Can beauty brands survive outside viral moments?

In the trend-led beauty industry, where big players’ mega-budgets can buy the time and attention of zillion-follower influencers, how can small and medium sized brands hope to compete? At Cosy Cottage, a natural beauty, skincare and bathing company based locally in Malton, North Yorkshire, founder Clara Challoner Walker cites creativity, authenticity, agility and a relentless focus on customer loyalty as the keys to survival.

For smaller brands with tight budgets; trying to copy the big players’ approach and chasing high profile endorsements, in an environment as competitive as ours, is hopeless. To gain customers’ attention we need to work harder and give them something different; offering a more tailored, more personal, more caring and more authentic proposition. Instead of pursuing costly follows and likes, we prioritise growing a loyal, long term followership and a cadre of supportive micro-influencers, delighted to test out potential new products and provide exposure.

Trust beats trends

Customers that buy into trends tend to be fickle, making this audience unreliable for sustainable growth. Retaining existing customers is critical, so building trust is at the heart of small and medium beauty brands’ success. To do this, focus on transparency. We are open about our science-led approach, our ingredients and the research behind them. On the ‘phone from our Malton workshops and in our Malton, Market Place store, our team can confidently explain to customers what our products can do for their skin and health and importantly, what they can’t. Don’t make unsubstantiated claims – too many make product claims simply to align with trending hashtags – and never ‘greenwash’. This is fundamental to building the long term, trusting relationships smaller brands need. Big brands may have the resilience to put a foot wrong occasionally but if a smaller company loses customers’ trust, it’s hard to recover.

Personality prevails

Smaller brands like our can shine by showing customers the people behind the brand rather than ‘corporate goo’. Through newsletters, podcasts, website and social platforms, customers can get to know our founder’s story and the family, friends and colleagues involved. Virtual interactions are strengthened with in-person contact, achieved when customers visit the store or take part in workshops and events. We also head out countrywide to visit organisations, media, schools and groups who are interested in hearing about us.

Listen

Listening to our customer community, rather than just telling them about ourselves, is critical. With fewer layers of management in a smaller organisation, customer voices can be heard, their reviews and comments are responded to and their ideas considered by the decision makers. As our time to market for new products and fragrances is a fraction of that of larger brands we can react to feedback quickly and that’s a real benefit we can and do utilise.   

The news is good and the future bright for small and medium-sized beauty brands. We don’t have the big budgets but we don’t need to try and beat the corporates at their own game. By prioritising authenticity to build customer loyalty and by leveraging our creativity and agility, there’s plenty of room in this growing industry. 

To find out more, drop into Cosy Cottage at 17 Market Place, Malton YO17 7LP. Call 01653 693555 or visit cosycottagesoap.co.uk.