When it comes to marketing and selling your brand and clothing label, the easiest and most obvious place to start is online. We are currently seeing an average of more than 6 hours of internet usage per day globally, and this figure is expected to rise further. Your potential customers in the retail sector will also be active online, which is why you need to ensure your clothing business is ready to sell online.
In this post, you can read more about how to kick-start your online sales and what you, as a retailer, need to have under control.
KEEP YOUR ONLINE SHOP IN ORDER
This probably sounds like a no-brainer, and it’s also the first and most important step when selling your clothing brand online. A central website where you can lay a solid foundation for your business and build your brand’s image. The website is where your brand comes to life, and where your visitors can discover who you really are.
WHAT SHOULD YOU LOOK FOR IN A WEBSITE PLATFORM?
An ideal e-commerce platform is one that can handle a wide range of product variants. For example, the same product in different sizes and colours. In addition, usability and ease of navigation are two really good features for users, which can also save you a lot of time. A platform that can be easily updated with your latest products, so that users can access this information in an easily accessible way. Systems capable of this include Shopify or WordPress’ WooCommerce. These can be used without any knowledge of programming or coding, and they are very easy to navigate as a retailer.
CONSIDER THE VISUAL ASPECTS AND GIVE YOUR BRAND A PERSONAL TOUCH
It’s said that, on average, you have between 7 and 10 seconds to capture a user’s interest when they visit your website. That’s why you need to ensure that users will remember your brand after spending that brief time on your site. Words and images are particularly helpful in this regard. When showcasing a clothing collection, you might as well not use images at all if they’re poor quality. Instead, have high-quality images taken and invest time, money and effort in getting the perfect shots. Your online shop is the customer’s first impression, so you’ll want a visually appealing profile.
CONSIDER YOUR USPs
The key to strong brand storytelling is being able to present your brand in a unique way. That’s why it’s a good idea to define how you stand out from your competitors. The easiest way to do this is by defining your Unique Selling Points (USPs). Ask yourself what makes your brand unique. Why is it particularly interesting or fun?
USPs are defined as unique, marketable characteristics that set your brand apart. Possible USPs could be:
- Fashion: You’re always ahead of the curve when it comes to the latest trends and coolest designs.
- High-end clothing: You make a point of demonstrating that your clothes are made to the highest standard.
- Affordable prices/simple styles: Your clothes are in a price range that everyone can afford, and your quality and design are very simple.
Don’t necessarily be tempted to be a brand that can offer everything. This will create confusion, and it doesn’t give customers a story to buy into. Building on your USPs, it can be a good idea to tell your company’s story. It helps to create positive feelings amongst visitors, and you can do this through a good story. How did the business start and why? What are the goals for customers? A good story is often not found in the sales copy – but rather in how you create value for the customer. Your story can lead to a blog that creates even more value for the customer. Your blog can build on your story, and it can contain guides and useful advice, which ultimately create value and attract more visitors.
TELL YOUR STORY ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Social media contributes to online sales provided you know how to use it correctly. It is an effective tool for telling your brand’s story, and any clothing company can benefit from a dedicated social media presence. Social media is essential for keeping your brand’s story alive, engaging customers and driving online sales. If you have the resources, advertising on Google and Facebook can also be incredibly effective. Your message spreads very quickly, and this can boost sales and traffic to your website. However, this can be difficult to master without experience, so we recommend that you read more here.
CONSIDER YOUR PAYMENT SOLUTION
A good payment solution ensures a better overall experience for your customers and, in doing so, increases the likelihood that they will buy from your shop again. A good payment solution offers customers a range of payment options. For example, via traditional payment cards (Visa, MasterCard, etc.), Apple Pay, MobilePay and ViaBill. This demonstrates transparency, which really adds value for your customer. Setting up a versatile payment solution doesn’t have to be expensive. At TEESHOPPEN, PensoPay takes care of this, and they offer solutions for both start-ups and large enterprises.
With this advice, you can get your online clothing business off to a flying start. We hope you’ll find plenty of further inspiration here on the site to help you build a successful brand and clothing label.
