7. Tiempos convulsos (220-167 a.C.). Guerras y crisis: sobrevivir a toda costa
7.3 Instituciones de emergencia
Q. How do you put a Marketing Plan together and what should it include?
A.
A marketing plan should include your objective - what do you want to achieve:- Who - who is your audience for that objective?
- How - how can you get there? - this is usually a mix of tactics to achieve this and some commercial analysis on how this is possible via media investment, etc.
- Measurement - what equals success? Sales? Brand awareness?
Jennifer Roebuck, Director of Ecommerce & Digital Marketing - frenchconnection.com
A.
A giant spreadsheet. All the weeks and months across the top and ALL the activity that is customer facing for the business plugged into it. Broken down into categories. Product launches, key events on the calendar, what is happening that week, digital marketing activity, above the line activity, promotions and last year’s history.Julia Reynolds, CEO, Figleaves.com
Q. What advice would you give to a designer who is thinking about launching a fashion label?
A.
In fashion it is a lot about people you know and of course if you have worked in the industry for someone else before you should always be thinking about how some of these people may be able to help you in the future. Make connections and always think about the future.You need to know your market and exactly what they want - not what you want for them. Depending on what type of clothing-range you are starting you always need to look at your potential competitors and finding out as much as possible about them. Price is your first indication of your competitors then of course the style/fabrics/finishings.
Magnus Gjoen, Designer/Product developer - Vivienne Westwood
A.
A new designer needs to find out if there is a gap in the market for the new product. Research can be done by conducting surveys, talking to people, scouring the Internet, visiting stores to investigate price points and competition, and new designers would benefit greatly from developing a business plan. A business plan will help put a new business into perspective as far as cash flows, staffing, competitors, short and long term goals, manufacturing, website structuring and on and on. Once a new designer has decided to move forward on a new product, they should secure intellectual property by buying every website domain iteration and secure coinciding social media: Twitter account and Facebook fan page names for instance.Courtney Blackman, Owner/Managing Dir – Forward PR
Marketing
Mark’s note: April Dunford from Rocket Watcher has created a brilliant marketing framework - well worth the read:http://www.rocketwatcher.com/blog/2011/01/a-startup-marketing-framework-version-2.html
Continued: Q. What advice would you give to a designer who is thinking about launching...?
A.
The product needs to be great, good is not good enough. You do not need much if any marketing budget. Great product sells itself. You will make mistakes in the first few years, so plan to only get 60%right. You will never get 100% right, although obviously you will aim to get 100% right. If you have a plan, make sure you plan a downside for your accountant! Anything from 25% to 50% it is so much better to under promise and over deliver.
Look at competitors and make comparisons. Every business on the planet has taken ideas from somewhere else. Stick to your USP’s and focus on customer, customer, customer
Get help and support from people that you trust who have experience. Don’t be afraid to ask for help and use other people’s skills. You cannot possibly be great at everything.
Julia Reynolds, CEO, Figleaves.com
Q. What is a ‘Unique Selling Point’ (USP) and how can this be used to drive sales?
A.
A USP is the difference that sets your product and service apart from your competitors and makes you unforgettable.Jristian Limsico, Art Director, Tommy Hilfiger
A.
If you can’t clearly and succinctly define what makes your product and service relevant then you can’t promote it effectively. Having a compelling USP is the first critical step to building a marketing campaign.Shannon Edwards, Director – ShopStyle.com
A.
A USP is what differentiates a product or service from the rest. It can be anything from special packaging to same-day delivery to off-coloured stitching on each garment, and should always augment the product and the customer’s experience.Courtney Blackman, Owner/MD – Forward PR
A.
What makes your product different from your competitors, ideally you will have at least one. These should be at the core of your business and should drive everything you do. Try not to sway from this, although they may change over time as the business evolves. (Easyjet, Liberty, Donna Karan, Coca Cola, Innocent Drinks) good examples of those that have stuck to what they set out to do.Julia Reynolds, CEO, Figleaves.com
Q. With so many new and exciting marketing channels popping up how do you decide which is best for your business?
A.
We try to gather as much information as possible about each channel and decide based on what the expected commercial impact is and brand impact. It is a hard decision and we do not always make the right choices. We are also interested in innovation and trying new things - so we are not afraid to test something. Jennifer Roebuck, Dir of eCom & Digital Marketing – Frenchconnection.comQ. How do you develop a clear and consistent message across all marketing platforms?
A.
The most important thing is to edit - make sure that whatever you are presenting, whether it’s your website, a look book, or a press release that it all represent you and your vision. In doing this, you have to be clear about your vision for your brand. It could be helpful to come up with a mission statement for the brand as a whole, and put together some images to go with your mission statement.It’s always good to have another pair of eyes look at your work to see if the message you want to convey is coming through.
Saloni Sethi, Designer/Design Director, Independent, High-end luxury
A.
We work together. We have an agreed tone of voice, brand positioning and imagery. Once that is in place, we all ensure our communications are consistent when we are launching a new season and throughout the season. As long as they are visually and tonally consistent, that will deliver a clear and concise message. Less is more...and in fashion the image often speaks louder than words.Jennifer Roebuck, Director of eCom & Digital Marketing – Frenchconnection.com
Q. What is the key to producing good quality content that will not only engage but also add value in the eyes of the reader?
A.
Two things. One; content must be honest. The content that you produce must come from a good place, a pure of heart place, a genuine place of interest and be unbiased. Sycophantic reporting – especially in my industry of fashion - get’s no writer anywhere. By trying to be everyone’s friend and not engaging in honest reporting, the journalist won’t gain the industry’s respect and the designer they are writing about, in turn will not become better at their craft.Two; content must be useful. Know your customer or audience inside out, stalk them really hard. Get inside their brain and work out what will make them smile/tick/feel a flurry in their stomach. The right information can help people do better business or help people feel better about themselves - or both.
Laura Weir, Fashion Editor - Drapers
Continued... What is the key to producing good quality content that will not only engage but also?
A.
The key is understanding what you are about in the sense of its message. Are you there to visually inspire? Are you there to lead a movement? What is it it's purpose? Good quality content that engages and adds value has a purpose. With a purpose you can create a reader who not only becomes a subscriber, but becomes an advocate.Daniel P Dykes, Editor-in-Chief/Chairman - Fashionising.com
A.
I see so much that bores me and it makes me feel anti certain brands. So they need to address this and be aware of it - as an ill-advised activity can be seriously damaging. Quality control everything you do and think how your audience will perceive it. If in your mind there is even the slightest doubt get a 2nd, 3rd and 10th opinion.Guy Hipwell, Founding Editor/Creative Director - Fashion156.com
A.
Any good designer will tell you that in order to create good quality creative that engages and adds value you need a strong understanding of who you’re talking to. Really knowing your target audience is the only way to make an impact.Jristian Limsico, Art Director, Tommy Hilfiger
A.
People are interested in transparency, quality and an emotional connection. If a designer can provide all those things via content development, they will do well. It is a little bit of a stretch to say that content will add real value to someone's life. However, sometimes simply providing the basic product information a consumer needs can help provide that value by saving time and fulfilling expectations.Jennifer Roebuck, Director of eCom & Digital Marketing – Frenchconnection.com
A.
Good quality content needs to be ‘real’ You shouldn’t be afraid to look at your own consumption patterns – what interests you? Is the content you are producing something that you find exciting?Would your friends and your family find it exciting? Not enough marketers use their own gut to evaluate their work.
Shannon Edwards, Director, ShopStyle, Europe
A.
Keep the customer at the core of your thinking, what is it they would like to see. They may not know it yet. Be careful of listening to customers who don’t know what they can’t see coming. You will have to be very thorough about articulating what it is you are doing.Julia Reynolds, CEO, Figleaves.com
Q. What marketing techniques would you recommend for a designer trying to launch a brand?
A.
Aside from the traditional Ecommerce marketing channels ( search, affiliate marketing, social media and email ) development of video content and interactive experiences are the most compelling things you can do within the digital space. Mobile is also gaining momentum.Jennifer Roebuck, Director of eCom & Digital Marketing – Frenchconnection.com
Q. It seems logical to focus on marketing activities that can be
measured, but this is easier said than done. What can designers do to ensure that their marketing efforts are as productive as possible?
A.
Have a consistent message, keep it simple and know who and where you want to be. If you stay focused on where you want your message to be and what you have to do to get it there, you will not end up chasing many different communication channels that may not be right for your brand or offering. Measurement is important and you should try to understand how you are going to learn from your efforts before you start.Jennifer Roebuck, Director of eCom & Digital Marketing – Frenchconnection.com
A.
A good Finance Director will not let you spend money unless you can calculate a return on investment. This is good business practice but, can stifle creativity. Balance off what you can make a return on, leaving some budget up your sleeve to focus on what you really think will make a difference.Do not spread it wide and shallow. Often the simplest things are the best.
Julia Reynolds, CEO, Figleaves.com
Link crushes:
www.sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog - Seth riffs on marketing, respect and the ways ideas spread.
www.rocketwatcher.com - A marketing blog that provides practical advice and tools for product marketers.
www.fashionablymarketing.me - Brilliant blog about retail and digital media.
P.R
Chapter 5
Q. ‘PR’ is a massive force within the fashion industry but what exactly is ‘PR’ and how can it be beneficial to new designers?
A.
PR can mean public relations, press relations…and it seems as though it’s constantly changing.In the briefest of terms, it is getting a brand out there and recognised by target press, and therefore the brand’s target consumer base. It is third party, unpaid (non-advertisement) endorsement, which is very powerful. It is securing editorial coverage in relevant magazines, newspapers and supplements, television, radio, digital magazines, blogs and partnering with celebrities in a mutual relationship.
New designers are in a fortunate position where they can spearhead their own PR campaigns by harnessing social media and even writing their own blogs.
Courtney Blackman, Owner/MD – Forward PR
Q. What should a PR plan include?
A.
A PR plan should include program goals, followed by measurable objectives and strategies that when implemented, will meet those goals and objectives. Within each strategy, clearly defined action steps, in the form of tactics and tasks, provide the blueprint for execution. Benchmarking current numbers and tracking growth is another key component.For a designer to manage these activities herself, it’s important to drill the PR plan down to daily action items. This might include setting aside two hours each day to send out pitches to media, connect with followers on Twitter and respond to email.
Crosby Noricks, Founder & Editor, PR Couture
Q. How can a designer develop a ‘PR friendly’ brand that the press will want to talk about?
A.
The first step is that the branding needs to be strong and memorable and the PR campaign needs to be well thought out. It should be easy to draft a PR strategy based on timings outlined in the business plan. Launching a new collection each season is an accomplishment indeed, but it’s not news. Is there a unique story as to how the label came to being? Has the designer’s brand been worn by a celebrity? Has a well-known store just taken the brand on? Is the designer collaborating with another designer, illustrator or store? Has the designer won an award? Is the brand launching an accessories line…and to iterate, a brand doesn’t want to announce all news at once. It should be spaced out accordingly, so that the media are constantly being fed information and being reacquainted with the brand.Courtney Blackman, Owner/MD – Forward PR
PR
Q. What is the best way for a designer to contact the media to introduce their brand?
A.
I would look at all the PR agencies out there and find one that you feel your brand identifies with and work with them as they will have access to all the most important people you need to get your brand information to. They are also good at creating a buzz about your brand before it is made public.I think doing a little press launch is good too, a themed location/room that enhances your brand’s identity with the product clearly displayed and well edited, and also very important to have the launch in a central location so that it is easily accessible.
Miranda Almond, Fashion Editor, Vogue
Q. How can a designer nurture a good relationship with the press?
A.
A young designer should be as accommodating and open as possible with the press. It also helps to keep the press focus on the brand instead of on you as a designer.Jennifer Roebuck, Director of eCom & Digital Marketing – Frenchconnection.com
A.
A designer needs to learn which media suits their brand, focus on that media, meet the key contacts, foster and maintain the relationship and keep them perpetually informed on what’s happening with the brand. Journalists rely on information for content and are always keen to have exclusivity on a story.Courtney Blackman, Owner/MD – Forward PR
Q. Where can you find information on fashion PR and how it works?
A.
Experiencing fashion PR firsthand is the best way to grasp and comprehend how it works. Of course there are books on fashion PR, websites dedicated to it and university courses, but doing work experience or an internship in fashion PR is the most invaluable method to garner information and really understand how it works.Courtney Blackman, Owner/MD – Forward PR
A.
I would recommend a morning cocktail of PR Couture, Mashable, Fashionista, The Business of Fashion, Signature9, WWD, and Fashionably Marketing. Setting up a Google alertfor “Fashion PR”is another smart move.
Crosby Noricks, Founder & Editor, PR Couture
Q. Not all ‘Look Books’ are created equal – what advice can you give for creating the ‘perfect’ book that gets the attention it deserves?
A.
Look books must above all reflect the brand’s DNA, so that their look and feel can proudly represent the company. I like polished, sleek and simple look books that enhance the products rather than demonstrate too much work or technique and give too much information. Look books must make people dream and want to find out more about the collections and not feed them with too much impersonal information.Pascal Nuzzo, Head of Design Leather Goods and Accessories – Temperley
A.
A look book is not about the brand or the designer; it is all about the target audience. Pin-pointing what will appeal to your target customer and this should set the tone. Compliment this with good photography and inspirational imagery and finish by presenting the product in a clear and concise manner.Louise Shill, Senior Footwear Designer - Shoe Geek
A.
A look book should be well planned - and it should be consistent, with a strong theme. That being said, it is important that the clothes don't get lost, and that they remain the focus of the picture.The book should also focus on the strongest looks - quality over quantity.
Saloni Sethi, Designer/Design Director, Independent, High-end luxury
Q. How do you produce a press kit that will really stand out and what should it include?
A.
You should firstly concentrate on producing a set of pictures that clearly illustrate your designs.Choose a good photographer, well respected stylist, hair and make-up and model who will together as a team help to bring something to the photos and create something that is cool, directional,
eye catching, unfussy and appealing. It is worth spending time and money on this as you really want to make a lasting first impression and something that will catch editors attention.
There are so many press releases sent out every day and you really want to produce something that will stand out from the crowd. As well as the photos the design and layout should be clear to read, with cool graphics, clean and easy to read. You don’t need paragraphs of text as the photos should speak the loudest message.
Miranda Almond, Fashion Editor, Vogue