With all of the rumors and recommendations swirling around about when life will return to some semblance of normal, it’s hard to know what to believe and how to plan for the future. Since getting back to business likely will happen in fits and starts (and probably will depend on what’s happening from a health perspective in your community), it’s important to remain laser-focused on how you can keep customers engaged (and hopefully keep money coming in) until you’re finally able to hang the “Open” sign on your costume shop’s door.
Here is an idea from NCA Board Member Tyler Volz of Spotlight Characters in Bentonville, Arkansas. Volz is tapping into TikTok to help promote and sell makeup products his shop carries (Google “TikTok makeup” if you aren’t familiar with the TikTok makeup craze!). According to Volz, people are taking to TikTok to post side-by-side images of their pre- and post- made-up faces…so he is offering online tutorials showing how to create a variety of characters using makeup from his shop.
“For example, I’ll post a picture of myself as Jafar [from Aladdin] and say, ‘Do you want to see the transformation?’” Volz explains. He then walks through the store, showing the products from vendors including Mehron and Ben Nye that he’s used to create the look. The next step: putting together a kit with everything customers need to transform into Jafar. “I encourage people to buy makeup and then share a picture of themselves and tag the makeup brand and the place where they purchased it,” Volz says. “A lot of people, including makeup artists and just people in general, are using this time to learn new skills and stay relevant.”
Stores can use makeup they offer to do the same. Volz notes that Mehron even has video tutorials available at mehron.com that shops can post and then create makeup kits using the products shown in the videos.
Click here to watch a Mehron video on how to make the Dark Witch.
Click Here to Read More Ideas for How a Costume Shop Can Survive Coronavirus