So you opened your very own fashion store. Congratulations! The next step is to market it to your target demographic so that other people can appreciate your business.
When it comes to marketing, going local is key. Of course, as a plucky young business, you should have a holistic marketing plan that encompasses all relevant areas. But keep in mind that the majority of your customers will be physically close to your fashion store.
This is why you need to make an effort to not only advertise to your community but to integrate and become an irreplaceable part of it. Build trust with your local customers, so that they stick with you for the long term.
In this article, we’re outlining some key strategies you should implement to market your fashion store locally.
Marketing Tips For Your Fashion Store
1. Host In-Store Events
To establish your fashion store as a social and cultural hub in your community, organize small events every so often. This is so that people have an excuse to come to your store, and in the process, purchase a thing or two of your rack.
Feel free to get creative with the kinds of events you can host. Just make sure it’s something the community will enjoy. For instance, host an open mic night or a poetry slam. A book signing or a meet-and-greet with a local celebrity would also be a good idea.
You can get even more creative, as customizing inflatables for advertising in-store events is an ideal way to enhance your company’s visibility and draw in more customers. They are attention-grabbing and a unique way to celebrate exclusive shopping holidays, special store promotions, and new product launches. Inflatable decorations can help people recognize your brand immediately while staying true to the event’s theme. With prints customized with your marketing messages or logos, custom inflatables can let customers know exactly what you have to offer and make sure the right message resonates. By using customizing inflatables for advertising needs, your local store will be able to stand out and get noticed like never before
Get your community involved in the event, and give them a chance to showcase their skills. This way, they’ll bring their friends and family, and you’ll see a dramatic rise in sales.
2. Put Up Posters And Flyers
A time-tested way to raise brand awareness is by pasting promotional content in public spaces where people can see it. Put up flyers and posters in malls, public parks, community centers, you name it. Just make sure to check with relevant authorities beforehand so you don’t run into any trouble.
You don’t even need an expensive graphic designer to make an impactful poster or flyer. There are plenty of sites online where you can create professional-looking content within minutes. For instance, PosterMyWall has a flyer creator with thousands of flyer maker templates.
Sites like PosterMyWall also have plenty of posters for you to customize, and a poster maker that will save you time, effort, and money that you would have spent otherwise.
3. Use Social Media
Social media is a great way to promote your fashion store. You’ll reach double the amount of potential customers through Facebook and Instagram than you would through offline strategies.
Take advantage of your reach on social media by adding location hashtags to your posts. The more hashtags you have, the greater the chances of you popping up on the explore page for a particular location.
Also, reach out to local influencers. These people often have a huge local following, and so they’ll be able to market your store a lot more effective for you. Give them modeling gigs or send them PR packages, and ask them to post photos and videos on their pages.
Chances are, someone who sees their post will be inclined to check out your store, even if it’s only because their favorite influencer is wearing your clothes. You get a sale and the influencer gets clout online. It’s a win-win.
4. Personalize Your Brand
According to research, about 75% of customers want businesses to personalize messages, offers, and experiences. People enjoy feeling special and important, and if you’re able to make them feel that way, they’ll keep coming back.
Tailor your personalization according to the community you’re a part of. Convince your customers that you’re just like them. For instance, when you send out an order, add a little card in the bag that talks about your journey with your brand, and how the community helped you get your start. Another idea would be to add tiny fun facts about your town that show people how important it is to your brand.
Ultimately, your message should be that you care and the community is important to you. This will build trust and loyalty, and get more customers to stick with you.
5. Participate In Community Events
Step outside of your store and actively engage with the community you’re a part of. Look for opportunities to network with other small businesses in the area and to get to know your customers better.
Participate in a local fashion show or art show. Present your designs and be open to public scrutiny. Also, go to frequently visited places like the local mall. Set up a booth or a kiosk there. Offer deals, hand out brochures and do anything else that would grab people’s attention and bring them to you.
The idea of this strategy is to make your store popular in your locale. Get your name out there by being as accessible as possible to the people in your community.
6. Give Out Loyalty Cards
Because there’s a limited number of people in one particular locale, you need the same customers to keep coming to you to stay in business. And you need to give them an incentive (other than your incredible products, of course) to have them do this.
So, introduce a loyalty program. For instance, five consecutive purchases will entitle a customer to get 20% off their next purchase or a free gift. Hand out cards to all customers and punch in the number of times they visit you to keep a record.
Most people will eagerly look forward to the incentive and they’ll be more likely to keep coming back to you for all their fashion needs.
Takeaway
And that’s a wrap on key strategies you need to implement to successfully market your fashion store locally. Remember, the main takeaway here is that no matter what strategy you go with, the end goal is to (a) build customer trust, and (b) keep them coming back after the first visit. If you do this the correct way, you should see sales go up in no time.
