Make Your Brand Stand Out
Congrats! You’ve launched your hair brand! You’ve just cracked one hundred sales at your store or e-commerce business. You’re feeling on top of the world; then you slowly notice your business dwindling. What’s next? Do you throw in the towel? Before you close up shop, think, what keeps you going back to purchase from your favorite boutiques, hair vendors or food establishments? It is both the quality and quantity that make brands consumers favorites. So take out your pencils and take note of how you can get consumers to become loyal, frequent
customers with your brand.
Image Is Everything!
I know that many say that image is not everything, and that’s true, except when it comes to business. You already know some things about business assuming that you have made some sales, this is just a brush-up. First and foremost, to before you can get a repeat customer, you must first obtain a customer! The critical steps in
attracting traffic to your business are having a reliable brand, have a stable brand image. An image is what you want consumers to think of when they see your name. As a business, you should have a few key things.
Logo
Your
logo is a critical component to building your image. A logo lets a consumer identify you quickly, anywhere, anytime. Think of McDonald’s golden arches or even how the BeyHive leaves bee emoji everywhere. Your logo can be a picture or words, or a combination of both. Be careful not to get a logo confused with a slogan. For instance, Burger King’s image is the BK circle, and their slogan is ‘Have it your way.’ A logo is on everything that is attached to your business.
Website
A
website is necessary because it allows for individuals to order bundles, closures, and everything under the sun that your company has to offer. The site functions as a means of general information, photographs and adds credibility to your hair brand. A website is an excellent place to build upon your overall branding.
Social Media
Social media such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are creating tools that can
promote your business. Each of these websites allows an opportunity for you to create a brand image for your hair company. Example: Private Label Extensions has a website, Facebook and Instagram page, that includes all of their information and branding photos. The brand image of Private Label Extensions expands when people can view the posts and the interaction between the company and others. People can see the glamorous pictures or the gifts of the hair created or sewn to the weft in the factory. These posts enhance the image that Private Label Extensions have of being an elite hair company and providing customers with
quality virgin hair. Figure out what your image will be and work towards things that enhance that image.
Take Advantage of Your Platforms
Remember our mini-lesson on the importance of image? Here’s where you can see tangible reasons to having a logo, a website, and social media. Besides slathering a pretty picture across the internet, being available on each platform affords you the opportunity to advertise your company and connect with consumers.
Where’s The Website?
Websites are essential and are great for both
advertising and connecting with consumers. You can leave all of your social media handles here, where people can easily maneuver through all of your internet connections.
The website is a place to add multiple plugins that will allow you to connect with new and returning customers. Include space on your site where customers can sign up for electronic newsletters, and forums. Updates on sales and new items will help create buzz around the website and entice consumers to purchase hair available. Creating a newsletter or helpful updates will allow the customers to feel connected to your brand. Newsletters enable the customers to be up to date on sales, new hair lengths and textures, and specials. Forums are areas where the discussion may take place. Running a business is tough, and while you should aim to correct and address every question or issue, for the times that you cannot an open discussion area could prove very helpful. A forum is a place where fellow consumers can discuss problems or express excitement. It is useful because customers will always have a way to contact the site, retrieve answers or encourage others to shop.
Utilize the Social Media
Social Media is a great place to make a connection with customers and entice them to buy with you. Posting frequently on social media keeps your products in the public eye. Post things that are relevant to your hair company. Posts that showcase the softness, versatility, and wear of your hair are fantastic. Posts such as videos of the hair installed, customer feedback and clean, organized hair are great ways to draw attention. Customers, both old and new, enjoying seeing others showcase hair. No
marketing strategy is more efficient than word of mouth or word of a post! Be sure to create a hashtag, and encourage all those who purchase your hair or hair care products to use it, tag you in posts or submit their pictures for reposting. Posting frequently and
creating a social presence expands your audience to both your followers and theirs, as well as people searching the hashtags. For instance, #PrivateLabelExtensions #HairBranding #HairBusiness are all top hashtags tagged in a post and searched. These allow past posts or any relating information to be pulled to the top, even if people are not aware of your business, they are now.
Image, Social Media, Advertise (Ready, Set, Go!)
Got your image? Check. Social media and a website? Check. Advertising, check, check and check! Advertising is not merely placing ads, though all the social media platforms have a business ad posting option, as well as your free posts, it is about visibility and deals. You have the website traffic, followers, and friends which is the visibility. Now, you need the sales!
Bundle deals are the rave with many hair companies. While many switches up the lengths such as offering 20,22,24 inch hair as a group at a lower price than per bundle, your bundle deals can include anything you want. Try to come up with deals that are good for your business and great for your customers. For instance, any three bundles, any length, and closure is a great deal, at any price. Your bundle deals can also include closures and frontals.
Offer Deals and Rewards
Besides bundle deals, on your social media and website, you can advertise signing up for your newsletter. Then post one of your old-exclusive newsletter deals to get people interested. If you ran an
exclusive deal in December that mailed in your newsletter was buy three bundles get a closure for free or a frontal half off, post this in January and tell people how it was a newsletter exclusive! Offer direct incentives for signing up for the newsletters. This method kills two birds with one stone. You are drawing people into your sale, and getting them set up to receive updates and potentially shop in you're next sale! Talk about deals. We love companies like
MailChimp that allow you to have up to 2,000 subscribers for free! Offer a rewards or referral program for loyal, returning customers. Coupons or special rewards like discounts on bundles or free shipping will encourage people to spread the word about your hair company. Additionally, a rewards/referral program builds the relationship between your company and the consumer, showing appreciation for their business and support.
Change What?!
Do not be afraid to change up. If your hair business seems to be losing steam, do not be scared to take risks. Try out a new color scheme, get samples from
different vendors, bring new people onto your team. Change is not the enemy. It can bring out improvements and highlight flaws in a system. Change when necessary.
Have a great product!
A great product is a no-brainer, but it cannot go unsaid. Be sure that your hair is quality! All the advertising and imaging in the world cannot hold up if the product is not as advertised or better. Test out new additions before selling them and have a close, and honest relationship with your wholesale hair vendor. Private Label Extensions has a
great wholesale program! Be sure to keep hair in stock. Customers often order hair in advance, but they also request last minute! You never know where or when your next customer will come. Try to keep hair in stock, or if you are a small business, on hand. Be prepared. If that seems to be difficult, try to have restocked days that are known to your customers.
How May I Help You?
Excellent customer service is last but not least! Customer service should be a top priority to keep any business functioning smoothly. Customers want to feel appreciated and understood. Most customers will be understanding when it comes to mistakes or delays as long as a company communicates. Provide customers with feedback, whether via forum, comments, messages or calls. When customers reach out, it can seem a bit daunting or repetitive, but rule number one is that the customer comes first. Freely and efficiently give information about lengths, styles, coloring options and textures. What may be common knowledge to you can be new to someone else. Be proactive when responding to questions or inquiries, you never know, this could be your next sale.
Be Active
Consumers need to know when to expect their packages. Provide hair shipping information as quickly as possible. Additionally, be sure to communicate any delays or changes when it comes to shipping or hair availability. Posting often will keep people updated and prove useful for business. Try not to let issues get out of hand. Frequently check your website, social media and your email for messages or comments from your customers. Consider being active by
offering a contest to build up your engagement.
Be A Listener
Listen to what customers want! Listening means adapting to the suggestions or prompting of your customers. These are the people buying and wearing or using what your hair business has to offer. Add new lengths, or exclusive lengths of 30 inches, if you are receiving tons of requests. Change up
your methods of shipping; the box causes the hair to tangle? Try using a
silk packaging bag like those available on Private Label Extension that can be branded with your logo. If all of your customers are requesting products like bonnets, shampoo, hair cling, or
edge control, attempt to add those items to your website. Listen to the needs and wants of your customers and watch your business boom.
Be understanding
There are a million things that can go wrong. Every sale will not go along without a hitch. The key is to communicate and be understanding with your customers. Offer solutions that work with your policies. For instance, if your company does not do exchanges or refunds, but your customer reports a bad experience, find a way to accommodate them. Offer the customer a discount on a future purchase, give away a free closure or frontal customization. Attempt to address the problem swiftly and with a firm but understanding approach.
Be positive and patient!
The best way to get new customers to shop with you and old customers to return is to be optimistic and confident in your products. A professional look, good reviews and timely service are all
ways to generate business. Private Label Extensions has over 20,000 followers on Instagram and counting. However, they have put in the work. Private Label Extensions has a website, a blog, a podcast and are in every form of social media. This hair company has hundreds of posts of their customer service center, their hair inventory and their customers wearing their extensions. They post updates daily and respond to comments.
Work, Build, Gain
Do not be shy about posting, seeking out customers or looking for advice. Be consistent and understand that business will not surge overnight. It takes diligence and patience to build a thriving hair company, and to keep people coming back for more! Comment below and share with us ways you are looking to make your brand set apart and make your consumers loyal customers!
