In this article, discover how the fashion industry can utilize digital marketing practices to optimize their marketing strategies.
With the rise of the digital era, the fashion industry was widely affected by these new technologies and new consumer behaviour. Not only do people now mainly purchase their clothes online with the rise of fast fashion, but their marketing needs are also completely different. Here are some digital marketing tools that can help fashion companies.
1- Building a Good CRM
According to Forbes, it costs 5 to 25 times for to get new costumers than to retarget existing one. Therefore, a good costumer relationship management is crucial as it increases costumer retention rate, make higher and less costly sales. Who wouldn’t want that!
Data collection and analysis is another advantage of CRM. By asking costumers to create an account or by signing up to the news letter, it helps gather more knowledge on costumers. It also ensures better marketing decisions, as there is a better understanding about the consumers and what they want. It makes it easier for companies to send out personalized content to existing or potential consumer. For example, an email is sent out to a costumer about a new dress that they would like based on previous purchases. A great CRM and data-driven approach can also help brands with products development. By analyzing the data, fashion brands are able to create clothes and accessories that are catered to their needs.
2- Social Media Marketing
Engaging with clients or potential consummers on social media will increase the changes of them trusting a brand and therefore potentially purchasing from them. This can be done by replying to comments or questions that they might leave on a social media page. Brands can also create interactive content by asking costumer feedback or opinions, further creating a sense of trust and loyalty. Take for example the image below that shows Boohoo, a UK based clothing brand, replying to an instagram comment of an unsatisfied costumer.
Another way to encourage social media consumer engagement is to promote user-generated content. With this strategy, consumers share pictures, videos, testimonials, etc. about their costumer experience with the brand or products, giving more credibility to the brand. Therefore, these clients act as brand ambassadors and can bring in new consumers.
3- Virtual Reality and AI
With the rise and domination of online shopping, there arises the issue that consumers can not try on the clothes that they purchase. Therefore, this increases the chances of returns, exchanges and client dissatisfaction. Virtual reality can come in as a solution to this problem with virtual try-ons. Using this tool the costumer can now virtually try on items of clothing and/or accessories and they can accurately choose the size, colour, style that bests fits their needs.
Additionally, AI can also be of use for customers to find the right fit for their clothes. After asking a few simple questions like what fit they want and what sizes and brands they usually shop at, softwares like FitFinder or Easysize recommends sizes that will best fit the costumer.
References
Davis, L. (2024, June 12). 6 Key benefits of CRM for your business. Forbes Advisor. https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/software/six-key-benefits-a-crm-brings-your-business/
Emb, T. (2024, June 5). Impact of digital marketing in the fashion industry in 2024. EMB Blogs. https://blog.emb.global/digital-marketing-in-the-fashion-industry/
Gigde. (n.d.). Digital Marketing for Clothing Brands: An Ultimate Guide to success. Next.js + Tailwind CSS + TypeScript Starter. https://www.gigde.com/blog/digital-marketing-for-clothing-brands
Segal, D. (2023, March 3). How Digital Marketing Has Impacted The Fashion Industry. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-digital-marketing-has-impacted-fashion-industry-damon-segal%C3%A7
Shea, M. (2024, October 25). How digital marketing has impacted the fashion industry – Fashion Mingle. Fashion Mingle. https://fashionmingle.com/how-digital-marketing-has-impacted-the-fashion-industry/