Article

Chris Baldwin
Chris Baldwin 24 December 2019

Uncover, Understand, Engage and act on the Needs of Health and Beauty Consumers

The way consumers shop for health and beauty products online has completely transformed. Health and beauty products have always been personal and emotional purchases, more so than any other industry. Brands and retailers need to take the time to understand their customers and meet their individual needs. This is a contributing factor to why the top 20 cosmetics brands capture 90% of the industry’s instore dollars, yet those same brands only see 14% of the online market share.

We’re living in a time where conversation is far more powerful than keywords. Consumers want to feel understood and develop personal relationships with brands, rather than rely on impersonal product descriptions. It’s time for brands and retailers to take action and utilize conversation to influence purchase decisions and decode health and beauty consumer needs.

Standing out against competitors is harder than ever before. The health and beauty market has become increasingly crowded with an overabundance of brands. By pushing their product offerings through a multitude of channels, 70% of beauty consumers admit they are overwhelmed by too many product choices. Consumers cave personalized assistance and direction to navigate the digital space. Without it, they are likely to abandon their shopping carts or even switch to a competitor.

It’s simple:
More brands > More products > More choice > More uncertainty

Brands and retailers are taking action by utilizing the power of conversational search. By asking consumers needs-based questions, conversational search offers an opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of customer needs and driving purchases through relevance.

Conversational search offers five key benefits that are vital to the health and beauty industry.

Benefit 1. Have a two-way communication

It’s a common misconception that choice equals conversion. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. Instead of simply listing an array of products with technical filters online, brands and retailers are using needs-based questions to stay aligned with the psychology of decision-making. By establishing an intellectual dialogue with consumers, it’s easier for brands to understand what shoppers are looking for, and it’s easier for the consumer to find their perfect product. Engagement is key.

Benefit 2. Offer intelligent recommendations

Machine learning is on our side. By leveraging algorithms in real-time, brands and retailers can analyze consumer interactions and reveal unique behavioral patterns. By comprehending a customer’s intent to purchase, brands can reduce complexity and increase relevance throughout their product library. 

Benefit 3. Deliver contextual consumer education

Consumer education is fundamental, as it’s the key to driving purchase decisions. Lengthy descriptions and generic content will not do the trick anymore because every shopper is different. Consumers need to understand the benefits and functions of each product to recognize why certain choices are a better fit than others. Initiating a conversation with consumers is the ultimate way to understand their necessities and provide them with interactive guidance for choosing the proper products.

Benefit 4. Gather consumer insights

Data is one of the most valuable tools used to understand purchase patterns. A conversation-based search experience enables brands to understand consumers in an entirely new way. Conversational insights can be used to enrich customer profiles in order to serve the most relevant content, improve retargeting, and personalize automated marketing efforts.

Benefit 5. WOW through experiential engagement

Offering consumers an exceptional search experience is one of the most powerful marketing tactics. Through conversation, brands can engage shoppers with interactive, hands-on purchase journeys that ultimately increase awareness and conversions.

Human-to-human engagement is 100% possible on digital channels. It’s just a matter of understanding the customer through engaging conversation. Check out this free whitepaper to find out more! 

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