So you’ve decided to start your own beauty brand?

Congratulations!

If you’re feeling a little lost, don’t worry, you’re far from alone. Many people who decide to start their own business have no idea what they’re doing. It’s the uncertainty, however, that makes it so exciting and rewarding when everything finally falls into place.

If you feel like someone’s taken their concealer to the rule book, read on to discover some key points that will help you build your empire.

 

Be passionate.

This one may seem fairly obvious but you have to care about what you’re doing.

You can’t expect anyone else to be excited about your product if you’re not.

Be emotionally invested in your project and show customers why they should be too.

 

What’s in a name?

When the perfect name comes to you naturally that’s great, but it isn’t always the case.

If you’re struggling to decide what to call your business, don’t just go with what’s easy. Your brand is going to be built around it so you want a name that you love and can be proud of.

Nude Brand Creation’s Business Director, Tom Hearn summed it up perfectly in a piece for Minutehack:

“When launching a brand from scratch, a strong foundation is everything. It’s essential to tell the consumer who you are, and to give them confidence in your integrity.”

 

Do your research.

The next step is gathering all the information you’re going to need to ensure that your business is successful.

This includes steps such as:

• knowing the relevant regulations.
• completing detailed market research.
• deciding on the best ways to locate your business (online, small local store, etc.)
• anything else that you need to know in order to successfully establish your business plan.

 

Own your space.

Owning your space is understanding things such as:

• who you are as a business.
• how you fit into your customers’ lives.
• what your goals are.

This is the part where you lock everything in and your company starts to take shape.

It also includes:

• establishing your branding.
• knowing your point of difference.
• creating a clear company mission that you can utilise to help you stay true to yourself and refer back to.

 

Develop, test, and test again.

Now that your little company has its own identity, you can start producing your product, or providing your service on a larger scale.

Remember to double and triple check every formula and product that is created.

Large scale manufacturing produces vastly different results to what you’ve previously created and you want to be sure that everything is perfect.

Not only is your reputation on the line, but in many cases, your customers’ health and wellbeing can be impacted as well so you want to make sure that everything is correct before you go to market.

It is also important to ensure that you know how and why your products work in order to avoid future issues with the formulation of new lines.

 

Shout it from the rooftops.

No matter what people may tell you, no product ever actually “sells itself”. There’s a lot going on behind the scenes even with items that seemingly fly off the shelves of their own accord.

Now that you’ve perfected your product and have a strong understanding of your brand identity, it’s time to promote your business.

The first thing you’re going to want to do is establish a marketing plan.

Remember: all great marketing plans are multi-channel and engage customers on various levels.

 

Social Accounts.

To begin with, create social accounts for your business and start building your following with general, engaging content.

You’ll want to include your business and product information but this stage shouldn’t be purely advertorial.

It is also worth considering creating a blog or vlog as this will allow you to share more detailed information.

Consider posting content such as behind the scenes videos or tutorials and remember to link back to your blog via all of your socials.

Check out our article on the top two social media sites your beauty brand needs to pay attention to but remember that variety is the spice of life so diversifying with bring you a larger community.

Networking.

Your marketing strategy should also include networking with key players in your space.

This includes your peers, investors and influencers who share the same values as your business.

Be aware that all relationships are two way streets so it is important to offer something to your new circle rather than just requesting what you need.

Paid Advertising.

In an ideal word we could all gain exposure purely organically. The reality is, however, that until you’re well known, you’re probably going to have to spend some money.

While traditional advertising channels are slowly losing precedence to their online counterparts, it is important to still consider them when creating your marketing plan.

If television or radio ads seem unrealistic, or they don’t align with your aims, consider placing paid content on your target audience’s social feeds in order to spread the word.

 

Listen up.

Being a part of the discourse surrounding your brand is key to your success.

Actively listen to and engage with your followers, fans and critics and grow from their comments.

You don’t have to “feed the trolls” but negativity should always be addressed.

On the other hand, positive feedback provides you with the perfect opportunity to build relationships within your community.

Your audience is your best growth tool, listen to what they want from you and implement it if it aligns with your values and goals.

 

There is obviously a lot more to building a beauty empire than what is outlined in this article, but the points highlighted here will help you establish yourself in the market.

Everything else comes down to your organisation, hard work and determination.

If you believe in yourself and make smart business decisions your reputation will grow and provide you with the stepping stone you need to be the next household name.

 

Good luck and have a beautiful day.