Creating a clothing line is hard work. You have to design clothes that people will wear and then market your brand so that they know who you are. Here are 5 marketing concepts to help you promote your clothing line.
It’s one thing to be well-known for your personal style within your group of friends, and another to make a clothing line stand out within your target market. The world of fashion is incredibly diverse, ever-changing, and highly concentrated.
A potential customer can usually find ways to get looks similar to what you’ve created, or to make their own version of something through thrifting and DIY tricks. Why should they buy from you?
That’s what all your marketing concepts should aim to answer. The best marketing creates a relationship with your consumers. They aren’t just about making a sale, they are about making genuine connections.
Here are five simple marketing concepts to make your clothing line stand out.
1. Get on Social Media
Social media is how most people get their fashion ideas and trend updates. As seasons change and new brands enter the design space, certain styles start to pop up all over the place. Last year it was double braids and vintage bathing suits, while this year, ruffles and pastels seem to be taking center stage.
Wherever the trends go, it’s your job to follow and make your brand name known . Open a social media account for your business on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Pinterest tends to work well for fashion marketing concepts, too.
Just, try not to spread yourself thin and make sure you have a plan for your social media presence. The best way to make use of this tool is to engage every single day. You should have new posts being published on a regular basis and some time scheduled to interact with your followers and accounts you follow as well.
In time, such daily efforts transform your social marketing process.
2. Start a Blog
When you really like a certain style or trend, you read up about it. You find blog posts and articles from leaders in design and fashion journaling to better understand how to incorporate something into your personal wardrobe. Guess what – your audience does the same thing.
This is why you need a blog. Blogging allows you to give users more than just a photo of a new product or a simple social media update. It continues the conversation in order to create stronger connections and foster a community.
Not to mention, blogging is essential to SEO, and SEO is a key aspect of how to promote a clothing line. Put simply, this is how users find you online in the first place. SEO is the process of matching user queries to relevant information from well-respected, trusted businesses.
As such, you have to create a bit of authority for yourself as a new clothing line, and as a clothing expert in general. Blogging accomplishes just that. The more blogs you post, the more content you’re giving search bots to crawl, and the more users will see you really know what you’re talking about.
3. Work with Influencers
The catch about using a blog to market clothing is that it will take some time for you to establish a strong following. To kickstart your marketing process, work with influencers. These are people who are already well-known in the digital space – particularly among fashion lovers.
Many style-focused influencers work with all kinds of clothing lines to promote new products, sales, and special offers. You can be one of the next new designers an influencer works with!
Take some time positioning yourself, though. The influencer(s) you choose to partner with should reflect the average consumer in your target market.
If you’re a college-based brand like Greek U, for example, choose a young influencer who is engaged on their campus. If you’re starting a line of athletic wear, contact bodybuilders and trainers who are willing to wear your clothes and post about them on their personal feed and stories.
4. Fund Your Ad Campaigns
Sometimes, you can create influencer partnerships by trading services. A popular way new clothing lines do this is by sending an influencer free clothes, which the person will then rave about to their followers. It’s a simple, cost-effective way to get your name out there.
At some point, though, you’re going to have to start funding your campaigns. Pay your influencers to mention your product more often, or even to be a social media brand ambassador for your business. Put funding behind your own business accounts, too.
Ad funding is much easier than it sounds. Thanks to the built-in metrics on platforms like Facebook and Instagram, it’s simple for your business to reach potential new customers.
You can create ad campaigns based on age, gender, income, location, and more. No matter what specifications you use, the money behind each ad makes the difference. This affects how well it runs.
Make sure to check in on ad metrics and campaign successes. You may have to play around with your specifications and funding approach until you find the best ROI for your clothing advertisement efforts.
5. Tap Into Your Local Market
Last but not least, make use of your local community.
Many major cities and up-and-coming areas have regular weekend markets or local festivals for vendors to participate in. This is your chance to physically get your clothing line in the hands of consumers, not just to create digital connections.
You don’t have to go to every single maker’s market or special event. In fact, you shouldn’t. The best way to get value out of such marketing concepts is to invest your time where your audience is most likely to be.
If you’re all about athleisure wear, for example, go to a wellness or fitness event. If you have a knack for turning thrift store rejects into beautiful pieces of clothing, go to a more hipster-ish, handmade type of market.
Clothing Marketing Concepts Made Simple
Establishing a strong, loyal audience doesn’t happen overnight. But, with the right marketing concepts, you’ll start to get more new customers and repeat customers than by word of mouth alone.
Don’t stress yourself out about this. At the end of the day, fashion is all about self-expression and having fun. Be genuine in your online posts and partnerships, and in your real-life customer interactions, too.
The rest will follow. For more marketing advice and insights to help you get started, .
