7. Business marketing

Clinique is a consumer oriented company, but they also pay attention and develop business marketing. Clinique is usually reselling its products to cosmetic and department stores, cosmetic companies abroad and makeup artists, who can use all the products in their work with models, during fashion shows, etc.
Last year Clinique sold their products to a company called Fresh Faces, who used Clinique products in the Star Tour project. It was a major makeover event that targeted young women age 15-25. Their objectives were to offer young womwn a unique Clinique experience that was fun and relevant to them.

Star Tour involved a custom built mobile makeover truck with 8 makeover stations. During the tour participants experienced star treatment. First, makeup was done by a professional makeup artist, hair styled by a stylist and everybody had fun getting their photos taken by a professional photographer. It was not onle a show, but also a contest. Top 3 winners got a chance to be on the cover of CLEO magazine and take home $5000 worth of Clinique products.

8. Segmenting and targeting markets

Market segmentation

Clinique focuses on individual needs, skin types and age, and then segments the market accordings to those factors. Clinique has a wide range of products for all skin types, from dry to oily skin, and from young skin care to anti-aging cream. Clinique also segments the market according to gender. For a long time Clinique had products only for women, but now offers a range of cosmetics for men. Men around the world have responded well to their new product line.

Clinique uses a differentiated segmentation strategy. Their products are advertised differently to different segments, mainly in different magazines for different segments.

 

Target market and positioning

Clinique primarily targets young women, but a lot of older women use Clinique's products due to customer loyalty that has been established thanks to Clinique's high quality.

Clinique has positioned itself as one of the most attractive cosmetic brands for young women, due to it's emphasis on technology, dermatologist recommendations, and slightly lower prices than other high-end brands.

HOLIDAY SEASON

Holiday season is coming up and Clinique is ready for the big celebration. They recently updated their website and added a Holiday Shop link where you can find everything you need: gift ideas, great value products and even tips on how to look your best during holidays.



11. Developing and managing products

Because Clinique is a cosmetic company that emphasizes on technology and carefully selected ingredients, they create and develope their skin-care products according to these standards. Clinique hires a number of scientists that develope and test products in their high-tech modern laboratories. There are a few rules that apply to all Clinique products: all products must be tested by dermatologists, allergy tested, 100% fragrance free and they must be appropriate for people of all ages and all skin types.

Another important factor of the Clinique product development process is reacting quickly and effectively to new trends on the market. This means that Clinique pays attention to what customers want. They adapt their products according to their customer's preferences and also to potential customers. This has helped them become one of the most successful cosmetics companies in the world and that is why their products have a lot of beauty awards and positive customers reviews.



After examining the market and looking for niches, Clinique undertakes a business analysis by thoroughly researching which products can be profitable and which target market must they advertise certain products to. Clinique introduces every year new products to every product line and for every market segment.

Clinique is constantly introducing new products and in that way increasing sales. Clinique was for a long time primarily focused on skin-care products such as face creams, facial cleansers and tonics. Today Clinique's product mix is much more diverse. Now, Clinique has a much wider range of hair-care products , but also has started to expand the production of high-quality decorative make-up and fragrances. The most recent product line that Clinique introduced is the new mens skin care product line.
Not only is Clinique introducing new product lines, Clinique is also using a line-filling strategy and adding new products into existing product lines. For instance they make moistuirizing cream for dry, oily, senstive skin, and recently for dehydrated, reactive skin.

16. Integrated Marketing communications

Clinique is known for having an individualistic approach to consumers. By communicating directly with consumers, Clinique's salespeople can gather information about specific groups of people. They can find out information that is revelant for the company in order to design an appropriate marketing mix. This technique can be useful because the information is revelant and up to date. An individualistic aproach can also help create a positive image and increase customer loyalty. Clinique also uses internet surveys to find out about customers preferences.

Database marketing

Recently Clinique wanted to increase sales online. By using an e-mail questionnaire and registration form Clinique gathered substantial information about the visitors of their website.

Using the information that was gathered through the questionnaire, Clinique formed a database with all the users catalogued. What Clinique did was program the database to separate people who use Clinique products and those who were just visiting the site, and then sent them e-mails. Their strategy was to increase consumer loyalty of the people who already used their products and to persuade non-users to become users of Clinique products. They sent 22 000 non-users a e-mail newsletter requiring them to fill out a questionnaire and around 12 000 responded. The reason the response was so high is that Clinique offered an award for anyone who responded. The people were sent free Clinique products and an empty bottle that could be filled with Clinique foundation only at Clinique counters. This strategy brought many people in touch with their product range.

10. Product Concepts

Product Components
Quality

Cliniques products are known for their high quality. The reason they are so high in quality is the fact that the company uses high technology in the production of the cosmetics and also uses special ingredients. Today's consumers insists upon quality, especially if cosmetic products are concerned. Clinique has achieved that there name alone is connected with high quality.

Design

Clinique's design has stayed the same for many years, but now Clinique is starting to redesign the packages of some products. Clinique has a simple yet recognizable design and logo, which attract many customers.

Customer Service

Clinique pays great attention to the importance of customer service. Their service just like their products are high quality. This gives Clinique a competitive advantage compared to other companies that don't realize how important good customer service is. Good customer service can help create customer loyalty.

Clinique's salespeople have to be very professional and must provide customers with specific information about their products and be able to give advice about skin types and skin care.

                

Clinique Service as YOU like it concept

Clinique, the number one prestige cosmetics brand in the United States, unveils a revolutionary shopping experience at Lord & Taylor Fifth Avenue. The must-see destination is reinventing the prestige beauty shopping model with Clinique's service as you like it concept that offers multiple levels of service and new ways to shop for beauty products at the counter.

The new state-of-the-art counter provides an innovative, dynamic and engaging shopping experience. Clinique's service as you like it means consumers can partake in one or all of the following shopping experiences based on their individual needs and moods:

• Full-service: A one-on-one consultation is perfect for the consumer who has time and wants expert skin care analysis and application tips.
• Guided self-service: The state-of-the-art skin diagnostic allows consumers to browse alone and offers one-on-one service on demand. With guided self-service, consumers identify their skin care concerns and receive personalized skin care recommendations using a 90-second computer-guided skin care analysis.
• Self-service: The play-and-pay concept offers features such as the Color Bar and interactive Mascara and Lip Bars in a welcoming, easy-to-use layout, making it convenient for consumers to test, pick up and play with their favorite products. Additionally, the Browsing Basket is not only convenient but also signifies to the consultants that a consumer wishes to browse alone.

18. Sales Promotion and Personal Selling

Clinique uses different sales promotion techniques in order to increase public acceptance and interest in their products. Clinique's most frequently used sales promotion techniques are contests and sweepStakes, and premiums.

One example of a sweepStake took place recently, when people could take a survey on Clinique's website to see if they qualified for Clinique's Beauty Bootcamp. Contestants that qualified automatically received Clinique's new Acne Solution Clear Skin System and then were entered in a competition to win a Total Celeb Makeover or an Apple MacBook.

An example of the sales promotion technique premiums is Clinique Bonus Time. In certain periods of the year Clinique offers certain gifts to customers with every purchase. This technique works very well, is very popular and stimulates sales, but also attracts new customers. Clinique uses other techniques also, such as coupons, samples etc., with the goal to increase sales, and attract new customers.

Clinique pays a lot of attention to personal selling. Not only is personal selling an important advertising technique for Clinique, but it also helps create a positive image and brand loyalty.

Clinique's salespeople are specially trained to understand and recognize customer's skin types and to give them skin-care advice by recomending certain Clinique products that suit them the best. This has a specific and positive affect on customers because they feel that Clinique cares about helping them by having an individual approach to every customers needs.

The employees that sell Clinique's products to customers are called Clinique Consultants. They are service oriented and have good communication skills. They are recognizable because they wear Clinique's specific white lab coats.

Education Managers are also Clinique's employees and their job is to provide Consultants knowledge about products and how to present their products to customers. Education Managers teach Consultants service and selling skills that are necessary to meet Clinique's standards.