Why should your beauty brand implement omnichannel marketing?

 

The dependence on shopping at a brick and mortar is no more mainly due to technological advances such as online stores and marketplaces. Let’s also give an honorary mention to the Covid-19 pandemic for increasing online shopping. As our lives become more integrated, whether you are purchasing a car, clothes, hair, or cosmetics, the way we connect and purchase with brands has changed and will continue to. Some beauty brands have taken note of these changes and have adjusted their strategies, and others are just now getting on board or lagging. Listed below is what this blog will explain.

• What is omnichannel marketing?
• Beauty brands that have benefited from implementing an omnichannel strategy.
• Why should your beauty brand implement omnichannel marketing?

 

What is Omnichannel Marketing?

First things first, what is omnichannel marketing? “Omni-channel, also spelled omnichannel, is a lead nurturing and user engagement approach in which a company gives access to their products, offers, and support services to customers or prospects on all channels, platforms, and devices.” (Fontanella, 2021)

An omnichannel experience provides the same experience for all customers regardless of how or where a customer decides to connect with the company. The experience should be integrated and cohesive. So, whether the customer purchases from the store or online, the shopping experience should feel seamless.

Omnichannel vs. Multi-channel

Sometimes people identify these strategies interchangeably, but it is essential to know the differences between omnichannel and multi-channel marketing.

• Omnichannel marketing uses customer-centric strategies, ensuring the brand’s messages adapt to the customer’s needs and the methods they choose to communicate with.
• Multi-channel marketing focuses on using multiple channels to communicate with customers, but not necessarily in a cohesive manner.

Beauty brands that have benefited from implementing an omnichannel strategy.

How brands market their products and/or services has changed drastically over the last decade. With the rapid technological advances, changes will continue to be most prevalent digitally. A few beauty brands have updated their strategies using a customer-centric approach. However, keep in mind omnichannel marketing does not look the same for every company.

1. Ulta – Provides artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR), online booking, and a cohesive digital experience.
2. Sephora – Provides a superior customer experience since merging their brick and mortars with digital technology. Also, launched the Beauty Bag, which informed and recommended products based on searches and implemented AR software to allow customers to try on the product using technology.
3. Glossier – Utilizes user-generated content. “For beauty consumers, being able to see the desired product applied to ‘real people’ can lead to an instant purchase decision for one specific product.” (Coleman, 2021) Featuring their customers on their website increased sales. People who read Into the Gloss are 40% more likely to purchase products than people who only visit Glossier, building a better connection for the blog readers to make sure they became Glossier clients through the website.

Why should your beauty brand implement omnichannel marketing?

Placing the customer at the business center is more important now than ever. Technology has had its pros, but there have been some cons. Although many channels allow us to be connected even when we are not physically present, it does not take the place of human contact. Therefore, companies must implement strategies to make the customer feel like they are receiving the same experience, whether they are walking into a store or clicking online.

Beauty brands used to rely on consultations where the customer would have to come into the store or salon to have their skin or hair examined for the consulter to recommend a product or service. Of course, those days are far and few, but it should still be an option and not eliminated because of AR to create a seamless customer experience.

 

Conclusion

Companies should be aware that every channel does not benefit every company, and it is imperative to research and analyze data to find out what channels work best. There are also many ways to create an omnichannel experience, so be mindful to utilize strategies beneficial to your industry. Making customers the primary focus is vital because there is no business to run without them. So, make sure you are providing them with an exceptional experience. You will earn their loyalty because they will trust that your company will deliver what they need no matter the channel or method they choose to communicate.

Are you considering or have already implemented omnichannel or multi-channel marketing efforts for your hair, cosmetic, or beauty brand? What technologies do you plan to use or are already using to manage these marketing strategies? Be sure to leave a comment and share your expertise or curiosity.

 

References

Coleman, A. (2021, March 18). Digital marketing for the beauty industry: Top 5 trends. VERB Brands. https://verbbrands.com/news/thoughts/top-5-digital-markeing-trends-in-the-beauty-industry/

Fontanella, C. (2021, November 23). What is omni-channel? 20 top omni-channel experience examples. HubSpot Blog | Marketing, Sales, Agency, and Customer Success Content. Retrieved January 20, 2022, from https://blog.hubspot.com/service/omni-channel-experience

Sung, J. (2021, January 27). Awesome Omnichannel marketing examples for beauty brands. LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/awesome-omnichannel-marketing-examples-beauty-brands-jay-sung/