Question
For some context, I’ve just launched a personalized hair care guide for women and set up an eCommerce store for it. I’ve done everything on my own, from product creation to building the store, and started reaching out to influencers to help promote it. They liked the guide, but when I offered a profit-sharing model instead of upfront payments, many declined or didn’t respond.
Now, I’m looking for some guidance, potential funding support, or even a partnership to bring this project to life. If someone here is interested, I’d be happy to share the guide for a closer look, and if you find it worthwhile, I’d greatly appreciate assistance in marketing and scaling this.
Any advice or support would mean a lot!
Answer
It’s exciting that you've launched your personalized hair care guide and built your eCommerce store! It sounds like you’ve laid a strong foundation by handling product creation and outreach yourself, but now you're looking for ways to effectively market and scale.
Here are some suggestions to help:
1. Revamp Your Influencer Strategy
Offer Hybrid Compensation: Instead of just profit-sharing, consider offering a smaller upfront fee along with profit-sharing. This can make the offer more attractive to influencers who might be wary of performance-based compensation alone.
Focus on Micro-Influencers: Larger influencers often charge high fees, but micro-influencers (with 10k–50k followers) can be more affordable and often have more engaged audiences. They may also be more open to collaborative payment structures like profit-sharing.
2. Use User-Generated Content (UGC)
Encourage customers to share photos, videos, and testimonials about your product. Offering small incentives like discounts or features on your page in exchange for content can be a cost-effective way to build trust and social proof.
3. Partner with Beauty or Hair Care Platforms
Partnering with beauty or self-care platforms could help you gain visibility. For example, platforms like Allure or Byrdie often feature new brands, and collaboration with them can introduce your product to a wider audience.
4. Leverage Paid Advertising
Start experimenting with targeted ads on platforms like Instagram or TikTok, where beauty and hair care content thrives. These platforms allow you to specifically target your ideal customers based on demographics, interests, and behaviors.
5. Explore Funding Options
For funding support, consider reaching out to angel investors or applying to pitch competitions and grants focused on female entrepreneurs or the beauty industry. Platforms like iFundWomen or Crowdfunder could also help you raise funds while building your brand.
6. Partnership Opportunities
Consider partnerships with hair salons, beauty boxes, or even subscription services like Birchbox. These platforms can introduce your product to new customers in exchange for a percentage of sales.
If you'd like more in-depth support, I'd be happy to help brainstorm more ideas for free and you can use this link to book some time https://clarity.fm/chris-wilson1/about436
Best of luck with your journey!
