PR tips to Making it Work in the World of Fashion
Fashion is a notoriously fickle industry. But like anything else, to be successful, you need to be noticed, appreciated, and understood. Or at least talked about incessantly. How can your business get an edge? Particularly when you are trying to break into the market. Success can – and often does – come down to adequate funding, concrete strategy, and effective communication. Just having a “wonderful” creative vision isn’t enough to get it done. Nor is having an “end goal.” That popular euphemism might sound good in business advice blogs, but knowing how to get to that end goal is vastly more important.
Establish your presence
Why should consumers care about you? Far too many upstart brands fail to adequately answer this question. But it is a vital first rung on the ladder of success. Your potential market already has favorite brands and go-to looks. They don’t know about you, and they don’t care about you. You need to make it job one to change that.
Communicate your authority
Successful entrepreneurs across a variety of industries have developed their businesses via communicating valuable information. From tips on YouTube to subscription webinars to books and articles and TV spots, getting your name out there and connecting it with authority in your industry is a vital success step. But you cannot approach this without a detailed plan. Otherwise, opportunity will quickly turn into chaos, with too many chances pulling you in too many directions. Suddenly your success is untenable and your PR message is a mess.
Create a following
Once your place in the market and the value of your perspective are established, you should organically begin to create a following. But that organic following will not be enough. You need the tire kickers and curious masses to take the next step, choosing you and your brand over the competition. There are as many paths to success as there are successful brands. Of course, there are exponentially more failed attempts than there are successes. To avoid being the next also-ran, study the successes and see what they have done that could work for you. Invest the time and the work to communicate, engage, and develop relationships with your customers. Become a part of their lives, not just another tag in their closets.
Monetize that fan base
Whether you get a celebrity spokesperson, market direct, or generate a viral social media campaign, you need to cultivate and empower your fans to become your salespeople in their daily lives. They may love your designs, but you need to get them buying – and encouraging others to buy – those selections.
None of these tips will come easy, and none of them can replace adequate funding and smart business. But communication remains a vital component of any successful entrance into any market. Come up short, and no one will notice. Ever.
