Whilst there’s no magic bullet to charting your brand’s course to icon status, there are a few fundamentals that some beauty brands just getting started tend to overlook. But scaling beauty brands can master the art of brand building with a few foundational strategies. Here are some thought starters to help put the foundations in place;

01. Craft a crystal clear brand proposition:
Necessaire's perfectly defined brand proposition helps it deliver razor sharp messaging, time after time.

A beauty brand’s proposition might be mistaken for its tagline. Yet, it's much more than that – it's a compelling statement that highlights the unique value a brand brings to the table, and clarifies why customers should choose your brand over the rest. Consider it as the solemn promise your brand makes to its audience.

With your proposition down pact, the work of your wordsmiths or creatives is that much better. It fosters a shared language and a unified vision. Brands that have truly mastered their proposition have the upper hand, enabling them to craft clever copy that expresses their core message in a multitude of fresh new ways.

02. Bring an unmistakable brand voice
Fenty Beauty doesn't sound like everyone else. Their tone of voice echoes the raw energy and confident authenticity of Rihanna herself.

All brands may not need a brand voice as sassy a Fenty Beauty, but a brand's voice is a vital part of its identity. To develop a brand's tone of voice, you need to begin by clearly defining your brand's personality, its ethos, and the emotions you wish to spark in your audience when they interact with your brand.

03. Captivate with brand campaigns:
Estrid's brand campaigns focus on what they stand for, not what they sell, making their brand more distinct in the market.

For beauty brands with sky high ambitions, it's so important to carve time out in your marketing calendars dedicated to brand building campaigns. These are moments to showcase who you are and what your brand stands for. In the fiercely competitive beauty market, differentiating yourself becomes crucial for growth.

The power of brand campaigns to differentiate is exemplified by the Swedish personal care brand Estrid, that stand 'for human beauty'. The personal care brand stands tall in the often generic razor marketplace. They’ve managed to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary through unique brand campaigns that amplify their brand values.

4. Build community with values aligned activations:
Rare Beauty engages their community with events that amplify their brand values.

Community building is the cornerstone of brand loyalty. A deliberate investment in initiatives to unite your customer base fosters a sense of belonging. It's through these shared experiences that can truly cultivate your tribe and solidify meaningful relationships with your customers. It’s important to challenge yourself to consider how much you could be investing in nurturing your community, when you think about how much you invest in gifting influencers and media for PR.

5. Master brand storytelling:
Then I Met You weave brand storytelling throughout the customer journey to create an emotional connection with their audience.

Stories are the threads that weave the fabric of our humanity, and there's an underlying science that explains our innate fascination with them. It turns out, when a story strikes a chord within us, our levels of oxytocin, also known as the "feel-good hormone," surge. This hormone stimulates feelings of trust, compassion, and empathy. Successful brands harness this powerful connection, using it to cultivate a base of engaged and dedicated fans. As a brand leader, it's paramount that you weave unique and relatable narratives throughout every aspect of your brand's activities.

In summary, by focusing on these defining strategies, you can make sure your customers truly 'get' you, strengthen their connection with you brand, and help carve out a distinct space in the market that only you can own in an ever-evolving beauty landscape.

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Author: Effie Asafu-Adjaye
Effie Asafu-Adjaye is the Founder of Beautiful Sparks. Beautiful Sparks helps beauty and fashion businesses get more fanatics in love with their brands, by refining their brand strategy, messaging, branding, content storytelling, and community-building strategy. Read more about Effie here. Linkedin | Youtube