Speaking in #HashtagsSocial Media

A Must for Marketing Strategy

Retail’s gone omni-channel. Consumers are inseparable from their devices.

Our attention spans are shorter than ever. These are but a few of the ways the marketplace has transformed in the past few years. As a result, the firm-customer relationship has been completely redefined: today’s brands are thinking “engagement”, not “transaction”; targeting our hearts, not our wallets. This shift in mindset has opened up a host of new challenges and opportunities for marketers.

In this age of the “prosumer”, it’s the shopper who holds all the power. “The knowledge economy”, “digital natives”… no matter the buzzword you choose to describe us , the point remains the same: we have access to and are empowered by information more than ever. We see it, we share it, we use it, we crave it.

Hence, the phenomenon of social media. Hence, the rise of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. Everyone’s on them – consumers and brands alike – and you should be too. Here’s how.

Prepared Expressly for Monique Rene.

That Zero Moment of Truth

Four Strategies 1. Show up in the right place. 2. Show up more often. 3. Show up with the right content. 4. Measure up.

Source: http://www.slideshare.net/witten/zmot-handbook

Right Place 1. Go multi-screen (smartphone, TV, PC, etc.) 2. Use mobile to point the way to your brand. 3. Lead in tablet-commerce. 4. Utilize affiliate marketing (coupons, loyalty rewards, comparison shopping, etc.) More Often 1. Mix brand with non-brand. Right Content 1. Loyalty, convenience, speed. 2. Gain positive word-of-mouth. 3. Help consumer buy with their eyes (Youtube, images, etc.) 4. Provide fast answers (online chat, texts, etc.) Measure Up 1. Add search, display, mobile, video, social features.

Social Media Hits All Four

Where are consumers? Online – whether it’s through a mobile device or desktop. They’re surfing their Twitter feeds, visiting the Facebook pages of friends and firms, etc. All the time, anywhere. They’re watching videos, sharing photos, Googling information… in short, they’re looking for some form of engagement – a connection with something, whether it’s a piece of news, an entertaining image, or another human being. By being where they are, using what they’re using (social media), you can be what’s at the other end of that bond they’re searching for. There are two goals being achieved, then: getting your name out there, and (more importantly) humanizing your brand.

Different Ways to Use Visual Platforms in Fashion Marketing

Instagram – Let consumers submit pictures of themselves. Toms Shoes does a great job of this by showcasing their loyal community who love their shoes and wear them until they’re holy and run down – but still can’t bare to part with them. Pinterest – Think beyond the “Accessories”, “Inspiration”, and “Celebrity Fashion” boards. Create boards that highlight concepts related to your customer as well as your brand: “Wear With {Brand Name}”, “Layer It On”, “How to Wear” (with links back to your blog), an employee board, a public pinning board for others to pin themselves in your designs, etc. Tumblr and Facebook – These are great platforms to take what could be an image-free post and make it visually beautiful. Want to post a quote? Layer the quote over an image of the quoted instead of just posting text. Want to share a “fill in the blank”? Add an image associated with it to build engagement like “What are your tricks for organizing your closet?” and post an image of an overflowing closet.

Source: http://startupfashion.com/visual-platforms

Have a coherent brand persona across all platforms, but utilize medium’s specific strengths (i.e. visual quality of PINTEREST).

Twitter Brand Case Studies

NIKE “Nike Support takes the "Just Do It" concept to a new level, responding to user tweets at an astonishing rate. Whether they're helping someone find a shoe that won't give them shin splints, help with tech support for a FuelBand, or just letting customers know their complaints or suggestions are being heard, they consistently provide excellent customer service.”

Source: http://www.saydaily.com/2014/04/7-brands-with-great-customer-service-on-twitter-

Tumblr Brand Case Studies

KATE SPADE “Kate Spade is active on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, but they use their Tumblr to tell a more complete visual story that showcases their brand and appeals to customers. Their posts are a mix of fashion and lifestyle, but all of them perfectly represent Kate Spade by being colorful, whimsical, and aspirational.”

Source: http://www.saydaily.com/2014/03/9-brands-doing-cool-things-on-tumblr-in-2014

Instagram Brand Case Studies

HUGO BOSS “The Hugo Boss brand is all about style and luxury, so it makes perfect sense that their Instagram videos would channel those concepts. Heavily produced and product-focused, their videos are gorgeous, sleek, and perfectly tailored to their clientele.”

• New Season • Just Shine • Life Is Like a Runway

Source: http://www.saydaily.com/2014/02/instagram-video-9-brands-using-it-right

Instagram Best Practices

Utilize #hashtags. Benefits • Lets your followers be your models. • Keeps customers engaged by allowing them to easily join the conversation. • Present products in real world or behind-the-scenes settings.

Product-specific hashtags lets Free People fans tag themselves based on

what they’re wearing.

Bonobos utilizes signature hashtagging: “Tag your Bonobos gear

& looks with #BonobosNation.”

Starbucks knows to use generic hashtags -

#LATTE – as well.

Benefits • Humanizes your brand by keeping things real. • Perfectly brings in product tie-ins in a subtle way. • Lets you do what your customer’s doing – where, when, and how they’re doing it.

No products here: Burberry and Alice & Olivia present everyday shots – such as London’s downcast weather, and cute donuts being enjoyed at work – that give their brands a down-to-earth, intimate personality.

Think Lifestyle, Not Product.

Don’t Forget Video. Benefits • Video trumps still imagery when it comes to consumer engagement. • Allows you to show things in real time. • Effectively marries two levels of sensory immersion: sight and sound.

Merchandising genius: Michael Kors’ video of a

model packing a suitcase with Kors gear showcases

products and captures the jet set lifestyle.

Perfect for the holidays: Victoria’s Secret celebrates

Cinco de Mayo with a video that playfully shows swimsuit

mixing-and-matching.

A weekly routine: Hollister uploads 15-second promos

nearly every weekday, many featuring interviews with

popular musicians.

Split the Screen. Benefits • Allows you to show your product at different angles. • Adjacencies provide for before-after portrayals and real way vs. runway juxtapositions. • Captures throwback moments. • Connects fans with one another by showcasing them together.

Q&A: NY Mag’s Stella Bugbee uses double down to ask fans: “Celine or Gap ad

from the 90s?”

Divide and conquer: Coach’s three-way strategy lets the brand show product,

logo, and zeroed-in detail all in one shot.

The gallery: This shot from Anthropologie portrays multiple fans,

all wearing their favorite Anthropologie products,

simultaneously.

Take Advantage of Holidays. Benefits • Don’t forget oddball occasions and back-to-school season. • Allows for calendar-based experimentations. • Opens the floor to gift and travel guides.

Wanderlust: Kate Spade partnered up with Fathom to create city guides

perfect for adventurous fans

Playful twist: Target asks fans what their favorite popsicle flavors are and uses this

image to capture the July 4th holiday spirit.

What’s your sign?: Kenzo’s recently launched KENZODIAC is a perfect blend of

astrological advice and fashion tips.