Enter the Internet

The Internet offers opportunities to reach a vast number of people. Develop an innovative
website featuring videos of your fashion endeavor; use virtual tours of your boutique or
present a fashion show featuring your clothing line. Your website is key for all other online
marketing strategies. It serves as the basis for detailed product information, and provides a
source to which other Internet-based venues should be linked.
The repetition of your marketing message is vital to remaining in the publics awareness.
Email and social media are easy and inexpensive ways to achieve this. Start a fashion advice
blog prominently displaying your website link as well as your business name and logo. Enroll
in bulk email services through which you can send to all your contacts regular fashion
newsletter updates relating to your business. Include discount coupons and other special
offers. Your target recipient numbers can be increased by engaging the services of a list
broker through which you may purchase a compilation specific to fashion solicitation (See
Reference 2). Use social media outlets to drive people to the fashion product line displayed
on your website.

Web Connection
If your fashion-related business efforts have not progressed to a physical store, create virtual
shops in one or more online marketplaces (See Reference 1), These provide you with the
option to customize your shop, and afford tools with which you can increase marketing
efforts. Frequency and consistency are essential when operating web-based shops; regularly
update your images and promotional verbiage. Use visual media by posting an edgy fashion
show film on web video services spotlighting your line, company name and brand. Get
involved in commerce networking websites where you can share your businesss fashion
activities.
Related Reading: Internal Marketing Strategies in the Cosmetic Industry

Go Viral
Marketing your fashion business can benefit from viral-style marketing methods and result in
the attraction of many potential customers. For example, consider staging a kiosk on a busy
street on which youve hung several hundred of one type of your creations, such as a simple
skirt. Attach a brochure or business card to each, and prominently display a sign indicating
one item is free for the taking. Word will rapidly spread of your "free [your business name]
skirt" generosity; every individual who took one will tell others and you'll have dispensed
hundreds of pieces of your contact information (See Reference 3).

Get Personal
Market your inventory by promoting home fashion parties. Construct a catalog and a sales
kit with samples and use them to conduct home demonstrations of your merchandise. Start
by asking friends to host parties, and provide free take-away items for each attendee, such
as one of your signature scarves. Call local chambers of commerce to arrange for fashion
shows for business luncheons for which youve contracted with a celebrity to appear (See
Reference 1). Nurture partnerships with local hotels, conference centers and spas, and
cultivate the possibility of having them house your fashion boutique (See Reference 2).

Additional Strategies

Write your fashion business story in a format used by reporters for publication in typical
media outlets, such as newspapers and magazines. Pay for full-page ads describing a
fascinating fashion adventure to pique the interest of readers. Write regular press releases
about your business when you have new announcements to make, such as, Frankies
Fashions Announces New Design for Skorts. Develop an irresistible image of your business
by including photos and illustrations in all your print media marketing (See Reference 2).
Make radio or TV public service announcements, accompanied by a known fashion model, to
advise of an event you might be hosting.

Fashion Marketing Techniques

by BILL WEST, Demand Media

The fashion industry has become a multibillion-dollar global industry, which is increasingly
coming under the influence of power brokers such as Andrew Rosen, Jeff Rudes and Mickey
Drexler. Surviving in this industry requires you to contend with erratic consumer demands,
short life cycles of products and complicated supply chains that often characterize it.
Competition is also intense because of its creative nature, ever-changing trends and its
glamour, which attracts many people and creates a saturated market. You need creative
marketing techniques to create brand awareness for your products and upstage the
competition.
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Brand Ambassadors
Enlist the help of influential people within your target market in popularizing your products.
Such individuals would be brand ambassadors for your fashion line by donning your products
and promoting them to other people. Examples of brand ambassadors include celebrities
such as actors or singers who are role models for people within your target market. Their
influence among the public is crucial in promoting your fashion line. You can visit the Screen
Actors Guild, which can provide you with the contacts of the agent of your desired celebrity.

Fashion Show Videos

Prepare numerous marketing reels that depict models wearing various attire from your
clothing line. You can share these videos by posting them on social media, your company
website or through email marketing. Make them interactive so that viewers can click on
various images in the video to purchase or obtain additional information about the items.
Furthermore, you can issue a call to action at the end of these mini fashion shows, such as

asking viewers to come down to your store and check out your products. Keep the length of
these videos shortpreferably, two minutes.
Related Reading: Proven Marketing Techniques for Apartment Rental & Leasing

Guerrilla Artwork
Enlist the assistance of a muralist in creating guerrilla marketing stunts, which can increase
brand awareness of your products. Liaise with your local county or city authorities who can
provide you with areas to produce guerrilla artwork of your products. The artwork, for
instance, could show images of people or objects wearing depictions of your clothes.
Sidewalks, bus stops or walls are suitable platforms for placing the guerrilla artworks of your
fashion line. The muralist should place the artwork strategically and humanize the objects so
that they express a real life scenario that resonates with people.

Press Releases
Produce press releases that announce any milestone that you have attained in your fashion
business. Such milestones include the introduction of new brands, discounts on products or
relocation to new premises. Your press releases should be captivating and composed of
keywords that your target audience would use when searching for information on search
sites. Furthermore, mention the name of your fashion brands constantly in the press
releases to stamp the brand name into the readers heads.

Digital Media Marketing Plan

Digital media marketing plans enable you to reach out to and engage with your audience
online. Use social media marketing to reach people in your target audience. Facebook
advertising, for example, allows you to select the specific demographic and psychographic
data of the audience you want to reach, so it's important to know your target audience
beforehand. Consider what types of websites your audiences will frequent and look into
advertising on those sites or building partnerships with those sites. Begin building an email
list for your brand by putting an email signup form on your website, using a service like
Mailchimp. Send regular emails to your audience to update them on your fashions, sales and
promotions.

Publishing Marketing Plan

Develop a publishing marketing plan that combines public relations and marketing to gain
exposure in magazines and other types of publications, including blogs. According to Inc.
Magazine, Chuck Porter, Chairman of ad agency Crispin Porter + Bogusky says, "Fashion
blogs have a gigantic readership and are increasingly influential in getting the word out
about trends and services." Research publications that reach your target audience and use
their marketing and editorial channels to gain exposure for your brand. For example, if you
sell children's fashions, offer to give a parenting magazine an outfit to use as a reader

giveaway. If you are also a parent who started your fashion company while your children
were young, pitch an article about being an entrepreneur with young children. Also look into
advertising in the publications for increased exposure.
Related Reading: Differences in Marketing Plans and Strategies

Live Event Marketing Plan

Develop a live event marketing plan that creates opportunities for you to show the public
your fashions. Live events can include fashion shows, trunk shows or in-home
demonstrations. Consider exhibiting at trades shows, fairs or other live events that reach
your target audience. For example, a clothing brand aimed at teens may consider co-hosting
a teen fashion show to benefit a charity in conjunction with a local news station or
publication. This type of live event gives the fashion brand exposure and creates positive
publicity for the brand. By partnering with a media outlet, you're able to gain their broad
reach.

Brand Ambassador Marketing Plan

Develop a marketing plan that focuses on gaining brand ambassadors to use as marketing
elements. Brand ambassadors are people of influence who wear, promote and share
information about your fashion on your behalf. Brand ambassadors can be local or national
celebrities, public figures, or outgoing members of your target market. For example, if you
sell fashionable T-shirts for ages 18-24, create a brand ambassador program for local
colleges or universities, and offer incentives for students who refer others to your brand. If
you sell your products online, create automated affiliate programs, using services like
Infusionsoft, where your ambassadors earn rewards for everyone they refer.

Competitive advantage occurs when an organization acquires or develops an attribute or

combination of attributes that allows it to outperform itscompetitors. These attributes can include
access to natural resources, such as high grade ores or inexpensive power, or access to highly
trained and skilled personnel human resources. New technologies such as robotics andinformation
technology can provide competitive advantage, whether as a part of the product itself, as an
advantage to the making of the product, or as acompetitive aid in the business process (for example,
better identification and understanding of customers).
Contents
[hide]

1 Overview

2 Competitive strategies/advantages
o

2.1 Cost leadership strategy

2.2 Differentiation strategy

2.3 Innovation strategy

2.4 Operational effectiveness strategy

3 See also

4 References

5 Further reading

6 External links

Overview[edit]
Michael Porter defined the two types of competitive advantage an organization can achieve relative
to its rivals: lower cost or differentiation. This advantage derives from attribute(s) that allow an
organization to outperform its competition, such as superior market position, skills, or resources. In
Porter's view, strategic management should be concerned with building and sustaining competitive
advantage.[1]
Competitive advantage seeks to address some of the criticisms of comparative advantage. Porter
proposed the theory in 1985. Porter emphasizes productivity growth as the focus of national
strategies. Competitive advantage rests on the notion that cheap labor is ubiquitous and natural
resources are not necessary for a good economy. The other theory, comparative advantage, can
lead countries to specialize in exporting primary goods andraw materials that trap countries in lowwage economies due to terms of trade. Competitive advantage attempts to correct for this issue by
stressing maximizing scale economies in goods and services that garner premium prices (Stutz and
Warf 2009).[2]
Term competitive advantage is the ability gained through attributes and resources to perform at a
higher level than others in the same industry or market (Christensen and Fahey 1984, Kay 1994,
Porter 1980 cited by Chacarbaghi and Lynch 1999, p. 45).[3] The study of such advantage has
attracted profound research interest due to contemporary issues regarding superior performance
levels of firms in the present competitive market conditions. "A firm is said to have a competitive
advantage when it is implementing a value creating strategy not simultaneously being implemented
by any current or potential player" (Barney 1991 cited by Clulow et al.2003, p. 221).[4] Successfully

implemented strategies will lift a firm to superior performance by facilitating the firm with competitive
advantage to outperform current or potential players (Passemard and Calantone 2000, p. 18).[5] To
gain competitive advantage a business strategy of a firm manipulates the various resources over
which it has direct control and these resources have the ability to generate competitive advantage
(Reed and Fillippi 1990 cited by Rijamampianina 2003, p. 362).[6] Superior performance outcomes
and superiority in production resources reflects competitive advantage (Day and Wesley 1988 cited
by Lau 2002, p. 125).[7]
Above writings signify competitive advantage as the ability to stay ahead of present or potential
competition, thus superior performance reached through competitive advantage will ensure market
leadership. Also it provides the understanding that resources held by a firm and the business
strategy will have a profound impact on generating competitive advantage. Powell (2001, p. 132)
[8]

views business strategy as the tool that manipulates the resources and create competitive

advantage, hence, viable business strategy may not be adequate unless it possess control over
unique resources that has the ability to create such a unique advantage. Summarizing the view
points, competitive advantage is a key determinant of superior performance and it will ensure
survival and prominent placing in the market. Superior performance being the ultimate desired goal
of a firm, competitive advantage becomes the foundation highlighting the significant importance to
develop same.

Competitive strategies/advantages[edit]

Cost leadership strategy[edit]

The goal of cost leadership strategy is to offer products or services at the lowest cost in the industry.
The challenge of this strategy is to earn a suitable profit for the company, rather than operating at a
loss and draining profitability from all market players. Companies such as Walmart succeed with this
strategy by featuring low prices on key items on which customers are price-aware, while selling other
merchandise at less aggressive discounts. Products are to be created at the lowest cost in the
industry. An example is to use space in stores for sales and not for storing excess product.

Differentiation strategy[edit]
The goal of differentiation strategy is to provide a variety of products, services, or features to
consumers that competitors are not yet offering or are unable to offer. This gives a direct advantage
to the company which is able to provide a unique product or service that none of its competitors is
able to offer. An example is Dell which launched mass-customizations on computers to fit
consumers' needs. This allows the company to make its first product to be the star of its sales.

Innovation strategy[edit]
The goal of innovation strategy is to leapfrog other market players by the introduction of completely
new or notably better products or services. This strategy is typical of technology start-up companies
which often intend to "disrupt" the existing marketplace, obsoleting the current market entries with a
breakthrough product offering. It is harder for more established companies to pursue this strategy
because their product offering has achieved market acceptance. Apple has been a notable example
of using this strategy with its introduction of iPod personal music players, and iPad tablets. Many
companies invest heavily in their research and development department to achieve such statuses
with their innovations.

Operational effectiveness strategy[edit]

The goal of operational effectiveness as a strategy is to perform internal business activities better
than competitors, making the company easier or more pleasurable to do business with than other
market choices. It improves the characteristics of the company while lowering the time it takes to get
the products on the market with a great start.