Introduction
The fashion industry is a thriving and growing one. There will never be a lack of demand for clothes and accessories, so if you’re looking to start a e-commerce website, then fashion is a pretty good pick.
However, with so many competitors out there, it can be pretty daunting. How does one develop products? How do you make people notice you? How do you stand out from the crowd?
Don’t worry, we all started somewhere. As an expert in digital marketing and e-commerce web development services, we know how difficult it can be to get started in any industry, let alone the fashion industry. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of marketing strategies you should use for your fashion business.
1. Know Your Target Audience
Recognizing your demographic is the first step to building your brand. You want to develop products, marketing strategies, and content around this target audience. Don’t be a one-size-fits-all type of brand!
Conduct some research on your customers. Look into their genders, age group, financial stability, location, and other factors that affect their purchase decisions. Then, start personalizing.
Once you’ve got one demographic down to a pat, feel free to expand.
2. Prioritize Best Sellers
You might be tempted to experiment with your products and keep up with the latest trends to stay relevant. However, as a fashion brand, this is a very bad idea as you’ll be competing with a ton of brands that are following the exact trends you are. Hopping onto the bandwagon will make your products look a dime a dozen.
Instead, if you manage to find a successful product, latch onto it and never let it go. Make improvements on that product, come up with different variations, and market it heavily. It’s already been proven successful, so take advantage of it! This also helps build your brand’s image, differentiating you from the others.
3. Instill a Sense of Urgency on Your E-Commerce Website
If you have a customer browsing through your e-commerce website, you want them to buy something before they can change their mind. Use tempting, time-restrained offers like, “Buy one and get a second one half-off until supplies last!”, “Free shipping only this weekend!”, or “30% off on all products until 11:59 pm today!” Add in a countdown if you can, too.
This encourages a quick purchase decision as nobody wants to miss out on a great offer.
Of course, you shouldn’t do it so often. It’ll affect your profits in the long run. Also, never lie about promotional offers. You’re lying to your customers otherwise and it makes you look cheap and desperate.
4. Create Look Books and Style Guides
Your customers want to know if a.) your product looks good and b.) your product will look good on them. Write style guides to show the various ways you can wear one product or a look book to show how you can mix and match one product with others in your catalog. These give your customers on how they can wear them and also shows off your expertise. Who knows, your customers might just be tempted to buy the whole outfit!
Use models of different body types and skin colors if you can. We want to include everyone in the audience.
5. Utilize Social Media
When it comes to marketing your fashion brand, social media is your best friend. People use social media apps every day for fashion inspiration, and studies have shown that they’re great for a brand’s conversion rates!
If you want to know what the best social media websites are for SEO, then please click here.
Upload content about your products on these platforms to get them visible. Use trendy video formats like unboxings or try-on hauls, and popular hashtags like #OOTD and #GRWM to make you easier to find for people who like that kind of stuff. Interact with your viewers by posting challenges or replying to comments.
6. Collaborate with Influencers
Whether you like them or not, influencers have a stronghold in the fashion industry. Brands big and small partner with them all the time to model clothes, test out new products, and share experiences with their followers. So why not partner with one yourself?
You want to make sure your planned influencer has a substantial number of followers that fit into your demographic. If not, your advertising is going to fall on deaf ears. You also want to make sure the influencer suits your brand. You wouldn’t ask a teenager to model casual business clothes, right?
7. Get Customers to Leave Reviews on Your E-Commerce Website
Reviews greatly affect people’s purchasing decisions. They use it to learn more about your brand from an unbiased point of view. They also use it to see if your products on-site look the same in real life. You should always encourage all of your customers to leave written reviews on your e-commerce website and include pictures of the products and them wearing them.
That’s a lot easier said than done, but it isn’t impossible. You should always make follow-up emails to your customers, thanking them for their purchase and asking if they’d be kind enough to leave a review. Consider giving them incentives like a coupon code or free shipping on their next purchase to try and seal the deal.
8. Emphasize Ethics and Morals
The beauty and fashion industries are no stranger to shady and questionable practices. Issues with eco-destructive materials, animal cruelty, and labor exploitation are rampant in these industries and raise a lot of red flags for consumers who don’t want to support that kind of behavior. So, if your brand follows any ethical approaches (e.g., cruelty-free, non-toxic), then you’ll want to highlight that in your content.
Another thing you want to emphasize is any charities or organizations you’re partnered with. If customers see you supporting a cause they also believe in, they’ll be more attractive to you.
Conclusion
As cheesy as it sounds, the fashion industry is one you know will never be out of style. There are always opportunities for start-up businesses to make a mark—you just need to know how to market yourselves.
Hopefully, this article has been helpful and applicable to your e-commerce website!