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Back in 2019, cruelty-free cosmetics brand Lush took the (even then) brave decision to go ‘anti-social’ by deleting all of its social media accounts. Lockdown soon put an end to these efforts as companies had no choice but to move online, but Lush renewed its anti-social vow in 2021, and the brand hasn’t been seen on social media since.
The idea of this is enough to set your heart racing if you’re a business owner. Don’t we hear, time and again, that social media is a modern business must? In fairness, for the majority of businesses, it is. While Lush’s global popularity has continued to grow despite its social blackout, estimates still predict losses in the millions.
Most companies simply can’t afford to take that kind of hit based on social ideals alone. However, a few years on, there are some interesting lessons to be learnt from Lush’s no-socials stance, and we’re going to consider a few of them here.
# 1 – Tapping into Audience Wants
Lush has always put social issues at its forefront. This has been largely evident through its sometimes industry-changing campaigning for animal rights, as well as the use of all-natural, chemical-free ingredients. These efforts have appealed to precisely the audience Lush is aiming its products towards – young, socially conscious consumers who value brands with ethics at their heart.
Lush’s anti-social marketing focus sees the brand taking a further stance against the damage of social media in our society. And who does that appeal to? Those very same young, socially conscious consumers who value brands with ethics at their heart, of course.
We’re not saying that’s why Lush has taken such a stance, but this is a prime example of how a brand can live by its values, thus boosting customer loyalty, brand reputation, and its following in general. By being willing to sacrifice something as small as online in-the-moment sales, Lush has likely enhanced everything from lifetime customer loyalty to the number of consumers who would consider them a brand worth buying from. That’s a lesson any business could benefit from learning.
# 2 – Highlighting the Importance of Collaboration
Even without being on social media (the arguable birthplace of marketing collaborations), Lush has been singlehandedly highlighting the importance of well-matched collaborations. Sure, they might not be on socials, but they’re still getting the word out through partnerships with high-profile shows including ‘Stranger Things’, ‘One Piece’, and ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’. In each instance, the brand has received significantly higher footfall as a result of related product launches that have ultimately marketed themselves.
For brands who are still on social media, this highlights the power of social collaborations, including product partnerships and simple @mentions, for reducing your marketing workload, while still making sure your products reach more people. After all, if Lush can get entire product ranges off the ground without a single social media post, you can definitely do it with the power of social media, and the right high-profile collaborators, behind you.
# 3 – Finding Alternative Online Outlets
It’s important to note that Lush’s social media blackout doesn’t apply across all online areas. Lush still manages to attract plenty of online attention through focuses like a great web store and its very own app and podcast. Even without social media, plenty of users buy and discover Lush online, and why? Because its online presence is pretty on-point in everything else it does online.
A look at Lush’s website instantly reveals sleek branding, straightforward navigation, and the clear social messaging that we already know Lush users love. Even alongside your social profiles, let Lush be your reminder that web-based SEO services can still make a huge difference in sales. Your website should be well-designed, fully functional, and guaranteed to turn leads into sales, no matter whether they come from social media or elsewhere.
# 4 – Focusing on Physical Presence
Image Source: Unsplash – CCO License
Lush might not be on social media but it’s a brand that continues to crop up all over the place, with over 900 stores in 48 different countries, which attract a footfall as high as 84 million customers each year. Lush has also been piling major reinvestment into its physical retail presence in recent years, never mind that the majority of businesses have been doing the exact opposite and either stripping back, or replacing physical stores altogether.
This is a point that brings a few different lessons. For one thing, Lush proves that it pays to do things differently in business. If this brand was piling effort into its social campaigns like every other business out there, it would be going head-to-head with countless competitors. So, Lush has taken itself out of that running by doing things in its own way and, in doing so, has ensured that it’s able to steal customer footfall directly out from under even its fiercest competition. After all, if there’s no other cosmetics store available in town, consumers will inevitably find themselves in that shiny new Lush store.
Lush’s ongoing physical efforts also highlight the importance of continuing to focus on the local, in-person sales that countless consumers continue to prioritize. For businesses that do incorporate social media, it’s possible to follow Lush’s example by simply always combining your online activity with these priorities. For instance, a focus on local SEO will help nearby consumers find you online, and hopefully drop into your physical store, too. Equally, digital marketing that’s also visible in your store, such as poster-based QR codes, can drive consumers to engage in full-circle journeys that meet everyone’s needs and make all areas of your operations lucrative.
Takeaway
Your brand probably isn’t in the position to follow Lush’s iconic social media stance, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still benefit from its lessons. From highlighting the power of collaborations to setting an example of how best to approach social issues, Lush has definitely given brands a whole lot to learn. Now, it’s time to go ahead and make those lessons count, no matter where you choose to market your company.
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