Succesful of Datuk Aliff Syukri Kamarzaman

 Managing a business need not be a dry affair where entrepreneurs run the show with a stoic face and show emotion only when profit grows.
For D’Herbs Healthy Sdn Bhd founder Datuk Aliff Syukri Kamarzaman, his signature high-pitched voice and fancy adver­tising campaigns often set the public’s tongue wagging, for better or for worse. Regardless of how you feel about it, he knows that viral marketing is one of the best ways to ensure his health and beauty products do well in the market.
“Malaysians love people who are out of the ordinary and they want to be entertained. My advertisements were virally shared across social media as many people were curious about who I am and what I was trying to sell,” explains the Pahang-born entrepreneur.
In 2013, 28-year-old Aliff burst into the local media scene with appearances in television talk shows, newspaper and magazine articles, and widely-shared online videos. He was often seen in his sequined suits, with bullet-train speech patterns and alongside his famous terlajak laris (overtly bestselling) tagline which made him a household name among middle-income Malaysians.
“My business was flatlining at that time and hiring a celebrity brand ambas­sador was out of the question as they charge high fees. I decided that in order for my brand to be known, there has to be a brand ambassador or a gimmick that is able to capture the attention of the market.”
Do not let the glitz fool you. Aliff, also widely known in the Malay-speaking community as abang terlajak laris, has been in business since 2007. Many will be surprised to know that this suave young man started out as a petty trader at the Shah Alam weekend pasar tani.

“I was actually operating without a licence back then and I remember the day when the local council raided my store and took away my tables and chairs. All my wares were strewn across the floor and it was really a heartbreaking moment for me.”
Expanding his business beyond petty trading was not a walk in the park either. Loan applications to banks were often rejected owing to his lack of credentials and guarantors. Despite such setback, he noticed demand for cheap beauty products was on the rise.
Aliff started selling such products, which grew in popularity. Daily sales grew from RM300 to RM6,000 in just months. It was in 2010 when he decided to start D’Herbs Healthy and explored the possibility of building his own brand.
“There’s always this stigma about a man selling health and beauty products targeted at women. An entertaining on-screen persona helped me to relate to the audience better.” Thanks to his newfound fame, D’Herbs chalked up a turnover of about RM60 mil last year, with up to 40% coming from online purchases.
On average, the group spends about RM13 mil annually on advertising and promotion (A&P). The brand aims to introduce a new product every three months and the unveiling is usually accompanied by a new television commercial. “Many of the commercials’ storyline is my own. Having the comedic factor in the advertisements makes them more memorable,” says Aliff.
Despite the brand’s heavy marketing efforts, it is said that the personal touch of the brand owner can make a difference. “This year, we are looking to organise road shows across Malaysia and Singa­pore to meet customers. The focus of the road tour is not limited to big cities but also [extends] to small towns and villages. People are more willing to try products when they see someone else using them or teaching them how to use them as they are less likely to believe in advertisements.”
Demand for D’Herbs products comes mostly from Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei. Acceptance of the products in Sabah and Sarawak is low as Aliff says the market there prefers products from the Philippines owing to the lower prices.
Aliff thinks 2015 could be a slow year as the weakening ringgit and sluggish market sentiments could come into play. “These days, people are cutting back on non-essential items such as cosmetics. Should they want to spend, they would want a product that is affordable, of high quality, easy to use and effective.”
Malaysia’s cosmetics and toiletries industry is said to be worth some RM3.6 bil. International brands play a major role in the high-end market while local brands are favoured by the mass market. Aliff points out that keeping ahead of the volume game is important when market­ing to the mass market.
To achieve that, he floods the domestic market through his 12 own operated outlets and over 30,000 distrib­utors nationwide. D’Herbs currently has over 100 products ranging from health juices, cosmetics and skincare to lingerie and sanitary pads.