Social media and the fashion retail industry is a match made in heaven; the fashion retail industry heavily relies on brand awareness, and social media is arguably one of the best tools and platforms for one to build brand awareness. When people ‘follow’ your brand, they’re more likely to buy products from you; a report by Yahoo! Small Business shows that 51% Facebook Users, and 65% of Twitter users are more inclined to purchase products from brands they follow in their respective social media platforms.
As such, we’ll be taking a look at different ways your fashion retail business can maximize and leverage social media to effectively boost brand awareness and sales:
#1 Choose the Right Platforms
Not all social media platforms are created equal; some are arguably much more effective in reaching out to your target audience than others. According to this guide from IncrediTools, when it comes to social media marketing, you don’t need to spread yourself thin; instead, you should focus your efforts on the perfect platforms. When it comes to social media platforms, you can’t go wrong with Facebook and Twitter, but when it comes to anything fashion-related, Instagram and Pinterest are easily two of the must-have social media platforms that fashion retail businesses, fashion designers, and even fashion photographers alike should deem indispensable when trying to reach their target market. You can also utilize a Social Media Marketing Agency to help out.
#2 Put the “Social” in Social Media
It’s essential for you to actively engage with your followers on social media to both build brand loyalty and awareness. It can be as simple as placing a question in one of your posts or photo captions, asking followers about their experience with the brand, and other similarly-engaging queries. You should also consider replying to reviews and feedback, both good and bad, to show appreciation towards satisfied and loyal customers and also to let them know that you value customer satisfaction. A reliable social media management tool can streamline these interactions, making it easier to engage with your audience and manage your online presence effectively.
Additionally, you can also use your social media as a makeshift ‘customer service’ platform to address inquiries and complaints, as well.
You can use a social media marketing agency to help as well.
#3 Social Media-Exclusive Deals and Discounts
As the name suggests, you can provide exclusive deals and discounts through links in your posts (or promo/coupon codes). This is an effective strategy to gain more followers and potential customers.
Furthermore, you can also come up with deals and discounts for those that ‘share’ your posts to further improve your promotional efforts’ reach.
#4 Make Use of User-Made Content
A brilliant way to engage with customers, which can also serve as a low-cost way of promoting your brand and fashion products, is by featuring content made by users. Always keep a lookout for user-submitted photos that you can share. It’s a way of showing people that your products don’t just look good on models in a studio.
#5 Eye-Catching Visuals and Share-Worthy Content
When it comes to using social media for business, it’s essential to be consistent in posting high-quality content, which translates to captivating or striking photos that your followers won’t think twice to share or at least ‘like.’ Consider both untouched and edited photos; unedited and ‘natural’ photos do have their appeal, but that doesn’t mean you should discredit the unique attractiveness of artistically modified photos, either. That said, you shouldn’t skimp on creating or partnering with a creative team of photographers and photo editors that specialize in fashion photo manipulation, retouching, and post-processing.
The Takeaway
These are only some of the best ways you can leverage social media to the full advantage of your fashion retail brand. But regardless of which strategy you choose or even develop on your own, it’s important always to engage the ‘social’ part of social media to grow brand awareness, boost your businesses, and build your customer base.
