44 promotion

B.E.A.M’s promotional mix aims to increase the profitability of the brand by following the AIDA model. By making effective promotional decisions, that raise awareness of the brand; create interest about products; and enhance their desire to own the product; customers are more willing to act on this resulting in a purchase (LeaGreenwood, 2013)

As noted by Fill (2006) each element of the promotional mix is effective at tapping into a different element of the purchasing decision sequence. Therefore, it is important to develop a comprehensive promotional strategy in order to achieve the best results.

Figure 50: Oh Comely

Figure 51: Happy Place

Advetising: Print Advertising 1. Awareness

B.E.A.M will pay for advertisements in a variety of Indie magazines to build awareness of the brand. For example, Oh Comely is a magazine that encapsulates mindfulness and “brings together ideas for mental wellbeing” (Oh Comely, 2019). The magazine’s values are in-keeping with the needs of B.E.A.M’s target audience, so by advertising here the product will be exposed to customers that have the most potential to be interested in the range. The editorial advertisement will take the form of full page adverts and product placement through product reviews.

Advetising: Podcasts

Another advertising technique to build brand awareness will be sponsorship of podcasts. This is an appropriate channel as the intimate medium offers “a built-in, loyal audience” who are more likely to engage with “a host’s product recommendations” (Prinzivalli, 2018). The honesty of a podcast ties in with B.E.A.M’s core values of authenticity and by sponsoring popular wellness podcasts like Happy Place and She’s Electric, the brand can easily engage with individuals in that make up its target audience.

Public Relations

The PR strategy will consist of influencer gifting. Rather than pay for sponsored posts, B.E.A.M will send items to relevant wellness influencers such as @stevieyaaaay (a climate activist who promotes self-love) in order to generate more credible brand awareness. By not paying influencers to post about the products, the coverage will be based of their real reactions, thus making the content more trustworthy. This will be better-received by the target audience as they appreciate brand transparency.

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Figure 53: Glossier Instagram

2. Interest

Digital: Social media

B.E.A.M will predominantly use Instagram to promote the brand as this is the most effective social media channel for developing product interest among the target audience. The Instagram feed will maintain a cohesive aesthetic and have a friendly yet informative tone of voice. This links to B.E.A.M’s objective to remain authentic and customer-focused. The account will be private so that customers feel closer to the brand, thus building up a greater sense of community and tighter customerbrand relationship. This also helps to give an impression of exclusivity, which is a key factor in building up a luxury image. B.E.A.M will aim to livestream multiple times a week to deliver personalised advice to customers through Q&As, and will use the “close friends” feature to tailor the Instagram stories to different consumer segments. These two techniques offer a personalised experience for the customer that links to the brand’s bespoke products and boosts the authenticity of the customer relationship. 41 B.E.A.M bettering environment and mind

The sales staff in store will be trained makeup experts who will be able to give customers the best advice tailored to their individual needs. Also primary research showed that salesperson’s recommendations was an important factor when choosing makeup products. The better the customer service is, the more likely the customer is to invest in the brand and desire the product. This hands on consultation-style service will also carry through to the online store where customers will have an opportunity to discuss their makeup needs with experts through a live video. This also helps reduce waste as customers will experience less hassle figuring out which products to purchase. The products will also be more suitable for them so they will not waste money on the wrong items. The last experiential promotional technique will help build an emotional connection with the customer. This will involve training the sales staff to offer astrology readings for clients. This authentic live brand experience caters to the target audience’s desire to declutter their lives by identifying areas where customers may be wasting mental energy. By offering a holistic advice service B.E.A.M can achieve its core objectives of reducing waste as well as adding value to the customer relationships. By building a good relationship with the target audience, wordof-mouth recommendations will spread giving this experience an exponential element. As identified in my primary research this is very valuable to a cosmetic brand as 45% of respondents said that friends or family were the most trusted sources when choosing makeup products.

Experiential: Personalisation

A number of experiential marketing techniques will be implemented to offer a memorable brand experience for the customer that will build desire for the product. To enhance the bespoke offering customers will be able to design the pattern on the product compacts. This will be available online and in-store via the brand’s unique software. This touchpoint helps the brand stand out from competitors as it is very customerdriven.

Experiential: Innovative Technology

Augmented Reality will also be used instore via smart mirrors where customers can try makeup before they buy it. This novel technology plays on one of customer’s five senses, sight, by allowing them to visualise the products on their skin. It also helps reduce waste again by minimising the risk of a customer purchasing a product that will not complement them, which in turn reinforces the brand’s waste-free values.

Figure 54:Virgo Figure 55: Smart Mirror Figure 56: Lip Gloss Figure 57: Pattern

Figure 58:Glossier Sales Staff Figure 59: :Leo Figure 60: Cancer

Sales Promotion

In terms of sales promotions B.E.A.M will offer a price discount on large orders. By giving customers 10% off orders over £70 it will increase the likelihood of customers making larger purchases, thus linking to the action point of the AIDA model. All of the identified competitors also offered a price discount on large orders so B.E.A.M must do the same so as to remain competitive. Another sales promotion will be a percentage charity donation on products. The chosen charities will be Mind (a mental-health charity) and WasteAid (a waste management charity). These two charities fit in with the brand’s values of wellness and sustainability and are likely to resonate with the target audience. This helps reduce purchasing guilt too, which will also boost customer sales.

Direct Marketing

Customers will also be encouraged to act on their purchasing impulses through direct marketing techniques. Email communications will be personalised by tracking customer data and delivering the most relevant content for each individual. This will include information relating to new product launches, seasonal content, interesting news stories and exclusive discounts. This refines the user experience, which makes for greater convenience and a reduction in waste energy. Therefore, this stays true to B.E.A.M’s main aim of becoming a waste-free brand.

Figure 61:Mind Figure 62:Waistaid