As the saying goes: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Nowadays, that can be taken literally. More and more consumers are willing to pay eyelash businesses to give them
It can seem quite daunting to face building a business all on your own. But, becoming your own boss is possible. It requires drive, a passion for the work, and the ability to stick to it when things get tough. With a good plan and some creativity, you are perfectly capable of starting an eyelash business that thrives.
Plan, Plan, Plan
In case you didn’t guess, the first step in starting an eyelash business is to make a plan. Generals don’t go into battle without a strategy. Coaches don’t let their teams on the field without a play. You shouldn’t start a business without a plan. Think of it this way — failing to plan is planning to fail. What goes into the beginning stages of a plan for your eyelash business?
Research market and demographics
Develop a clear idea of what customers your business will target. Consider the age, gender, and style of potential customers. Do you want to sell lashes to
Browse statistics for different demographics and the kind of lashes they buy. Build your ideal customer persona from there. Determining your demographic also determines what kind of lashes you sell.
Name your business
Eyelash business names should resonate with your ideal customer base. Get creative. Make a list of the craziest — or
Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to get the perfect name at first, it will come with time. If you wish to have an online presence, do a domain check to ensure the name you want is available.
Once you have found the perfect name, register the business name so no one else can use it. Most eyelash businesses start as Sole Proprietors or LLCs. You register the business with either your state or county agency under the name.
Create a narrative
What is the experience you are selling your customers? Be sincere but give the business a story. Take the time to let your customers know that you are passionate about serving their beauty needs.
Consider advertising methods
How do you plan to get the word out about your business? There are several different options to consider. Using a combination of them will spread the word further, faster.
- Word of mouth. We all have that family member that loves to tell everyone what we are up to. Take advantage of that. Give friends and family your eyelash business cards to hand out and keep some with you at all times. Once you have a few faithful customers, they too will spread the word.
- Social media. Most social media platforms have free business page options. Take
high-quality pictures of your product and use relevant hashtags. Create a buzz by having a giveaway. Ask people to like and share for a chance to win some free goodies. - Partner with influencers. As a startup business it might be hard to get in with a big name influencer right away. There are, however, plenty of smaller influencers with good followings. Make a list of people whose target audience is the same as your demographic and start reaching out.
- Paid ads. Places like Google, Facebook, and Instagram offer paid add options for reasonable prices. Small campaigns to direct traffic in your direction can be highly effective.
Choose a vendor
Who are you buying your lashes from? What kind of lashes do you plan to offer? Invest in
Certifications, Licenses, and All the Serious Stuff
Don’t let the legal part scare you away from pursuing your business. First, there are a few things to consider. Are you just selling lashes or are you applying them as well? Are you working in your home, renting a chair, or opening your own office? If you are just selling lashes and lash accessories, you can skip to tax licenses. Otherwise, read on.
Get certified
A training course and certification are, at minimum, required for selling and applying eyelash extensions. Companies, such as The Lash Professional will offer training courses and sell eyelash business starter kits.
Licensing
While the FDA has an overarching set of guidelines that must be followed, each state also has its own rules. Most but not all states require a cosmetologist, medical, or esthetician’s license to run a business that applies eyelashes. Do your research to ensure you are complying with your state’s guidelines.
Sales tax license
The next step is to apply for a sales tax license, if applicable in your state. They are usually free or inexpensive to apply for.
Proper bookkeeping
You need something that will help you keep track of inventory and sales. Understanding what your profits and losses look like is essential to running a business. Proper bookkeeping also keeps up with tax ratios so you are not caught off guard when tax season hits.
Email and website
A separate email ID is helpful to keep customer mail from getting lost in your personal inbox. A business email is also far more professional looking. Hotmail and Gmail offer free email services that are easy to personalize.
You can either build your own website or hire a developer and content writer to build one for you. There are many platform options including WordPress, Squarespace, and Ecwid.
Bank account
Whichever bank you prefer, talk to their customer care about setting up an account under your business name. To save yourself a
Once you have established a business bank account, set up a dedicated Paypal for your account. Most people find Paypal a trustworthy,
Shipping
Start with Priority mail. Packages under 5 pounds are relatively inexpensive to ship, especially when compared to FedEx and UPS. Once your business grows, you can start thinking about investing in a label maker and an account with UPS or FedEx ground. Until then, stick with the smaller option for smaller expenses.
Now, Get Started
While the beauty industry has existed practically since humans have, there is no time like the present to get started on your business. A quality product and good service is a firm foundation to build your business on. The internet has a wide range of free resources to help your business thrive.
If you want to start an eyelash business, Ecwid’s resources are provided to take the scary out of getting started. Once the task is no longer daunting, it’s a whole lot easier to tackle. Step by step, you can get started and you can do well.
So, what are you waiting for? Get going!
