Social media is all the rage: fashion brands like Gucci, Rachel Roy and Louis Vuitton are all tapping into this medium to have their voices heard in a free-global marketplace.At the 9 Festival for Fashion and Photography in London, fashion executives spoke about the impact social media is gaining in their business.
Stephanie Phair, Director of www.theoutnet.com explained the new presence of Facebook and blogging in business. “In traditional media fashion designers and retailers had a push mentality where we told you what you wanted and what your should buy. Now with social media a push-pull mentality has emerged where customers have a very important voice.”
The beauty of this media revolution is that anyone can participate, from the consumer to the independent fashion designer, yet few fashion brands are embracing the full potential of social media’s impact on their business. Here are the top 5 reasons you should be using social media now:
1) Get noticed.Social media can expose you to new potential customers simply by connecting with interesting like-minded people. True social networking is about giving and authenticity, so if you follow someone with similar values and show a genuine interest in their life and work, or present useful information, people will usually reciprocate. And chances are, they might become your customer, too. For instance, if you are an eco-fashion company, you should “follow” or “friend” others on Twitter or MySpace who are also into eco-issues, and use social media to build a relationship with them.
Social networking also allows you to reach out to boutique owners, journalists, magazine editors and potential business partners you may have otherwise not have had the opportunity to meet in real life. The possibilities for networking are endless.
2) Build buzz.
You know the old saying “He told two friends, and then she told two friends, and so on, and so on, and so on…” ? In social media, this effect is even more powerful.
You know the old saying “He told two friends, and then she told two friends, and so on, and so on, and so on…” ? In social media, this effect is even more powerful.
Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, and blogs allow you to spread the word about your brand in a viral fashion. Promote new products, new stockists, tradeshow appearances, special events, and sales/promotions via social media, and chances are your online brand champions (fans who “follow” you on Twitter, Facebook, etc.) will be excited to chatter about you online. Reward brand evangelistas who spread buzz with special treatment, like special sales clubs, insider-only events, and exclusive goodies. But, fans must initiate buzz on their own before you can reward them, as the social media world abhors fake buzz. News of fake buzz spreads fast and kills credibility, forever crippling your online reputation. Also, the FTC will soon be regulating how companies interact with and reward online buzz builders. The best buzz is authentic and comes without provocation. Be awesome, and buzz will follow.
3) Build your brand by building community.Use social media to create a community around your brand. More than ever, customers are looking for an authentic meaningful relationship with their favorite brands, and also want to connect with other brand fans as well. Give them a way to interact and have conversations with you and others who love you. Have special events and promote them on Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter. Customers who feel like they’re part of something special will be more likely to remain loyal. And this type of customer experience is essential to a lasting brand.
4) Get into the head of your customers.
By engaging your customers in a one-on-one dialog, you can find out exactly what they think about your service and your products. Pose questions to them on your blog, Facebook page, and Twitter. Listen to what they’d change if they could. Get inspired by your fans. What trends are they into? What kind of music do they love? What kind of lifestyle do they live? The more you can learn about your customer, the more you can implement that knowledge in your business, and the happier your customer will be. And happy customers build buzz.
By engaging your customers in a one-on-one dialog, you can find out exactly what they think about your service and your products. Pose questions to them on your blog, Facebook page, and Twitter. Listen to what they’d change if they could. Get inspired by your fans. What trends are they into? What kind of music do they love? What kind of lifestyle do they live? The more you can learn about your customer, the more you can implement that knowledge in your business, and the happier your customer will be. And happy customers build buzz.
5) It’s measurable, and inexpensive.You can absolutely track the effect social media is having on your business, by using site analytics and tools to tell where your traffic is coming from. Track the effectiveness of
certain promotions, or track which social network is driving the most buzz. Best of all, social media is free—it eliminates the big budgets necessary for traditional media advertising and can often be more powerful. And who doesn’t love free?
certain promotions, or track which social network is driving the most buzz. Best of all, social media is free—it eliminates the big budgets necessary for traditional media advertising and can often be more powerful. And who doesn’t love free?
With all the positive effects I just listed, I hope to see more fashion brands harnessing the power of social media in the very near future. Amazing possibilities and connections await you. See you online!
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Giannina Granata Silverman is a branding expert focusing on consumer products in the fashion, health and beauty, food and entertainment markets. For brand image and marketing advice geared toward start-up fashion businesses, please check out her blog: http://fashionbrandingtips.wordpress.com/. Also, please follow Giannina on Twitter athttp://www.twitter.com/giasilverman.
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Giannina Granata Silverman is a branding expert focusing on consumer products in the fashion, health and beauty, food and entertainment markets. For brand image and marketing advice geared toward start-up fashion businesses, please check out her blog: http://fashionbrandingtips.wordpress.com/. Also, please follow Giannina on Twitter athttp://www.twitter.com/giasilverman.
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