Fashion Brand Marketing Strategies To Know
Creativity is an essential trait for entrepreneurs looking to make it in the startup world. However, the dynamic startup industry requires entrepreneurs to constantly push the creative envelope one step further.
Decoded Fashion, a global fashion event series and networking community, recently hosted an event about the importance of branding and connecting with fans. A panel of fashion experts shared effective methods that startups can use to attract loyal customers. Here’s what we learned:
Fashion Marketing & Brand Building
Lawrence Lenihan, founder and managing director of FirstMark Capital, offers advice on developing a unique fashion label:
Find your niche in the marketplace
“If you don’t have a niche, you don’t have a business. If you try to be everything to everyone, you’ll mean nothing to anyone.”
Focus on branding
“Your brand is your product and your connection to your customer. It’s what someone thinks of when they hear the name of your company. Therefore, it’s important to focus on developing your brand.
Lauren Sherman, Editor at large at Fashionista.com, provides insight into how new businesses can achieve success:
Deliver great quality
“Certain garments are difficult to make. Therefore for any product, startups should hire industrial engineers who are both passionate and knowledgeable about constructing a quality product. If your startup is really focused on fit, it has to deliver.”
Study how popular brands continue to thrive
“Emerging companies should look toward other brands in the market to see how they built a successful business. Although certain mainstream brands may not appeal to everybody, people are still willing to pay a lot for their products. That means people are willing to pay just as much for products better suited to their taste.”
Brian Berger, founder of Mack Weldon, tells us how his fashion label is changing the world of men’s basic wear:
From a brand perspective, we try to be as relatable as possible
“We try to be fun, irreverent, and active. At Mack Weldon, we’re really focused on creating imagery and context that’s very different and new.”
We are “product first”
“Details are really at the front and center of everything we do, along with performance.”
We are very customer focused
“We make it easy for customers to reorder. We also have volume-based pricing on the site. In general, we focus on creating a very strong, positive customer experience.”
Heidi Zak, co-founder of ThirdLove, discusses how her brand is revolutionizing the way women shop:
At ThirdLove, we are making shopping convenient and fun
“We developed a proprietary sizing app that allows women to accurately size themselves from the comfort of their home. To build an incredibly accurate app, we used data on the real body shapes of thousands of women. And based on that data we were able to see where gaps in the industry needed to be filled. Discover what your customers need, and if you find a new way to deliver, your business will stand out.”
Jennifer Zuccarini, founder of Fleur du Mal, expresses her opinion on what makes her brand unique:
Connect with customers on an emotional level.
“Our brand has allowed women to express their personality and be powerful. Connecting on an emotional level builds trust between our brand and our customer and also provides an overall better experience.”
Startups should focus on creating a unique brand that truly speaks to fans. Fashion brands can connect with audiences by featuring their products as lifestyle pieces on Instagram and Pinterest. That way, businesses can attract loyal consumers who identify with the lifestyle their brands represent.