The Streetwear Marketing Plan
I am constantly testing and reevaluating how to market my business, not just for streetwear but general business marketing. I think about it so often that I constantly loose sleep reading new ideas and concepts working to get better at sales and marketing. I am constantly changing and testing tactics looking for the best method of attack. Here is what I have learned so far. Although these marketing ideas could change tomorrow.
Your marketing plan will consist of your target market, what you want to say to your market, the media tactics you will use to reach your market, how you will capture the leads, how you will follow up with said leads, and how you will convert them to sales. You can go a step further and include how you will follow up and get more sales from existing customers.
The over all plan will usually consist of the following tactics
1. Define Your brands target market.
I find this crucial step is the hardest to do because you will feel like you are limiting your sales potential by only going after one niche, but the truth is you can expand to other niches after you get a firm grip on one. 4 Marketing tips for New Streetwear Brands will help you start with one and work that niche market until you cant grow it any more then add another niche, and another and so on.
How do I define my target market?
This can be as simple as picking and industry in this example we will use sneaker heads. and drilling down further to specific interests that sneaker head may have. for instance some sneaker heads may also push to find matching gear for their latest colorway. they may spend between $500-$3000 a year on shoes and apparel, some may live with their parents, other may be married with kids, you can use tools on face book to get this information and drive down to a specific type of person and that will be your first target market. there are lots of great books on the subject, This book The One Page Marketing Plan is one of my favorites and it shaped the way I look at crafting campaigns.
2. Craft your brands unique selling proposition U.S.P.
Lets say you are selling to sneaker heads. They want to be cutting edge, they want gear that will match the color way of the most recent drop, but mostly they want validation and cool factor that kicks provide
When the sneaker head lands on your site, you will educate them on how they will be better, more exclusive, or more unique when they rock your stuff. I cant tell you exactly how to shape this story, but keep this in mind as you craft your unique selling proposition. You are selling to their fears and insecurities. Dont get all crazy talking about why your brand is the best, solve your clients problems then position your brand as the solution.
3. Social media
After you have crafted your USP you may decide to deploy social media to generate interest in your brand and lead potential customers to your sites landing page. Social media has changed drastically over the last few years. Organic reach is almost non existent. To get in front of potential customers will require advertising dollars. but most social platforms allow you to define exactly who sees your ads.
Defiance who you want to target. and create headlines that will peak their interest. Get creative but dont say shit like HOTTEST NEW STREET WEAR BRAND. Try something more along the lines of 4 WAYS TO GET MORE CHICKS with…. You get the idea get creative with the add copy. Another thing is the photo, gone are the days of having a sexy model standing in an alley painted with graffiti wearing your tee, looking half confused. Life style photos are the game now. Dont have your brand logo be the focal point, take life style photos that are interesting that happen to have your brand in them. draw the viewer in get them to check out your site and let them educate them on how your gear will solve their problems.
Youtube. there is no better method of getting your self out there that this platform. Create content that helps viewers as opposed to getting on there and selling shit and you personal brand can help you to market your street wear brand. Check out my channel and see how I make content for my competitors but in doing this I have positioned my self as a thought leader in my niche, this gives credibility to potential customers as well.
4. Email marketing
Getting a mailing list is super powerful, if you can offer something that a potential customer may want, they will give you their email for it. from there you can keep them in your brands loops by sending them periodic emails with useful news updates, tips and tricks to better style and so on. emails should never try to sell anything other than the fact that you are there to help them.
5. Trade Shows
Don’t consider a trade-show until you are established with a strong line. Even then trade shows like magic and agenda are hit or miss. Most buyers head to the big guys first place their orders for the season and may look for one or 2 lesser known brands per year to try out in their brick and mortar and online stores. Do your research on how buyers work so that you fully understand the risks. I cant cover that in this article.
When its is time to activate a trade show your booth needs to pop more than the other guys. don’t just bring a table chairs and your line. Activate a fun activity like Live Screen Printing, or a photo booth, something that will build a line in front of your booth. Do not try to sell this stuff, this is swag that you will give away to create hype, when buyers see a line at your booth they will take notice and reach out to you.
6. Your sales funnel aka lead capture method.
The sales funnel is arguably the most important tactic in your marketing plan because is will be the deciding factor as to weather or not the traffic you generate through you various campaigns will become customers.
For you funnel to work clients that land on your page need to feel as though your brand will fill what ever need they have. Now you ask how can I fill a potential customers needs with a piece of clothing? Most people that purchase clothing do so because they wasn’t to represent a cause, or show that they are part of a lifestyle. Being part of the lifestyle gives them a feeling of worth.
Craft a story that fills a fear or desire your potential client has and position your brand as the solution to that insecurity and you will be well on your way to brand success.
In my next article we will talk in more detail about your sales funnel.
