My guest today is Miranda Sam, founder of Shortlisted, a niche clothing brand dedicated to making life easier for short women (5'4 and under).
How? Through petite proportions, functional design, and foolproof styling versatility. This means no more spending extra time, money or emotional energy on alterations, online returns, size guides, dry cleaning, or shamefully shopping the kids section!
She’s worked as a Fashion Marketer, Retail Manager, Fashion Journalist and Blogger in a career spanning 15 years. Miranda has also been a guest speaker at VCC, JCI, UBC, and Apparel Camp.
Miranda talks to us about why she decided to start a clothing brand for short women. She walks us through some of the steps she's had to go through to get her clothes sampled and manufactured.
She shares openly about some of the biggest lessons she's learned with the launch of her brand. As well as the hard truth she's had to face when it comes to pricing her products for the market.
- How does one assess the sustainability of a fabric?
- How can businesses strike a balance between sourcing sustainable fabrics and managing their budget effectively?
- What are some effective ways for individuals or small businesses to find and purchase sustainable fabrics?
- Exciting technological advancements or innovations in the field of sustainable fabric production
- Why no fabric is sustainable if we aren't respecting our resources
Ruth is an accomplished materials expert, entrepreneur, and innovator with more than 30 years of global success spanning brands, manufacturing, global supply chain, media, and higher education. Through her consulting and advisory work she supports businesses (ranging from start-ups to global brands) achieve their material goals, whilst pursuing her love of learning, research and connecting others.
She has experience with multiple products / fabric types, and living and traveling across the world has provided Ruth with an international network of connections. With practical in-depth knowledge of the fabric development, sourcing, validation, and production processes from fiber to garment, she makes ideas come alive.
Ruth has a Bachelor of Sciences Degree in Textile Technology from the University of Manchester, Institute of Science and Technology, UK, and holds her designation as an Associate of the Textile Institute (ATI).
In today's episode, we'll be diving into a crucial aspect of online marketing – building an email list for your fashion e-commerce brand. So, whether you're just starting out or looking to grow your existing business, this episode is packed with valuable tips to help you succeed.
Here are 9 benefits to having an email list:
1. Building a Direct Line of Communication
Unlike social media, emails land directly in your subscribers' inboxes, ensuring your message gets through. This direct connection fosters a stronger bond with your audience.
2. Building Brand Loyalty and Trust
Consistent, valuable content builds trust and loyalty over time. Trust leads to repeat purchases and enthusiastic brand advocates.
3. Driving Repeat Business and Customer Retention
Keep subscribers in the loop about new collections and offers to encourage regular visits. Re-engage past customers with enticing incentives.
4. High Conversion Rates and ROI
Email marketing boasts impressive conversion rates and ROI. Engaged subscribers are more likely to become paying customers.
5. Data-driven Insights and Market Research
Your email list offers invaluable insights into customer behavior. Analyze metrics for informed decisions and better results.
6. Less Reliance on External Platforms
Reduce dependence on unpredictable platforms by owning your communication channels.
7. Personalized Marketing Campaigns
Segment your list for targeted content. Personalization elevates the customer experience and drives conversions.
8. Promoting New Product Launches and Exclusive Offers
Make subscribers feel special with exclusive access to product launches and deals.
9. Adapting to Evolving Marketing Trends
Email marketing remains adaptable. Utilize automation, segmentation, and responsive design to stay current.
In conclusion, building an email list is a cornerstone of your fashion e-commerce brand's marketing strategy. Join us in the next episode, where we'll dive into strategies for attracting subscribers. See you there!
Unlock the Power of Effective Brand Strategy: Insights from Allison Bran
What usually comes to mind when you think of the word “brand”? A logo? A company name? Products? While those elements are associated with brands, “brand” is actually a relationship, according to brand strategist Allison Bran. “Brand is like a third entity that exists between the business and its customers,” explains Allison. “It’s the relationship between the company and the customer.”
If you want to build a successful business, it’s crucial to create loyal customers and motivated employees who will be agents of your brand. And having a brand strategy will help!
Allison Bran is the Founder & CEO of REX Marketing + Design Inc., based in Vancouver BC. She works with companies that have typically been in business for 3-5 years, ranging from solopreneurs to large enterprises, to clarify, refresh and revitalize their brands.
Today we’ve enlisted her help to teach us about brand strategy.
In this interview with Allison, she will briefly tell us about how she got into the field of brand strategy, then she will explain:
The differences between brand, marketing and branding
The importance and benefits of consistently communicating your brand to both employees and customers
The brand strategy process that Rex Marketing clients undergo
Let’s get started!
How did Allison become a Brand Strategist?
Allison: I never started out to become an entrepreneur, I just always loved the vision of the entrepreneur and wanted to support them to succeed.
I started in marketing in 1999, during the dot com boom. As a web designer, I worked with a lot of business owners from every industry such as furniture manufacturing and design, to software developers, to fashion retailers.
During that process I discovered a problem. When I was working with companies to communicate why somebody should buy from them online—when there wasn’t this in-person experience that was so magical—a lot of business owners were stumped.
Businesses were stuck wondering, “How do I get this magic across about how much I care about my customer, and the amount of love, thought and innovation I’ve put into my product? How do I let them know that through this inanimate object called a website?
So my business started out as a solution to help create meaningful connections between companies and their customers through the online sphere. And over the years, it has evolved to serve all types of companies, not just e-commerce.
By nature I’m a story-teller, I like to understand the human experience. So I help people translate their bigger strategy and their product, and turn it into a story that people would feel in their heart and their gut.
What is the difference between Brand, Marketing and Branding?
Brand = Relationship
Allison: A brand is the experience you want people to have, the impression you want on people. It isn’t a logo, name or product. It’s what people BELIEVE about your company, product, or service. It’s not what you say it is. It’s what your customers and employees BELIEVE it is.
Brand is like a third entity that exists between the business and its customers—it’s the relationship between the company and the customer.
Marketing = Mechanics
Allison: Marketing is the mechanics or the technical aspects of getting the brand message out.
Branding = Memory Hooks
Allison: Branding is memory hooks—your name, logo, design, colours, and sounds that show up consistently. We have all six senses, so even the smells associated with your brand can be part of your branding.
What is Allison’s Brand Strategy Framework and Process?
The clients
Allison: I typically work with clients who have been in business for 3-5 years. These brands have already undergone a period of what I call “guess marketing” to see if their product sells, and have proven their product-market fit. They already have a logo, branding, marketing, and strategies, but they have now come against a problem or a goal.
For example, a client might be wondering:
Why am I not getting the leads that I want?
Why is my brand feeling all over the place?
How do I figure out the best touch points with my target customers?
Or they have a goal, such as:
I really want to enter a new market.
I’m really successful in Vancouver and I want to go to Seattle.
The client realizes that all of the strategies that got them here won't get them to where they want to go next. They either don’t know the answer to their problem, and they’ve asked a ton of marketers, gotten a bunch of answers, and feel like they're still “guess marketing”. Or they realize that they are at the limits of their understanding of brand, marketing and strategy.
Stage 1: Discovery
Allison: In the discovery stage, we do customer interviews, and market and competitor research in order to compile insights towards crafting the strategic narrative of the client’s brand.
The brand narrative is a powerful tool that has the power to inspire customers to be loyal and employees to become agents of the brand. It impacts everything from sales, culture, recruiting, operating procedures, to brand experience.
These are 5 key elements that all businesses must get clear on and communicate to the world:
Why their business exists—the problem they want to solve for the customer. Companies often get this part wrong. Remember that it’s not about the owner’s “why”. Their “why” of the business should satisfy a deep need in the target audience. It should make their audience feel validated.
The impact that the business wants to make on the world—their North Star.
How the business goes about creating that impact—their secret sauce.
What their business sells—in simple memorable terms.
Core values that drive the company forward
Stage 2: Branding
Allison: The next stage is to examine the client’s branding. For example, we look at revitalizing and refining their visual identity, if necessary.
Stage 3: Implementation
Allison: After doing the deep work of investigating and getting clear on the client’s brand narrative, what’s the roadmap? Because we can’t do everything all at once, we prioritize. We define the first step that will make the biggest difference in their business over the next 3-6-12 months. Then we assess the results and come up with the next plan.
What is the importance and benefit of consistently communicating the brand to both employees and customers?
Allison: Brands create fans. With a well-crafted distinct brand narrative—one that clearly resonates with your audience and employees—you will save money in the long-run from less reliance on ads. Your customers will spread the word for you. And your employees will be motivated to create the brand experience for the people they serve.
Unless you want to keep working 20 hour days and be there at the till micro-managing, you need a brand strategy. Don’t forget that as business owners we have the responsibility to train people. It’s easy to dismiss and say, “The employee just doesn’t get it, it’s obvious what the customer needs, why can’t I find good people to work in my business?” The first thing we must do is market the brand to our employees.
Allison’s final thoughts
Allison: I believe in businesses being engines of change for our societies and our communities. I have worked with fashion apparel business owners, and have seen first hand how their willingness to think outside the box can shape the world. So if you’re creative, don’t let the world diminish your idea, and never lose sight of how important creatives are in making an impact.
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Thank you Allison for teaching us about brand strategy today and encouraging apparel business entrepreneurs to think deeply about the story and vision they want to share with the world.
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What’s next?
Now it’s time to reflect on your brand! What’s your brand’s “why”? Is it clear, and does it resonate with your staff and your target customers? If you’re not sure, then perhaps it’s time to do some investigating. Gather your team together to collect feedback, and reach out to your customers to understand what they believe about your business.
As Allison explained, brand strategy requires deep work, but it’s worth it if you want to create fans of your brand through fostering a meaningful relationship between your business and your audience.
If you’d like to hear more about brand strategy from Allison Bran, check out the full interview on IG Live.
The world of SEO is constantly changing, and it often leaves business owners falling behind and frustrated. As the owner of a fashion e-commerce brand, you're likely well aware of the importance of understanding the latest trends. Just like the fashion world, trends in marketing keep changing.
But if you're struggling to keep up, don't worry. We've got the best SEO tips for fashion e-commerce in 2022 right here for you.
How SEO Works and Why You Should Care
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of taking steps and making changes to help your content and your website rank higher on search engines like Google. SEO involves organic marketing, as opposed to paid advertising.
Marketing e-commerce businesses can get tricky since you face so much competition. When a user types in a search, such as "women's boots" or "eco-friendly fashion," you want to try and get your business to the top of the search results.
To get your content to rank higher, you need to understand how to optimize it. You want Google to understand the content on your site, and one way to do so is to follow some recommended best practices. Google's Webmaster Guidelines is a good place to start.
So why should you care if you're on the first page or the tenth page?
People won't be able to find your shop if it's buried in the search results. Instead, they'll go with a competitor that ranked higher and landed on one of the earlier pages.
Make Your Site Mobile-Friendly
Mobile shopping is bigger than ever and will soon become the norm. Almost 54% of all web traffic comes through mobile devices like smartphones.
Almost everyone has a smartphone these days, and shopping is easier than ever from our phones. That said, you need to make sure your website looks good on mobile devices. It should also be easy to navigate to offer a good e-commerce experience.
Unlike brick and mortar stores, e-commerce stores have to focus entirely on the digital experience. So make sure it's a good one!
Optimize Your Website for Speed
You want your e-commerce site to load as quickly as possible. The likelihood of a person leaving increases the longer it takes to load a web page. Over half of mobile users will leave a website if it takes more than three seconds to load.
Three seconds is all it takes to lose a customer.
Slow loading times impact your bounce rate. A bounce is a single-page session on a website. Depending on the design of your site, a high bounce rate can be a bad thing.
If the success of your site means that users have to view more than one page (such as a products page), then a high bounce rate is bad.
As a fashion e-commerce brand, you want to offer a stellar customer experience. You want people to stick around and browse your products and learn more about what you offer. That means optimizing your website for speed.
Make Product Pages Easy to Shop
Your product pages should be easy to navigate and understand. It should be easy to browse products on both a computer and a mobile device.
Make it simple to browse colors and patterns and see information about sizing.
Product pages also shouldn't be too distracting. The focus should be on the item and not the background. You don't want people to get visually fatigued, so avoid bright and distracting backgrounds.
Make categories easy to find. If you sell fashion jewelry, for instance, you want to make sure users can select the type they want. Let them browse by metal type or by different gemstones.
Lastly, you must use high-quality visuals of your products. Customers might want to view the item from different angles or see it on a model if possible.
Make Your CTA Stand Out
Your call to action (CTA) needs to stand out, both visually and as a message. It should be clear but compelling.
The CTA button should guide them to the next step. That's why you should choose a color that catches their attention, such as red, pink, or another eye-catching color.
Popular calls to action for e-commerce sites include "Add to Bag" or "Add to Cart." After a user adds something to their cart, you might have a CTA that says "Checkout" or "View Cart" or "Continue Shopping."
Make the process easy to follow and understand, and your customers will have an enjoyable experience.
Monitor Your Analytics
You need to monitor your analytics to determine if your efforts are working and whether you need to adjust your digital marketing strategy.
Here are some analytics you need to regularly check:
Bounce Rate: The percentage of visitors to a website who navigate away from the site after viewing only one page. It indicates that the visitors did not find what they were looking for or found the website unappealing.
Click-through rate (CTR): The ratio of users who click on a specific link to the number of total users who view a page, email, or advertisement. CTR is used to measure the effectiveness of an online marketing campaign for a particular website.
Cart abandonment rate: The percentage of online shoppers who add items to their shopping carts but leave the website without completing the purchase. It indicates that the website may have usability or pricing issues, or that customers are not motivated enough to make the purchase.
Events per visit: The number of interactions that a user has with a website during a single visit. These events can include clicks, page views, downloads, and form submissions.
Number of new visitors: The number of visitors to a website who have not previously visited the website during the selected reporting period.
Conversion rates: The percentage of website visitors who take a desired action on a website, such as making a purchase, filling out a form, or downloading a file.
Average session duration: The average length of time that visitors spend on a website during a single session.
Days to conversion: The number of days it takes for a website visitor to complete a desired action on a website, such as making a purchase or filling out a form.
Sessions: The number of times that users engage with a website during a specific period. A session starts when a user lands on a website and ends when they leave the website or are inactive for a specified amount of time.
Devices: The types of devices that visitors use to access a website, such as desktops, laptops, tablets, or smartphones.
Pageviews and unique pageviews: A pageview is recorded each time a page on a website is loaded or reloaded by a user. Unique pageviews represent the number of visits in which a specific page was viewed at least once.
Average time on page: The average length of time that visitors spend on a specific page of a website.
Source and channels: The source of traffic to a website and the channels that are used to drive that traffic. Examples of sources include search engines, social media, and email campaigns, while examples of channels include organic search, paid search, and social media advertising.
Exit pages: The pages on a website where visitors exit the site. Identifying exit pages can help website owners determine where visitors may be encountering issues or losing interest in the site.
It might sound like a lot, but keeping an eye on these numbers will help you fine-tune your marketing strategy. If you're feeling lost, a business consulting session can help define your goals and put you on track.
Create a Fashion Blog
SEO helps you bring in more traffic and build your brand without paying for ads. However, one common mistake businesses make is they don't put out enough quality content.
Creating a fashion blog is a great way to get started in SEO for fashion brands. You'll drive organic traffic to your website and boost your ranking. As a result, more people will discover your brand, and you'll bring in more sales.
This is also a great opportunity to link content with your social media accounts. Create share-worthy content and post your latest blogs on social media.
Discover the Best SEO Tips for Fashion E-commerce in 2022
We never stop learning about SEO, as the best practices keep changing. However, these are some of the best SEO tips for fashion e-commerce in 2022 and beyond.
Start with these steps, and then learn how to grow your fashion brand when you book a consultation with us online. We'll teach you everything you need to know about optimizing your website, marketing your e-commerce business, and much more!
