Research says that COVID-19 related stress among Americans has been reaching its peak in the past few months. Experts call what we are experiencing a “collective trauma”—and trauma has been defined as damage to our psyche caused by tragic, painful, and distressing events beyond our control.
This is why people have been looking for various ways to cope—from therapy to cooking. There is no shortage of ways people tried to deal with the difficulty of the past year. Some even looked to aromatherapy or the use of smells and fragrances to provide some healing and relaxation.
Because of the collective trauma and pain that the world is going through, there’s no better time to launch a fragrance-related business than now. Here are some tips and pointers for launching a successful and high-quality designer fragrance, scented candle, and diffuser oil business.
Find a reputable and high-quality manufacturer.
Since fragrances affect consumers’ bodies, you need to ensure that you’re partnering with a supplier or manufacturer who knows what they’re doing. Here are some qualities to watch out for:
- Above-reproach quality control. The last thing you want is faulty, old, or contaminated products, especially since your customers will trust that the products you provide for them are non-toxic and that they won’t harm them. Granted, no manufacturer in the world is 100 percent perfect, but a good supplier will be ready to accept accountability and will take steps to fix the problem immediately.
- Meets your values and priorities. If you are big on issues of ethical sourcing, producing, and compliance, you will need to do your due diligence before you finalize any partnership with a supplier. Visit their laboratories if you need to; check if they have the necessary licenses and paperwork to ensure that everything is above board. Doing your homework now will help you mitigate potential problems later on.
- Ease of communication. If you find that the owners or managers are easy to talk to or that you have a level of rapport with them, then go for it. Your business will benefit greatly if you work with suppliers with who you communicate wonderfully because it can help prevent a host of problems.
Amp up your marketing strategy.
Projections show that by 2025, the fragrance industry will grow by $52.4 billion. It’s nothing to scoff at, and we can assume that the industry will continue to grow as time goes on, which is why you need to find ways to stand out in a saturated market. Here are some pointers for marketing an oil, candle, and fragrance business:
- Be unique, but don’t stray too much from traditional tactics. Since you’re stepping into a space that provides warmth, comfort, and relaxation to people, you will need to stick to some traditional tactics that work, like sending out positive and encouraging messages through your marketing. But this doesn’t mean that you can’t do anything original anymore. By knowing your target demographic and subverting the current trends while still adhering to traditional tactics, you might be able to straddle traditional fragrance marketing tactics and trying something new. One example of this is trying innovative scent combinations, like adding something offbeat, like black pepper oil, to a fragrance for men. It’s an exotic addition that will complement more conventional notes like musk.
- Make community-building a priority. Since you have a business centered around providing warmth and comfort to your consumers, building a community should be an organic part of that. It’s not about emotional manipulation or capitalizing on the COVID-19 strategy to make some sales; it’s all about inviting your customers to be part of a welcoming and safe space where they can provide each other with tips on your best products and the best ways to use them. A Facebook group can be a great way to bring your audience together, where they can exchange tips and stories.
Don’t exaggerate the science.
The first thing you have to remember when marketing anything related to aromatherapy is not to lean too hard to the pseudoscience of things. Don’t claim that your oils can cure real diseases like cancer, diabetes, and depression. Lean hard into how certain fragrances can help us relax and forget our worries for a few hours, but don’t make false claims to sell products. Bigger companies have gotten in trouble for making that same mistake.
Now more than ever, it’s important for aspiring entrepreneurs to understand our cultural moment and how to reach audiences in ways that are comforting and ethical. Starting a fragrance business may be a wonderful way to provide your consumers with some relaxing coping mechanisms in the time of COVID-19.