How do successful bath and bodycare brands cut through the noise?
The answer isn't just better products—it's smarter marketing.
Bath & Bodycare Direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands have emerged even in crowded markets, aiming to provide innovative solutions and elevated bodycare experiences. This has created new acquisition approaches and new ways to differentiate yourself vs. the competition.
To stay competitive, brands need to continually refine their strategies and adapt to the dynamic landscape to effectively engage their target audience.
In this comprehensive analysis, we'll break down the exact strategies top bodycare brands use to stand out, from their email marketing playbooks to their ad creative frameworks.
No theory, no fluff - just battle-tested strategies you can steal and deploy today.
By studying successful brands like Supergoop!, Frank Body, and Native, we will analyze and compare how brands in the bath & bodycare industry are performing in terms of their digital marketing strategy, their email marketing, and how they integrate ads in their acquisition strategy. Our goal is to provide valuable insights and present a well-crafted, informative resource to help you navigate the dynamic landscape of bath & bodycare e-commerce marketing.
Email Marketing Best Practices for Bodycare brands
Email marketing has emerged as a vital asset for e-commerce, owing to its effectiveness as an acquisition channel for businesses. It can deliver customized content, earn significant ROI, nurture customer relationships, and integrate with other channels.
Let's delve into the common practices of the majority of bath & bodycare brands in their email marketing campaigns through the following sections:
Share your brand’s story
Your brand’s story informs your subscribers about your value proposition and your brand’s commitment. Native creates an email around “Why we started having good, clean fun with deodorant,” then weaves their story throughout and proclaiming their promise as a brand. It’s a great way to capture an audience’s interest.
Create a community for your customers
Frank Body's creation of a Slack channel to discuss both business and bodycare is a savvy move to foster a unique community around their brand. This approach enables direct engagement with their audience in a real-time and interactive manner.
Stay relevant to the current season
Supergoop! demonstrates a commitment to providing a timely shopping experience through their email content. Aligning their content with the current season ensures that their offerings are relevant to their customers’ needs. The creation of categories based on subscribers' activities is a smart strategy that allows Supergoop! to tailor product recommendations according to seasonal needs.
Compare your different products
Flamingo made a comparison of their products by addressing commonly asked questions. The email creatively includes a diagram that presents key points for easy understanding. It helps customers make informed decisions about which product suits them best.
Frank Body compares the ingredients of their products to provide their audience with a clear understanding of which product will best suit their needs.
Show what’s in your product
Transparency in sharing product ingredients is crucial and Frank Body employs this strategy to introduce their new product. The emphasis is on highlighting the ingredients, giving customers a clear insight into what makes the product unique and beneficial. This approach aims to build trust by providing open and detailed information about the formulation of their offerings.
Share product milestones
Being recognized and awarded by reputable magazines is an achievement that you should share to your subscribers. Flamingo and Athena Club use this strategy to reaffirm the quality of their products.
Bundle your bestseller items
Typology bundled their bestselling items into a discovery set, a great way to let customers explore your products for a discounted price. Not only can your audience explore a variety of offerings but it ensures they experience the brand's top-performing items. The bundled approach provides both value and convenience, which customers always appreciate.
Show subscribers how to recreate a spa experience
Help subscribers replicate the spa experience at home through how-to guides. Long Wknd and Athena Club provide a step-by-step guide on how to treat yourself at home using their products, making self-care accessible and easy for customers.
This thoughtful approach brings enhancing your audience’s home self care routines while promoting your products.
Create informative content
Develop content that offers detailed guidance, particularly about the ingredients in your products. Take inspiration from Long Wknd, who ensures that their subscribers are well-informed about key ingredients and their benefits.
Make your content fun & engaging
Transform average subscriber quizzes by making them more enjoyable and engaging. Like Native and Frank Body, incorporate visually appealing graphics, interactive elements, questions, and feedback based on subscribers' quiz responses.
Spotlight your products
The Body Shop's approach of creating a series of emails that "spotlight" products is a great way to showcase items that appeal to a broad audience. By curating these, the brand draws attention to key products, whether they are new releases, bestsellers, or those aligned with a particular theme or season.
This allows The Body Shop to focus on the unique selling points of each product, emphasizing their benefits and why they are well-loved items. It's an effective way to engage with customers, provide valuable information, and drive interest in featured products.
This approach also maintains regular communication with their audience, keeping them informed about product offerings and encouraging them to explore and make informed purchasing decisions.
Automations & Flows
The Best Welcome Flow by Supergoop!
This works for several reasons - here's how you can create your own perfect welcome flow:
- Begin with introducing what subscribers can expect from the brand, along with a significant discount.
- Showcase the diverse range of products on offer and recommend bestseller products.
- Address FAQs to educate subscribers.
- Keep your emails simple and clear.
- Incorporate quizzes to add an interactive element.
With this email, Supergoop! kicks off a four-step email welcome flow designed to introduce their brand. The first email extends a warm welcome from the founder, providing insights into the brand's value proposition and highlighting its years of existence. As an added incentive, subscribers receive a 10% discount, encouraging them to explore the product offerings.
In the second email of the welcome flow, Supergoop! emphasizes the significance of their brand's mission. This message also introduces the most beloved product in each category, giving subscribers a curated glimpse into the products that resonate with customers.
In the third email, Supergoop! addresses frequently asked questions about their products. The message features a call-to-action (CTA) button inviting subscribers to "Take the quiz". Additionally, the email provides personalized recommendations by suggesting a specific product to start with, serving as a helpful guide for those navigating the brand's offerings for the first time.
In the fourth and final email, Supergoop! helps their subscribers find the perfect SPF product. The message shares the recommended products to start with, emphasizing their bestseller as the number one option.
The Best Abandoned Cart Email Flow by Sol de Janeiro
It's a great example - here's how you can do it yourself:
- Employ attention-grabbing subject lines.
- Utilize prominent and clear call-to-action buttons.
- Consistently highlight abandoned cart items.
- Take a proactive approach by recommending complementary products.
Following cart abandonment, Sol de Janeiro executes a concise 5-step email sequence to reclaim lost sales. This sequence encompasses captivating subject lines, reminders of the items left behind, & free shipping offers to motivate the customer towards completing a purchase.
In Sol de Janeiro initial email’s following an abandoned checkout, they encourage customers to revisit their cart through a clear call-to-action button. The compelling subject line captures attention and within the email, the brand prominently feature the items left behind. Additionally, the brand takes a proactive approach by recommending complementary products.
The second email sent a day later, the brand gives a friendly reminder about the cart. It prominently displays the abandoned item and features a clear call-to-action (CTA) button.
The third email sent a day after has an attention-grabbing subject line: "We’re holding on to your cart! Redeem your 10% off + Free Shipping". The email reassures shoppers that it's not too late to buy the cart items.
In the fourth email, the brand spotlights the items left in the cart, inviting the customer to complete the checkout with 10% off plus free shipping. Lastly, Sol de Janeiro includes an enticing subject line to capture the recipient's attention.
Advertising & Social Paid Media for Skincare & Bodycare Brands
Beyond email, successful bodycare brands leverage paid media in distinct ways.
Here's the thing most people don't realize: the difference between a 6-figure and 8-figure bodycare brand isn't better ingredients or fancier packaging.
It's their marketing playbook.
I've analyzed hundreds of top-performing brands and found their success comes down to three core strategies most companies completely ignore.
Long Wknd, Native, Athena Club And The Benefits Approach: Showcase the main benefit of your product
Long WKND directly compares their product with a competitor to highlight what sets their product apart. It uses a UGC (user-generated content) approach in explaining the benefits and ingredients while showcasing tangible results.
Native employs creative storytelling technique to highlight their value proposition. It uses the story of a “scentaur” to highlight their deodorant’s qualities and ingredients.
By combining myth-busting with the promotion of product benefits, Athena Club not only clarifies doubts but also showcases the positive qualities of their products.
Skinny Confidential, Long Wknd, Sol de Janeiro And The Social Proof Approach
Showcase social proof from experts and customers
The Skinny Confidential shares the positive feedback they received from a famous magazine. Through this, the brand communicates that their product has been recognized by experts in the industry, a form of social proof which can influence potential customers.
Long Wknd, Sol de Janeiro, and The Skinny Confidential harnesses the power of testimonials and five-star reviews to highlight the positive experiences of their customers. By showcasing these reviews, they emphasize the quality of their products and the satisfaction of their customers.
The UGC Approach by Frank Body & Athena Club
Athena Club incorporates a green screen filter into their ads, leveraging a visual effect that allows for creative presentations. The format capture the audience's attention and conveys information in an engaging and innovative way.
Some Hooks You Can Use
Hooks are attention-grabbing elements that draw people in and keep them watching. Let's look at different types of hooks and how to incorporate them.
Just One Product
Long Wknd strategically employs the'just one product' hook. By highlighting the value of a singular product, the brand communicates that this particular item can simplify the routine.
One Wellness Tip
The Skinny Confidential uses the 'one wellness tip' hook to communicate the benefits of their ice roller product as approved by an expert. They also demonstrate how to use the item.
Three Reasons
Frank Body utilizes the "3 reasons" hook to address users’ common problems. By presenting three specific reasons, the brand can communicate the effectiveness of their products in solving these issues.
Native, Long Wknd and The Branded Approach
Typology employs a direct and branded approach in their advertisement. The ad adopts a minimalist style, placing the product at the forefront. This simplicity is a key strength, as the absence of elaborate explanations or distractions lets the product speak for itself, contributing to the overall effectiveness of the campaign.
Share your commitment to sustainability
These ads from Native and Long WKND serve as excellent examples of brands showcasing their commitment to sustainability.
They emphasize the use of plastic-free and waste-free products, showcasing their dedication to reducing environmental impact through sustainable practices and eco-friendly materials. Both brands effectively communicate the message that customers can enjoy high-quality products while making a positive contribution to the planet.
Landing Pages & Funnels
But here's the thing - killer ads mean nothing if your landing page looks like it was built in 1999. The brands crushing it right now? They've turned their landing pages into straight-up conversion machines.
Show proof that your product is working and explain how it’s different from the competition.
Explain how it works. Use Social Proof to convince your audience. Use reviews. Make returns easy.The final piece of the puzzle lies in converting traffic through optimized landing pages.
You Vs. Competitors
Highlight benefits
Make a bold statement
