Have you ever wondered why some skincare brands sell out really fast in Nigeria, while others struggle to land their first sale?
I will be sharing in this guide my recent discovery based on how top skincare brands manage to sell out their entire inventories really fast and grow their following to thousands.
These insights will not only help skincare brands, but are also useful for merchants that sell physical products.
Strategy #1: Make Purchase Ridiculously Easy
The Problem: Many businesses make the process of ordering their products unnecessarily difficult for customers to buy from them. Imagine customers waiting for you to attend to the hundreds of WhatsApp orders and inquiries.
The Solution: You can streamline the process of ordering your products and services by creating an ecommerce website connected to a payment gateway.
An incredible website that is easy to navigate for customers to find their favourite products and send in their orders will help to build trust and show to your prospects that you are committed to making the process of doing business with your brand easy.
Customers should be able to find any product via your site, get detailed information about the product or service, and complete their purchase unassisted.
Here’s the truth: if you want to scale your business and sell to thousands of people, you can’t expect everyone to line up on WhatsApp waiting for you to respond. Your customers need a frictionless buying experience.
Actionable Steps:
- Create a stellar and functional ecommerce website
- Partner with a PCI-compliant payment processor or gateway (Paystack or Flutterwave)
- Make product catalogue and information easily accessible
- Test your purchase process regularly
A good ecommerce website is a right investment in your business, and will cost you around ₦350,000 to ₦600,000, even when you cannot afford this as a small business, you can consider using free website builders available until you’re able to scale to a more practical solution.
Strategy #2: Master Content Marketing with Behind-the-Scenes Videos
Content marketing is a game changer for small businesses today. As a brand that deals in products, you must have a solid content strategy. Product videos showing different behind-the-scenes footages of operations in your business, including offloading thousands of product cartons, will show that your business is active.
This type of content will make most customers trust you almost immediately. Why? Because anyone can steal pictures and repost them as their product images, the real deal is when you show consistently videos filmed in your actual location with business branding, that way customers can feel the aura of your business’s authenticity.
What You Should Show:
- Your production process (not necessarily revealing your suppliers)
- Product packaging and preparation
- Team at work
- Real workspace and operations
For example, if you’re into fashion designing, don’t just show the finished clothes. Let your customers see videos of where you are measuring a client, designing/cutting fabric, and working on the details, the more consistently you do this, the better you are able to get more prospects to trust your brand.
The Power of Pictures vs. Videos: Many business pages are just collections of product images that could be gotten from anywhere or using any of the free AI tools that currently floods the internet.
Your content marketing is better off with videos shot in your own location, with your team members taking part in the activity once in a while and your brand visible.
Strategy #3: Share Your Brand Story
Sharing your brand story, although often undervalued, is a powerful marketing strategy that can change everything.
People are interested in the minds behind the brand. What is their story? What is their background experience?
For instance, with one brand I learned that the creative director used to be an accountant who pivoted from accounting to selling makeup, then moved fully into skincare. This sort of story has lots of elements that will make your audience feel connected to your brand emotionally.
Why Brand Stories Work: I have experienced something like this with a brand like Spotify, after seeing one of their video documentaries, where the founder highlights his struggles too as he seeks people to invest in his business idea.
I’ve since become emotionally attached to the brand and also intentional about using the service, knowing how difficult it can be to scale a startup like that.
Whether you have an exceptionally amazing story or what, Just share:
- Things that motivated you to start
- Why you began the line of business
- Things that has kept you going
- Challenges you’ve overcome
Remember: people are emotional beings. Once your story appeals to their emotions, they soon become loyal customers who won’t buy from competitors, even when they can’t explain why.
Strategy #4: Exceed your customer’s expectation
Here’s What Happened: When I ordered from one of the brands, I was told delivery would be on August 19th. I was not thrilled about waiting that long, but it was fine.
The Surprise: My order was delivered on August 15th – four days early! Plus, it came with home delivery (which I had paid for but wasn’t expecting the convenience level I received).
The Psychology: Instead of me calling on the 19th asking “Where’s my package?” (which can be very annoying to most customers even when you deliver great results in terms of product quality), I got a pleasant surprise that created a “wow factor.”
The Magic Formula: If you know something will take 5 days, tell your customer 8 days. When you deliver in 5, they think you’re incredibly fast and efficient.
This simple strategy transforms customer expectations and creates positive experiences that lead to repeat business and referrals.
Strategy #5: Exceptional Customer Communication
The Experience: From the moment I made my purchase, I received emails at every step:
- Order confirmation
- Order processed
- Order packaged
- Order dispatched
- Tracking information
- Delivery notification
Why This Matters: Too many businesses go silent after collecting payment. Customers are left wondering if their order was forgotten. This brand made me feel valued and informed throughout the entire process.
I have a friend who does this perfectly. When I pay her to buy materials for me, she updates me constantly: “I’m on the way to the market,” “Here’s the material, do you like it?” “I’m working on it now.” Every step is communicated, making me feel seen and heard.
Don’t let customers forget about you after they pay. They can become repeat customers and refer others if they love your service.
Bonus Strategy: Don’t Stop Pushing to be Visible
Even if it means running paid campaigns. Some of these brands have over 100K+ followers, they still run sponsored ads on top social media such as Instagram and Tiktok to attract new prospects.
The Lesson: If you have 2K followers and think “Why waste money on ads?”, you’re missing the point. Meta (Facebook/Instagram) is running a business, and their customers are advertisers, not free users.
Why Successful Brands Always Advertise:
- Reach targeted audiences
- Grow consistently
- Stay competitive
- Make more sales
Never get to the point where you think you’re “too big” to run PPC campaigns, you may start killing your business in bits with such mindset.
Key Takeaways for Your Business
- Simplify your purchase process – make buying effortless
- Create authentic video content showing real operations
- Share your story to build emotional connections
- Manage expectations strategically and over-deliver
- Never stop advertising, always have campaigns running
- Communicate consistently throughout the customer journey
Which Strategy Will You Implement First?
These five strategies transformed how I view customer experience and marketing. The best part? You can implement most of them today without a massive budget.
Success in e-commerce isn’t just about having great products – it’s about creating an experience that makes customers feel valued, informed, and emotionally connected to your brand.
Which of these strategies resonated most with you? Start with one, master it, then move to the next. Your customers (and your revenue) will thank you.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I market a skincare brand in Nigeria?
Make buying easy with an ecommerce site, post authentic behind-the-scenes videos, share your brand story, over-deliver on delivery, communicate at every step, and keep running targeted ads.
Do I need a website to sell skincare in Nigeria?
Yes, if you want to scale. A simple ecommerce site lets customers browse and buy without waiting on WhatsApp, which builds trust and frees up your time.
How much does an ecommerce website for a skincare brand cost?
A functional ecommerce store in Nigeria typically costs around ₦350,000 to ₦600,000. You can start with a budget builder and upgrade as you grow.
Why do behind-the-scenes videos work for skincare brands?
They prove authenticity. Anyone can repost product photos, but real videos from your workspace, with your branding, build trust that pictures cannot.
Should a small skincare brand run paid ads?
Yes. Even with a small following, targeted Instagram and TikTok ads reach new buyers and keep sales growing. The biggest brands never stop advertising.
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