Product Launch Advice From the Creators of DANU Haircare

When Jessica McCoy and Tiffany Moll of DANU decided they wanted to develop a line of natural hair care products, they knew that they’d need a little help.

For moms who want develop and launch a product, their advice is to hire people who can help and give you direction. “It can be extremely overwhelming when you look at everything that has to be done to get you to the final product,” Tiffany says, “but when you have people with experience in doing this, that can guide you, and break the process down into smaller challenges, it’s not as scary.”

The team launched their line because they felt there was a gap in natural hair care products that matched the performance of professional products used by salon owners and stylists – without parabens, sulfates, or dyes. Today, the line includes five products: Mother Fluffer, a volumizing shampoo and conditioner; Moisture Mama, a hydrating shampoo and conditioner; and Multitasker, a leave-in styler.

“It took a year from the time we first met with our branding and marketing guys until we had the product in our hands,” Tiffany says.

Developing the Products

Creating a hair care line requires hiring a chemist. Jessica and Tiffany completed research online to find a chemist who had a superior knowledge of natural ingredients and contacted a few before deciding on the one that would be a match. It was important to the team that the chemist have a particular expertise in natural products. The team worked with the chemist remotely. “They would formulate products and scents and ship them to us,” says Tiffany.

Tiffany and Jessica would test the products on themselves and clients, requesting honest comments to give back to the chemist. When they were satisfied with the product, the team ran a survey and sent samples to friends and family. “Everyone was pleased with the performance, look and scents,” recalls Tiffany.

Branding and Marketing

The duo hired a marketing and branding company to give them direction. They selected the firm after receiving a recommendation from a friend. After a meeting, Jessica and Tiffany hired them when they saw that the firm’s design sense matched their vision.  “They got us,” Jessica says.

Along with producing the creative look for the line, the firm early on encouraged the team to stay as close to their true selves as possible – to “be” the company, rather than have to “sell” it. The founders were asked to explore who they were, what was important to them, and what they stood for.

For them, the answer was easy: “We are moms first,” says Jessica, “and one thing that moms constantly do is give. So we decided that our company would too.” It was important for the team to select a charity that resonated with them as moms so they selected the Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Jessica was so moved by the cause and the potential for families requiring the organization’s services.

Packaging

Jessica and Tiffany collaborated closely with their branding and marketing team to produce the packaging. They wanted the packaging to speak to the consumers and give them an immediate sense of what was in the bottles just by looking at it. The firm produced many versions of the designs for Jessica and Tiffany to review and they “tweaked and tweaked and tweaked” until they were finally happy with the result.

Branding and marketing, along with trade-marking their product name, happened at the same time as product development.

Distribution and Launch

Now with a web site and eight salons carrying DANU hair products, the team is their own distribution channel. They regularly go on sales calls to salons that would be a good fit with their line and educate them about the product and its benefits.

Since launching in May, DANU has thrown a launch party and issued a few press releases. Their early efforts have paid off: they already have had three articles in local papers and a spot on the news. In addition, the team is adding social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter to their marketing arsenal in hopes to further promote their brand.

On Coping With the Learning Curve

“Start small,” advises Jessica. “We knew we would make mistakes in the learning phase (you always do), so making them on a smaller scale is easier.”

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Tagged as: danu, jessica McCoy, launch, product, product launch plans, Tiffany Moll