6 Strategies for Cosmetics Companies to Improve Customer Experience

The beauty care industry continues to grow as women all over the world buy makeup and skincare products. According to the Global Beauty Care Market (2014-2018) report, the beauty industry generated a revenue worth 379 billion US dollars in 2013 and this is expected to reach $461 billion by the year 2018. With so many different brands available, companies that sell cosmetics have to regularly come up with new ideas to stand out among the competition and attract new customers. Here are some tips that will help you win lifelong customers by offering great customer experience!

Have Well Informed and Trained Employees Who Can Offer Suggestions

Nothing is more frustrating than having to deal with a sales person who has no knowledge of the product. It is, therefore, essential to train employees and make sure that they are well-versed in products the company has to offer. An ill-informed employee can often cost the brand more than just money. For example, if a customer requests a product and is simply turned away without the employees attempting to locate it or giving a satisfactory answer or option, this will leave a bad impression and could even alienate the customer forever who might spread negative word about the company.

All customer care representatives should have complete knowledge of the product inventory and should be aware when a new product will be available. The representative must understand the benefits of the products being sold and be able to assist customers if they have questions. For example, when selling a compact powder suggestions can be made to the customers based on their skin type and tone. The representative must also be able to suggest what suits and looks good on the customer. Tutorials can be performed to help the customers understand how a particular product works and gives results. All these efforts not only improve the customer experience but are also likely to increase sales.

Make Your Store Visually Appealing

Since cosmetics are all about beauty, the counters at retail stores should be reflective of this and should have a fresh feel to them while being aesthetically appealing to the customers. An ideal store would have a consultation area or a makeover area where customers can sit and discuss their problems while the sales experts assist them in making product choices. Everything should be displayed tastefully and should give off a luxurious feel to make the customers feel pampered. The lighting, especially should be right for the customers to be able to choose shades with ease, it should also add to the overall beauty of the store. Similarly comfortable seats should be arranged and the looking mirrors in the store should not be too high or too low for customer comfort. All these efforts would make the customer feel special and he/she would certainly want to visit again.

Have an Interactive App, Offer Online Reviews and Videos

Most customers use the internet to read reviews about products before they invest in them. The current consumer market is heavily dominated by cosmetics bloggers and in order to sell to your target audience, brands have to put in extra effort by providing customers all the details of a product and also by generating the right hype. Your company can send free samples to famous bloggers and ask them to post reviews after using the products.

Videos of makeup tutorials as well as interviews with makeup experts should be added to the company website and social media pages which help customers in understanding the latest trends and new techniques. MAC cosmetics has a range of videos present on their website. Some of these videos help customers learn how to apply makeup while others offer product recommendations and tips for the customers.

Having an interactive app is a great idea for updating customers about new products, promotions, sales and getting their feedback. Different features can also be added to the app which enables customers to try different makeup looks in a virtual medium. L’Oreal’s app for example has generated a lot of hype and allows customers to apply makeup to themselves and view it with different expressions.

Arrange Product Launch Events and Create Exciting Campaigns

The beauty industry has to constantly come up with interesting campaigns for boosting sales and attracting new customers. For instance, a brand could arrange an event where customers could come in and interact with makeup artists and skincare specialists. When shopping for makeup, a lot of people are motivated by their surroundings so close attention has to be given to arrangements.

Campaigns are the perfect way to gain new members and also drive current customers to invest in more products. Brands can ask popular makeup experts to create specific looks using brand products, this will not only help customers learn to create a new look but will also drive them to invest in the recommended products. Brands can also use social media to create contests where customers can actively participate, customers can be asked to come up with different looks using the brand’s makeup which can then be marketed with reference to the customer. You can run a poll for the best look created by a customer and whoever gets the most votes can be given a gift basket with the latest products from the company.

Involve Customers and Make them Your Brand Ambassadors

Many customers rely on the advice of their peers when making a purchase decision. McKinsey & Company published a study which suggested that word of mouth generates up to twice as much sales as compared to paid advertising. Sephora has created a section on their website called BeautyTalk where customers can share their opinions about products and can also exchange makeup tips and techniques. Forums like these not only help customers make educated decisions but companies can also gain valuable feedback about their product lines.

While we see several celebrities endorsing beauty care products, brands can also have their loyal and repeat customers be their brand ambassadors. Customers as ambassadors would not only make them feel special but will also create the right kind of publicity. Regular customers are mostly fiercely loyal to their choice of brand and can do a good job at convincing others around them. They can be offered incentives for this such as, discount coupons, exclusive event invites and occasional gifts.

Use loyalty Programs to Woo Customers

Various brands have loyalty programs which are aimed at pleasing the regular customers and offering them incentives to ensure their loyalty. Special discounts should be given to regular customers as this would not only make their experience memorable but will also compel them to share the news with their friends and family. This helps in creating positive word of mouth for the company.

Sephora for example, has different levels which customers have to reach to be inducted in a new level. There are three levels basically, Beauty Insider being the first level, which requires you to spend $350 in a year and the customer is then entitled to a birthday gift, free beauty classes, product rewards and seasonal promotions. As the clients get promoted to the next level the overall incentives increase.

Loyalty programs can help businesses build a more significant relationship with their customers and would, in the long run, help them increase their clientele.