It sounds like you’ve made impressive progress with your hair care product and eCommerce store. Here’s some practical advice to help you move forward with marketing and scaling your business:

1. Reevaluate Your Influencer Strategy
Upfront Payments: Since many influencers declined profit-sharing, consider offering upfront payments or a hybrid model that combines an initial fee with a performance-based bonus.
Micro-Influencers: Try reaching out to micro-influencers (10,000 to 100,000 followers) who might be more open to collaboration, and who often have highly engaged audiences.
Product Reviews: Send samples to influencers or beauty bloggers in exchange for honest reviews, which can be a lower-cost way to generate buzz.
2. Refine Your Marketing Strategy
Target Audience: Ensure you have a clear understanding of your target audience and tailor your marketing messages to their needs and preferences.
Social Media Marketing: Utilize platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, which are popular for beauty products. Share engaging content, such as tutorials, user testimonials, and behind-the-scenes looks.
Content Marketing: Start a blog or YouTube channel offering hair care tips, which can drive traffic to your eCommerce store and establish you as an authority in the field.
3. Explore Funding and Partnerships
Crowdfunding: Platforms like Kickstarter or Indiegogo can help raise funds and create pre-launch buzz. Crowdfunding can also validate your product idea and build a community around it.
Grants and Competitions: Look for small business grants, beauty industry competitions, or startup incubators that offer funding or resources.
Strategic Partnerships: Partner with other beauty brands or retailers who align with your brand values. Cross-promotions can expand your reach.
4. Leverage Paid Advertising
PPC Ads: Use pay-per-click advertising on Google and social media to drive targeted traffic to your eCommerce store.
Retargeting Ads: Implement retargeting campaigns to reach visitors who have shown interest but didn’t make a purchase.
5. Optimize Your eCommerce Store
User Experience: Ensure your website is user-friendly, mobile-optimized, and has a smooth checkout process.
SEO: Optimize your store for search engines to improve organic traffic. Use keywords relevant to hair care and your products.
6. Build a Community
Engagement: Foster a community around your brand through social media groups or forums where users can share their experiences and provide feedback.
Customer Loyalty Programs: Implement rewards or referral programs to encourage repeat purchases and word-of-mouth marketing.
7. Seek Mentorship and Networking
Industry Mentors: Find mentors with experience in the beauty industry who can offer guidance and introduce you to valuable contacts.
Networking Events: Attend beauty and entrepreneurship events to connect with potential partners, investors, and advisors.
Summary
Reevaluate Influencer Strategies: Offer upfront payments or hybrid compensation to attract influencers.
Refine Marketing: Focus on targeted social media marketing, content creation, and paid ads.
Explore Funding: Consider crowdfunding, grants, and strategic partnerships.
Optimize Your Store: Ensure a seamless user experience and strong SEO practices.
Build Community: Engage with your audience and implement customer loyalty programs.
Seek Mentorship: Connect with industry mentors and attend relevant events.
By implementing these strategies, you can enhance your marketing efforts, attract funding and partnerships, and ultimately scale your business.