9 Retail Business Strategies to Level Up Your Skincare Brand

Finding profitability and recognition are the biggest requirements of a successful skincare brand. But things can look bleak when you’re first starting out. Getting the eyeballs you crave is tough. Not to mention the effect it has on your self-confidence is alarming.

As you see, so many beauty startups come and go. It can become discouraging for you. The beauty and skincare business is a fiercely competitive space in a world where almost all markets are highly saturated. Thus, coming out on top of the competition requires your A-game to be on from the get-go.

In order to come out on top, you’ll need to level up your skincare brand by learning from others who have had success in the industry and then running with the ideas and making them your own.

For example: What are the latest trends or techniques that the big names are discussing that your prospective clients can’t get enough of?

Learn these latest trends and make them your own. Offer content and information on your digital and retail platforms to increase brand equity and consumer perception. This effort today will result in sales tomorrow.

The Expectations of Beauty Buyers

A 2022 survey revealed modern-day buyers’ mindset. The survey results showcased that 56% of responding consumers worldwide preferred buying locally-made products from small businesses in their area.

This is why it’s a golden opportunity for you to scale up your skincare brand. (If you’re starting out, check out our guide on How to Start a Skincare Business)

A staggering 86% of the respondents claimed that functional reasons like availability, quality, and value for money are of utmost importance when making their purchasing decisions. Yet a worrying 57% stated they try to support small brands when possible, but they’re harder to find on the shelf.

Beauty buyers are ready to buy from small artisan brands and stock up on them, but given they meet their expectations in return. As the owner of a skincare brand, you need to enter into an agreement with the large chains with your eyes wide open, as it’ll be a big commitment for your brand.

On the flip side, the statistics reveal the potential of highs your skincare range can experience through a tie-up with a big chain. Given they put you on more shelves while you cater to the buyer and distributor expectations. So, it’s worth considering.

With that being said, your passion and determination to take your skincare brand to the next level are truly commendable. Here is our list of retail business strategies to level up your skincare brand.

1.  Bring Innovation

Understanding buyer sentiment, market trends, and competitors’ product line is essential for you. You have to make sure that you are selling something that people actually want to buy.

Your understanding can then be showcased in the form of innovation in packaging, ingredients, application, technology, etc. Add value to your customer’s life, and they’ll add you to their credit card subscription.

2.  Your Brand Needs Some Buzz

Create brand engagement by holding community events and workshops with influencers or dermatologists at your retail outlet. Such events act as a significant booster and will increase your prospects’ trust in your brand.

Further, your brand association and/or sponsorship with such people will boost your brand following digitally and physically. Thus, making you famous locally.

Tip: Buyers will check your social media and browse websites like Google Trends, Compete.com, etc., to see what others think of you. We suggest you employ good content marketing strategies for your skincare brand’s online presence management.

3.  Craft a Marketing Plan

What many new brands do when they are fresh is chase after prospects. Don’t do that!

Instead, take time to prepare a marketing plan and stick to it. It’s necessary to change and adapt the strategy as time passes on.

You can’t build brand equity right out of the bat; what you can do is work on creating a strong brand recall. Go for outdoor advertising, fliers, and standees in your block, and you can surely expect the doorbell to keep ringing.

4.  Know and Target a Niche First

A great way to build up a loyal following and a successful online brand is by having a niched-down brand targeting just one skin type or demography.

But, at the same time, if your skincare brand has products that cover a broader range of skin types, it will increase the demographics you can target.

Tip: Remember to take it one niche at a time.

5.  Fill More Shelves

Many entrepreneurs start with only a capsule range of handful projects (which is a sensible way of keeping your costs down at the start of your journey). Yet, to keep yourself afloat, you’ll need to increase the number of products within your range to fill more shelves.

6.  Follow the Trends

Keep yourself updated with what’s trending in other parts of the world. For instance, certain stores on the western coast will closely monitor trends arising from Southeast Asia. At the same time, another rising trend is the personalization of beauty products.

This trend can benefit your retail outlet the best; given your connections with your client, you can personalize product ranges and customer experience to cater to specific demographics.

Even though your focus might be on a small geographical region, keeping tabs on what’s happening in the beauty world and what consumers spend their money on will only benefit your brand. So, keep researching the trends.

7.  Natural Isn’t Enough Anymore

Customers have come a long way from being pulled to the word ‘Natural.’ A few years ago, being natural or organic was enough to stand out in a market dominated by synthetic-chemical-based beauty products.

However, grabbing buyers’ attention today requires your product to shout more than just these two labels. Focus on honing your messaging & branding, and then center your marketing around a niche within the natural or organic sector.

Your in-store experience should also explain what makes you innovative; this will help you attract a specific target customer.

8.  Sample Stands

You might be underestimating the power of a sample stand. Pair that with a short and crisp message that can be conveyed using a pamphlet or a barcode on the sample explaining why and what you are targeting the customers for will warrant a follow-up visit from people who liked your samples.

9.  Collaboration with Spas and Venues

An excellent strategy for levelling up your skincare brand is to get your products in venues trusted by your target customers. Because these are places the customers expect to find great beauty products, getting in spas, salons, hotels, etc., can be a great way to both monetize and spread your brand awareness.

A Beauty Supply POS System

Technology is constantly bringing new opportunities for retail skincare brands. Not to mention, modern beauty consumers are still looking for attention and personal interactions that only brick-and-mortar stores provide.

However, for beauty and cosmetics retailers, catering to the consumers requires a more dynamic solution. A solution that can offer personalization, profile creation, and ease of access: a POS System.

(For more information on POS systems, check out beauty supply POS system article by Wise Small Business)

What Can a POS System Do for Your Skincare Brand?

A POS system unlocks a plethora of benefits for your customers.

• Customers can create, plan, and test looks on a digital face template.
• Products can be added to the cart and wishlists, with a single-touch buy option always available.
• You can build up a 360-degree profile of your customer skincare and makeup preferences with a record of past consultations and product purchases under the customer profile.
• You can use a quiz to get to know your customer preferences better. This will help tailor every interaction and product suggestion you give your customer.
• Allows customers to take up subscriptions. Customers pay monthly for regular orders of their product of choice, saving them a trip to the store.
• Send alerts to customers with sales, promotions, and customized messages.
• Run tiered loyalty programs, which will offer points for purchases and subsequent exclusive rewards for the patrons.
• Mobile POS allow your beauticians access to customer profiles anywhere, anytime, thus allowing more personalized 1:1 interactions.
• Give customers a seamless experience with a complete catalog of online and in-store products.
• Allow customers to book in-store appointments over the call or the internet.
• Send out appointment reminders, email notes after consultation, receipts, etc.

Parting Thoughts

Be relatable! Some brands spend years perfecting the formulation of their products but never spend a fraction of that time to connect with their consumers… and it eventually leads to their downfall simply because of their inability to sell enough products to be profitable.

So, if you have the products and packaging down, you should ensure the usage of the best marketing strategies to help you capitalize on your investment. We hope that this guide has given you ideas for business strategies to level up your skincare brand.