Three Marketing Tips for SMB Apparel Retailers
Marketing can be challenging and stressful for small- to medium-sized businesses in fashion apparel and retail. There are a lot of moving parts and approaches to consider. From social commerce and text messaging to streaming ads and radio spots, marketing today is complicated and dynamic.
Chris Muller, vice president of Money Under 30 and a marketing veteran who works with retailers on strategies, has three tips for SMB retailers in the fashion apparel, footwear, beauty and luxury industries to consider in the new year.
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First, Muller said not to be afraid to take chances and get creative with marketing. Muller said the fashion industry is notoriously difficult to break into, “and SMB retailers often have to rely on creativity and innovation to stand out from the crowd.”
“It’s possible that you have some great ideas for how to market your business, but you’re afraid of what other people will think about them,” Muller said. “If that’s the case, then it’s time for you to start being brave. Think of some strategies that aren’t typically used by other brands in your category and try them out on a small scale first.”
Muller suggested starting small to see if the approach works “before taking things up a notch.”
Secondly, Muller said SMBs need to make sure their marketing materials are high quality. That sounds like a no-brainer, but he said retailers and brands need to have customers “associate their experience with your brand with quality — for both themselves and their products — so use only high-quality materials when creating your marketing materials (this includes everything from packaging materials to website design).”
Muller acknowledged that investing in high-quality materials can seem like an expense at first, “however if done correctly, it will actually save you money by increasing customer satisfaction levels, which leads directly to sales.”
Lastly, Muller said retailers and brands should embrace change. “This tip might seem counterintuitive — after all, it’s easy to fall into a rut and do the same thing over and over again. But if you want to stay ahead of your competitors, you need to be willing to change up your marketing strategies from time to time.”
Muller said the best way to do this “is by testing out new ideas on a small scale before rolling them out company-wide; this will allow you to see what works and what doesn’t before committing too much money or resources.”
