A newly launched beauty brand faces tough challenges in keeping itself distinct from competitors, especially in today’s beauty landscape. The $532-billion industry may have been, as all industries have been, adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, but it has proven its resilience through the years.
The pandemic has all but emphasized the race towards product innovation and streamlined operations. People remain interested in beauty and self-care products, but the restrictions of COVID-19 have more rapidly pushed the sector towards digitalization and e-commerce.
Young beauty brands who have yet to establish themselves among stiff competition can take advantage of the sustained interest in beauty by making smart moves in how they market themselves.
Build Brand Trust Immediately
Do not wait until your brand has more followers before building loyalty. Draw customers in and give them the necessary tools to keep coming back to your brand. Seek the expertise of a marketing and ad agency to solidify your strategy and translate your efforts into observable results.
Be personal in your marketing.
Personalized marketing means delivering individually customized content to consumers. It makes heavy use of data collection and analytics to form a more accurate picture of what your customers are looking for.
One such productive practice is providing customers with personalized product recommendations based on their browsing habits and history. Further enrich your personalized marketing efforts through features such as product wishlists and ratings from which you can base later recommendations. Target your customers’ interests through marketing emails, too, that provide a digest of regular recommendations.
This streamlines the user experience by filtering products on their behalf and simplifying their interaction with your website. The increased enjoyment and ease keeps customers returning to interact with your brand.
At the same time, establish your authority.
Personalizing your marketing may mean adopting a friendly voice in your online presence, but this should not come at the expense of establishing brand authority. Set your beauty brand apart by showing the expertise involved in the creation of your products.
Introduce consumers to the beauty experts involved in the creation of your products, too. Have them do live Q&As or introduce platforms where customers can make inquiries about skincare and beauty.
Another simple step is to keep your online channels up to date. Make sure that all basic information is available, especially your contact information that should include feedback channels. You should also have a solid brand bio that perfectly and succinctly conveys your brand identity.
Have incentives and discounts.
A loyalty program is a direct encouragement for customers to keep coming back to your brand. Give them incentives for shopping on your online and physical stores, such as freebies and discounts. Offer exclusive services, too, if applicable.
Smartly put up sales and special discounts for your customers. For instance, bundle skincare products and makeup that work well for specific skin types or problem areas on the skin. Have seasonal sales, too, that promote useful products for different kinds of weather conditions.
Categorize your products and respond to your customers’ needs by providing them with useful information when they shop.
Welcome Customers Into Your Brand
In addition to building brand trust, the post-COVID-19 beauty market wants to know who and what exactly they are supporting. Reassure them of the safety and effectiveness of your brand’s products by letting them peek into what you do.
Be transparent about what goes into your products.
Consumers prefer certified, safe, and clean products from sustainable and environmentally friendly brands. Make sure your brand’s sources and processes pass these standards and have the relevant certifications attached to your products for customers to see.
Attach descriptions and allergy reaction warnings for your ingredients, too. This information both protects and educates your customers.
Inform and entertain through social media posts.
All the information you have on your product packaging and website details should also be available in digestible forms through your social media platforms. Tailor-fit your content to make it relevant for each platform.
Reel people in through a carefully curated and visually appealing Instagram feed that entertains visitors. On the other hand, you can publish your longer, text-heavier content on Facebook. These Facebook posts may also translate better on Instagram via Instagram stories, which is more interactive than a post.
A creative and vigorous online presence is an absolute must to survive and thrive in the post-COVID-19 beauty market. Being a new brand inevitably poses its own challenges, but a smart and consumer-receptive marketing strategy drives traffic and sales. This early on, invest in a foolproof marketing plan that will translate to long-term results.
