplace may be saturated (according to naysayers), you can still get ahead with the right marketing strategy. Knowing how to approach the delicate market is your trip switch to success. That calls for a customer-centric marketing approach.

As you venture into these uncharted waters, you want to make sure your target customers' needs and interests are your driving force. That means, at first, profit may have to come second if you must scale your clientele fast.

This marketing approach essentially involves viewing the world from the lenses of your customers. You must walk in their shoe and feel their pain points. To do that, you must hang out where they like to hang out.

A popular place would be social media communities like Facebook groups. In such discussion forums, it is easy to draw a pattern of your customers' spending habits, fashion sense, fears, passions, and challenges. Preferably, target local online communities to start building relationships.

Found enough inspiration? Take the plunge and turn your sunless tanning ambition into a full-time business.