When I attended Internet World earlier this year, I was approached by a number of fashion brands, looking to raise their game in the current economic downturn. I had several conversations where I highlighted how well suited Affino was for fashion retail companies. I decided I had best record all my ideas in writing - so that they would not be forgotten, and so that others might benefit from the recommendations contained within.
Over the years, I myself have benefitted enormously from working with cutting-edge fashion and PR companies like Diesel. When working with Diesel, I gained significant insights into how the fashion industry works, and how a brand like Diesel is able to maintain its cool brand image so well, and for so long.
It is not a Comrz strategy to court fashion companies, or steer product development specifically towards handling the requirements of fashion brands. Although, past work with Diesel, has meant that a number of innovations have found their way into Affino in respone to their feature requests; the first developments of the Smart Item Design Element and the original Affino Digital Asset Management solution (now Affino Media) were some of their more significant contributions.
Fashion brands will find benefits from using each of the components found within the Affino Social Commerce platform. But it is their combined synergies and full-featured, seamless customer / user experience which really serve to raise them above their competitors. We believe that any fashion business that wants to be competitive with the likes of Diesel, will need to do all or most of the following:
Set up a PR Resource (Affino Media / Core Affino)
Fashion is still largely about hype and good PR - you need the glossy magazines on your side; so you need to set up libraries of images and press releases - to help the fashion journalists and editors portray your brand and products in the very best possible light. You need scheduled newsletters to target the relevant level of editor at the right time with the right message
Establish a fully integrated community (Affino eCommunity)
Launch a community that is integral within your main retail and feature pages - such that user-generated comments, reviews and features add value and impact to your product catalogue and sales efforts. Communities deliver Brand Advocates who promote your products in a most effective manner
Introduce full-featured user profiles (Affino eCommunity)
Allow your customers to post highly detailed profiles with personal portraits, likes and preferences, as well as further video and image uploads of themselves wearing or interacting with your brand in some way. User Profiles are great means of influencing consumer behaviour - in terms of encouraging acceptance and purchase of new clothing
Run a series of competitions for your fashion community (Core Affino)
Encourage brand advocacy by seeking talent from within your community - to become ’The Face’ of your brand. You can also run ’Best Dressed’ or ’Design a Collection’ competitions to raise interest and interaction with your brand - all competitions should result in increased registrations and increased brand awareness
Introduce premium community / VIP / brand loyalty scheme (Affino eCommunity, Custom)
Incentivise and reward your loyal followers with loyalty points, special offers and access to special content and events. The more special your customers feel, the more likely they are to buy more from you
Introduce Rich Media Image Galleries and Videos (Affino Media, Custom)
Add multiple images, 360° sweeps and zoom to your catalogue items, as well as further fashion photo galleries and catwalk-style videos - where viewers can see people moving / being active in your clothes - this gives your products more impact and appeal, making them more saleable
Set up mini store fronts for fashion editors and famous faces (Affino eCommerce)
Let well-known and sympathetic fashion editors and relevant / complementary celebrities front mini-boutiques of their favourite selected items. This form of brand advocacy usually enhances brand perception and leads to increased sales
Introduce Hot Lists and Wishlists into your catalogue and community (Affino eCommerce, Affino eCommunity, Custom)
Much in the same way that Amazon has its ’Listmania’ top 10’s / 20’s, by allowing customers to post lists of their favourite items - these are likely to influence further sales, as well as encourage friends and relatives to buy them as gifts for the wishlist creators
Publish Regular Buyers Guides (Core Affino)
All fashion magazines have regular features on how to respond to and wear the latest trends. Featuring your clothing in real-life topical scenarios, you show your customers how they can best utilise your collection to suit their lifestyles - buyers guides are essential for selling outfits and cross-selling accessories and related articles
Introduce Fashion Calendar (Core Affino)
Fashion of course has its many seasonal iterations, as well as special events which have specific modes of dress - e.g. Wimbledon, Henley, Ascot, The Oscars etc. By running a fashion calendar - outlining key events - you can highlight relevant outfits suitable for such occasions
