Some thoughts on starting with your own brand in beauty industry
Free as a bird
Stepping into the realm of Permanent Makeup (PMU), for example, starting with Powder Brows, offers an exciting pathway to owning your brand. The team at Powderbrows.com frequently receives queries about carving a niche in this vibrant industry. In this post, we will explore actionable insights to guide you through this significant leap forward.
“There’s an oft-repeated saying that rings particularly true in the realm of entrepreneurship: “Just because you’re good at something, doesn’t mean you’re bound to it.” Nowhere is this more poignant than in the transformative journey of becoming your own brand in the PMU world.”
Freedom
Freedom to and freedom from
The step of becoming an independent brow artist (compared to working in a salon, for example) may have many benefits. Firstly, as an independent business owner, you have complete control over the services you provide. Many artists, who have started successful careers independently have confessed that one of the best things was the ability to refuse all sorts of services they simply did not want to do anymore. The feeling of freedom consists always of two parts: freedom to do something and freedom from doing something and the experience of the latter is no less important.
Full control over pricing
The other aspect that many artists have pointed out is related to full control over pricing. This does not necessarily mean that they would make lots of changes regarding the fees they ask, however, sometimes, and depending on circumstances this might become very powerful. No matter how we frame the situation, or which location on Earth we pick, there are still the market forces of supply and demand in action (beauticians in some countries might argue, but let us say, we are talking about the contemporary Western world). If one manages to create campaigns, do co-promotional endeavors, and sometimes simply just offer better prices, it can have a positive effect on turnover all other things remaining the same. However, that is always a double-edged sword, because it is much harder to climb up from a lowered price point than to start a discount campaign. Still, as an option, the mere possibility of having complete control over pricing is a great benefit according to many beauticians.
Creativity regarding work environment and one's schedule
The third aspect regarding freedom of independence, which many artists have pointed out, is related to the work environment. One can choose their environment, design it (at least to a degree) so that it met their taste and one can schedule herself (himself) to work there in a more flexible way. Many artists have said that they constantly experience bliss about choosing their working hours and constantly realize that they do not have to go to work if they do not want to. That being said, one should also acknowledge two things: this sense of freedom is not attractive to all personality types, and also, the absolute version of that sort of freedom may mean not working at all, and in most cases (if one does not have supreme safety nets, plans B, C, D...Z or great luck with gambling or lottery, that also results in being pretty broke.
Personal branding
It is obvious that when it comes to working in salons or starting their own business the question can always be argued both ways. There are no certain and absolute criteria for making that decision because people see different degrees of value in freedom and security, in variety and stability, in possibilities and risk vs. the guaranteed feeling of certainty. However, if one wants to start on her (his) own, there is also a bigger picture related to the personal brow brand. Many Powder Brows artists have said that the fact that they are not only working for themselves but also building a personal brand has enabled them to cope with hardships (and hardships there will be, that is for sure).
Starting your brand allows you to build your reputation in the industry. Over time, your name and brand could become synonymous with your style and values. Thus you must make an informed and wise choice about the brand name as early as possible.
About including "brows," or "brow" in the brand name
Having a great brand name is critical because it often provides the first impression of your business. When it comes to brow businesses, including everything related to Powder Brows, it has become an "industry standard," that one has a brand name that includes in it the word "brows," or "brow" (much like it was some time ago - and still is - in the online advertising business where it is much easier to get started with a name that includes "ad"). One may fight to go against the tide, but if she (he) is not a Steve Jobs-level marketeer, then that makes the overall situation considerably harder. Also, all things considered, Steve Jobs would probably opt for a very easy-to-understand brand name (such as "iPhone" for "phones", not a misspelled combination that has little meaning to others, such as "Tiger-wings power house"). That is of course a joke and just one example, however, you get the idea. When in brow business and creating brows, there should be some reference to brows in the name. Thus, it would be somewhat intriguing to claim that it is not important to have such a reference in the name, but based on the experience of hundreds of artists, we would be just giving sub-optimal advice then.
What else is important regarding the name?
A short, catchy name is easier for customers to remember. This makes it more likely for your brand to stick in their minds, increasing the chance they'll think of you when they need brow services. That, of course, is also absolutely obvious. How should one then start searching for such a name? The answer is simple: by choosing a domain name that is available (and preferably also the ".com" name). The reasons for securing a corresponding ".com" domain name to your potential brand name are the following.
A ".com" domain extension has universal recognition and credibility. Despite the proliferation of domain extensions such as all sorts of new extensions, or local names, ".com" remains the gold standard for businesses globally, making it the most desired and valuable domain extension.
When we have discussed this topic with artists, they have also pointed out that owning the domain (regardless if you launch a website) with their brow brand name guarantees that there will never be uncertainty regarding who is who. If someone else already owns the domain name that matches your brand, it can lead to confusion among customers. It is not highly likely that you would actually lose customers (although also that may happen if the domain is owned by a local competitor), however, the real problem is that it just dilutes your brand's online presence.
If you build a strong brand and following but do not own the corresponding domain name, the domain owner stands to gain from your hard work. For instance, they could sell products or services similar to yours or charge a huge premium if you later decide to acquire the domain. As a matter of fact, that has happened to many artists. One artist, for example, had to pay a huge amount for a name that she could have gotten for the registering price as it was available when she started a brand. She simply thought that it was not important to register the domain. Of course, she paid hundreds of times less than, for example, beauty.com was sold for (800k), however, she also hundreds of times more than the domain name was registered for.
When there are many aspects regarding the "defense" strategy, one should not also forget the "offense" part. Namely, if one has a great domain name and a matching brand, she (he) probably has much more motivation to work on brand building and maybe later on also to invest in trademark registration. When you do your work anyway and earn you living with that, why not invest in developing your brand at the same time, adding value to your business over time?