Market Research as Part of the Buying Experience: A Beauty Brand’s Clever Strategy
Nowadays, in a crowded market filled with countless brands and products, personalization is a key factor in attracting and retaining customers. With so many beauty product options, customization is a must for me when deciding which product to buy for my hair.
The other day, I was scrolling through Instagram when an ad for the beauty brand Prose popped up in my feed. It caught my attention because the brand offers customization based on individual hair needs. I was amazed at how they gathered detailed information about each customer to create a unique formula that matches their specific hair concerns, aligns with their preferences, and addresses their pain points.
How the Personalized Buying Experience Works
The purchasing process starts with a survey that collects both quantitative and qualitative data, divided into three main categories: Hair & Scalp, Treatments, and Lifestyle. The survey includes specific questions about:
- Age
- Hair texture
- Hair length
- Oiliness level
- Percentage of gray hair
- Split ends, hair density, and shedding patterns
- Genetic hair loss factors
- Washing frequency and scalp sensitivity
- Whether the hair is color-treated or styled with extensions, wigs, or curls
- Lifestyle factors like diet, water intake, stress levels, and workout routines
As a customer filling out the survey, you start feeling more connected to the brand because of the detailed, thoughtful questions and options. By the end, you feel naturally inclined to purchase the perfect formula that precisely matches your needs and preferences.
A Powerful Strategy
This approach creates the perfect combination of delivering a personalized customer experience while also gathering valuable market research insights. Customers feel that the brand understands their unique hair needs, lifestyle, and preferences, resulting in a tailored formula just for them. At the same time, the brand benefits immensely by gathering valuable consumer data. By turning the purchasing process into an ongoing market research tool, Prose gains a holistic understanding of its audience, not just what they buy, but who they are, how they live, and what they truly need.
This depth of data insights allows the brand to continuously learn how to improve product formulations, messaging and social media content, segmentation strategies, and overall marketing efforts based on survey data, making the brand resonate with customers’ evolving needs.
Finally, Prose fuels smarter decision-making, making this strategy a powerful business intelligence tool. Understanding the market at such a granular level, with little to no cost, enables the brand to strengthen customer relationships, enhance brand loyalty, and gain a competitive edge, all while delivering a customized and seamless customer experience.
