Terri Goldstein, CEO of branding company, The Goldstein Group, says packaging plays an important role in purchasing – find out how it impacts your business.
We all know (or we should) that beauty is often only skin deep. But when it comes to the packaging of beauty products, it seems our ability to look beyond the exterior falls by the wayside. Terri Goldstein, CEO of New York-based branding and packaging company, The Goldstein Group, recently presented at a conference in the US about purchasing power. And it doesn’t just apply to packaging; there are some great tips here for all salon businesses.
#1 When it comes to purchasing, women rule
Goldstein says that brands must appeal to females first. Why? Because they are not only the primary consumers, they also sway the purchasing decisions of the men in their lives. “Women shop on an exploration and buy more in one shopping trip,” says Goldstein. “While married men shop on a mission, and 92 per cent of the time ‘she’ is telling him what to get.”
The lesson: If you want your clients buying up for their husbands, relegate those men’s products from out the back and put them front-and-centre where she will see them before she leaves.
#2 Consumers have a checklist (so make sure you do too)
Brand seduction plays out in a set order, says Goldstein. “Colour is first, shape is second, symbols are third and words are last,” she says.
The lesson: Bright colours grab attention so keep sweetly shaped, good-looking products – perhaps they’re lip gloss pots or brightly patterned compact mirrors – where your clients simply cant resist.
#3 Purchase decisions are made within five seconds – so you need to make it look good!
Women are particularly affected by the look of packaging, and will make a purchase decision in a lightening-fast five seconds of viewing a product on shelf.
“You’ve got five seconds or less,” says Goldstein. “Never forget to give her strong and own-able core identifiers to talk about her brand preferences.”
The lesson: If you want to make product sales in your salon, you need to consider what they look like – and how you display them.
#4 Don’t discount touch
Packaging that encourages touch is king. “Forty-one per cent purchase a product if they touch it,” says Goldstein.
The lesson: Think about incorporating products with elements such as metallic finishes and embossing into your beauty offering.
#5 Make it relatable
Goldstein says female consumers seek products that give a realistic representation of their own lives in packaging. If that sounds hard, it is – in fact, according to Goldstein, it remains uncharted territory for most brands.
The lesson: You’ll have to look around, but if you do manage to stock products that nail the representation of “all women”, booming sales could be yours.