Hello everyone. I’m hoping someone can point me in the right direction and help me figure out what I may be doing wrong. I will also post my website below.
I started my natural skincare business Feb. 2022 and it started out ok. Sold to a few family members and friends. Roughly about 20 sales over the course of three months. Since then, business has been terrible. I have re-done my site (opted for a more simple/fresh layout as advised), added chat, added sms bump, send out texts and emails weekly, offer 2 different discounts, been using google ads (5 running at the moment), re-created pictures to look more professional, and I work on SEO everyday to ensure everything is working fine etc. I have 40-70 visits a day with no sales. Not sure if I’m drowned out by the rest of the beauty world or I’m simply doing something wrong. I would appreciate ANY help right now. Thanks!
Hey there, I would love to help offer some insight here.
First of all, I want to commend you for your hard work on your business. Your website is beautiful, sleek and professional. I can see that you’ve done a lot correctly and there is a ton of potential here, so please don’t let the lack of sales get you down! I don’t think the product and content is the issue.
I believe when it comes to the beauty products, which is already a very saturated market, that the key is to find a niche within the beauty world and to stand out with your branding. All of your amazing marketing efforts are going to fall short if your products aren’t reaching your optimal consumers.
You are already well on your way as far as a niche, as it didn’t take me long at all to figure out that your product promotes natural ingredients - which is wonderful! How are you determining and targeting your market? Have you determined whether you’re selling to a younger or older demographic? Some research into the type of consumer who would appreciate a product like this will be of great benefit.
For a product like yours, social media marketing is going to make a huge difference. Check out all of the benefits of utilizing Facebook and Instagram to market your business here.
This is where you should put some research into the right hashtags which are going to put your products under the right eyes! I suggest find a hashtag generator online, inputting a key tag like #naturalmakeup and seeing what other relevant tags are generated for you. Now you can start using these hashtags to build an Instagram feed. Instagram will also suggest people to follow, which will help you start building a community of like-minded individuals, consumers and businesses.
From here, you can go in many directions! In the beauty industry, collaborating with other small businesses to run contests and giveaways is a great way to get your name and product out there. Additionally, finding a like-minded Influencer to try and promote your products can be hugely beneficial and also offers the potential of going a little viral. This link will get you started with how to utilize influencer marketing - though it’s important to establish a healthy instagram feed first.
Another quick tip is to utilize things like Instagram templates to help elevate your brand and aesthetic on Instagram - there is no easier way to achieve a very polished and professional feed. You can google thousands of templates - here is just one example from Etsy.
As far as your branding, it’s beautiful. Simple, clean and conveys the right message. What can you think of to help you stand out among other natural beauty brands? What sets you apart? Or, what can you add to your existing mission statement and product line to give yourself a unique edge?
It could be things like unique packaging with a special touch like a free gift, (people, especially influencers LOVE awesome packaging which lends itself to a great unboxing video). Check out some design examples and tips for memorable unboxing experiences here.
Maybe it can be a play on your business name and you can market a little bit to coffee lovers or promote a special gift set during the holidays for that special coffee lover in someone’s life. This is an awesome way to promote to niche groups (like those enthusiastic gift givers) with the use of finely tuned SEO. This includes blog posting!
These are just some ideas to help inspire you. I’d love to know your thoughts on what I suggested above! There are many, many ways to increase sales on Shopify, but I believe with a product like yours, you can’t go wrong making connections and collaborations in the intertwined beauty and social media worlds.
If I can clarify any of the above or if you have any more questions - I’m here to help!
Thank you sooo much for your response! I’m glad you like my site. I was hoping it was eye-catching since I’ve changed it twice and definitely put in a lot of work making it what it is now.
I definitely agree on the social media aspect, but that is one thing I don’t think I can quite push myself to do. I started off with social media and got visits but for years I have slowly shied away from it for personal reasons. I’m totally fine with other ways, maybe even YouTube and the influencers, but Facebook and Instagram may not be ideal for me at the moment (hopefully in the near future!)
The free gift and coffee have honestly been some things I’ve thought about. I’ve actually always dreamed of a coffee area/small eatery aside of my fashion/beauty store lol This would be a great way to incorporate it with my brand.
I look forward to networking with other businesses and putting my brand out there. This may be the missing piece. I’m relieved to know I’m on the right track. Just under a year in and I don’t want to either over spend or completely give up. My products are honestly amazing and ide hate for them to go overlooked.
Thank you again!!
Thanks! What do you recommend when it comes to social media? I personally stopped social media a few months ago and was hoping I can focus on other ways of marketing. If I can have someone else do it for me that would be awesome! Lol
I’m so glad I was able to reassure you that you’re on the right track!
I can definitely understand your hesitancy with taking the plunge into the IG world, as it can be pretty overwhelming and take a lot of work and time. Something you can try is just passively building an instagram feed and when you are ready to promote, you can re-use the content and start adding hashtags. This way, the hard part is over and you can just get right into it!
Another option to consider would be hiring a social media manager. You can browse our Expert Marketplace for a list of trusted experts in the field. Although this would be a more significant up-front investment, there are a lot of experts available at a variety of costs and it will all depend on the size of the job you need done.
I love that you already thought about incorporating free gifts and leveraging your business with the coffee element - you definitely have the entrepreneur mindset to reach success.
I’m excited for you and your journey! Keep going and don’t ever hesitate to contact us for help and advice, we are always here to help, cheer you on and support you.