Marketing Tips for Fashion Designers

Anna Pitchouguina  and Claire McElduff are just two of the budding fashion designers that have been making headlines around the world in 2014. Many people dream of designing clothes for a living, and they may have new, innovative ideas that could change the fashion world. However, with such a competitive industry it can be hard for a new designer to get their voice heard or to get their latest designs in front of the people that matter the most: the retailers.

However, the Internet has helped to change that for many budding designers as people can now sell online themselves and carve out a niche selling their own style of clothing, and while this model might work well for some people, for most it is not a way to earn a living.

Here are some tips on how the budding fashion designer can get their name out there.

Branding

Before a product can be sold it needs to be branded. Branding is what makes a product different to everyone else's and helps it to stand out from the crowd. Without proper branding, it is not possible to effectively market your designs. So take some time to consider what the Unique Selling Point of your designs is.

Start Small

Try small, independent retailers and think outside of the box. For instance, don’t just focus on clothing and fashion stores, see if your designs would be a fit somewhere else. Once a designer has built a steady list of outlets, they’ll have some idea of the units they can sell and the profits that can be made; this is all useful information when trying to get the designs into larger stores and retail chains.

Teel your Story

Everyone has a story and sharing the story behind your designs is one way of making your product memorable. Using the story of your brand is also useful for marketing and PR to gain further publicity; find blogs in your niche and target local newspapers that might be interested in sharing the story behind your brand.

Offer Freebies and Discounts

Offering freebies and discounts is a great way of gaining publicity. However, don’t expect all of the people that have signed up for a freebie to become regular customers. Perhaps offer discounts on the first purchase to get buyers interested.

Get Social

Getting a name out there has been made much easier with social media. It is free to use, has the potential to reach millions, and can help to build a solid following of people all keen to buy your designs.

Use Technology

Take advantage of the latest technology and use it to sell your products. A specialized shopping app can be useful for sending out special offers, discounts and details of the latest designs and products to potential buyers.