As a digital marketing and business consultant specialising in beauty brands, I’ve spent many years refining my knowledge regarding what it takes to see major growth in the beauty industry. Today, I wanted to share some of the basics behind this on the blog.

Here are five ways you can focus on growing your beauty business and taking it to the next level in 2022:

• Products come first.
  Having a good product may not be the reason people buy from you in the first place, but it is definitely the reason they will repurchase it or recommend it to their friends. Simply put, creating products that work is the easiest way to build a loyal following and keep your brand’s reputation strong throughout the entire customer journey, from pre-purchase to when they’ve finished using the product.
  There are a few things to consider when creating your products.
• • Does your product do what it is supposed to do in a way that’s better than other products on the market? What sets your product apart?

  • What does your target market actually want? For example, if you’re creating skincare for more mature women, you’re going to be focusing on anti-aging efforts. In turn, if your target market is teenagers, you’re likely to have more success prioritising acne prevention. The truth is, it doesn’t matter how well your product works if the wrong person with a totally different need is using it!

  • What are some practical ways you can make the experience of using the product more positive for your target client? Think in terms of packaging, scent, application, etc.

• Develop a strong message and marketing approach.
  Here’s the truth about beauty and skincare products: we don’t need most of them. They’re luxuries, which is why using strong marketing and messaging to tell a story about your brand is so important.
  Your messaging should communicate:
• • What your purpose is 
  • Who your brand is for
  • Why your brand is different
  • The emotional response your customer can expect to have when purchasing from you
    A great way to touch on all of these points is to develop a community-based marketing approach. This means leveraging the power of community through social media, personalised customer interaction and involvement in product development, and influencer marketing. When women find a brand that works for them, they love to get behind it and spread the word — and what better way to do that than through social media and word-of-mouth?

• Showcase product versatility.
  Many consumers are taking a more relaxed approach to their skincare and makeup routines in a slower, post-COVID world. This means that products with the potential for multiple uses are becoming even more popular in the beauty world, since they can kill two birds with one stone and save consumers money in the process. If you need some examples of what this looks like, think:
  

• • All-over face sticks and pens (blush, highlighter, and lip product)

• • 2-in-1 skincare serums

• • Moisturizing primers and sunscreens

• Create stand-out content for social media.
  95% of beauty brands are active on Instagram, which means you need to be, too. The best way to build your Instagram following organically and start generating purchases through Instagram is to focus on creating the kind of content that appeals to your target market. Here are some ideas that work really well:
  • Publish visually appealing and “Instagrammable” content. If your budget isn’t big enough for professional photos and branding, consider collaborating with other content creators in exchange for free product.

  • Showcase “before and after” photos of people using your products.

  • Collaborate with influencers, makeup artists, and models who can promote your products on their own social media accounts or talk them up to clients.

  • Make use of the e-Commerce feature on Instagram so users can shop directly from your profile.

  • Share customer stories, reviews, and any other user-generated content related to your brand as social proof.

  • Stay customer-centric — respond to DMs, engage in comments, and on occasion offer discounts or product giveaways.

• Hire a consultant who specialises in beauty.
  The beauty industry is a totally unique market. If you’ve tried everything but are still having trouble seeing success with your beauty business, it could be because you aren’t taking an industry-specific approach. When you work with a consultant who specialises in the beauty industry, you’re able to get actionable advice and strategies that are relevant to your specific niche and brand. Click here to learn more about how a consultant can help your beauty brand scale to new heights.

I hope you found these tips helpful! I’d love to know — what your big plans are for growing your beauty brand in the coming months? Tell me in the comments!

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