Starting a cosmetic brand can be thrilling, but making sure your products reach the right people is just as important. In a prior guide, we talked about building a connection with your market, but how do you know who your best customers are? This step-by-step guide will make it easy to figure out who will love your products the most. Read on to find out how identifying your ideal customer can make your cosmetic startup thrive.
What Makes Your Product Special?
The first step in identifying your ideal customer is understanding what sets your product apart. Whether you’re creating a hydrating serum with hyaluronic acid or a cruelty-free range of makeup, it’s your job to know your product inside out. Knowing its strengths and unique aspects makes the entire process easier for you.
Let’s say you’re selling a foundation that includes SPF. Your product can stand out in the crowded market because it’s killing two birds with one stone: makeup and sun protection. Recognizing these points lets you build a strong case for why someone would choose your product over another.
When you pinpoint what makes your products unique, you can then look for customers who are seeking those particular benefits. This translates to finding the perfect audience who will not only use but also rave about your products.
- List key ingredients: Put down a list of special ingredients and the benefits they offer. This will give you clues about who might be looking for them.
- Identify unique features: Highlight what makes your product different, like being vegan, cruelty-free, or organic. These features attract specific kinds of customers.
- Understand product function: Be clear about what your product actually does. Anti-aging? Hydrating? Helps in reducing fine lines? This will guide you in finding people looking for those solutions.
- Check market reviews: See what people are currently saying about similar products. This gives you an idea of what the market is excited about and who is excited.
- Survey your current customers: If you already have a small customer base, ask them what they like most about your products. Their answers will clue you in on what aspects to focus on.
Know Your Competition
To attract the right customers, you also need to understand who else is in the game. Knowing your competition can help you find gaps in the market and also figure out who your direct competitors are targeting. If you’re selling a charcoal face mask, you’d better know what’s being offered by other brands.
Researching your competitors has another perk: it helps you avoid making the same mistakes. If a competitor’s similar product has lots of poor reviews, find out why and ensure you don’t make the same mistakes. By knowing what others are doing right, you can also take inspiration and improve your own brand’s offerings.
Moreover, you can see what marketing tactics competitors use, such as social media channels, influencer partnerships, and promotional strategies. This knowledge is particularly useful in narrowing down who your ideal customer might be, as you can see what types of people your competitors are attracting and fill in any gaps they are missing.
- Analyze competitor’s social media: Take a good look at who is engaging with your competitors on platforms like Instagram and TikTok.
- Read competitor reviews: Look at customer feedback on your competitor's product pages and retailer sites like Amazon. Note what customers love and what they dislike.
- Check pricing strategies: Understand the price points your competitors set for similar products. This can also help you position your product correctly.
- Observe packaging: See how competitors package their products. Sometimes the packaging itself appeals to a certain type of customer.
- Influencer partnerships: Look at which influencers promote competitors. There's a chance their followers might also be interested in your products.
Create a Customer Persona
Creating a customer persona is like building a profile of your perfect customer. You can use all the info you’ve gathered so far—like what makes your product special and what your competitors are doing—to establish a detailed profile. Imagine you are describing a real person: age, gender, shopping habits, and skincare concerns.
Let’s assume your product is a line of lipsticks that are long-lasting and non-drying. Your customer persona could be Olivia, a 28-year-old professional who loves makeup but has a busy lifestyle and can’t keep reapplying her lipstick throughout the day.
By building this detailed persona, you give your marketing efforts a face and a personality. You can cater to Olivia’s needs and think about where she shops and what social media channels she prefers. This persona helps you concentrate your efforts in the places where Olivia spends her time and money.
- Create a sample profile: Write down detailed characteristics like age, occupation, and shopping habits to craft your target persona.
- Include pain points: List the problems your ideal customer is facing that your product can solve. This makes your promotions more relatable.
- Identify favorite channels: Think about where your persona spends time online—Instagram, beauty blogs, or TikTok—and focus your marketing there.
- Add personal details: Include things like hobbies and daily routines. The more detailed, the better. This will guide you on how to engage them effectively.
- Update regularly: Your ideal customer’s preferences can change, so revisit and tweak your persona as needed.
Find Out Where Your Audience Hangs Out
It’s not just about who your customer is, but also where they spend their time. Knowing the digital and physical places your ideal customers frequent can give you a significant advantage. For instance, if you know that your target audience loves spending time on Instagram, focus your marketing efforts there rather than on Facebook.
Social media platforms are amazing tools for reaching your ideal audience, but don’t overlook other valuable spaces like beauty forums, local beauty events, or even specific retail stores. Find out where your audience goes to discover new products and make sure you have a presence in those spaces.
Let’s say your ideal customer is big on vegan skincare. You might find them in online forums discussing the best vegan products, or at local farmers’ markets. This kind of information allows you to be where they are, speak their language, and build connections more easily.
- Use social media analytics: Platforms like Instagram offer insights into who is engaging with your posts, giving you clues about your audience.
- Participate in forums: Engage in beauty forums or Facebook groups. These are gold mines for identifying customer needs and trends.
- Attend events: Set up booths at local beauty fairs and markets. This allows you to meet your customers face-to-face and gather real-time feedback.
- Partner with shops: Collaborate with retail stores that align with your brand’s values. This can help you reach a more targeted audience.
- Track website data: Use tools like Google Analytics to see where your website traffic is coming from and adjust your strategies accordingly.
Survey and Interact with Existing Customers
Your current customers are a gold mine of information. Surveying them can help you understand what they like and what can be improved. Direct feedback from real users offers insights that no amount of research can match. Consider sending out surveys or even hosting online focus groups to get this valuable info.
You can ask questions about their age, lifestyle, skincare routines, and what they’d like to see improved. If you already have a social media following or an email list, this is a lot easier to do. Feedback from your existing customers can help you refine your customer persona and also show you new ways to please your audience.
Let’s say you launch a new moisturizer and get feedback that it’s not hydrating enough for people with very dry skin. This helps you tweak your formula and make it more effective. It also tells you a bit more about who is buying your product and why.
- Use online survey tools: Platforms like SurveyMonkey or Google Forms make it easy to gather customer opinions.
- Host virtual focus groups: Use video conferencing tools to gather a group of customers and discuss your products and get feedback in real time.
- Email follow-ups: Send out follow-up emails asking customers how they’re liking the product after a few weeks of use.
- Post polls on social media: Social media platforms offer simple poll features that can give you quick insights on customer preferences.
- Offer incentives: Incentivize participation with discounts or freebies for people who take the time to provide detailed feedback.
Analyze Buying Patterns
The more you understand your customers' buying patterns, the better you can tailor your offerings to meet their needs. If you notice certain products selling more during particular times of the year, that’s valuable information. Seasonal trends, as well as monthly and even weekly patterns, can inform your marketing efforts.
For instance, masks and scrubs might sell more during winter months when people are more concerned about dry skin. Knowing this helps you prepare your inventory and marketing campaigns accordingly. You can also find out if there are any specific events or holidays that boost your sales.
If your data shows that loyal customers frequently purchase every three months, it’s a good idea to introduce subscription plans or send out reminders when it’s time for them to restock. This not only boosts sales but also keeps your customers thinking about your brand consistently.
- Track sales data: Use an analytics tool to monitor what products are selling, when, and why. This gives you critical insights into buyer behavior.
- Monitor promotions: Keep track of when promotions are most successful to better understand what types of deals attract your customers.
- Review abandoned carts: Look at what items people are adding to their carts but not buying. This can offer clues about pricing or other concerns.
- Look at repeat purchases: Identify which products bring customers back for more. This can give you ideas for complementary products or bundles.
- Check purchase frequency: Analyze how often your customers buy. This helps in planning subscription models or reordering reminders.
Leverage Social Proof and Reviews
People love proof that a product works before they commit to buying. Positive reviews and social proof can sway potential customers to make a purchase. Encourage your happy customers to leave reviews on your website, social media, or third-party review platforms.
Satisfied customers are usually willing to share their positive experiences, especially if you make the process easy for them. Send a follow-up email asking for their feedback and offering a small incentive for leaving a review. Showcase these testimonials prominently to build trust with new customers.
Moreover, influencer reviews can hold significant weight. Collaborate with beauty influencers who resonate with your brand values and have a following that matches your ideal customer profile. Their authentic reviews can be the final push needed for someone to decide to try your products.
- Aim for diverse reviews: Encourage reviews from different types of customers to show that your product works for a wide range of people.
- Showcase testimonials: Put glowing reviews on your website’s homepage to build trust right away.
- Reach out post-purchase: Send follow-up emails asking customers to leave reviews, and make the review process straightforward.
- Utilize influencer marketing: Collaborate with influencers whose followers resemble your target market for authentic reviews.
- Incentivize reviews: Offer discounts or small freebies for leaving detailed reviews. It encourages more people to share their experience.
