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Promoting A Beauty Supply Store. Marketing Ideas?
Posted By: booboobear* on 6/13/2006 8:59 PM (CST) 500 Points
I have recently purchased a beauty supply store. The name of the store is California Beauty Source. We have completely remodeled the store and it resembles a small boutique with classic jazz in the background. The store theme has an elegant coastal look. We thought a beach theme would go along good with our name. The business card has a starfish logo with a teal and sage-green background.

The store has completely transformed since we took over. We nw have great customer service, we keep a wide selection of products (and they are always in stock), and the store’s appearance has improved. We have been getting a positive response back from customers and hear how much they like the new and improved store.

Here are some details of the store:

1: The store is somewhat hidden. It’s in the corner of a shopping center that is not visible from the street. We do have a sandwich board just outside the store.

2: Our main customer base is 40-60 year old females

3: The customers are from the surrounding neighborhood, which is well established

4: We have a frequent buyer program. I have been building a mailing list for every card redeemed.

5: We want to tap into a new customer base

6: We have three warm and friendly 20-something female employees

7: Customers have remarked that they will start coming back to the store since it is under new ownership. They say we should really advertise the new ownership, so old customers will come back.

I would love to hear any marketing ideas. Some of the advertising techniques we have done:
-Donation of products to a local school raffle.
-Label on back of giveaway samples that reads, “Bring me back used and get $1 off this product”
-Coupon on back of local grocer receipt

I would love to hear any ideas! Raffles, postcards, giveaways, birthday programs, newsletter???

My main concern is the wording. How to make these promotions sound catchy. What exactly should I write on a postcard or neighborhood newspaper ad? I’m really excited to see some ideas.

Posted by: coupon man Accepted Answer
6/13/2006 11:10 PM (CST)
I would partner with a good cooperative direct mail rep. Possibly Clipper Magazine, Money Mailer, Valpak, etc... or maybe all of them!

They will help you create a coupon ad that will drive sales. And you can track the biz the ad is bringing in to make sure it's paying for itself.

Only do the grocery store ad if the store is in your center or across the street...if it is DO IT NOW!... If not, no matter what the rep says...it won't work.
 
Posted by: coupon man Member Response
6/13/2006 11:11 PM (CST)
Also, Beauty Store Business is a great trade journal for your industry...if you don't get it, google it...subscriptions are free...and there are always great marketing ideas in there.
 
Posted by: nitto_gtehnik* Accepted Answer
6/14/2006 1:51 AM (CST)
First you can do, you can make advertisement on a magazine or newspaper and show your store's location.Remember that your store is in a hidden place.Its better that your advertisement provide with words that can persuade people to come, see, and buy your products.
As long as i know, postcard that with your comapny name not effective as a promotion tool.Its better, if you want people know about your store, be a sponsor,if there any program,you can join it.
Birthday program is very good,at least people will remember or consumer will know that youre exist.
If you have consumer database, you can send birthday card to them....(and give special price)....wow...your consumer will be very happy....Gud luck

Nitto
 
Posted by: MANSING Accepted Answer
6/14/2006 5:02 AM (CST)
Boobobear,

You have done a lot for your store and above details are excellent to figure out your business skills and ability to promote your business and customer service. After carefully analysing your business, my findings will help your business in structural manner.

As busy consumers increasingly seek to pamper themselves, business at hair salons and beauty stores are soaring and there's still plenty of room for you to get into this hot industry. What you need is Basic business skills, People skills, and Problem-solving skills.

If I do internal and external analysis for your business (SWOT – strength, weaknesses, opportunity and threats); your business is in positive shape of development. As your location is based on the corner of shopping center – what you need to do is just direct them to your store e.g., employee some one who can direct..if you employee girl..that will be the best idea. The flow of customers is mainly during weekend - target the peak time for the promotion offers.

It came to my reading that the population segment of women age 40+ is 71% larger than the 20-39 segment, and they are wealthier than any other segment. Combined, Revolutionaries and Connection Cultivators represent 49% of woman 40-60, and are the key drivers for brands seeking to reach the influential 40 woman’s marketplace;

Woman 40-60 spend an average of $250 per month on new products; Two-thirds (67%) of woman 40+ are more likely to consider a product represented by woman their age. Women 40+ are incredibly influential: 83% said younger friends, family members and co-workers regularly come to them for advice. So you need to target them very carefully.

Following slogs will help your business: for Raffles, postcards, giveaways, birthday programs, newsletter. If it is possible you can arrange: Seminars with beauty institutes, Beauty shows, point-of-purchase materials, Trade shows, college courses and adult education, salon management programme, on the air, Feature articles, submitting your manuscript and main thing is under new management concept will increase your traffic.

1. Beautiful to be simple and yet simple to be beautiful
2. Enhancing your beauty
3. Beauty is in the eye of its beholder.
4. Perfect beauty is but an illusion, but if you can feel good about yourself by enhancing your looks, you may find more joy in your life
5. beauty is a joy forever
6. A Day In The Life
7. Minding The Store
8. The Price Is Right
9. The Gift Of Beauty
10. Good As New
11. Getting The Look

I hope this will help!

Regards,

M Bhor


Try this webpage:

• http://www.marketingprofs.com/4/learned6.asp (Marketing to women)
 
Posted by: nelsonm* Accepted Answer
6/14/2006 7:50 AM (CST)
Organize a fashion show right outside the store.

Use high school students and housewives as your models. You can promote that a percentage of the sales that day/weekend/week is donated to a non-profit that appeals to your target audience.

Invite the local radio station to broadcast the main event.

Have raffles and prizes for people in the audience and invite some of them to model their fashion.
 
Posted by: mick Accepted Answer
6/14/2006 8:24 AM (CST)
I would recommend laser focus. The best way to do that is to develop marketing initiatives based strictly on business objectives. I'll assume that I've included most of them, below. If not, simply add them and follow the same process to determine well-targeted initiatives.

1. Build awareness for your shop with primary target group (F 40-60 living/working within 3-5 miles of shop).
2. Build awareness for your shop with primary target group of new management and service philosophy/attitude.
3. Maximize convenience shopper traffic related to grocer.
4. Build strong loyalty with all new customers.

Let's connect the dots:

Business Obj. #1 -
- Postcard mailer - Get a professional photograph/s of your shop with customers inside to use for all marketing efforts. Make sure they capture the warm and hip mood you described above. You'll want to pull a residential list . Don't forget the map and association to landmarks (such as the grocer). Remember that you might want to get households with 4 people + (to account for daughters still living at home).
- Coupons or invitation/coupons for grand opening (a small jazz band would be cool, budget permitting).
- If business parks or large companies in close proximity: set up a day of "free facials with purchase" and invite them to your shop and hire a few beauticians to apply only your products.

Business Obj. #2 -
- Mention "under new service-driven management" in all materials.
- Banner with "Grand Opening . New Management"

Business Obj. #3
- With grocer's permission, set up product display and hand out coupons for product discounts/free product demonstrations or facials at your shop. Hold a fashion show at peak traffic hours in the parking lot.

Business Obj. #4
- Consider an online e-commerce site, where customers can order, then have their orders ready for pickup when they arrive. After a certain amt. of purchase, they get an online coupon to print out or apply to their purchase.

Contact me if you would like assistance with implementing any of these initiatives at www.danskincreative.com
 
Posted by: rbauman* Accepted Answer
6/14/2006 10:04 AM (CST)
I would set up a promotional campaign to reward current customers for referrals. Give something (discount, free sample...?) to the new customer coming in on a referral as well as to the current customer providing the referred customer.

If you have access to an old customer list, send a mailing to them to let them know the store is under new management and you've missed their business. Offer them something to get them back.

I recommend you focus on creating some compelling reason for new people to come in.
 
Posted by: Gus Ferreira* Accepted Answer
6/14/2006 1:40 PM (CST)
You may want to do some research for your draw radius and see how many new moms are around. New Moms in many instances get isolated with no place to go because the job can be a little overwhelming and it's tough to get around with an infant in tow. Furthermore, many new moms would love to meet other new moms in the neighborhood for future playmates, etc.

You can conduct small seminars for new moms on new baby products, beauty products for new moms, skin care for newborns and infants or anything that may be of interest to new moms.

This will give moms a baby friendly place to go and meet other moms in the neighborhood as well a making you a resource; besides, they may bring the grandmothers as well.

A little grassroots research with a few new moms can go a long way and will cost you virtually nothing.

hope this helps
 
Posted by: Chad Kerlegan* Accepted Answer
6/14/2006 3:08 PM (CST)
booboobear,

Congrats on the business and your current success.
Listen to your current customers and take notes. They're already telling you something.

Gosh, the ideas here make me want to buy a little-under performing super boutique.

Take statistics on everything...i.e. monday we had 30 people walk-in and 5 purchased x product. tuesday we had 15 people walk in and sold 3 of them...and so on

Do this over a month or 2 long period to get your base performance. You'll notice some trends developing. That's info you can use.

If you had a 25%-35% increase in daily traffic, can you handle it? If no, then rethink your game plan.

Let's try to sell more to current walk-in customers. "How about fries with that." Out of 100 prospects if 10 are buying now, let's get that up to 11-12. You sell more and it doesn't require more ad money. And then get the order size up another few bucks...if 10 customers now spend on average $20, it would = $200.00...but if you get 12 customers per 100, now you've earned $240.00...and if you increase the order amount by 2 bucks...you made $264.00..this is basically getting more out of what you have.

But your main question was wording in the ads...what's the "why" of your sale? Answer that question each time and create something around it to make it more believable...or more fun and cool.

"My Husband calls me booboobear after a night of grizzly wrestling...he smelled my new perfume"

"Learn the secrets of a little beauty store owner, who's husband is still in love with her, even after he found out what's wrong"

"California Beauty Supply offers women a chance to be themselves"

"Sometimes more is better...at California Beauty Supply you get 2 for 1"

Keep doing what you're doing and...and please keep us informed on your successes.

Ciao
Chad
 
Posted by: cvhackel* Accepted Answer
6/14/2006 8:49 PM (CST)
I live in Manhattan, am in my late 20s, and my wife could shop in Bloomingdales and Saks 5th Avenue blindfolded. So I won't give a comprehensive answer, but will throw in my NYC 2 cents, w/o knowing your customer demographics too well.

1) No no no on coupons. Especially from a grocery store! Upbrand. Be elegant and somewhat elitist (in a Starbucks way). Coupons means Payless to me.
2) You seem to have a disconnect between your sales force and customers. Either grow your whole market by putting the warm 20-somethings to work helping you get a younger customer base in the store, or hire more knowledgable salespeople closer to the age range of your customers.
3) FREE MAKEOVERs for crying out loud! I don't know if anyone mentioned it above, but every single beauty store that I know of has sales people that wrestle women into chairs to give them a free application of makeup. And EVERYONE feels like they must buy after they've been given something for free.
4) Give them a glass of wine with the makeover! Who in the world wouldn't go to your store for that? Jazz, glass of wine, makeup: you just sold $1000 of product to my wife.

Finally, read this article and thank me later. It costs $6. It's more than worth it:
http://harvardbusinessonline.hbsp.harvard.edu/b01/en/common/item_detail.jht...

Email me with questions or if you want help with an online marketing campaign.
 
Posted by: deedee Accepted Answer
6/15/2006 2:50 PM (CST)
Free Makeovers on the beach - have these sessions on some days in the week and advertise these in the local newspapers.
 
Posted by: carrie77 Moderator Response
6/23/2006 6:50 AM (CST)
Hello Everyone,

I am closing this question since there has been no activity in over a week.

Thanks for participating!
Carrie (Production Editor)
 


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