Many estheticians and spa owners feel overwhelmed when it comes to choosing the right skin care products for their beauty business.
Adding retail to your spa business is a great way to increase revenue but there are a ton of skincare lines on the market. How do you go about choosing the right products?
Choosing the Best Skincare Products For Your Beauty Business
There are many aspects to consider as a B2B buyer to make sure you’re not only offering the best products to your clients but also generating a profit.
Establish a set of priorities during your research to help narrow down options. For example, how important are ingredients, customer support, or training and education to you?
Take the time to do your homework and investigate each brand thoroughly. Here are some things to consider:
Do You Believe In the Brand?
The skincare brand’s philosophy should align with your own approach and who you are as an esthetician and beauty business owner.
Only carry products that you love! Otherwise, you won’t be genuinely excited and feel good about recommending home care products to your clients.
Don’t choose a product line just because every else is carrying it. Pick a skincare brand (or create your own skincare brand) that you truly believe in and don’t be afraid to stand out.
Is the Skincare Line a Match For Your Clients’ Needs?
The products you carry should match the needs of your ideal clients. Will the home care provide results in between appointments?
In addition to matching client needs and skin care, consider the price points of the skincare line. Make sure it aligns with your pricing strategy and your demographics.
Is the Skin Care Brand Reputable?
After you have shortlisted some brands, dig deeper and make sure the company you choose is reputable.
How long has the skin care brand been around? Where is it based, and where does it source the ingredients and manufacture its products?
Listen to what do other estheticians or beauty industry professionals say about it (e.g., on review sites and social media). Do some poking around in Facebook groups.
Does the Brand Want You To Win?
As an esthetician and salon/spa owner, education was extremely important to me. I believe that a skincare line should support customers with initial product knowledge training and on-going advanced education.
For example, it was vital that the skincare brand I worked with offered my team continuing education. Besides product knowledge, I value advanced classes that could help my team excel in service sales and product sales.
Look for an ongoing commitment from the vendor. Often times, just one introductory class isn’t enough to provide the long-term support you need.
Are There Additional Fees Or Conditions?
Some companies require that you order a minimum amount when opening an account. Some offer free shipping while others charge for shipping (which can add up and impact your profit.)
Others require that you order a minimum dollar amount at specific intervals to keep your account active. Consider these terms and evaluate if you are able to sell enough retail to satisfy the conditions.
Is Customer Support Responsive?
Most skin care companies have reps in the field to provide customer support. Interact with the customer care team and the reps to ensure they’re attentive before making your decision.
Field reps should check in with you regularly to offer guidance and support. Between those visits, you should be able to contact them to ask questions and request resources.
You should feel taken care of and not being treated as “just another account” regardless of your purchase volume.
What Kind of Marketing Support Do You Get?
Creating marketing and promotional material can take up a lot of time and resources, especially for solo practitioners or small businesses.
Choose a brand that helps you launch and promote your skincare line. Some companies will list your business on a directory that drives traffic to your spa.
It’s a bonus if they can provide design templates, share pre-written promotional copy, and offer monthly marketing images to use on your social channels and email campaigns.
Launching Your New Skincare Line
After you have selected the right skincare products for your business, get the word out to your community! Create excitement with your clients!
Share the news on social media and email newsletters to generate buzz and engage your clients. Issue a press release to get media attention.
You can also host a launch event to attract more foot traffic to your practice. Celebrate with special offers or bundle the products with treatment packages to promote your event.
If you enjoyed this article, we have the perfect training for you: “How To Host A Profitable Event” which is included in the Esthetician Inner Circle Membership!