Sally Beauty Supply brings curly hair products to consumers and salon pros
Reflecting on the arrangement, Alikay credits a shift in industry perception with the increased availability of products formulated particularly for people with wavy, curly or kinky hair.
“With 60% of the world population being made up of curly haired individuals, mainstream retail outlets are taking notice of the increased demand that has sparked the emergence of curly hair care groups and elaborate natural hair expos,” explained the company in a media release.
Location, location, location
The link between brands with best-of-niche products and discerning consumers is shelf space. "Being featured on the shelves of the largest retailer of professional beauty supplies is a part of an ongoing expansion plan set forth by Alikay Naturals that encompasses a heavyweight marketing, sales and communications platform targeting major territories," said Rochelle Graham, Alikay Naturals CEO and co-founder.
Quality and social media
Alikay Naturals marketing and growth strategy centers on products that resonate with the company’s core consumer and social media.
Graham used YouTube videos to help launch the brand in 2009 and continues to reach “consumers with social media based grassroots marketing techniques that emphasize the value of the customer's current needs while putting a high level of importance on what the customer will want in the future,” according to the media release.
This seems to be the brand’s way of scaling a kitchen-table style business for an international market. "We intend to build on the momentum set forth by our mass market expansion, while staying true to our [parent company] Black Onyx roots and continuing to offer quality products that deliver solid results," said Demond Campbell, Alikay Naturals co-founder.
Graham initially developed product formulas in her home. And, now through partnerships like the one with Sally Beauty is getting curly hair products to mainstream consumers.
Leadership at Sally Beauty
Meeting consumers’ needs and expectations can be a smart strategy for driving revenue. And not surprisingly the larger Sally company is intently serving the interests of investors: “I assure you that the Company’s priority will remain focused on the execution of our strategic initiatives to drive long-term shareholder value,” Chris Brickman remarked upon taking over as CEO of Sally Beauty Holdings last month.
Brickman steps up to the post while his predecessor, Gary Winterhalter, remains active as the executive chairman of Sally Beauty Holdings board of directors. During his stint as CEO, Winterhalter saw the company’s stock price increase fourfold, Cosmetics Design reported. And, he expects similar gains under Brickman’s watch: “Sally Beauty is well positioned for continued growth, and I am confident that Chris and his management team can take the Company to the next level.”
