Background

The current beauty and make-up industry is very competitive and oversaturated with established salons and spas, as well as many freelance make-up artists marketing themselves online. It is essential that Cassandra Bradshaw not only establishes her fan basis online, but CBMA’s brand needs differentiate herself and her services from her many online competitors so she can attract more clientele. Currently, CBMA has no online presence, aside from her [|tumblr page] where she posts her most recent make-up applications done for various modeling photo-shoots. Cassandra Bradshaw is a recent graduate from Sheridan College’s Cosmetic Techniques and Management Program. She currently works full-time at a salon, but she wants to begin to expand her clientele and start her own side-business.

** Target Market ** Cassandra Bradshaw’s target market includes:
 * Women and Men
 * Ages 13-65+ years
 * GTA-based at home services
 * Mid-to-Upper Class Clients
 * More International target for instructional videos
 * Psychographic Variables:
 * Interests:
 * Beauty
 * Make-up
 * Skin care
 * Health / Wellness
 * Activities:
 * Wedding
 * Graduation
 * Prom
 * Going on a date
 * Work / Networking
 * Day-to-day living
 * Opinions:
 * Value placed on getting the “perfect” photographic image on someone’s wedding day, or to remember any special event
 * Place value on the importance of making a good first impression
 * Belief that by looking good on the outside, and making a good first impression, one will feel more confident in themselves – “Fake it till you make it”

CBMA’s target age range is so large because anyone – from a teenager to an adult – can benefit from having a professional makeover brought to and/or taught to him or her at-home. Cassandra’s at-home makeover service will only be provided to those located in the GTA due to transportation issues. Those who are most likely to book Cassandra for her at-home beautification services will either have the money to afford this premium service, or are celebrating an once-in-a-lifetime special occasion, such as a wedding, which requires professional make-up and beauty services to ensure the “big day” is remembered perfectly. It is therefore important that Cassandra caters her services primarily towards bridal parties (20% of target market – women ages 22-40). Bridal parties are most likely to need-at-home beauty services on their wedding day and they offer a much larger group of customers, allowing for greater profitability for CBMA per at-home trip. The remaining (80%) of CBMA’s target market will include, but is not limited to individuals who may be attending a number of special occasions such as proms, grads, or anniversaries. Cassandra will also be creating online instructional video’s for a YouTube channel, as well as her website, which people can subscribe to online. Individuals from any geographic location can subscribe for a small fee to CBMA’s weekly video’s to receive personalized beauty updates from Cassandra herself! An example of CBMA’s ideal target market would focus on women in their mid-twenties to late thirties who are looking to enhance their look for a special event such as a wedding, as well as the look for their group of friend, such as their bridal party.

The needs of CBMA’s target market include services such as: make-up, skin care, nails, or waxing needs. In addition, CBMA’s target market needs these services done in an efficient, accommodating and professional manner. CBMA is able to fulfill the needs of her target market by bringing professional make-up, waxing, and skin care skills and tools into the her clients homes. By doing so, Cassandra can provide her clients with professional level service and expertise, in a more personal intimate environment. CBMA works quickly and efficiently (can do an entire bridal party makeover in 4 hours – max 6 individuals) in order to provide clients with maximum beautification results in a minimum amount of time. CBMA offers similar services for grads, proms, anniversaries, or any other occasion. In addition, Cassandra will be creating videos that can be subscribed to online, for her fans and clients to subscribe to in order to receive weekly beauty updates and tips from the comfort of their own home!

**__The Marketing Mix (4 P's)__** ** 1. Products and Services ** The only product that CBMA will be selling, in addition to her at-home services, is online video subscriptions (digital product). The at-home services offered by CBMA will include:
 * Make-up Applications
 * Facials
 * Waxing
 * Tinting
 * Nail Painting
 * Hair Styling

** 2. Price ** The prices below reflect a combination of the personalized and accommodating nature of CBMA’s at-home services, and the professional level and efficient services which the clients receive. The customer is paying for the premium at-home services that CBMA delivers. ** Make-up Applications **
 * Bridal Make-up: $100
 * // Includes consultation, one trial, and bridal make-up //
 * Bridal Party: $600
 * // Includes bridal consultation, trial and make-up, and make-up application on day-of for bridal party of 5. Any extra make-up will be an additional charge of $60 per person. //
 * Make-up Application: $60
 * // Full Make-up Application //
 * Lash Applications: $10 // with own lashes //, $30 // to purchase lashes from CBMA //
 * Make-up Lesson: $75
 * // Includes consultation, and an hour-and-a-half make-up lesson where Cassandra does make-up on one side of the face, while client learns how to replicate this look and does so on the other side of their face. //
 * Make-up Parties: $500
 * // Includes individual consultations (max 6 people) and make-up lessons //
 * Online Video Subscriptions: $5 per month

** Facials **
 * Basic Facial: $55
 * // Includes skin cleansing and exfoliating scrub, followed by a specialty treatment mask a relaxing facial massage. Skin is then toned and moisturized leaving the client feeling fresh and renewed. //
 * Detox Facial: $60
 * // Includes skin cleansing and exfoliating scrub, followed by detoxifying mask and a relaxing facial massage. Skin is then toned and moisturized leaving the client’s skin looking clearer and detoxified. //

** Waxing **
 * Eyebrows: $15
 * Upper Lip: $10
 * Chin: $12
 * Between Brows: $5
 * Sides of Face: $20
 * Whole Face: $50
 * Full Arm: $50
 * Half Arm: $35
 * Under Arm: $20
 * Full Leg: $80
 * Half Leg: $50
 * Brazilian: $60

** Tinting **
 * Eyebrow Tint: $15
 * Eyelash Tint: $15
 * Eyebrow & Eyelash Tint: $25

** Nail Painting **
 * Nails: $10
 * Toes: $10

** Hair Styling **
 * Blow Dry: $15
 * Straightening: $10
 * Blow Dry & Straight: $20
 * Curling: $20
 * Braids: $10
 * Up do: $30

** 3. Placement or Distribution ** Since Cassandra Bradshaw’s primary location is in Oakville, her at-home services are only offered within the Greater Toronto Area due to traveling times and costs. CBMA’s online videos, however, will be available for distribution worldwide for those individuals who subscribe (for a minimal fee) to CBMA’s weekly video updates.

** 4. Promotion ** In order to promote CBMA’s brand free online advertising services such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube will be used. Facebook ads will be useful for attracting a specific target audience, such as those who are getting married, and getting them to visit CBMA’s Facebook page and see the services she offers. Twitter will be useful for Cassandra to establish a more lasting connection with her followers by providing them with up-to-the-minute updates on her whereabouts.. Finally, by creating online video content that individuals can subscribe to on YouTube, Cassandra can develop an immediate following that would be reached on a weekly via video updates, and who are regularly paying for her services. Incentives, such as discounts or coupons off of her at-home services, will be offered in all social media platforms to help get individuals talking about CBMA in these online forums in order to help increase brand recognition, and ultimately to entice customers to book for her more premium services, such as wedding parties. ** 5. People (The 5th P) ** It is most important to ensure that the people that CBMA’s brand is trying to attract is being entertained as well as interacting with the brand. By focusing our marketing strategy primarily through a social media platform, we can ensure that customers and fans of CBMA are able to comment on the brand and provide feedback on how they perceive the brand is doing. Cassandra is able to read and respond to this critical customer feedback and reevaluate her strategy accordingly to ensure that customers are happy with her services and will recommend her to their friends. By interacting with consumers online, Cassandra is not only able to adjust her performance accordingly to ensure customer satisfaction, but customers become more connected with Cassandra as an individual and thus they add to her brand story.