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How to Write a Beauty Products Business Plan

10 steps to writing a beauty brand business plan

Updated: 22 March, 2022

As a founder of a beauty brand start-up, you’ll need a clear vision, a well-written beauty products business plan and to have put some skin in the game in terms of hard work, time and funds. But how do you go about getting started on that all-important business plan and what should it contain?

In this blog post, we summarise the 10 key steps new beauty entrepreneurs need to work through to write a business plan for a cosmetics company. This is essential reading for anyone wondering how to start a beauty business from home as it makes you aware of just what you will need to think through and start planning for.

Running a cosmetic business requires you to be very organised. You will need a strong business plan that leads you through all of the main components of your cosmetic business. The relief is that your business plan does not need to be the size of a thesis. In fact, the more concise it is the better as you will be able to tackle it and feel like referring to it in the future.

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Our step-by-step video guide below is based on the business planning exercises we provide as part of our Diploma in Beauty Brand Business Management . The Diploma is an extensive, six-module course that takes you on an intensive journey from would-be entrepreneur to empowered founder armed with a structured business plan. Pre-enrol to find out more about this diploma and our other courses.

10-Step Guide to Your Beauty Products Business Plan

Step 1: why your beauty business needs a plan.

The first step is to set yourself a challenge: ask yourself why you are writing a business plan in the first place. There is no point in going through the motions of writing a beauty product business plan. You need to buy into the very concept of business planning.

We know that the thought of writing a business plan can seem daunting. However, your business plan is a necessary and very important strategic document as it focuses your energy, time and resources on a clear end game; not only that of launching a successful beauty business, but also of ensuring it has the potential to thrive longer term.

Your business plan isn’t just to show potential investors and otherwise hide away in a filing cabinet. It is a tool to refer to every time you are faced with important decisions. Your plan guides your decision-making and makes the everyday of running your beauty business simpler and smoother.

It will take time to write your business plan as it summarises the hard work you need to do beforehand in discovering your vision, working out your ‘why’ and what your brand stands for, what you’ll be selling, where you’ll be selling, who your competitors are and what your market gap is, and how you’ll fund your business. It also entails drafting a full financial plan, based on things like sales’ forecasts.

With this mindset challenge out of the way, let’s cover the key areas of your plan in the next steps.

Step 2: Your beauty brand mission and vision

We’ve seen many start-up beauty entrepreneurs rush into designing their branding before they have even worked out why they are in business. Before branding, come your vision and mission. Often confused and easily ignored, these two statements are the guiding lights of your business.

First, let’s define them. Your vision is about your bigger dreams. It isn’t simply that you want to make organic formulations to sell to anyone. Your vision statement sets out how you want to make a difference with your beauty brand. At Formula Botanica, our vision, in brief, is to make natural formulation as commonplace as cookery.

Your brand mission statement says how you intend to achieve that vision. At Formula Botanica, our mission is to ‘teach the world to formulate’. As you can see from our example, the mission is practical and active and states how we accomplish our vision – through teaching and our online courses.

When you write your brand vision and mission statements, you’re not writing boring, bland, catch-all statements. Coming up with why your beauty brand exists and how it serves your customers is not a quick back-of-the-envelope exercise either. It may take you weeks to define your vision and mission, but this is time well spent as these statements are the heart of your beauty business. Don’t move on to the next steps until you have total clarity on them.

Step 3: Your niche and customers

It’s all well and good having your vision and mission, but if you don’t know your niche in the beauty market nor much about whom you are selling to, then you might not have a business at all. We’re sure you’ve heard this advice a hundred times, but you need to know exactly who you’re going to be selling to. You need to understand who this type of person is, how they live and how they shop.

Once you know who your target customer is, all of a sudden everything clicks into place and becomes easier in terms of selling. You know which marketing messages work best for your customer, you know what they’re looking for and you know how to sell to them. When starting your beauty products business, you need to have a niche and that niche cannot be ‘organic’ or ‘natural’. There are so many untapped niches in the beauty industry, for instance, skincare for women in their fifties, skincare for certain types of athletes (swimmers, runners, etc.), and skincare for teenage boys.

Jot down bullet points about your ideal customer; include where they live, what other brands they buy, how they holiday, what their key skincare issues are and so on. Be brief but on point. Home in on a single person – often called your brand ‘avatar’. It might sound tedious to do, but once you have that person clearly in your mind, everything in your business will work to meeting their needs. Just ensure that you really do have a niche that exists.

We reported on some trends from In-Cosmetics Global , in Paris (April 2019). We’re not suggesting you need to keep up with the latest fad in the beauty industry, but do your market research thoroughly so you can decide where to position your brand and products.

Step 4: Your beauty products

Your business plan needs to detail your initial product(s) and explain what their sales’ proposition is and how they meet your target customers’ needs. This sounds simple to do, but believe us when we say we have seen new beauty entrepreneurs incur huge expenses as they change their direction and minds on products just after launching. Bringing new products on board can often be a way of diverting yourself from the hard task of marketing and sales.

When you learn to formulate natural skincare, you create a diversity of products without much thought about how they fit together as a range or as a beauty routine for customers. When you think like a business, you need to understand very clearly what you are selling and what proposition your products offer your target customers.

It is possible to launch with a single product, and there are well-known examples of beauty brands with only a ‘hero’ product to their name. If you are creating a range, work out how the products complement each other. Also, given issues of sustainable consumption, think about how a single product can demonstrate a unique selling proposition by multi-tasking.

Your range has financial implications so you need to decide how many products to launch with and which create a minimal viable range that makes sense for your budget and for your customers’ needs. Above all, your cosmetics’ range will need to demonstrate it has a place in the market and how it improves your customers’ lives.

Step 5: Your competitors

Yes, your competitors most certainly have a place in your skincare business plan. You, as the founder, bring your individual perspectives and experiences to your brand, so in one sense you have uniqueness built into the foundations of your beauty business. That said, you need to keep a close eye on the movers and shakers in your niche and in particular at your product range’s price point. Knowing your competitors keeps you on your toes and is information any investor will ask for, up front and early on.

It can be frustrating at times to research your competitors as their websites might be PR speak and not give much away. Look for interviews with the founders and follow them on all their social media to glean more. Competitor research can help you identify areas where your brand can thrive and can show you more effective ways to grow customer loyalty – and build your business. See what they are doing so that you know what’s working for them and what isn’t. Write a list of their strengths and weaknesses to see how you can do better. You also need to know where to position yourself in comparison to your competitors.

Don’t obsess about your competitors, but check in on what they are up to every few months. Your aim is not to copy them, but to control your beauty products’ conversation. Again, if you have clarity on the earlier steps – mission, vision, niche and customer – then you are on solid ground. It is just good business sense to know what is going on in the market.

Step 6: Your manufacturing strategy

Your manufacturing strategy is a large part of your business strategy. You need to decide whether you will be producing your beauty products yourself in your own (home) lab – according to Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) , using a contract manufacturer or opting for private label products. You need to define also which route suits you at launch and mention any plans to switch model later on.

Each model has its pros and cons depending on your mission and vision, as well as implications for important aspects of your business such as distribution, logistics, financing, and contractual obligations to retailers who stock your brand. How many units of products do you envisage creating a year? Which model suits your entrepreneurial ambitions and lifestyle? As you can see, your business model and manufacturing model go hand in hand. Having an end goal in sight is critical to shaping your overall business plan, the amount of capital you need to raise and the way you conduct your day-to-day operations.

There is no right or wrong choice here, but ensure you know the implications of whichever route your opt for. It might sound perfect making your own products at home in small artisanal batches, but we do know of beauty entrepreneurs who find their business sky rockets faster than they imagined. They then play catch up trying to find and fund outsourced manufacturing so they don’t let retail stockists down. This is a critical area of your business plan and needs you to consider your vision and ethos, as well as think about your own time, hiring staff, and your overall financial situation.

Step 7: Your retail strategy

We’ve seen many indie beauty entrepreneurs think they can sell direct to consumer from their website alone. To do this successfully, you need to invest in becoming a proficient digital marketer – or outsource the role. It can be tempting at the outset to want to sell directly from your own website because your keep all the profit yourself. However, although you receive lower profit margins by having your products stocked in stores and e-stores, retailers can help get your products sold and your brand known as they have a ready customer market; whereas you are unknown and have to build awareness of your brand from scratch.

The work you have done so far in defining your niche, customers, competitors and product range should indicate which retailers suit your brand best. Will your brand fit into the mass, so-called ‘masstige’, premium or luxury retail categories? And which retailers do you hope will stock your brand? What are their likely margins and what implications does this have for your manufacturing model and financial forecasts? Will you also work with distributors in certain markets, especially overseas, and again, how do their margins affect your bottom line?

You must address all these questions and more in your beauty business plan . It is no good working out how and where to sell once your products are all stacked in boxes in your living room or at a warehouse!

Step 8: Your funding

We might have left finances to last, but finding the money to fund your business is an issue that dominates your entire business plan. As you’ve seen, each previous step has financial implications. As we mentioned in our post on how to start a cosmetic business from home , you won’t be able to run a successful beauty brand without having a firm grip on finances. Having sound plans for raising finance at various junctures in your business is sound business practice.

Your business plan needs to cover the different types of funding options available to you now and in the future, whether ‘love money’ loaned from friends and family, bank loans or other sources such as crowdfunding. it needs to look at short-term and long-term sources of finance. You need to understand and pre-empt what your potential investors will ask you about financing and demonstrate in your business plan that you and your business are worth investing in.

Step 9: Your financial forecast

If you are reading this, it is likely you are thinking of starting an indie beauty business. As business plans are best written in the first year of your beauty business, you may well be pre-revenue when you draft it – or need it when pitching to investors. You may not have sales yet, but you can still show some key figures on the size of your market and your brand’s potential.

To introduce your financial forecast, you should include a timeline showing your milestones, such as when you started, your key achievements, any brand or packaging development, what stage you are at now, i.e. do you have a product in creation and how much have you invested or fund-raised so far? If you are already selling, then you can show how much investment has gone into the company already, what returns and sales you have and what your financial projections are.

There will be a need for you to factor in expenses you hadn’t thought of. One such ‘hidden’ expense we see many beauty entrepreneurs fail to predict is the need to cover retailers’ promotions. Stores generally expect you to contribute to their promotions of your products. Cashflow is everything in a business, even one selling successfully. You may face shortfalls of cash while waiting for retailers to pay you. That time lag means your day-to-day business can grind to a halt if your cash is tied up in stock and you have nothing to cover buying in more raw materials to keep production going or to cover promotions or seasonal campaigns.

As you can see, financial forecasting is about your day-to-day business, and this alone is one reason you need to revisit your business plan frequently. You need to keep an eye on your profit and loss sheets and map the trends monthly. Learn as much as you can yourself about financial forecasting and measuring your business’ financial health. Having an accountant or financial expert assist with this information can help you be better prepared both day to day and when talking about your finances to potential investors.

10: What to do with your plan now

Congratulate yourself. You have made it through the first draft of your business plan – or roadmap. But, now comes perhaps the hardest step of all; that of doing something useful with your business plan, as opposed to archiving it in some filing cabinet. This is a plan to revisit and adjust, and to assess your business’ health and performance against. It is not a document to present to banks and potential investors at the start of your business journey and then forget all about.

So, what exactly do you need to look at it for, and how often? Let’s take just a few examples of areas you will need to review.

First, you need to revisit your financial forecast monthly. See how your budgeting is measuring up against actual sales and expenses. Are things on track? Either way, yes or no, you will have a benchmark against which to measure your current business health. This information will guide you as you go forward.

Then, revisit your competitors and the overall market situation. How have things changed and how might this affect your product range, pricing or development? Be aware that you need time to get established in your market. Knee-jerk reactions can be costly. But use your plan to monitor things.

Examples of areas to review annually are your mission, vision and niche. Was your research when drafting the plan accurate? Have you proved the concept of your brand and product range? Access to a mastermind group of like-minded business founders, even in different sectors, or a mentor can help you work through any changes you think are necessary to your core statements. Again, think these through basing decisions on financials too.

Pre-enrol in a Formula Botanica course and learn how to start a cosmetic business

We hope our points have given you the outline of what you need in to think through in starting a beauty business. If you have a mission to create a beauty brand that’s bigger than yourself – a skincare brand, haircare line or makeup range that changes people lives – we can help you learn how to formulate your own products and all about bringing a brand to market.

Pre-enrol now in our Diploma in Beauty Brand Business Management – the ultimate online training programme in starting or growing your indie beauty brand. We like to refer to it as a Beauty Brand MBA. It is a combination of award-winning teaching materials and a web summit with 30+ influential speakers drawn from the best in the beauty and business community.

Or why not pre-enrol on one of our formulation diplomas and courses in skincare, haircare and cosmetic science to change your life through natural formulation? All our courses are fun and empowering and can be career changing.

Your start-up costs with a beauty business vary according to where you set your sights and relate very much to your personal goals and circumstances and not only to current funds and cash flow. The ballpark figure you find is around US $20,000 or similar in Euros. If you wish to outsource, initial start-up costs are high as most contract manufacturers require large minimum order quantities. Similarly, your branding and packaging also rack up costs especially if you are aiming at the more luxury end of the market. Writing a business plan to help you think through all the variables can give you a clearer idea of your beauty business start up costs and help you plan finances as your business grows. You can start on a small budget by making product at home to sell at local markets. Work out your personal goals and lifestyle needs first to have an idea of what costs you will face.

Indie beauty is flourishing and ever more skincare entrepreneurs find a niche and enter the market. But, finding a niche that resonates with customers is key to defining what type of beauty business to launch. Being clean, green, natural or even organic is not enough these days to necessarily differentiate your potential beauty business. Think carefully about how your beauty products will resolve the issues and fulfill the needs of a clear segment of consumers. Do not be all things all to people. By researching for and writing a beauty brand business plan, you will shape your ideas and define a viable product offer, customer base and route to market.

Join us at Formula Botanica, where tens of thousands of students and followers take our free and paid online courses to learn how to formulate organic skincare and haircare for themselves or to sell and also how to set up a beauty brand and business.

Leave us a comment

Liz Ayling | Formula Botanica

Liz is Formula Botanica’s Content Coordinator and joined our team in August 2020. Liz worked as a professional blogger, journalist and site developer for many years and was also part of the Formula Botanica student community. Read more about the Formula Botanica Team .

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  • June 13, 2023
  • How to Make a Good Cosmetics Business Plan

Cosmetic products

The cosmetics business plan plans are the blueprint of any successful cosmetic business model. To create a proper business plan, you need to understand your business and its objectives. 

In this article, we’ll explain why it’s important to conduct market research and define your business concept and objectives. We’ll also explain why it’s essential to consider marketing, competitor analysis, advertising, partnerships, and even packaging when starting operations in a business.

Step 1: Conduct Market Research

The first step to starting a cosmetics business is conducting market research. To get the best from market research, you have to consider the overall market size and trends, consumer preferences, and look out for businesses that can be close competitors. Let’s explore these in more detail. 

Understand Market Size and Trends

If you want to grow in the cosmetic business and retain your customers, you have to be fully aware of some history behind cosmetic industry trends. According to Grand View Research, the cosmetic industry had a market size that is valued at 262.21 billion dollars in 2020 and is expected to extend further by 4.2% between 2023 – 2030.

Knowing the history behind the cosmetics industry will help you understand what your brand’s place is in the market, and how to develop from there. Understanding market trends can help to make informed decisions on what pattern to adopt for marketing cosmetic products.

Analyze Consumer Preferences

Let’s face it, not everyone likes the same thing. What you may like, another may find unsuitable for their needs. As a cosmetic industry, you have to accurately analyze what your target customers may want, and take their preferences into account when trying to make your product and construct a business plan for cosmetic products.

For example, some people may find several ingredients in a skincare product more helpful for their oily skin, while others may find it too harsh or irritating to their dry skin. Younger people may prefer airtight bottles with better precision, while older people may have no problems with any bottle packaging.

Investigate Competitive Landscape

No matter what industry you find yourself in, competition is stiff. However, competitive landscapes vary across industries, which is why it is important to do your research on the competition.

As a young business, you need to gather information about bigger cosmetic product companies like Nivea, Dove, Gillette, Pantene, and L’Oreal. Also, you can also keep tabs on fast-developing companies like Fenty Beauty. Including this in your cosmetics business plan will help you understand how to beat the competition and come out on top as one of your industry’s leaders.

Shopping cosmetic products

Step 2: Define Business Concepts and Objectives

A strong and sturdy business concept and cosmetics company business plan will make your objectives more achievable and will hasten your progress. Let’s see this in more detail.

Business Concept

As mentioned earlier, a cosmetics company’s business plan and business concept helps to analyze how valuable your business idea is, how well it will solve a problem, your target audience, and their interest in the problem itself. Doing this helps you understand whether that business idea is worth investing in in the first place.

Here are different business concepts needed for natural, organic, and healthy beauty.

● Natural/Organic Beauty

Natural/organic beauty products are popular among a niched target audience, and they tend to look out for some details when picking their products. Organic beauty business concepts include the production of cosmetic products using only natural or organic ingredients. 

Recently, there has been an increase in the number of natural or organic beauty product users. This is why it is important to include organic products in a cosmetic product lineup.

Organic beauty products

● Luxury/High-end Beauty

Undoubtedly, there are many luxury cosmetic products out there, and they currently dominate the cosmetic industry. Luxury or high-end beauty products need well-detailed business concepts and objectives in order to beat the competition. 

Luxury/high-end brands often focus on getting quality, highly-customizable packaging. When you come across this kind of packaging, you’re most likely going to feel a sense of exclusivity and sophistication. In your business plan for cosmetic products, you have to include the cost and pricing for this packaging.

luxury Plastic Jar

● Healthy Beauty

Cosmetics are made with ingredients that foster healthy skin. Different skin types react to cosmetics differently, but promoting a healthy beauty product will ensure that only the finest healthy ingredient is used on skin care products

Some of the healthy ingredients used in cosmetics are Aloe vera, green tea extract, shea butter, and chamomile. Aloe vera can hydrate the skin and reduce inflammation, shea butter improves the skin’s elasticity with its rich supply of vitamins A and E, and chamomile on the other hand is helpful on sensitive skin to promote better skin health.

Increasing market share and establishing a strong brand identity are key objectives for a cosmetic business’ growth.

● Increase Certain Market Share

One of the most essential objectives is obtaining a substantial portion of the market share. Not surprisingly, larger cosmetic businesses control a good amount of market share. That said, smaller, emerging cosmetic businesses’ primary objectives should be to take away some of this market share from their larger counterparts.

They can do this by improving the quality of their product and being innovative. Instead of focusing on the products of the existing larger cosmetic businesses, adequate research should be carried out to produce a more innovative formula that will yield a better result. This way, smaller businesses can garner the attention of cosmetic lovers and achieve their marketing objectives.

● Establish a Strong Brand Identity

Brand identity lets your customers know who you are, what you bring to the table, and your company’s values and personality. In order to attract your target audience, you need to include plans on how to gradually develop your brand identity into your brand’s business plan. 

Brand identity can be established in the form of a unique brand name and logo, design consistency in the brands’ visual or audiovisual materials, and catchy phrases. 

● Expand the Product Line 

A good cosmetics business plan often includes plans for expansion. If you sell a certain cosmetic product, you will most likely want to branch out and sell other types of cosmetic products. If the brand has mainly been selling skincare products, the brand’s product line can be expanded to include makeup products, hair products, and even fragrances.

For a better marketing result, you can create multiple business plans for different types of products such as a makeup business plan for makeup products, and a skincare business plan for skin care products.

primary packaging for makeup

Step 3: Identify Target Customers

Without identifying the kind of customers you want, it’ll be challenging to get sales and attract customers to your brand. Here are these types of target customers in greater detail.

● Beauty Enthusiasts

Beauty enthusiasts are often highly interested in all the best and latest cosmetic and skincare products. Additionally, they are highly interested in the latest beauty trends. These types of people use exclusive and innovative cosmetic application products like rollers. To attract these types of customers, your brand also needs to keep up with these trends.

Luckily, you can find many of these beauty enthusiasts closely following thought leaders in this industry on various social media channels and forums. For these target customers, you may need to include digital and offline marketing campaigns and create a detailed makeup business plan and skincare business plan. 

● Budget-Conscious Consumers

Budget-friendly consumers take their money into account when choosing their products. Because these consumers closely track how much they spend on products, they will only consider a particular product if it’s affordable, and fits into their budget.

To get these kinds of people, you have to make sure many of them can comfortably afford your product by leveraging on price strategies. Not surprisingly, these customers shy away from luxurious brands, choosing to purchase multi-purposed products instead.

● Minimalists

Minimalists prefer a simplified skincare and makeup routine. Unlike beauty enthusiasts, they don’t focus on getting the newest cosmetic products. Rather, they choose products with high functionality, allowing them to minimize their expenditure and the number of skincare products they buy.

Minimalists like to live their lives with less clutter, and generally choose to live simpler lifestyles. In the case of cosmetic products, they like to use as few products as possible. So, if you want to attract these types of people, make sure you develop a minimalist makeup business plan and skincare business plan that have these people’s best interests at heart.

Step 4: Conduct a Competitor Analysis 

In order to conduct an effective competitor analysis, you have to analyze their product offerings, brand position, pricing strategies, and distribution channels. Let’s see these in more detail.

Analyze Competitors’ Product Offerings

Product offerings help to present a unique value proposition to a consumer. For a business to become successful, it has to include detailed plans on how to present its product’s unique value proposition to its customers. Nivea’s unique value proposition is to protect the skin of the entire family.

Many cosmetic companies offer an array of products that make it hard for new businesses to break into the market and compete. For example, Nivea offers cosmetic products like hair care products, skincare products, and even deodorant for males and females. Analyzing these competitors and their products will make you weigh your options and determine how best to enter the market.

Analyze Competitors’ Brand Position

Brands like Nivea have taken steps to maintain a strong brand positioning. Before getting your business off the ground, make sure you understand your competitors’ position and how much influence they have on the market.

Contrary to popular belief, brand positioning isn’t just slapping catchy tag lines and fancy logos on your web and social media pages. Effective brand positioning will make your brand favorable and valuable to your consumers. 

Cosmetic Jar

Analyze Competitors’ Pricing Strategies

Strategic pricing is another way to infiltrate the market. If you want to figure out the best pricing, take a quick survey of all your competitors and their pricing. 

For example, if Nivea and other big brands’ hair care products are being sold for an average of $50, try to figure out a way to sell your products significantly or slightly lower. This way, you can attract budget-conscious customers who want more for less. 

Analyze Competitors’ Distribution Channels

Analyzing distribution channels helps you figure out the best distribution channel for your business.

In addition to traditional distribution channels like wholesaling and retailing, E-commerce has emerged as one of the biggest distribution channels in the beauty industry. If you’re a smaller cosmetic company trying to find its footing, E-commerce is a good way to get orders coming in. 

Step 5: Develop Product Line and Brand Strategy

Brand strategy and product lines can make or break your brand. Big brands like Pantene and Dove have solid brand strategies and diverse product lines for inclusivity. 

Product lines and breaks strategies involve developing core product lines and seasonal collections, brand storytelling, and collaborations with influencers. Let’s look into these points. 

Product Line Strategies

The best product line strategies are creating a core product line and a product line specific to a particular season or holiday period. 

● Core Product Line

Your brand is more likely to stand out if it has a core product line. Having this improves your brand’s ability to stand out, and makes your products accessible to more diverse audiences. Collections like the Gold series collection owned by Pantene have become so popular that it has won multiple awards in the cosmetic industry. 

● Seasonal Collections

Seasonal collections are exactly what they sound like seasonal. We have different cosmetic care needs during various seasons, so it’s essential for your brand to take that into account. Also, during periods like Christmas and Easter, it’s important to have collections in order to divert attention toward your brand and increase sales.

Brand Strategies

Telling your brand story and collaborating with thought leaders and influencers in your industry are amazing ways to drive your business’ growth and infuse some personality.

● Tell the Brand Story

Every brand has a story. Brands have missions, goals, and visions peculiar to them that drive them forward, and communicating this mission to your audience will boost your customer acquisition and retention. For example, Nivea is now a household name, as it has sold itself as a family-oriented cosmetic care company. 

● Collaborations with Influencers

 Influencers will always be able to drive customers to patronize your brand, and it’s important to include them in your cosmetics business plan. Not only do they bring customers, but they put your brand in the cosmetic industry’s limelight and make them favorable to your desired customers.

7

Step 6: Define Marketing and Sales Strategies 

Marketing and sales is another essential part of a successful skincare business plan. Now, digital marketing, retail partnerships, and advertising have proven to be the most effective ways to promote your brand. Here are the facts:

Digital Marketing

Due to the integration of technology and, specifically, the internet, into the cosmetic industry, business has booked like never before. Search engines and social media channels like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram can create massive awareness for your brand and also enable you to create and maintain a positive relationship with your customers.

Retail Partnerships

Wholesale and retail partnerships will always remain powerful ways to get new customers fast. For increased reach, you can reach out to select retail stores within and outside your area. More often than not, these businesses are open to opportunities that will make them more money. 

Also, retail partnerships help with your brand positioning and improve customers’ trust in your brand. For instance, there is a higher chance of selling a cosmetics product if a retailer talks to the customer about the product.

Online and Offline Advertising

Advertising has become a highly extreme marketing tool, and it is now used by large and small cosmetic brands alike. 

Offline advertising involves guerilla marketing campaigns, using billboards, flyers, posters, and so on. On the other hand, online advertising involves running ads on search engines and social media. Make sure to include a good blend of both into your skincare business plan and marketing efforts.

Step 7: Outline Operational and Plans

Without plans for operations, a business plan is as good as useless. Supply chain management and quality control are important factors to consider when making plans for operation. Here are these factors in more detail. 

Supply Chain Management

Supply chain management is the management of the flow of goods, data, services, and finances related to a particular business, from the state of manufacture to the state of consumer consumption. 

If you want good customer loyalty and avocation on a cosmetic product, you have to make this process as smooth and quality as possible. Additionally, efficient supply chain management saves costs and hastens the delivery process to the final consumer. 

Quality Control

Quality control is a set of procedures that your product will be subjected to in order to ensure that it meets the criteria for quality. In order to avoid your brand putting out inconsistent quality, you will most likely face a lot of customer satisfaction issues that you have to meet. 

Quality standards have been put in place in the cosmetic industry, starting from ingredient selection which should strictly follow the INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients) list of approved ingredients. 

Also, microbiological testing is carried out on cosmetic products to ensure that they are not contaminated, and are not harmful to cosmetics users.

1 3 1

Step 8: Outline Financial Plans

Financial planning is the backbone of any business plan. Creating a cash flow forecast and a profitability analysis is key to your business’s growth and profitability. Let’s take a look at these factors. 

Create a Cash Flow Forecast

Cash flow forecasts typically predict a company’s future financial position; a company’s cash flow involves receivables and expected payments from various sources. Cash flow also involves money from future sales of assets, grants, bills, and miscellaneous expenses.

That said, a cosmetics company can create a cash flow forecast to track how much the business is estimated to spend in the future. Doing this will help to plan for times when the company’s low on cash.

Profitability Analysis

Profitability analysis is the calculation and analysis of the profits of a business. The cosmetic industry has a different net profit margin that is affected by the company size, location of the business, availability of competitors, and the business strategy used. All these are determining factors in deciding on the cost of a product, and the profit that can be gotten from the product.

Customize Your Ideal Cosmetic Bottle Packaging

One of the trends in cosmetics involves developing an ideal bottle packaging that speaks for your brand. These trends revolve around making eco-friendly packaging and maintaining thoughtful pre-sale and post-sale services. 

Eco-Friendly Cosmetic Packaging Materials

Eco-friendly cosmetic packaging is becoming increasingly common, and many customers now look out for this. Luckily, Cosmopacks have created highly customizable packaging for brands worldwide using bamboo, Post-consumer recycled plastics, glass, and bioplastics.

Our list of cosmetic packaging includes:

  • Cosmetic bottle
  • Cosmetic jars
  • Cosmetic tubes
  • Makeup packaging
  • Recycled cosmetic bottle

Thoughtful Pre-Sale and Post-Sale Service

We offer thoughtful pre-sale and post-sale services that include efficient consultation and communication, printing and sampling, production and warehousing, and inspection and shipment of all our packaging products to our customer’s desired locations.

Creating a skincare business plan can seem like a herculean task, but taking the time to add these details above can make all the difference. Effective marketing and customer service, competitor analysis, cosmetic packaging plans, operational plans, and market research are all integral to your brand’s success in the short and long term.

Cosmopacks offers amazing, highly customizable bottle packaging for brands worldwide. Their objective is to find the best way to reflect your brand’s identity by creating tailored packaging options and eco-friendly packaging. 

Get in touch with us by visiting our website or reaching out to us through our various helpline channels. 

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How To Write a Winning Skin Care Business Plan + Template

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Creating a business plan is essential for any business, but it can be especially helpful for skin care businesses who want to improve their strategy or raise funding.

A well-crafted business plan outlines your company’s vision and documents a step-by-step roadmap of how you will accomplish it. To create an effective business plan, you must first understand the components essential to its success.

This article provides an overview of the key elements that every skin care business owner should include in their business plan.

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What is a Skin Care Business Plan?

A skin care business plan is a formal written document describing your company’s business strategy and feasibility. It documents the reasons you will be successful, your areas of competitive advantage, and it includes information about your team members. Your business plan is a key document that will convince investors and lenders (if needed) that you are positioned to become a successful venture.

Why Write a Skin Care Business Plan?

A skin care business plan is required for banks and investors. The document is a clear and concise guide to your business idea and the steps you will take to make it profitable.

Entrepreneurs can also use this as a roadmap when starting their new company or venture, especially if they are inexperienced in starting a business.

Writing an Effective Skin Care Business Plan

The following are the key components of a successful skincare business plan:

Executive Summary

The executive summary of a skin care business plan is a one- to two-page overview of your entire business plan. It should summarize the main points, which will be presented in full in the rest of your business plan.

  • Start with a one-line description of your skin care company
  • Provide a summary of the key points in each section of your business plan, which includes information about your company’s management team, industry analysis, competitive analysis, and financial forecast, among others.

Company Description

This section should include a brief history of your company. Include a short description of how your company started and provide a timeline of milestones your company has achieved.

You may not have a long company history if you are just starting your skincare business. Instead, you can include information about your professional experience in this industry and how and why you conceived your new venture. If you have worked for a similar company or been involved in an entrepreneurial venture before starting your skin care firm, mention this.

You will also include information about your chosen skin care business model and how, if applicable, it differs from other companies in your industry.

Industry Analysis

The industry or market analysis is an essential component of a skincare business plan. Conduct thorough market research to determine industry trends and document the size of your market. 

Questions to answer include:

  • What part of the skin care industry are you targeting?
  • How big is the market?
  • What trends are happening in the industry right now (and if applicable, how do these trends support your company’s success)?

You should also include sources for your information, such as published research reports and expert opinions.

Customer Analysis

This section should include a list of your target audience(s) with demographic and psychographic profiles (e.g., age, gender, income level, profession, job titles, interests). You will need to provide a profile of each customer segment separately, including their needs and wants.

For example, a skincare business’ customers may include:

  • Women aged 25-40 who are working professionals
  • Middle-aged women aged 45-60 who are stay-at-home moms

You can include information about how your customers decide to buy from you as well as what keeps them buying from you.

Develop a strategy for targeting those customers who are most likely to buy from you, as well as those that might be influenced to buy your products or skin care services with the right marketing.

Competitive Analysis

The competitive analysis helps you determine how your product or service will differ from competitors and what your unique selling proposition (USP) might be that will set you apart in this industry.

For each competitor, list their strengths and weaknesses. Next, determine your areas of competitive advantage; that is, in what ways are you different from and ideally better than your competitors.

Below are sample competitive advantages your skin care business may have:

  • Extensive knowledge of the latest skincare industry trends and how to apply them
  • Proven track record of successful product launches
  • Strong relationships with key retailers
  • Robust social media following
  • Highly qualified and experienced management team

Marketing Plan

This part of the business plan is where you determine and document your marketing plan. . Your plan should be laid out, including the following 4 Ps.

  • Product/Service : Detail your product/service offerings here. Document their features and benefits.
  • Price : Document your pricing strategy here. In addition to stating the prices for your products/services, mention how your pricing compares to your competition.
  • Place : Where will your customers find you? What channels of distribution (e.g., partnerships) will you use to reach them if applicable?
  • Promotion : How will you reach your target customers? For example, you may use social media, write blog posts, create an email marketing campaign, pay-per-click advertising, or launch a direct mail campaign. Or, you may promote your skin care business via a combination of these marketing channels.

Operations Plan

This part of your skincare business plan should include the following information:

  • How will you deliver your product/service to customers? For example, will you do it in person or over the phone?
  • What infrastructure, equipment, and resources are needed to operate successfully? How can you meet those requirements within budget constraints?

You also need to include your company’s business policies in the operations plan. You will want to establish policies related to everything from customer service to pricing, to the overall brand image you are trying to present.

Finally, and most importantly, your Operations Plan will outline the milestones your company hopes to achieve within the next five years. Create a chart that shows the key milestone(s) you hope to achieve each quarter for the next four quarters and then each year for the following four years. Examples of milestones for a skincare business include reaching $X in sales. Other examples include launching a new product line, hiring key personnel, and opening new locations.

Management Team

List your team members here, including their names and titles, as well as their expertise and experience relevant to your specific skin care industry. Include brief biography sketches for each team member.

Particularly if you are seeking funding, the goal of this section is to convince investors and lenders that your team has the expertise and experience to execute on your plan. If you are missing key team members, document the roles and responsibilities, you plan to hire for in the future.

Financial Plan

Here, you will include a summary of your complete and detailed financial plan (your full financial projections go in the Appendix). 

This includes the following three financial statements:

Income Statement

Your income statement should include:

  • Revenue : how much revenue you generate.
  • Cost of Goods Sold : These are your direct costs associated with generating revenue. This includes labor costs and the cost of any equipment and supplies used to deliver the product/service offering.
  • Net Income (or loss) : Once expenses and revenue are totaled and deducted from each other, this is the net income or loss.

Sample Income Statement for a Startup Skin Care Business

Balance sheet.

Include a balance sheet that shows your assets, liabilities, and equity. Your balance sheet should include:

  • Assets : All things you own (including cash).
  • Liabilities : This is what you owe against your company’s assets, such as accounts payable or loans.
  • Equity : The worth of your business after all liabilities and assets are totaled and deducted from each other.

Sample Balance Sheet for a Startup Skin Care Business

Cash flow statement.

Include a cash flow statement showing how much cash comes in, how much cash goes out and a net cash flow for each year. The cash flow statement should include:

  • Cash Flow From Operations
  • Cash Flow From Investments
  • Cash Flow From Financing

Below is a sample of a projected cash flow statement for a startup skin care business.

Sample Cash Flow Statement for a Startup Skin Care Business

You will also want to include an appendix section which will include:

  • Your complete financial projections
  • A complete list of your company’s business policies and procedures related to the rest of the business plan (marketing, operations, etc.)
  • Any other documentation which supports what you included in the body of your business plan.

Writing a good business plan gives you the advantage of being fully prepared to launch and/or grow your skincare company. It not only outlines your business vision but also provides a step-by-step process of how you are going to accomplish it.

Now that you know what should be included in a skincare business plan, it’s time to start writing your own. The template below includes everything discussed in this article, so feel free to use it as a starting point.  

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Skin Care Business Plan

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People are increasingly opting for a healthier and better lifestyle these days. And for the same reason, there is an increasing demand for better skin care products as well.

Also, the rise of YouTube and the popularity gained by skincare has led to increasing demand for skin care products.

If you have innovative ideas to make skincare better, are a beauty enthusiast yourself, and can keep up with the changing beauty trends and demands then a skincare business might be your perfect match.

If you are planning to start a new skincare business, the first thing you will need is a skin care business plan . Use our skin care business plan example & start writing your business plan in no time.

Skin Care Business Plan Outline

This is the standard format of a business plan for a skincare business, and it includes all the key components that your plan should have.

Executive Summary

An executive summary part comes first in a business plan’s introduction.

Give a brief description of the skincare company, an introduction of all your skincare products, the concept, business models, goals, long-term and short-term plans, marketing strategy, & your direct competitors in the executive summary of the beauty products business plan.

The executive summary should catch the attention of your audience or investors to want to invest in your company.

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1) Problem Definition & Validation

Here are a few questions to answer for validation:

  • What issue (or group of issues) is your audience having related to your business industry?
  • Which options are most feasible and have the biggest market value?
  • Who are the people affected by these issues?

2) Solution

Now you know the problems and the audience you will serve, search for the solution you will provide for the problem.

3) Objectives

Describe the skin care business in detail. When an organization grows, its business objectives are the specific, quantifiable results that it wants to achieve. There are two types of goals: short-term (1-3 years) and long-term (3-5 or more years). Some of the goals might include: for instance

  • Hiring 50+ employees in 3 years (short-term)
  • 200+ customers in a year (short-term)
  • 1 million repetitive orders in 5 years (long-term)
  • 10 million sales in 5 years ( long-term)

4) Mission Statement

Your company’s mission statement outlines what it delivers, how it accomplishes this, and who it assists. It encapsulates the total worth of your product or service. Your company will achieve its vision if it stays true to its mission.

It’s important to keep your mission statement concise, precise, and explicit when you write it.

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5) Keys To Success

Mention all of your company’s unique selling points. Check that your products are market-fit or not, look after your audience, and give them the exact solution that no one else is providing.

6) Financial Highlights

It describes a company’s historical financial situation (if available) as well as its future financial projections. This area of the plan includes supporting documents such as budgets and financial records, as well as funding requests.

Numbers are introduced in the financial section of the skin care business plan presentation.

Business Overview

A section of a business plan called the business overview gives a broad description of your skincare business. This part provides information about your business’s organization, values, mission, and products to the public. It can also show what distinguishes your business from rivals. This portion of the business plan is referred to as the “company description” or “summary”.

Products & Services

Provide information about all the products & services your skincare company will offer. Mention any plans you may have for all of the services and goods.

Your skincare business plan should also include any extra services you plan to offer. For example, “Free delivery above 50 or 100$ orders” or “Offer of 1+1 free products on certain days”.

Market Analysis

Educating yourself about the skincare sector is the first step. It helps in your understanding of the skincare industry.

The second benefit of market analysis is that it might enhance your marketing plan, especially if your analysis reveals market trends.

Your skin care business plan’s market analysis section has to address the following inquiries:

  • How much money is invested in the skin care industry?
  • The market is either growing or shrinking.
  • Who are the market’s major rivals?
  • Who are the main market suppliers?
  • What patterns are influencing the sector?
  • Relevant market size

By estimating the size of the market and then relating that number to your local population, you can gather the target audience.

SWOT Analysis

Make sure you’ve taken into account all of your company’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as the opportunities and threats it faces in the market, as SWOT analysis can help you develop a solid business plan.

For the skincare business also doing a SWOT analysis and defining its solutions is necessary. Using Upmetrics, you will be able to write and analyze every aspect of your skincare business plan.

Operational Plan

How you will carry out the objectives you outlined in the preceding areas is explained in your operations plan.

Describe the management team who is going to lead, along with their experience & expertise. How many personnel together can achieve those goals, and how many new ones you need to hire should also be mentioned here.

Mention all your goals and strategies for how to achieve them.

Financial Plan

Your 5-year financial statement should be broken out monthly or quarterly for the first year and then annually in the financial plan even with the comparison with past data (if any).

Your income statement, balance sheet, cash flow statements, and financial forecasts are all parts of your financial statements.

Use our business plan app to forecast your financials for 5 years so that you can plan your long-term goals too.

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Download a sample skin care business plan

Need help writing your business plan from scratch? Here you go;  download our free skin care business plan pdf  to start.

It’s a modern business plan template specifically designed for your skin care business. Use the example business plan as a guide for writing your own.

To impress investors or to predefine your business strategies: write a skin care business plan for your business. Using this skin care business plan template (PDF) , you will have a better understanding of the skincare market, your rivals, and your target audience.

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Start writing a skincare business plan with us today.

Customize Business Plan

Using our business plan app, one can customize business plans per their requirements.

Use the top-notch business plan creator to impress investors, & achieve your dream of a successful skincare business.

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Upmetrics is the #1 business planning software that helps entrepreneurs and business owners create investment-ready business plans using AI. We regularly share business planning insights on our blog. Check out the Upmetrics blog for such interesting reads. Read more

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Essentials of a Cosmetics Business Plan: How to Write One

  • Written by 440 Industries
  • Business Planning , Cosmetics , Fashion Merchandise
  • September 21, 2021

Essentials of a Cosmetics Business Plan: How to Write One

The cosmetic business umbrella has three vital areas. They include color cosmetics, aka makeup, fragrance, and skincare. Although these areas are closely related, they fall under different consumer personal cosmetic routines. In this blog, we will discuss the proper way to develop your cosmetic business plan. Irrespective of the type of cosmetic business you want to start, this foolproof guide may just increase your chances of success.

Before we get started, how big is the cosmetic industry? In 2020, the value of the trade stood at 483 Billion USD. The numbers escalated steeply in 2021, bringing the value of the cosmetic industry at approximately 511 Billion USD. Better still, the annual compound growth rate of the sector stands at 4.75%, meaning that the value of the cosmetic industry could rise to 716 Billion USD by 2025.

  • Introduction

Cosmetic Industry Consumer Trends

Is a cosmetic business plan necessary, essentials of writing a cosmetics business plan.

The consumer trends in the cosmetic industry are nothing short of heartwarming. With pop culture and good grooming being an in-thing in the current fashion landscape, those in the cosmetic business are making fortunes. Generally, today’s consumers are open to spending a little more just to get high-quality products.

Moreover, the purchasing power of emerging nations is a force to reckon. Cosmetics are today more globalized than ever before, making the landscape favorable for international cosmetic companies. Locals in various countries are receptive to buying high-quality products from these companies that are not available locally. 

As you can tell from the above statistics, cosmetic products have a favourable audience willing to spend what it takes to look their best. Hence, you may be wondering whether developing a cosmetic business plan is worth the effort. Well, it is. Even with a growing demand for cosmetics, you need a plan to expand your exposure and make the most of the serious business opportunities.

Think of your business plan as a vital strategic document that dictates where you should focus your resources, time, and energy.  Generally, the program gives you a clear view of the game and what you intend to achieve. The tool will come in handy whenever you need to make crucial decisions that may make or break your venture. For most serious entrepreneurs, a business plan helps ensure that the everyday running of their ventures is as smooth and straightforward as possible.

Running a business requires you to make strategic moves. The cosmetic venture is no exception. Setting up a detailed strategy and ensuring your cosmetic business plan covers all ground is paramount. 

Here are essential components you must include in the plan:

Business Mission and Vision

Your mission statement is the first thing to include in your cosmetic business plan. Think of it this way; the statement will be a navigation tool that gives a story about your plans for the future of your company. Moreover, the statement indicates the purpose of your work, making it simpler to identify your company goals and remain committed to achieving your vision.

Generally, the mission and vision statement is the bedrock of your business. It should play three vital roles, which include:

  • Communicate the purpose of your venture
  • Give direction to your development strategy
  • Identify measurable company objectives you can use to gauge the success of your business strategy

Identify Your Business Niche and Audience

There is a whole world of cosmetic products out there. Consequently, you need to define your unique path into the industry to know your target audience . For instance, if you opt to specialize in good grooming products, the chances are that your target consumers are young people and the business class. That said, it will be easy for you to analyze their likes and preferences. Most importantly, you can study their trends and learn how they shop. This is crucial information you can use to move your venture to the next level.

Once your cosmetic business plan focuses on a specific audience, things will suddenly begin to fall in place. You will now have a good idea about the marketing strategies that are likely to work. In the end, if you choose skincare for seniors as your business niche, you may not want to use marketing strategies that mainly work for the youth.

Choose Your Range Of Products

Again, there is a whole world of beauty products available in the market. For instance, if you focus on natural products as your niche, it makes sense to centre your cosmetic business plan on products that fit well together. Most importantly, these products must attract the attention of your target customers.

Launching one product and exclusively selling it is not all doom. However, you may want to consider a bit of product diversity, especially if you are just getting started. Cross-selling or up-selling products that fall under the same classification may just be a good idea. Remember that according to current consumer trends, people use multiple cosmetics in combination. Focusing on one product alone may have profound financial implications that a young business may not bear.

Cosmetics Business Plan; Know the Competition

The next important step of developing your cosmetic business plan is to identify your competitors. The cosmetic industry is ripping fortunes. Hence it makes sense to know the movers and shakers within your chosen product niche . The idea is to know everything about them. Yes, everything about them. This includes their product range, their prices, marketing strategies, and more. This information will help you decide what to do to remain unique and keep pace with respected names within your line of business.

Develop a Manufacturing Strategy

So, do you intend to produce your unique range of cosmetic products? If you do, you need to have a manufacturing strategy. Typically, there are two options you have. One, you could opt to manufacture the products in person from your lab. Two, you could contract a manufacturer to do the hard work on your behalf. Either way, it is crucial to have a plan that ensures a smooth stream of products into your business.

Each of the two strategies has profound pros and cons. For instance, it’s easy to manage quality assurance when producing your cosmetics from your lab. On the downside, this can be a financially challenging option. On the other hand, working with a manufacturer may be cheaper. In this case, it is essential to plan on vital aspects such as logistics, contractual obligations, and finances. Irrespective of your choice, make sure it works well for your business model and aligns with your mission and vision.

Spruce Up Your Retail Strategy

Here’s the deal, you are likely not to grow to your best potential if you opt to sell directly to your consumers and in person. Even if you are a top-notch digital marketer, expanding your profit margins may be an uphill task if you opt not to outsource. Naturally, it is easier to hit your profit goals when you distribute your stock to retailers and e-stores that match your product niche.

Again, nothing is as important as developing a retail strategy that aligns with your product niche. At this point, you know your targeted customers, your competitors, and most importantly, your chosen range of products. With this in mind, deciding where your cosmetics fit naturally should not be a hurdle.  Having a solid retail strategy is an integral part of ensuring the success of your cosmetic business plan.

Cosmetics Business Plan; Keep an Eye on Financing 

If your goal is to create a cosmetic business empire, it may not be necessary to have a million dollars in capital. However, having the funds to keep your operations running is as important as having a solid cosmetic business plan. Assuming you already have your capital, the next step is to analyze the financial implications of various essential actions, including your manufacturing and retail strategy. The idea is to have a grip on your funds, and by extension, ensure smooth operations.

There are different ways to finance a business . One, you could opt for a safer option and depend on loans from your friends or family. Two, you could turn to a financial institution such as a bank for the much-needed resources. Three, you may choose to involve investors and split the profits. The essential thing is to have a financial plan that keeps your business doors open without significantly impacting your bottom line.

Develop a Clear and Detailed Financial Prognosis

With a detailed financial prognosis, it should now be easier to get your business up and rolling. Think of it this way, your business may not be “thriving,” but you will have a draft to make your deal attractive to investors. Furthermore, even with no sales, you will have a clear plan of the steps you will take and how you will rip profits. Generally, a financial prognosis will give you a good idea of your brand’s potential.

As the name implies, a financial prognosis is a forecast or rather an opinion beforehand. Ideally, it is a systematic projection of the expected economic trends through financial statements. You need to have some past business financial, cash flow, and fund-flow records that allow you to predict what you can achieve in a future date if you follow a specific cosmetic business plan.

A detailed financial prognosis must include the following elements:

  • Pro-forma income statements
  • Pro-forma balance sheets
  • Business cash budget

A Great Online Class: Introduction to Professional Makeup Techniques by Domestika

If you are interested in learning more about professional makeup techniques for your business, we recommend taking a look at the online class “Introduction to Professional Makeup Techniques” by Domestika.

The course is currently under promotion, but you can use the discount code: T_BROWNLEES-PROMO to get an additional 10% discount on your purchase. This online class offered by Domestika, at a very inexpensive price covers all you need to know to create both bold, and understating looks by mastering makeup techniques. If you apply to the course through the link below you’ll be supporting 440 Industries, and we thank you for it!

Opinions matter

There you have it, a detailed guide highlighting the essentials of a cosmetic business plan. We hope that our tips are instrumental in helping you make or upgrade your current strategies. As we part ways, there are three crucial things to remember. First, this is not a standard guide that works for every business. If you make your business plan and fail to bear the intended fruit, all is not lost; develop a personalized plan. Second, mistakes are an essential part of growing as an entrepreneur. They help you identify areas that need improvement. Third, it’s never a bad idea to seek professional assistance from experts in the field, especially once your business starts booming.

If you’re interested in reading up more about successful strategies to market your fragrance business, we’ve got a post right on that. You’ll also find a list of the most profitable, expensive, and successful fragrances sold worldwide. Here’s the link!

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Skin Care Business Plan Template & Guidebook

Starting a skin care business is an exciting endeavor for any entrepreneur, but it can be daunting to figure out where to begin. With the right resources and guidance, you can become the owner of a successful skin care business. The #1 Skin Care Business Plan Template & Guidebook is the perfect tool to help kick start your business and launch you on your way to success. With easy-to-follow instructions, this guidebook will help you create a comprehensive plan outlining every step of your business journey, from researching the market and setting up shop to developing marketing strategies and more.

Nick

Get worry-free services and support to launch your business starting at $0 plus state fees.

  • How to Start a Profitable Skin Care Business [11 Steps]
  • 10+ Best & Profitable Skin Care Business Ideas [2023]

How to Write a Skin Care Business Plan in 7 Steps:

1. describe the purpose of your skin care business..

The first step to writing your business plan is to describe the purpose of your skin care business. This includes describing why you are starting this type of business, and what problems it will solve for customers. This is a quick way to get your mind thinking about the customers’ problems. It also helps you identify what makes your business different from others in its industry.

It also helps to include a vision statement so that readers can understand what type of company you want to build.

Here is an example of a purpose mission statement for a skin care business:

Our mission at XYZ Skincare is to provide our customers with the highest quality skincare products, using only natural and organic ingredients to enhance their self-care routines. We strive to empower our customers by providing them the resources necessary for creating a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle.

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2. Products & Services Offered by Your Skin Care Business.

The next step is to outline your products and services for your skin care business. 

When you think about the products and services that you offer, it's helpful to ask yourself the following questions:

  • What is my business?
  • What are the products and/or services that I offer?
  • Why am I offering these particular products and/or services?
  • How do I differentiate myself from competitors with similar offerings?
  • How will I market my products and services?

You may want to do a comparison of your business plan against those of other competitors in the area, or even with online reviews. This way, you can find out what people like about them and what they don’t like, so that you can either improve upon their offerings or avoid doing so altogether.

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3. Build a Creative Marketing Stratgey.

If you don't have a marketing plan for your skin care business, it's time to write one. Your marketing plan should be part of your business plan and be a roadmap to your goals. 

A good marketing plan for your skin care business includes the following elements:

Target market

  • Who is your target market?
  • What do these customers have in common?
  • How many of them are there?
  • How can you best reach them with your message or product?

Customer base 

  • Who are your current customers? 
  • Where did they come from (i.e., referrals)?
  • How can their experience with your skin care business help make them repeat customers, consumers, visitors, subscribers, or advocates for other people in their network or industry who might also benefit from using this service, product, or brand?

Product or service description

  • How does it work, what features does it have, and what are its benefits?
  • Can anyone use this product or service regardless of age or gender?
  • Can anyone visually see themselves using this product or service?
  • How will they feel when they do so? If so, how long will the feeling last after purchasing (or trying) the product/service for the first time?

Competitive analysis

  • Which companies are competing with yours today (and why)? 
  • Which ones may enter into competition with yours tomorrow if they find out about it now through word-of-mouth advertising; social media networks; friends' recommendations; etc.)
  • What specific advantages does each competitor offer over yours currently?

Marketing channels

  • Which marketing channel do you intend to leverage to attract new customers?
  • What is your estimated marketing budget needed?
  • What is the projected cost to acquire a new customer?
  • How many of your customers do you instead will return?

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business plan beauty products

4. Write Your Operational Plan.

Next, you'll need to build your operational plan. This section describes the type of business you'll be running, and includes the steps involved in your operations. 

In it, you should list:

  • The equipment and facilities needed
  • Who will be involved in the business (employees, contractors)
  • Financial requirements for each step
  • Milestones & KPIs
  • Location of your business
  • Zoning & permits required for the business

What equipment, supplies, or permits are needed to run a skin care business?

  • Quality skin care products
  • Storage containers and/or organizers
  • Equipment such as facial steamers, extractors, magnifying lamps, etc.
  • Paper towels and/or wipes
  • Cleansing solutions
  • Moisturizers and other skin care products
  • Business license or permit
  • Insurance for professional liability and business property

5. Management & Organization of Your Skin Care Business.

The second part of your skin care business plan is to develop a management and organization section.

This section will cover all of the following:

  • How many employees you need in order to run your skin care business. This should include the roles they will play (for example, one person may be responsible for managing administrative duties while another might be in charge of customer service).
  • The structure of your management team. The higher-ups like yourself should be able to delegate tasks through lower-level managers who are directly responsible for their given department (inventory and sales, etc.).
  • How you’re going to make sure that everyone on board is doing their job well. You’ll want check-ins with employees regularly so they have time to ask questions or voice concerns if needed; this also gives you time to offer support where necessary while staying informed on how things are going within individual departments too!

6. Skin Care Business Startup Expenses & Captial Needed.

This section should be broken down by month and year. If you are still in the planning stage of your business, it may be helpful to estimate how much money will be needed each month until you reach profitability.

Typically, expenses for your business can be broken into a few basic categories:

Startup Costs

Startup costs are typically the first expenses you will incur when beginning an enterprise. These include legal fees, accounting expenses, and other costs associated with getting your business off the ground. The amount of money needed to start a skin care business varies based on many different variables, but below are a few different types of startup costs for a skin care business.

Running & Operating Costs

Running costs refer to ongoing expenses related directly with operating your business over time like electricity bills or salaries paid out each month. These types of expenses will vary greatly depending on multiple variables such as location, team size, utility costs, etc.

Marketing & Sales Expenses

You should include any costs associated with marketing and sales, such as advertising and promotions, website design or maintenance. Also, consider any additional expenses that may be incurred if you decide to launch a new product or service line. For example, if your skin care business has an existing website that needs an upgrade in order to sell more products or services, then this should be listed here.

7. Financial Plan & Projections

A financial plan is an important part of any business plan, as it outlines how the business will generate revenue and profit, and how it will use that profit to grow and sustain itself. To devise a financial plan for your skin care business, you will need to consider a number of factors, including your start-up costs, operating costs, projected revenue, and expenses. 

Here are some steps you can follow to devise a financial plan for your skin care business plan:

  • Determine your start-up costs: This will include the cost of purchasing or leasing the space where you will operate your business, as well as the cost of buying or leasing any equipment or supplies that you need to start the business.
  • Estimate your operating costs: Operating costs will include utilities, such as electricity, gas, and water, as well as labor costs for employees, if any, and the cost of purchasing any materials or supplies that you will need to run your business.
  • Project your revenue: To project your revenue, you will need to consider the number of customers you expect to have and the average amount they will spend on each visit. You can use this information to estimate how much money you will make from selling your products or services.
  • Estimate your expenses: In addition to your operating costs, you will need to consider other expenses, such as insurance, marketing, and maintenance. You will also need to set aside money for taxes and other fees.
  • Create a budget: Once you have estimated your start-up costs, operating costs, revenue, and expenses, you can use this information to create a budget for your business. This will help you to see how much money you will need to start the business, and how much profit you can expect to make.
  • Develop a plan for using your profit: Finally, you will need to decide how you will use your profit to grow and sustain your business. This might include investing in new equipment, expanding the business, or saving for a rainy day.

business plan beauty products

Frequently Asked Questions About Skin Care Business Plans:

Why do you need a business plan for a skin care business.

A business plan for a skin care business is essential for any entrepreneur who is looking to start, operate, or improve an existing skin care business. A well-written business plan can help outline the goals, strategies, and resources needed to develop and implement a successful skin care business. It will also help you identify potential risks and opportunities while providing a roadmap for success. Furthermore, a business plan helps potential investors understand the scope of your operation, financial projections, and overall objectives.

Who should you ask for help with your skin care business plan?

It's important to seek advice from experienced professionals and experts in the skincare industry when developing your business plan. Consider reaching out to a local business consultant or mentor, a professional association such as the Small Business Administration (SBA), or a professional organization like the Professional Beauty Association (PBA). You may also want to consult with industry experts and entrepreneurs to get fresh ideas and insights into developing a successful skin care business plan.

Can you write a skin care business plan yourself?

Writing a business plan for your skin care business can be a difficult and time-consuming process. It is best to work with an experienced consultant or business advisor who can guide you through the entire planning process and ensure that your plan is tailored to meet your specific needs. Working with an expert can help ensure that the plan is comprehensive, well-organized, and professional.

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I'm Nick, co-founder of newfoundr.com, dedicated to helping aspiring entrepreneurs succeed. As a small business owner with over five years of experience, I have garnered valuable knowledge and insights across a diverse range of industries. My passion for entrepreneurship drives me to share my expertise with aspiring entrepreneurs, empowering them to turn their business dreams into reality.

Through meticulous research and firsthand experience, I uncover the essential steps, software, tools, and costs associated with launching and maintaining a successful business. By demystifying the complexities of entrepreneurship, I provide the guidance and support needed for others to embark on their journey with confidence.

From assessing market viability and formulating business plans to selecting the right technology and navigating the financial landscape, I am dedicated to helping fellow entrepreneurs overcome challenges and unlock their full potential. As a steadfast advocate for small business success, my mission is to pave the way for a new generation of innovative and driven entrepreneurs who are ready to make their mark on the world.

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business plan beauty products

Are you seeking an exciting venture that combines passion, wellness, and innovative technology? Well, the skin care industry might just be your next destination! The beauty of this industry is not merely skin deep. With an ever-growing global demand for effective skin care solutions and heightened awareness around health and wellness, the potential for success is truly remarkable.

Not only is skin care an exciting business prospect from a practical point of view. It’s a great opportunity to use your skills and your knowledge to really help people. While skin care may not be saving lives, as such, it is something that just about everybody will seek out at one point or another.

And when you can deliver a complexion-saving facial or series of treatments that leave your client with a radiant glow they never imagined achieving, you’ll see how incredibly rewarding and exciting this field can be.

To help you get to that all-important, super-fulfilling moment in your new career, let’s walk through everything you need to know before you get started in the skin care industry.

1. Understanding the Basics

Diving into the skin care industry requires an understanding of key terms and concepts. It’s not all exfoliating and moisturizing — and the world of skin care is constantly changing and improving, so it’s important not just to learn key terms now, but to stay up to date on trends and emerging research so you can provide your clients with the best possible options.

Let’s start by getting a handle on some cutting-edge basics so that when you step into a store ( or into our shop online ) to get your equipment, you don’t feel like a deer in the LED lights.

LED Therapy

LED skin care treatments primarily utilize red and green light wavelengths. These technologies have revolutionized the beauty world. Red LED light is known for its ability to help minimize the look of fine lines and wrinkles, while green LED light works to help soothe breakouts and reduce the appearance of blemishes. Together, these technologies offer a comprehensive solution for a wide range of skin concerns.

Microcurrent Therapy

Microcurrent is a low-level electrical current that mirrors the body’s natural current. It is thought to help support blood circulation, which can contribute to more youthful-looking skin. It is also thought to support proper muscle function and minimize the look of puffiness over time for even more benefits.

Plus, it’s non-invasive, which makes it a great option for sensitive skin, too.

High-Quality Skin Care Products

In addition to cutting-edge technology, the other key component of your burgeoning skin care practice is having the right products to offer and recommend to your clients. While you yourself may have a regimen that addresses all of your concerns, the key is getting to know all of the ingredients that can unlock the next level of radiance in your clients, no matter what their needs are.

This means knowing the difference between chemical exfoliants and physical exfoliants, and understanding how and why retinol is such a miracle worker . You’ll also want to familiarize yourself with which order products should be applied in (from lightest to heaviest) and which products shouldn’t be layered together due to negative interactions.

Basically, you’ll want to turn yourself into a walking skin care encyclopedia.

This won’t just make you knowledgeable about and good at your job — it’ll make it a lot easier to follow through with the next few steps because you’ll have a clearer idea of what your business looks like, what matters to you, and which products and ingredients you have a passion for!

2. Building Your Business Plan

Creating a solid business plan is the first big step towards making your skin care dream a reality after you feel like you have a grip on the industry at large. But where should you start? Well, it’s all about knowing your audience and highlighting what makes you stand out from the crowd.

You’ll want to think about your target audience. Are you targeting younger clients to help them with preventative anti-aging care? Do you prefer working with mature skin to help rejuvenate and refresh? Is your ideal client into high-end, cutting-edge treatments — or are they more of a traditional skin care client looking for a reliable routine and the occasional facial?

In addition to knowing who you’re targeting, you’ll also want to think about the core values of your company.

If you’re all about sustainable and eco-friendly skin care, that should be at the forefront not just of the products and treatments you choose, but of your branding as well, so you can appeal to clients who appreciate the same qualities. If you have a particular type of treatment or product that defines your practice, then that should be something you work into your literature.

While these things may seem broad and perhaps not super crucial, they’re so important as you move forward with your business, because they define every other decision you’re going to make!

3. Assembling Your Team

No skin care business can truly flourish without a dedicated, knowledgeable team. Your estheticians will be the heart and soul of your operation, so investing in their skills and education will be essential.

One of the ways to attract the best talent is by offering continuous learning opportunities. Remember, in the skin care industry, things evolve rapidly! As new trends emerge and technologies advance, your team should be on top of these changes. Continuous training sessions on skin care technologies, treatments, and best practices will not only enhance your service quality but also foster a team that’s passionate and driven.

But it’s not just about the technical skills — the estheticians are the face of your business, interacting with clients on a daily basis. Hence, honing their customer service skills is equally important. They should be able to convey the essence of your brand, whatever that may be.

While one company may prioritize a warm vibe from their employees that makes everyone feel like family, maybe your business is more sleek and to the point with clients who value quiet and privacy. Whatever your preference, it’s important to be sure anybody you bring into your company embodies the best possible version of your business!

4. Selecting Your Equipment

Investing in high-quality skin care equipment is like setting the foundation of a towering skyscraper — it provides stability, durability, and impressive outcomes. It also shows your clients that you’re serious about your business.

There’s a huge difference between stepping into an esthetician’s office and seeing some sheet masks and skin care products, and stepping into an office that’s outfitted with high-quality equipment. The confidence level your clients will have in you is guaranteed to skyrocket.

While it is important to know your intended clientele and the volume you intend to serve so you’re not going overboard with equipment, consider how your business can elevate any potential at-home experience and make it invaluable to your clients.

For instance, LED therapy can be conducted at home with a handheld device. But only your business can give your clients access to the Illuminate Full Face LED Panel , which will feel like a huge upgrade to even the most experienced at-home skin care maven.

None of this is to say, however, that skin care products themselves aren’t equally as important. Keeping yourself well-stocked with everything you might possibly need is crucial. You never want to run out of moisturizer after giving a client a peel, or not have something to offer if your client wants to try a serum you discussed.

That’s why purchasing products that are designed to serve a business rather than an individual in terms of quantity is non-negotiable.

5. Attracting Your Customers

Attracting customers and estheticians requires a strong online presence and an effective marketing strategy. Search engine optimization , or SEO, is one way to ensure you’re a highly searched skin care business. By using relevant keywords and producing engaging content, you can improve your website’s ranking on search engines, making it easier for potential clients and estheticians to find you.

Social media is another powerful tool. By regularly sharing before-and-after images, client testimonials, and information about your treatments, you can build an engaging online community. This not only raises brand awareness but also builds trust and credibility among your audience.

You can also look for fairs, markets, or other events that might allow you to provide free or discounted treatments or facials to potential customers. While it may be frustrating at first to offer your services for less than they’re worth, it can be a great way to create word of mouth and stir up interest in your budding business.

In the end, attracting customers and estheticians is about creating connections. Whether through your website, social media, or even word-of-mouth, every interaction is an opportunity to welcome a new member into your skin care community.

6. Nurturing Your Brand

When you start a skin care business, you aren’t just selling products or services — you’re nurturing a brand. This brand becomes a living, breathing entity that encapsulates your values, your mission, and your promise to your customers. It’s about striking a chord with your audience, and resonating with their aspirations and needs.

Your brand voice plays a pivotal role in shaping your identity. Picture it as the personality of your skin care business — it’s the voice your customers hear when they read your social media posts, blogs, newsletters, and even when they step into your skin care clinic.

Maintaining a consistent brand voice is crucial. It allows your audience to recognize you instantly, fostering a sense of familiarity and trust. You want your voice to be knowledgeable but also to reflect your individual passions, quirks, or idiosyncrasies — the things that make your business stand out from all of the others.

Engaging with your audience is another essential aspect of nurturing your brand. This isn’t just about responding to comments on social media or emails. It’s about fostering a two-way conversation, understanding your audience’s needs, and providing value that goes beyond skin care treatments. It’s about being a source of information and inspiration, fostering a community where everyone feels heard and valued.

Whether it’s a simple thank-you note for a positive review, a comprehensive response to a skin care query, or even a light-hearted, engaging skin care tip — each interaction is an opportunity to strengthen your relationship with your audience. And it’s these relationships that transform customers into loyal brand advocates.

Nurturing your brand isn’t a one-time task. It’s an ongoing process, from the moment your business opens and every moment after. As your skin care business grows, your brand will evolve, but its core — your brand voice and your commitment to your audience — should remain consistent.

It’s Time To Get Glowing!

From understanding the basics of equipment and skin care trends to building a business plan, assembling a team, and attracting customers, if you’re about to start your own skin care business, your to-do list is about to get pretty darn long.

But this is just the beginning of your journey, and with all of the hard work out of the way, you’ll be ready to enjoy your new enterprise and help your clients get the vibrant, radiant complexions they deserve.

Starting a skin care business can be a rollercoaster ride — thrilling, daunting, and rewarding all at the same time. But as long as you keep your focus on providing value, nurturing your brand, and building a community, success is always just around the corner.

Opening your own business may be a challenge, but it’s a challenge worth undertaking. With the right tools, team, and tenacity, you’re all set to create a skin care venture that’s successful, sustainable, and truly special. Good luck, and here’s to making the skin care world a brighter, healthier place!

Light-Emitting Diodes | The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology

Retinoids: Active Molecules Influencing Skin Structure Formation in Cosmetic and Dermatological Treatments | National Library of Medicine

How Does Search Engine Optimization Work? | International Trade Administration

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How to Write a Beauty Salon Business Plan: Complete Guide

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  • December 29, 2023
  • Beauty & Wellness

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Whether you’re looking to raise funding from private investors or to get a loan from a bank (like a SBA loan) for your beauty salon, you will need to prepare a solid business plan.

In this article we go through, step-by-step, all the different sections you need in your business plan for a beauty salon . Use this template to create a complete, clear and solid business plan that get you funded.

1. Executive Summary

The executive summary of a business plan gives a sneak peek of the information about your business plan to lenders and/or investors.

If the information you provide here is not concise, informative, and scannable, potential lenders and investors will lose interest.

Though the executive summary is the first and the most important section, it should normally be the last section you write because it will have the summary of different sections included in the entire plan.

Why do you need a business plan for your beauty salon?

The purpose of a business plan is to secure funding through one of the following channels:

  • Obtain bank financing or secure a loan from other lenders (such as a SBA loan )
  • Obtain private investments from investment funds, angel investors, etc.
  • Obtain a public or a private grant

How to write your beauty salon’s executive summary?

This section should not exceed 1 to 2 pages and provide a brief outline of the objectives and purpose of your business, market analysis & marketing strategies, company structure & key people, financial plan, and financial ask.

Here is an overview of the different points you must address in your executive summary:

Business Overview

Introduce your company and briefly describe your business model. For example, you may provide specialized beauty services only (such as skin care only, or manicure & pedicure only, etc.) or a full-service beauty salon (where you provide all types of possible services related to overall beauty including hair care, facial, skin care, manicure & pedicure, nail care & nail art, etc.).

Again, if you are offering a full-service beauty salon with a specific focus on something like skin care while the remaining services are auxiliary services, mention that, too. Also, provide a brief idea of what problem you are trying to solve.

Market Analysis

Provide a deep market analysis that backs your decision to open a beauty salon. The market analysis will include information like who your competitors are, your strengths and weaknesses, your target audience and their beauty needs, etc.

People & Management

Mention your key partners and why you have selected them along with their relevant industry experience. Also, speak about your staff requirements and the management hierarchy.

Financial Plan

How much profit and revenue do you expect in the next 5 years? When will you reach the break-even point and start making profits? It is ideal to include a chart depicting your key financials such as revenue, gross profits, and net profit

Funding Ask

What loan/investment/grant are you seeking? How much do you need? How long will this last?

business plan beauty products

2. Beauty Salon Business Overview

This is the section where you will describe your beauty salon business in detail. Try to answer the following questions concisely:

  • Why do you want to open a beauty salon and what problem will your beauty salon solve?
  • How big will be the facility and how many appointments will you serve daily (approximate value)?
  • Will you have standard operating hours or extended business hours?
  • Where is the location and why did you select that location?
  • Will you provide only services, or will you sell products, too?

Include as many questions as possible to create a convincing overview to keep your potential investors and lenders hooked.

Let’s now look at the different sub-sections that you must include:

a) History of the Project

If you are yet to open your first beauty salon business, you may not have a business history to share. However, you can share your training and past industry experiences. You can even demonstrate your passion and interest for the beauty or wellness industry.

This is also where you should explain why you decided to create this business today. Did you find a gap in the market? Is there a lot of demand for manicure and pedicure treatments but few salons to accommodate customers?

Or are you trying to open a new format of beauty salon, offering a unique experience and treatments to your customers, effectively differentiating yourself from your competitors in your area?

b) Beauty Salon Business Model

This section must include the following information:

  • Are you building your beauty salon from the ground up or are you purchasing an existing one?
  • Will you allow advanced bookings through channels like a website or a mobile app, or will you allow walk-in customers or both?
  • Will you focus only on services, or will you sell beauty products, too? 
  • If you want to sell products, too, how do you intend to upsell them?
  • Will you offer home visits, and if so, what will be the area of operation for that?
  • Do you intend to extend your services into spa, bridal & wedding makeups, full body massage, etc?

Provide a thorough description of your business model so that the potential lenders and investors can make financial assessments and projections.

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c) Target Audience

Give here an overview of your target audience. For example, answer the following questions:

  • Will it be a unisex beauty salon or a gender-specific beauty salon?
  • Is there a specific age group that you are targeting?
  • What is the average disposable income of your target audience?
  • How frequently do your target audience visit beauty salons?
  • How much do they spend per month / per year in beauty treatments on average?

d) Beauty Salon Products & Services

Your beauty salon will primarily be a service-oriented business. However, that doesn’t mean you will not (or you cannot) sell related products. Outline your products and services in this section. Something like this will suffice:

business plan beauty products

e) Legal structure

Finally, your business overview section should specify what type of business structure you want. Is this a corporation or a partnership (LLC)? Who are the investors? How much equity percentage do they own? Is there a Board of Directors? If so, whom? Do they have experience in the industry?

business plan beauty products

Beauty Salon Financial Model

Download an expert-built 5-year Excel financial model for your business plan

3. Beauty Salon Market Analysis

It is vital that you demonstrate a deep market knowledge to your potential investors and lenders. For example, if you are offering expensive haircare or skincare procedures in a low-income or middle-class area, you may run into losses.

Similarly, if you are not following the latest hairstyles and trends, or if you don’t offer a wide range of facials, skincare services, you may find it difficult to attract customers.

a) Market Trends

If you are offering haircuts and hair makeup, you must be aware of the latest trends. Similarly, there may be new types of facials and acne treatments available that people may be looking for. Fashion is always a time-bound thing, and so is hairstyle.

For example, if you are offering skin care services like facials, you may want to offer services like :

  • LED light therapy (to deal with bruising & acne)
  • Intense pulsed light treatment (deal with facial pigmentation)
  • Hollywood lift (a non-surgical skin-tightening for sagging skin), etc.

b) Competitor Analysis

The objective of the competitive analysis of your business plan should establish that starting a beauty salon in your area makes sense.

For example, there might be few competitors despite a lot of demand. Or, for example, existing competitors might not be adapted to the latest customer trends, effectively losing business to newcomers.

In your competitive analysis, try to include the following information:

  • Number of competing beauty salons or full-service beauty salons in your area
  • Their target audience
  • The list of products and services they are offering
  • The number of stations each salon has
  • Their marketing strategy
  • Their strengths and weaknesses
  • Their reputation as a brand

business plan beauty products

Beauty Salon SWOT Analysis

Along with the competitive analysis, you must also perform a SWOT analysis. SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.

Here you must provide the following information:

  • Strengths : Examples – you may have years of industry experience, or you may be a celebrity hairstylist or aesthetician, or you may be offering unique services that no other competing beauty salon is offering
  • Weaknesses : Examples – you may not have enough experience with Millennials, or you may not have enough funds for sufficient inventory, etc.
  • Opportunities : Examples – unlike your competitors, you may be offering a full-service beauty salon experience with all services related to hair, skin, nails, and face under a single roof
  • Threats : Examples – the emergence of new beauty salons that can possibly take a slice of your potential customer base or existing beauty salons reducing their prices to counter your presence

Both competitive analysis and SWOT analysis can help you to come up with innovative marketing strategies that you can use to gain new customers and even chip off your competitor’s customer base.

business plan beauty products

d) Customers

This is the segment where you provide a detailed analysis of your target audience. The analysis must include things like:

  • Demographic distribution of your target customers (you can find data at census.gov )
  • Average monthly family income (this will give you an idea of the spending capacity)
  • The frequency of beauty salon visits (this will give you a fair idea of the number of customers you can expect in a month)
  • Current hair, nail, & beauty trends in the location you want to operate in and the factors that influence those trends
  • What channels do the customers use to share the end results of their beauty salon visits? For example, people may post their new hairstyle or nail art on Instagram & Facebook, but share their salon interaction experience on Twitter
  • Things that your target audience like and dislike about the existing beauty salons (this will tell you what you must do and things you can do to improve their experience)
  • What is the average amount they spend per visit?
  • Do they engage in beauty-related activities at home? (This will tell you whether you can sell products such as hair oils, skin lightening creams, etc.)
  • Do they like to use coupons and gift cards? (If yes, you may open a separate revenue stream by offering such products)

You can add more questions if you need to complete your customer or target audience study. The best way to get the answers is to conduct direct surveys and interact with your potential customer base. However, you will also find some data from competitive analysis.

A complete understanding of your target audience can help you develop sales and marketing strategies that can beat your competitors and give you an edge.

business plan beauty products

4. Beauty Salon Marketing Strategy

This is the section of your beauty salon business plan where you should outline your customer acquisition strategy: how do you plan to attract new customers?

Try to answer here the following questions:

What are your Unique Selling Points (USPs)?

  • What marketing channels will you use?
  • How do you intend to track the success of your marketing strategy?
  • What is your CAC or customer acquisition cost?
  • What is your marketing budget?
  • What introductory promos and offers do you intend to provide for attracting new customers?
  • Will you offer gift cards to open an upfront revenue stream?
  • Will you sell products? If yes, how do you intend to upsell them for revenue maximization?

Let’s expand a bit on a few questions below:

What marketing channels do Beauty Salons use?

A few marketing channels that beauty salons typically use are:

  • Google My Business listing
  • PPC ads and social media ads
  • Social media promotions and user engagement on platforms like YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, TikTok, etc.
  • Email marketing
  • Print ads, flyers, hoardings & billboards, etc.

You need to use all marketing channels. You can focus on a few (2 to 3 is more than enough). However, make sure that you include social media marketing as one of the options because it can help you to connect and continuously interact with your customers. In addition to that, social media can help you to go viral.

Also, do not forget to provide a fair and nearly accurate estimate of your marketing budget. Failure to display a well-planned and adequate cash flow for advertising and marketing can lead to investors losing confidence.

business plan beauty products

In other words, how do you differentiate yourself vs. competitors? This is very important as you might need to win customers from competitors.

A few examples of USPs are:

  • We are a full-service beauty salon offering services like haircare, bridal makeups, manicure & pedicure, skin treatments & facials, & body massage under a single roof because potential customers dislike the idea of hopping from one door to another to get all their needs fulfilled
  • We are a full-service beauty salon with a focus on manicure & pedicure treatments
  • We use only 100% organic and natural haircare products to prevent side effects usually caused by chemically heavy cosmetic beauty products
  • We will use our proprietary range of hair care and beauty products that will not be available with any other competing beauty salon

5. Management & People

You must address 2 things here:

  • The management team and their experience/track record
  • The organizational structure: what are the different teams and who reports to whom?

Small businesses often fail because of managerial weaknesses. Thus, having a strong management team is vital. Highlight the experience and technical knowledge of salon managers that you intend to hire to oversee your beauty salon business.

Describe their duties, responsibilities, and roles. Also, highlight their previous experience and explain how they succeed in their previous roles.

It is also important that you explain how their experiences and qualifications help you in implementing the beauty salon services you are proposing.

Organizational Structure

Even if you haven’t already hired anyone, it is important that you provide a chart of the organizational structure of your company. Typical roles for a beauty salon may include: salon managers, hair director, hairstylists, cosmetologists, pedicurist, aesthetician, massage therapist, electrologist, makeup artist, salon/shampoo assistants, receptionists, etc.

business plan beauty products

6. Beauty Salon Financial Plan

The financial plan is perhaps, with the executive summary, the most important section of any business plan.

Indeed, a solid financial plan tells lenders that your business is viable and can repay the loan you need from them. If you’re looking to raise equity from private investors, a solid financial plan will prove them your beauty salon is an attractive investment.

There should be 3 sections to your financial plan section:

  • Your historical financials (only if you already operate the business and have financial accounts to show)
  • The startup costs of your project (if you plan to open a new salon, renovate your salon, etc.)
  • The 5-year financial projections

Historical Financials (if any)

In the scenario where you already have some historical financials (a few quarters or a few years), include them. A summary of your financial statements in the form of charts e.g. revenue, gross profit and net profit is enough, save the rest for the appendix.

If you don’t have any, don’t worry, most new businesses don’t have any historical financials and that’s ok. If so, jump to Startup Costs instead.

Beauty Salon Startup Costs

Before we expand on 5-year financial projections in the following section, it’s always best practice to start with listing the startup costs of your project. For a beauty salon, startup costs are all the expenses you incur before you start to receive customers and make money.

Startup costs vary based on a number of factors such as the location and size of your salon, the quality of the equipment, design and furniture, whether you rent or buy the space, etc.

On average, beauty salons cost anywhere from $63,500 to $179,000 to start depending on whether you plan to lease the commercial space or buy it. Indeed, if the latter, you would have to take a loan and make a substantial deposit upfront instead.

Beauty Salon 5-Year Financial Projections

In addition to startup costs, you will now need to build a solid 5-year financial model as part of your business plan for your beauty salon.

Your financial projections should be built using a spreadsheet (e.g. Excel or Google Sheets) and presented in the form of tables and charts in your business plan.

As usual, keep it concise here and save details (for example detailed financial statements, financial metrics, key assumptions used for the projections) for the appendix instead.

Your financial projections should answer at least the following questions:

  • How much revenue do you expect to generate over the next 5 years?
  • When do you expect to break even?
  • How much cash will you burn until you get there?
  • What’s the impact of a change in pricing (say 15%) on your margins?
  • What is your average customer acquisition cost?

You should include here your 3 financial statements (income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statement). This means you must forecast:

  • The number of customers over time ;
  • Your expected revenue ;
  • Operating costs to run the business ;
  • Any other cash flow items (e.g. capex, debt repayment, etc.).

When projecting your revenue, make sure to sensitize pricing and the number of customers as a small change in these assumptions will have a big impact on your revenues.

When it comes to the costs, consider both startup and operating costs. For more information on how much it costs to start and run a beauty salon in the US, read our complete guide here .

business plan beauty products

7. Funding Ask

This is the last section of the business plan of your beauty salon. Now that we have explained what your beauty salon is about, what’s your strategy, where you go and how you get there, this section must answer the following questions:

  • How much funding do you need?
  • What financial instrument(s) do you need: is this equity or debt, or even a free-money public grant?
  • How long will this funding last?
  • Where else does the money come from? If you apply for a SBA loan for example, where does the other part of the investment come from (your own capital, private investors?)

If you raise debt:

  • What percentage of the total funding the loan represents?
  • What is the corresponding Debt Service Coverage Ratio ?

If you raise equity

  • What percentage ownership are you selling as part of this funding round?
  • What is the corresponding valuation of your business?

Use of Funds

Any business plan should include a clear use of funds section. This is where you explain how the money will be spent.

Will you spend most of the loan / investment to buy the real estate and do the renovations and design of the salon? Or will it cover mostly the cost of the salaries the first few months?

Those are very important questions you should be able to answer in the blink of an eye. Don’t worry, this should come straight from your financial projections. If you’ve built solid projections like in our beauty salon financial model template , you won’t have any issues answering these questions.

For the use of funds, we recommend using a pie chart like the one we have in our financial model template where we outline the main expenses categories as shown below.

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Beauty Salon Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Beauty Salon Business Plan

You’ve come to the right place to create your beauty salon business plan.

We have helped over 100,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans and many have used them to start or grow their beauty salons.

Below is a salon business plan example to help you create your own beauty salon business plan.

Executive Summary

Business overview.

Major Lengths Beauty Salon is a newly established hair and beauty bar located in Glendale, Arizona that is founded by Jenna Diaz, a local hair stylist and aesthetician that has worked in the industry for over 15 years. Jenna’s knowledge in hair, nail, and facial trends have made her a popular stylist in the community. As her client list continues to grow, Jenna realizes that it’s time for her to open up her own salon.

Major Lengths Beauty Salon will be located in Glendale’s upscale district in a 5,000 square foot retail space. The area is highly trafficked with middle to high income residents who spend on luxury items such as cars, clothes, jewelry.

The beauty salon will offer haircuts and treatments, facials, manicures, and pedicures. Major Lengths will also carry a large selection of hair and beauty products that will be available for purchase. Jenna will have a loyalty program where the top clients will receive discounts on their service as a thank you for remaining loyal and referring other potential clients to the salon.

Product Offering

The following are the services that Major Lengths Beauty Salon will provide:

  • Color Treatment
  • Healthy Hair Treatment
  • Nail Services

Customer Focus

Major Lengths Beauty Salon will target the male and female adult population of Glendale, although the majority of clientele will be women. They will be middle to high income and working in a variety of industries, such as medical, legal, business, education, or other white collar professions. The salon will target stay at home mothers as well who enjoy a day of pampering.

Management Team

Major Lengths Beauty Salon will be owned and operated by Jenna Diaz, a local Arizona hair stylist and aesthetician. Her years of experience and in the industry have allowed her to meet the following talented individuals.

Jenna has recruited a talented nail technician and aesthetician from her previous salon to join her at Major Lengths. Jenna regards them as the best in the industry and knows that their quality of work is up to her high standards. They also have a loyal and large list of clients that will likely follow them to the new salon.

While the three of them will be in charge of their respective department, Jenna will be the head manager to oversee the entire operation of the beauty salon.

Success Factors

Major Lengths Beauty Salon will be able to achieve success by offering the following competitive advantages:

  • Latest hair and nail trends
  • Modern and comfortable environment
  • More selection of each service offered than any other salon in town
  • Major Lengths Beauty Salon offers the best pricing in town

Financial Highlights

Major Lengths Beauty Salon is seeking $100,000 in debt financing to open the beauty salon. The funding will be dedicated towards securing the retail space and purchasing the salon furniture, equipment, decorations, opening inventory, and working capital. The breakout of the funding is below:

  • Beauty salon build-out: $30,000
  • Opening inventory, furniture, equipment, decorations:  $40,000
  • Three months of overhead expenses (payroll, rent, utilities):  $15,000
  • Marketing costs: $5,000
  • Working capital:  $10,000

  The following graph below outlines the pro forma financial projections for Major Lengths Beauty Salon.

business plan beauty products

Company Overview

Who is major lengths beauty salon.

Major Lengths Beauty Salon is a newly established hair and beauty bar located in Glendale, Arizona. The company is founded by Jenna Diaz, a local hair stylist and aesthetician that has dedicated her career to making women look and feel their best. Throughout her years in the beauty industry, Jenna gained extensive knowledge in hair, nail, and facial trends as well as how to give exceptional customer service to all of her clients. Jenna realizes that men and women invest a lot of time and money into their appearance and she takes extra care to ensure her clients not only feel special, but walk away with their desired result.

Major Lengths Beauty Salon will be located in Glendale’s upscale district in a 5,000 square foot retail space. The area is highly trafficked with middle to high income residents who spend on luxury items such as cars, clothes, jewelry. Some of Arizona’s most expensive homes are within a 15-mile radius from the location. The salon will be decorated with a contemporary style, have modern furnishings, and include a welcoming waiting and reception area, large hair styling room, and separate areas for facials and nail services.

Major Lengths Beauty Salon History

Major Lengths is owned and operated by Jenna Diaz, a local hair stylist and aesthetician who has made her career working in the beauty industry for the past 15 years in Glendale. She has gained extensive knowledge through her continuing education and industry seminars. Jenna has a long list of loyal clientele who will follow her to her new salon. Aside from her beauty salon knowledge and expertise, Jenna has taken local business courses to learn salon management and leading a small team of stylists, manicurists, and aestheticians.

Since incorporation, Major Lengths Beauty Salon has achieved the following milestones:

  • Registered Major Lengths Beauty Salon, LLC to transact business in the state of Arizona.
  • Has obtained the necessary salon permits and licenses for the state of California.
  • Has a lease contract in place for the 5,000 square foot beauty salon.
  • Has developed the complete list of salon services and products.
  • Has developed the beauty salon’s logo and branding image.
  • Began recruiting a team of stylists, manicurists, and nail technicians.

Major Lengths Beauty Salon Products

The following will be the services Major Lengths Beauty Salon will provide:

Industry Analysis

The Beauty Salon industry is expected to increase in size by 2.5% over the next five years. Demand for industry services mirrors broader economic performance, as economic growth boosts consumer spending on personal care products and services. Specifically, new products and services have favorably contributed to industry revenue growth over the majority of the past five years.

Online platforms such as Instagram and Facebook have provided a convenient and low-cost marketing strategy for many stylists and technicians to garner new clientele. Higher service prices and increased consumer spending on high-margin merchandise and services have also fueled revenue growth, as operators capitalize on rising per capita disposable income. Continued growth in household income over the outlook period is expected to drive consumer spending and boost demand for premium personal care services. Moreover, equipped with larger budgets, consumers will likely continue to favor professional salon products and services, such as hair coloring services, over less expensive alternatives sold at drugstores and supermarkets. Environmental sustainability concerns are expected to become more prevalent over the next five years, leading salons to offer a wider array of eco-friendly products that appeal to trending consumer preferences. Specifically, nontoxic products will likely benefit industry revenue, staff and patrons. This growing niche will likely drive hair salon revenue over the coming years.

Customer Analysis

Demographic profile of target market.

The precise demographics for Glendale, Arizona are:

Customer Segmentation

Major Lengths Beauty Salon will primarily target the following customer profiles:

  • Stay at home mothers and fathers
  • Working professionals
  • College students
  • Retired females
  • Mothers with adult or teenage daughters

Competitive Analysis

Direct and indirect competitors.

Major Lengths Beauty Salon will face competition from other companies with similar business profiles. A description of each competitor company is below.

Hair Xtreme

Hair Xtreme is located on the west side of Glendale and is owned by a local hair stylist with over 30 years of experience. Hair Xtreme specializes in haircuts and hair coloring services as well as hair color correction. The owner is also certified in Balayage highlighting by the prestigious L’oreal SOHO Academy. Hair Xtreme Beauty Salon was established to create a higher level of service in the Glendale community and has amassed a large clientele. The salon is regarded as the go-to salon for anyone looking for extreme color or haircut transformation. The pricing of services are on the higher end of the spectrum and caters to the community in the middle to higher income range.

Hair Xtreme Beauty Salon’s full list of services include haircuts, balayage, ombre, highlights, color retouch, hair treatments, and special occasion styles. The salon is open Tuesday through Saturday and is by appointment only.

The Complete Package

The Complete Package is not only a hair and nail salon in Glendale, but also provides massage treatment, eyelash extensions, and body treatments. The salon is moderately priced and leans to be more affordable to target the population who doesn’t spend lavishly on beauty services, but also occasionally like to get pampered. Owned and operated by a mother and daughter team of hair stylists, The Complete Package is located in a small retail shopping center in the middle of the city. The salon has been in operation for over 20 years and was founded by Kate Beneducci. She was able to bring The Complete Package into operation due to her experience and background in cosmetics, marketing, and management. Every single stylist is a certified cosmetologist and are all required to attend a mandatory training every year to learn the latest techniques.

The Complete Package’s full list of salon services include hair, makeup, eyelash extensions, and nails. The full list of spa services include waxing, facials, microdermabrasion, massage, and body treatments. The salon regularly posts promotions to increase customer loyalty. The Complete Package is open daily by appointment and is able to take walk-ins Friday through Sunday.

Fringe Beauty Salon and Spa

Fringe Beauty Salon and Spa is located on the west side of Glendale, Arizona and was established in 2013 as a premier beauty salon. Fringe caters to the higher income clientele and their pricing is the most expensive in town. The owner relocated to Glendale to start her own beauty salon after working in the beauty industry in New York and Los Angeles for many years. She did hair and salon services for many celebrities and has been known to be the stylist for awards shows such as the Emmys and Oscars.

As a Glendale native, she relocated to her hometown to provide a higher quality of salon services to the community. The full list of services for Fringe Beauty Salon include haircuts, hair treatments, hair color, balayage, ombre, special occasion, manicures, pedicures, massage, facials, eyelash extensions, waxing, and makeup.

With a luxury atmosphere and relaxing spa environment, Fringe Beauty Salon and Spa is frequently booked for those wanting a full day of pampering.

Competitive Advantage

Major Lengths Beauty Salon will be able to offer the following advantages over their competition:

  • Friendly and knowledgeable staff who are all trained and experienced in the latest hair and beauty trends.
  • Complete list of beauty salon services intended to provide a full day of pampering and relaxation.
  • Casual and comfortable environment with a luxurious feel.
  • Major Lengths Beauty Salon offers the best pricing in town for the high quality of services provided. Their pricing structure is the most cost effective compared to the competition.

Marketing Plan

Brand & value proposition.

Major Lengths Beauty Salon will offer the unique value proposition to its clientele:

  • Complete list of beauty salon services all provided by trained and knowledgeable hair stylists, manicurists, and aestheticians.
  • Pricing is affordable and moderate so customers perceive value when visiting the beauty salon.

Promotions Strategy

The promotions strategy for Major Lengths Beauty Salon is as follows:

Website/SEO Marketing

Major Lengths Beauty Salon has hired an advertising firm to develop their branding image and logo. They will also develop the hair salon’s website. The website will include a full list of services, pricing, and pictures. The advertising company will also manage the company’s website presence with SEO marketing tactics so that anytime someone types in the Google or Bing search engine “Glendale beauty salon” or “beauty salon near me”, Major Lengths Beauty Salon will be listed at the top of the search results.

Word of Mouth/Referrals

Jenna Diaz has a long list of loyal clients that have been with her for decades. They will follow her to the new salon and will receive additional clients from their referrals.

Social Media

Once the branding and logo is finalized, Jenna will use social media to her advantage and create social media business pages on all of the popular social media platforms. She will commit to posting daily to increase the list of followers and use it to regularly engage with customers.

Print Advertising

Major Lengths Beauty Salon will invest in professionally designed print ads to display in local magazines and hand out flyers to local businesses.

The pricing of Major Lengths Beauty Salon will be moderate and on par with competitors so customers feel they receive value when purchasing their salon services.

Operations Plan

The following will be the operations plan for Major Lengths Beauty Salon.

Operation Functions:

  • Jenna Diaz will be the Owner and Manager of the beauty salon. She will order salon inventory and products, oversee staff, payroll, and manage customer service.
  • Melanie Brooks – Head nail technician that will oversee the nail department.
  • Fiona Adams – Head aesthetician that will oversee the facial and massage departments.
  • Jenna has hired third party companies to manage the bookkeeping, accounting, tax payments, insurance, and legal requirements.

Milestones:

Major Lengths Beauty Salon will have the following milestones complete in the next six months.

8/1/202X – Finalize retail space for beauty salon

8/15/202X – Begin build-out of beauty salon to include stylist stations, facial and massage rooms, and nail service area

9/1/202X – Order opening inventory

9/15/202X – Begin marketing campaign

9/22/202X – Hire staff of hair stylists, nail technicians, massage therapists, and aestheticians

10/1/202X – Major Lengths Beauty Salon Grand Opening Event

Major Lengths Beauty Salon will be owned and operated by Jenna Diaz, a local Arizona hair stylist and aesthetician. Jenna has made an impressive career helping women achieve their desired look and feel. As an Arizona native, Jenna has attended the local beauty college and attends industry trade shows and training seminars annually. She has amassed a large and loyal clientele and has even done hair treatments, cuts, and facials for local celebrities and sports personalities. Jenna is committed to establishing a beauty salon in her hometown of Glendale and making it a place where the women and men flock to when they want the latest hairstyle, manicure, or facial.

While the three of them will be in charge of their respective department, Jenna will be the head manager to oversee the entire operation of the beauty salon. She will also outsource a third party insurance company, CPA, and attorney to take care of her insurance, legal obligations, and tax filings. Jenna will also employ a part time bookkeeper to handle her day to day accounting and payroll of staff.

Financial Plan

Key revenue & costs.

The revenue drivers for Major Lengths Beauty Salon are the sales from hair services, nail services, massages and facials.

The cost drivers will be the overhead costs required to staff the beauty salon. The expenses will be the payroll cost, rent, utilities, salon inventory, and marketing materials.

Funding Requirements and Use of Funds

Major Lengths Beauty Salon is seeking $100,000 in debt financing to open the beauty salon. The funding will be dedicated towards securing the retail space and purchasing the salon furniture, equipment, decorations, opening inventory, and working capital. Jenna will need to allocate funds for the first three months of payroll and operating expenses as well as spend approximately on branding and marketing. The breakout of the funding is below:

Key Assumptions

The following outlines the key assumptions required in order to achieve the revenue and cost numbers in the financials and in order to pay off the startup business loan.

  • Number of Beauty Salon Services Sold Per Month: 300
  • Average Revenue per Month: $20,000
  • Beauty Salon Lease per Year: $110,000

Financial Projections

Income statement, balance sheet, cash flow statement, beauty salon business plan template faqs, what is a beauty salon business plan.

A beauty salon business plan is a plan to start and/or grow your beauty salon. Among other things, it outlines your business concept, identifies your target customers, presents your marketing plan and details your financial projections.

You can  easily complete your beauty salon business plan using our Beauty Salon Business Plan Template here .

What are the Main Types of Beauty Salons?

There are a number of different kinds of beauty salons, some examples include: Beauty salon focusing strictly on hair styling, beauty salon offering hair removal services, skin care services, nail services, tanning services, or massage services, and beauty salon offering products.

How Do You Get Funding for Your Beauty Salon Business Plan?

Beauty salons are often funded through small business loans. Personal savings, credit card financing and angel investors are also popular forms of funding. This is true for a business plan for a beauty salon or a hair salon business plan.

Why do You Need a Business Plan Template?

If you’re looking to start a beauty salon business  or grow your existing salon business, you need a business plan. A hair salon business plan template will help you raise funding, if needed, and plan out the growth of your beauty salon in order to improve your chances of success. Your salon business plan is a living document that should be updated annually as your company grows and changes.

Where Can I Get a Beauty Salon Business Plan PDF?

You can download our free beauty salon business plan template PDF here . This is a sample beauty salon business plan template you can use in PDF format.

Free Hair and Beauty Salon Sample Business Plan PDF

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Elon Glucklich

6 min. read

Updated February 7, 2024

Looking for a free,  downloadable hair and beauty salon sample business plan Word doc  or  PDF  to help you create a business plan of your own? Bplans has you covered.

Keep in mind that you don’t need to find a sample business plan that exactly matches your business. Whether you’re launching an upscale, full-service salon in a bustling city or a neighborhood barbershop, the details will be different, but the bones of the plan will be the same.

Are you writing a business plan for your salon because you’re seeking a loan? Is your primary concern building a clear roadmap for growth? Either way, you’re going to want to edit and customize it so it fits your particular company.

No two salons are alike. Your business model will be different if you’re renting space to independent hairstylists, rather than taking on employees, for example. So take the time to create your own financial forecasts and do enough market research so you have a solid plan for success.

  • What should you include in a hair and beauty salon business plan?

Your hair and beauty salon business plan doesn’t need to be hundreds of pages—keep it as short and concise as you can. You’ll probably want to include each of these sections:

  • Executive summary
  • Company summary and funding needs
  • Products and services
  • Marketing plan
  • Management team
  • Financial plan

One of the things that makes a salon business plan different from some service-based business plans is that you might decide to offer a combination of products and services.

Maybe you’ll sell shampoo, beard oil, or other cosmetics and beauty products, in addition to offering services like haircuts, manicures, or massages. If that’s the case, make sure you include your ideas for upselling products to customers to increase the value of every appointment you book.

Here’s an example of a salon business plan outline.

Hair and beauty salon sample business plan outline.

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  • The 7 elements of an effective hair and beauty salon business plan

1. Executive Summary

The  executive summary  provides a high-level overview of your business plan. It should outline the objectives of your hair and beauty salon, such as to offer high-quality services, to expand the client base, or to break into a new market.

Your salon’s mission statement should describe its purpose and what sets it apart from competitors. For example, you may aim to offer a personalized experience for each customer or provide eco-friendly hair and beauty services.

The keys to success are the factors that will help your salon thrive. These may include a prime location, hiring experienced staff, excellent customer service, or a unique product and service range.

2. Company Summary and Funding Needs

The company summary offers a detailed overview of your salon, including its legal structure , location, and history. Also, it highlights your salon’s funding needs if you are seeking financial support.

Clearly state how much funding you need, what you will use it for, and how it will benefit the salon. For instance, you may need funds to renovate the premises, purchase equipment, or boost marketing efforts.

3. Salon Products and Services

This section should detail the products and services your hair or beauty salon will offer. These may include haircuts, hair treatments, manicures, pedicures, massages, and beauty treatments.

If you plan to retail beauty products such as shampoos, conditioners, or skin care items, include this information too. Highlight any unique services or products that differentiate your salon from competitors.

4. Salon Marketing Plan and Analysis

Your marketing plan should outline the strategies you will use to attract and retain customers. These strategies might include social media advertising, loyalty programs, partnerships with local businesses, and special promotions.

Additionally, you should conduct a thorough market analysis. Understand your target customers, their preferences, and their spending habits. Identify your competitors, their strengths and weaknesses, and how you can differentiate your salon.

5. Salon Management Team

The management team section provides information about the salon’s key personnel. This could include the salon owner, managers, stylists, beauticians, and other staff members. Highlight their roles, responsibilities, qualifications, and experience.

If you plan to rent chairs to independent stylists rather than hiring employees, describe how this arrangement will work and the advantages it offers for your business.

6. Financial Plan and Forecasts

Your financial plan should present detailed financial projections, including revenue, costs, and profitability. Include a cash flow statement, income statement, and balance sheet. This section should clearly demonstrate the salon’s potential profitability and financial viability.

Also, outline your pricing strategy. How have you priced your services and products, and how do these prices compare with competitors? What are your wage costs, and how will they affect your profitability?

7. Appendix

The appendix includes any additional supporting documents that complement your business plan. This might be market research data, lease agreements, employee contracts, or licensing and permit documents.

While not always necessary, the appendix can provide valuable context and proof to support your business plan’s content.

  • Crafting a Successful Salon Business Plan: Key Considerations

Understanding your target clientele’s needs is crucial to writing a hair or beauty salon business plan that you can put into action. To ensure your business plan is the foundation of a growing operation rather than just checking boxes, ask yourself whether you’re taking these considerations into account.

1. Comprehensive Services Offering

In the beauty industry, customer preferences vary significantly, and staying versatile in your offerings can help cater to a broader clientele. Include a wide range of services that cater to different demographics. You may also consider offering unique or specialized services that distinguish your salon from others.

2. Pricing Strategy

Pricing can make or break your salon. Competitive pricing attracts customers, but your pricing should also cover your costs and ensure profitability. Effective market research can help you understand the average cost of services in your area, which you can use to set your prices competitively.

3. Salon Atmosphere

The ambiance of a salon plays a significant role in attracting and retaining customers. Consider factors like décor, cleanliness, and customer service when planning your salon.

4. Staff Training and Expertise

Quality service is crucial in the hair and beauty industry since word-of-mouth exposure from existing clients is a major driver of new business. Investing in ongoing staff training ensures that your team stays updated with the latest trends, techniques, and customer service skills.

5. Digital Presence

Although word of mouth is one business driver, many of today’s customers research online before visiting a salon. Having a strong online presence, including a well-designed website, effective search engine optimization and active social media accounts, can significantly boost your business.

  • Download your free hair and beauty salon sample business plan PDF

Download this  hair and beauty salon sample business plan PDF  for free right now, or visit Bplans’ gallery of more than  550 sample business plans  if you’re looking for more options.

There are  plenty of reasons  salon business owners can benefit from  writing a business plan —you’ll need one if you’re seeking a loan or investment.

Even if you’re not seeking funding, the process of thinking through every aspect of your business will help you make sure you’re not overlooking anything critical as you grow.

See why 1.2 million entrepreneurs have written their business plans with LivePlan

Content Author: Elon Glucklich

Elon is a marketing specialist at Palo Alto Software, working with consultants, accountants, business instructors and others who use LivePlan at scale. He has a bachelor's degree in journalism and an MBA from the University of Oregon.

Check out LivePlan

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IMAGES

  1. Hair and Beauty Salon Sample Business Plan

    business plan beauty products

  2. Your Competitors

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  3. Cosmetics Company Business Plan. Selling a cosmetic product, such as

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  4. Business Plan for Beauty Products

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  5. Business Plan for Beauty Products

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  6. Salon Business Plan Template Free Luxury Business Plan Hairl Salon

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  5. Do This Before Opening A Salon Business

  6. 🤑🤑HOW TO START YOUR OWN BEAUTY SHOP AND MAKE MONEY 🤑🤑#HaveASavingPlan

COMMENTS

  1. How to Write a Beauty Products Business Plan

    Watch on The first step is to set yourself a challenge: ask yourself why you are writing a business plan in the first place. There is no point in going through the motions of writing a beauty product business plan. You need to buy into the very concept of business planning. We know that the thought of writing a business plan can seem daunting.

  2. Cosmetic Business Plan Template & How-To Guide [Updated 2024]

    Sources of Funding for Cosmetic Businesses With regards to funding, the main sources of funding for a cosmetic business are personal savings, credit cards, bank loans, and angel investors. When it comes to bank loans, banks will want to review your business plan and gain confidence that you will be able to repay your loan and interest.

  3. Cosmetic Business Plan Template (2024)

    Foundation Makeup tools and brushes Shampoo and conditioner Moisturizers Soaps Perfumes Customer Focus Guilt-Free Glow will target both online customers and customers located in the Spokane area that are interested in vegan and cruelty-free cosmetics.

  4. Skin Care Business Plan Template (2024)

    Skin Care Business Plan You've come to the right place to create your Skin Care business plan. We have helped over 1,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans and many have used them to start or grow their Skin Care companies.

  5. How to Make a Good Cosmetics Business Plan

    The cosmetics business plan plans are the blueprint of any successful cosmetic business model. To create a proper business plan, you need to understand your business and its objectives. In this article, we'll explain why it's important to conduct market research and define your business concept and objectives.

  6. How To Write A Winning Skin Care Business Plan + Template

    A skin care business plan is a formal written document describing your company's business strategy and feasibility. It documents the reasons you will be successful, your areas of competitive advantage, and it includes information about your team members.

  7. Skin Care Business Plan: Guide & Template (2024)

    Download Template Create a Business Plan People are increasingly opting for a healthier and better lifestyle these days. And for the same reason, there is an increasing demand for better skin care products as well. Also, the rise of YouTube and the popularity gained by skincare has led to increasing demand for skin care products.

  8. Essentials of a Cosmetics Business Plan: How to Write One

    Written by 440 Industries Business Planning, Cosmetics, Fashion Merchandise September 21, 2021 The cosmetic business umbrella has three vital areas. They include color cosmetics, aka makeup, fragrance, and skincare. Although these areas are closely related, they fall under different consumer personal cosmetic routines.

  9. The #1 Skin Care Business Plan Template & Guidebook

    1. Describe the Purpose of Your Skin Care Business. The first step to writing your business plan is to describe the purpose of your skin care business. This includes describing why you are starting this type of business, and what problems it will solve for customers. This is a quick way to get your mind thinking about the customers' problems.

  10. The Ultimate Guide on How to Start a Beauty Business

    Starting a beauty business is a lot like building the perfect skincare routine. They both take time, dedication, and a lot of trial and error. Not to mention — there are a few steps you just can't skip (moisturizer, anyone?).

  11. How to Write a Beauty Products Business Plan? Guide & Template

    A beauty products business plan is a detailed document that outlines your business goals, target market, marketing strategies, financial projections, and operational plans. It serves as a roadmap ...

  12. A step-by-step guide on how to start a beauty business

    01. Research and define your niche. Let's start with the basics. To establish a beauty brand, it's crucial to understand your target audience. Researching and defining your niche or specific beauty business idea will set you up for success by differentiating you from competitors and attracting your target audience.

  13. Beauty Supply Store Business Plan Template

    Written by Dave Lavinsky Over the past 20+ years, we have helped over 5,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans to start and grow their beauty supply stores. On this page, we will first give you some background information with regards to the importance of business planning.

  14. Skin Care Business Plan Template [Updated 2024]

    Written by Dave Lavinsky Skin Care Business Plan Over the past 20+ years, we have helped over 500 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans to start and grow their skin care companies. If you're unfamiliar with creating a skin care business plan, you may think creating one will be a time-consuming and frustrating process.

  15. Beauty Supply Store Business Plan Template

    Products and Services: [Owner.Company] aims to provide competitively priced and high-quality beauty supplies to various customers located within our area. We have haircare and skincare products on offer. Moreover, there are nail products and cosmetics available too. [Owner.Company] shall also sell fragrances, body care items, and all the ...

  16. How To Start a Skincare Business: Your Complete Guide

    6. Nurturing Your Brand. When you start a skin care business, you aren't just selling products or services — you're nurturing a brand. This brand becomes a living, breathing entity that encapsulates your values, your mission, and your promise to your customers.

  17. How to Write a Beauty Salon Business Plan: Complete Guide

    Beauty Salon 5-Year Financial Projections. In addition to startup costs, you will now need to build a solid 5-year financial model as part of your business plan for your beauty salon. Your financial projections should be built using a spreadsheet (e.g. Excel or Google Sheets) and presented in the form of tables and charts in your business plan.

  18. Sample Beauty Supply Store Business Plan

    Marketing Plan. Our marketing plan, included below, details our products/services, pricing and promotions plan. Products and Services. GlowQuest Emporium sets itself apart in the beauty industry by offering a wide range of high-quality products and services tailored to meet the diverse needs of its clientele.

  19. Cosmetics Manufacturing Business Plan Example

    In the skin care and cosmetics category the competition can be divided into three groups: Commercial-i.e. MAC, Origins, Philosophy, Erno Laslo and Shesheido; Clinical-i.e. Kiehl's, Clinique, Clarins and Dr. Hauscha; Spa-private label brands associated with spas. Competition

  20. Beauty Salon Business Plan Template (2024)

    Written by Dave Lavinsky Beauty Salon Business Plan You've come to the right place to create your beauty salon business plan. We have helped over 100,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans and many have used them to start or grow their beauty salons.

  21. Beauty Salon Business Plan Template & Guide [Updated 2024]

    1. Executive Summary 2. Company Overview 3. Industry Analysis 4. Customer Analysis 5. Competitive Analysis 6. Marketing Plan 7. Operations Plan 8. Management Team 9. Financial Plan 10. Appendix Next Section: Executive Summary > Beauty and Hair Salon Business Plan FAQs What Is the Easiest Way to Complete My Beauty Salon Business Plan?

  22. Free Hair and Beauty Salon Sample Business Plan PDF

    6 min. read Updated February 7, 2024 Looking for a free, downloadable hair and beauty salon sample business plan Word doc or PDF to help you create a business plan of your own? Bplans has you covered. Keep in mind that you don't need to find a sample business plan that exactly matches your business.

  23. PDF Free Version of Growthink S Ultimate Beauty Supply Store Business Plan

    complete your business plan. Perhaps most importantly, it includes complete financial projections. You simply enter some numbers (for example the # of products/services you expect to sell and the price), and Growthink's Ultimate Beauty Supply Store Business Plan Template automatically builds your 5-