Selling Makeup: A Guide for Beauty Entrepreneurs

Are you looking to start selling makeup as a business? Discover the dos and don'ts of selling makeup in this beauty entrepreneur guide.

Selling as an ambitious entrepreneur is a little bit like applying makeup.

Creating a beautifully made-up face is a little bit of science and a bit of art, too. Likewise, to develop a successful cosmetic product, you need a selling strategy that balances practical ideas with a sprinkling of creativity.

Read on to learn some of the dos and don'ts of crafting a winning strategy when selling makeup.

Do Get to Know Your Audience

You can only sell a product if you know your customer. So, your most important goal when marketing makeup products is to get to know your audience.

Focus on discovering more about their behavior, preferences, and lifestyle. You could read industry reports to get this information or run a survey. Narrow down your target market, too.

Some customers want luxury brands. For others, organic, sustainable products are a priority. And for some segments, it's all about affordability.

When you've done an excellent job at researching your customers, you're more likely to develop a marketing strategy that resonates with that target group. It will show in your conversion rates, making your marketing spend go further.

Don't Make Promises You Can't Keep

Cosmetics customers are naturally skeptical. Many will have had the experience of buying a product that doesn't live up to its claims.

While bold claims might help secure that initial sale, it ultimately hurts your makeup business. It means negative reviews and a lack of repeat customers. 

Customers value honesty and integrity, so make these central to your marketing. You'll build trust with your target audience by offering realistic expectations.

One approach to try is using real people rather than models to sell your brand. Showing the average skin type benefitting from a foundation is more likely to get a sale than if you use a youthful professional model with perfect skin.

That's especially true in the era of social media and the use of everyday people as influencers in the cosmetics industry. 

Do Ensure Your Brand Offers Something Unique

The cosmetics industry is well-established and vast. That means you have plenty of competition. Offer something unique with your makeup brand to help you stand out.

Maybe that's organic ingredients. Or perhaps it is an innovative new formula. Whatever your USP, ensure you understand this uniqueness, why it's essential to your customer, and how to communicate this in your marketing.

You should also ensure it's a core part of your branding, including your ads, packaging, and tagline.

Craft a narrative to help tell your brand's story and what makes it different. And ensure your passion comes across in all aspects of your marketing.

Don't Ignore Negative Feedback

You may feel you have the perfect brand. But even the most sophisticated product in the world can only improve with customer feedback. So, never ignore this aspect when selling cosmetics.

While negative feedback can often be hard to hear, it's invaluable. It will help you to pinpoint the features you need to improve.

It will also help with your marketing messages because often, negative feedback happens when there is a gap between what you deliver and your customers' expectations.

Use feedback to drive a process of continuous improvement in your products and your marketing. It will help you become an innovative brand and stay ahead of the competition.  

Do Use High-Quality Images

People may do much of their shopping online nowadays. But they still want an experience as close as possible to being in a store.

If you are selling online, ensure you give your customer high-quality visual content to help them make their decision. That is crucial in the cosmetics industry, where aspirations are all about beauty.

Show your product in its packaging, on the skin, and using before and after shots. Use video, too.

Show the entire journey, from getting a package delivered to opening the box and trying on the product for the first time. And use aspirational images, too, like a showstopping makeup look for a glamorous event.

Never underestimate the power of images to do your selling for you.

Don't Forget About Product Quality 

It doesn't matter whether a customer buys a budget makeup brand or a luxury one; they won't compromise quality. So always make this central to your product development and when selling your makeup.

Give your audience assurance and proof of your commitment to quality, too. That could include a demonstration, product guarantee, or background information on the ingredients or manufacturing process.

Explain how you make quality matter at every stage of your development process, from sourcing ingredients to testing. And ensure this message comes across clearly in any ads or other promotions for your brand. 

Do Use Content Marketing to Educate 

Content marketing is a great way to attract your target audience. But people won't click through to an article or video if it's a full-on sales message, especially if they are a cold audience.

Instead, use content marketing to educate your audience.

This approach has two benefits. First, it attracts relevant people to your website or social media profile. Secondly, it's a clever way to explain some of the benefits of your product.

For example, if you sell mascara, you could provide a video tutorial on how to prep eyelashes and finish the video by getting the model to apply your mascara.

If you wrap up the video with a quick before and after, it's a compelling message about why your mascara is a must-have cosmetic. 

Don't Forget About Your Competitors 

The cosmetics industry evolves fast, and so do your competitors. So always pay attention to what they are doing, and don't become complacent - even when you are growing.

Look at industry trends and take time each week to examine new product launches from other companies in your field.

It's a good idea to purchase some competitor products and test them for yourself to determine their strengths and weaknesses. If you spot a downside, that's a potential opportunity for you to exploit in future product designs.

To stay ahead of the competition, you must have an adaptable mindset. Your much-loved bestseller may need some ongoing tweaks if you want it to top your sales reports a year from now. 

Do Use Social Media

Social media is one of your most essential tools as a beauty entrepreneur. You have an engaged audience on places like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube; they are ready to hear about your product.

These customers may already be following beauty influencers and other cosmetics brands. So, if you can get them excited about your makeup, you're on to a winner.

Try showcasing exciting and varied content, including beauty tips, behind-the-scenes videos, and user-generated content.

You could also collaborate with a beauty influencer to get your product introduced to a bigger audience. Watch social media for emerging trends in the beauty industry, too.

Don't Forget About Your Packaging

A big part of selling makeup is the packaging. For cosmetics, it means more than a protective case. It's part of your brand identity. So you can't afford to make a bland or confusing design mistake.

Spend time on your packaging design. And use focus groups to get feedback before your product release. 

Feature your packaging in images on your website, social media, and ads. Ensure your packaging accurately reflects your brand, too.

If you are a company that places high value on sustainability, ensure you use recycled, biodegradable packaging. If you are a luxury brand, you need packaging that feels more premium compared to your competitors. 

Do Offer Customers the Best Service

An exceptional makeup product requires outstanding customer service. It's how customers will remember you and why they will buy from you again.

It means customers get an enjoyable experience from when discovering your product to when it arrives at their home. And that perception won't change if they need to contact you about a problem.

Spend time training your customer service team and ensuring they have excellent communication skills. Be flexible on your policies and generous in your returns and guarantees.

Finally, give customers multiple ways of contacting you with queries, including email, phone, and online chat.

Don't Offer Confusing Makeup Branding

Brand consistency is vital in cosmetics. Customers want to see that the brand they experience when they open the cosmetic box is the same as the brand they saw in your ads.

But that goes beyond having the same logo. The branding needs to have the same quality and the same vibe. Suppose you have a quirky and bold brand, for example.

In that case, that same personality should come across at each touch point with the customer, from product design, packaging, customer service, and social media.

Selling Makeup: Finding an Effective Strategy

Selling makeup might seem like a challenge in such a busy market. But there is still room for new ideas and innovative brands. Use this guide to help you when selling makeup and cosmetics to a modern audience. 

Most importantly, you need to offer something unique.

To help you develop an innovative product that makes an impact on the industry, get in contact with our team at Pioneer Innovation. We are a leader in creating original and cutting-edge cosmetic solutions.