Effective marketing of cosmetics requires focusing on a specific audience.
Breaking into the cosmetics industry is not easy. Bringing a new cosmetic item to market requires not just developing and manufacturing a great product, it also requires marketing the product. And according to some, this last step is actually the most difficult part of the process. Marketing nonessential luxury items like cosmetics not only requires you to make the public aware of your new product, but also to convince them that your product is superior to other similar cosmetic items.
Determine your target market. This step really should've been considered even before you developed the product, all the way back in the initial business plan. It's essential for a small cosmetics company with a limited marketing budget to focus on a specific market segment. Specifically defining your market is the only way a smaller cosmetics company can effectively compete against larger companies with multi-million dollar advertising budgets. For example, if your product is an all-natural, organic wrinkle-reducing cream, then your target market might be socially progressive women over 40.
Design your product packaging around your target market. Product packaging is a huge part of marketing. Most consumers are visually oriented, and people tend to recognize colors, shapes and patterns more quickly than they understand words. It's been proven time and time again that unique, eye-catching product packaging is an essential part of a highly successful product. If you're not an artistic type, consider working with a professional designer to get some ideas on a novel product container or a company logo that will catch the attention of consumers.
Decide on your initial distribution channels. Choosing the right distribution channels for your cosmetic product is critical. Here again you should focus on your target market. You'll very likely want to set up a company website both for marketing purposes and as a distribution channel. Other distribution channels to consider include spas, hair salons, manicure and pedicure shops, health food stores and dermatologist's offices. Don't spread yourself too thin, at least at first. Just focus on the two or three distribution channels that are the best fits for your product, like nail polish at manicure/pedicure businesses, for example.
Create a high-quality business website. Having a presence on the Internet is pretty much a must these days, especially for a niche market such as a specialized cosmetic product. It's almost always worth it to pay for a few extra bells and whistles on your website. Consumers today expect to see attractive graphics and a professional user friendly site, and if they don't, many won't even bother to read about the product, never mind buy it.
Focus your advertising. Unless you have a very large marketing budget, it's important to keep your advertising focused on your target market(s). While print ads don't reach the same number of consumers as they did a decade ago, print ads in the right publications can be effective for higher-end products including cosmetics. Consider placings ads in luxury magazines such as "Upscale Living," "Robb Report" and "Dolce Vita." Carefully targeted Internet advertising gives you a good bang for your buck, and depending on your budget you can even consider radio spots or billboards.
Consider hosting cosmetics parties at your home (or those of friends and neighbors) to introduce your products. Giving away free samples always builds good will, and if it's truly a good product, a significant percentage of samplers will become purchasers.
Make sure to carefully review the labeling regulations for your specific cosmetic product. Cosmetic labeling is regulated by the FDA. If you don't follow its relatively strict rules when writing your label, your product can be recalled.
Browne, Clayton. "How to Market Cosmetics." Small Business - Chron.com, http://smallbusiness.chron.com/market-cosmetics-24945.html. Accessed 22 April 2019.