Looking good is amiable, but accompanying it with a nice scent is reputable.
Helping people discover their signature scent and smell nice is a profitable business, so much that Statista estimated the scent industry to be worth 49 billion USD in 2022.
Perfume oils can serve as a complement to other products in the scent family i.e perfume, body mist, armpit spray, roll-ons etc or can be used alone comfortably.
To start this as a business, here is what you need to do. :
FIND A SUPPLIER
Digital technology has made everything your search for suppliers easy. if you use Instagram you can search for perfume oils in your location. I.e perfume oils in Lagos, Ibadan, Port Harcourt, Ikeja, Ikorodu etc and get results for numerous vendors.
START BY SELLING BEST SELLERS
To avoid having to spend years in the market looking for scents your customers would love, and to get sold out fast, ensure you follow this.
Make sure you do your competitor analysis by checking their reviews to know the ones customers request for the most. Some examples of generally requested scents every supplier can relate to include: Sugar Baby, Pure Seduction, Baccarat Rouge, Pink Chiffon, Sweet Oud, Olympea, Sauvage Dior, Creed Aventus, Si Armani, 212 VIP etc. Some rare and really intense oils you should add to your collection include: Versace Eros, Vanilla, Strawberry, Coconut Passion, Beyonce Heat Rush, La vie est belle, Chocolate etc
- SOURCE FOR PACKAGING
Since perfumes are best suited for gifts, you would want to handle your packaging with caution. Check for velvet bags/bags, ribbons, cardboards, thank you cards, a carton bag or a box.
You want to make the customer feel appreciated so you have to spend quality time and money looking for where to find them as they are not the regular products you can find in any part of the market. You can find the velvet and organza bags in Ladega, Ikorodu, Lagos and in Shomolu, Lagos also. You can find the ribbons in a balloon shop, cardboards in a bookshop, your thank you cards, carton bag and box should be customized by your graphic designer. You can also check online for vendors around you selling these things. You can also check your competitors to get tips on how you can effectively harmonize your packaging theme.
- YOU CAN SELL ONLINE AND/OR OFFLINE
Many perfume vendors operate solely online, and you can choose to do same at least to keep your startup cost low. But do not rule out having a physical outlet over time. In fact, if you can get a friend’s store to also display some of your products, it can work really great for you. It can also be a pickup point, in case you have customers who would rather come pickup their purchases.
- SET YOUR PRICE
The scented line industry is quite competitive, and there are alot of sellers simply trying to survive, sell fast, or solve a problem. These sellers would sell at different prices but because the majority are selling at a particular price does not mean you have to follow suit or that if you sell at a higher price, you will not be patronized.
This is why you have to consider what you’re bringing to the table, look at your packaging, consider the effort and money you have put into it and define a price that gives you a healthy profit margin.
- START SELLING TO THOSE AROUND YOU
This still stands as the most effective means of acquiring customers. It establishes trust and builds relationships.
Since individuals are usually picky when it comes to things that require our senses to stimulate purchases, you want to achieve your premiere customer base from those who know you directly. Never underestimate what word of mouth can do for your business. Tell friends, families, acquaintances about your products, and let them patronise you and give you honest reviews. That way, you can tighten all loose ends and get reviews to start your social media marketing when you start running promotions and selling to people outside your circle.
- START SMALL
A very safe way to avoid spending so much capital is to begin selling with 3ml sizes as samples rather than 30ml/50ml/100ml. This is because it would give the customer the choice of requesting their favorite scent in a larger bottle size than for you to incur costs on stocking big bottles. Also, the customers prefer the smaller sizes because of price.
You can start small with 35 to 50 units of 3ml, which requires N15,000 or less depending on your supplier.
- REGULARLY RESTOCK NEW SCENTS
As stated earlier, the scent industry is quite competitive. To beat competition, your pouch should be stocked with the new scents that are not common in the market to give customers a choice of variety. You can get updates from following your competitors or direct contact from the suppliers within and outside the country, if you are ready to go big at it.
- DOMINATE THROUGH GOOD OFFERS & CONSISTENT ADVERTISING
Advertise on social media with unforgettable lines like “2x Intense, 2x Obsessive, 2x Stronger, with an additional body spray and a chocolate bar”, “Rare, undiluted, and skin friendly”, “Get your money back if they don’t compliment you”, “Make four orders and above and get a FREE scented gel sanitizer”, Your marketing techniques should give your customers all the assurance and enticement they need to complete a purchase.
With all of these information, you are fully ready to step into the competitive perfume oil space. Get oily and come out victorious! Share if you found this helpful.
