Now that the summer is winding down to a close, it’s time to start thinking about getting ducks in a row for holiday launches. With so much noise in the space it can be hard to stand out. Here are our top tips for dominating a holiday beauty launch:
Seeding product to influencers is fairly common practice, so with the rush of packages from all kinds of brands, an unboxing experience is key to standing out (and getting more exposure). People want to show off cool packages and the initial introduction with a new product is a make-or-break experience and potential recommendation.
We know that using influencers is fundamental to a good beauty launch. But having one big name post about a new product isn’t enough. Plan to tap influencers of all sizes on all platforms. This is the best way to reach the largest relevant audience and create a palpable buzz around a new product. “Seeing something everywhere” is a great way to cut through the noise and getting consumers interested.
Influencers are influencers because they know what kind of content will resonate with their audience, i.e. your potential customers. Plan to use footage from Youtube videos or Instagram stories in your paid digital ads. This makes your content feel more authentic and is a big cost-saver over traditional studio photography.
We know that reviews provide social proof which ultimately drive sales. While brands build their influencer armies for holiday, they should consider requesting product reviews on key retailer sites. Influencers are trendsetters in the beauty space and their thoughtful opinions on products can be helpful for top-of-funnel social campaigns and bottom-of-funnel retailer reviews.
There are few things consumers love more than a free sample. The benefits of getting product into consumers hands is often enough to drive sales, but combining a sampling campaign with a follower growth initiative ensures brands get the most bang for their buck. We recommend an influencer campaign to drive sample sign ups with the CTA of following the brand. Between email opt-ins, new social followers, and allowing potential customers to test the product, the brand is well-positioned to move consumers through the sales pipeline.
