Could an email platform solve your marketing woes? Look closely at your inbox and explore the liberties forward-thinking brands are taking. You may be surprised by what you find there.
Running a fashion or lifestyle brand in the digital age is no easy feat. First and foremost, the physical qualities of what you sell are key – unique features and aesthetically pleasing details have always been fundamental. Creators face an extra hurdle now though. Swathed in data and with myriads of channels to explore, decisions need to be made about how to share said goods in a rapidly shifting digital landscape. There was once a point in time where the good fortune of being lauded and used by magazine stylists was enough of a burst to generate loyal customers with high lifetime values, yet as our industry changes the necessity of making those connections to customers ourselves grows.
To come to grips with this we need to look more closely at something you likely have open on your computer already: email. Often overlooked, email is the middle child of fashion marketing. It sits somewhere between a printed magazine and a Facebook ad, yet has some unique benefits. At its’ core, email is for your fans – a list of people who literally opted in to hear from you. This presents an incredible opportunity for a lifestyle brand to express the quirks that make it what it is. Unbound by the restraints of appealing to new and unfamiliar audiences, email is the place to express what you really want to. Examples include but are not limited to; sharing your boldest campaign imagery, writing an open letter, or divulging the highs and lows of the week past at your studio. Look closely at your inbox and explore the liberties forward-thinking brands are taking. You may be surprised by what you find there.
You’re probably already wondering how email could keep up with the targeted ads generated by Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Pinterest, Google & TikTok. Enter email marketing platform, Klaviyo. What sets Klaviyo apart from other email marketing platforms is the way in which it allows your email to be every bit as granular and personal as other marketing channels. Utilising direct integrations with said channels, Klaviyo refines your bulk contacts list into “segments”, and your bulk send-outs into “flows”. When used effectively, Klaviyo can help make the right connections to the right people, without the stress of you personally having to break these targets down. Think dynamic region-specific footers showing promotions just to countries you’re growing in, or your most valuable customers being automatically identified and provided access to an exclusive range of accessories. This type of context-appropriate communication can do wonders for customer connection and revenue. In fact, when used well email has the potential to generate over 30% of your online sales, and this really is just the start.
We know at this stage that the exponential growth of technology places fashion businesses in a position in which they need to stay nimble, aware of an ever-changing parallel industry. In many ways, Klaviyo answers for this too. Klaviyo already utilises streams of information from most of your digital channels, and with a commitment to Data Science and AI we expect the capabilities to grow in the future. Even if the clear unified data is nothing more than convenience to you now, it will mean something more for your business in the days ahead. A way for you to make informed business decisions outside of just email, and go head-to-head with competitors right up to the enterprise level.
So the answer to the question, could an email platform solve your marketing woes? With the right application and understanding of potential, absolutely yes. For many, the time is right to revisit the artform of email to create valuable connections directly with customers. Beyond that, elevating email marketing to the granular level of Facebook & Instagram has the potential to unlock significant revenue streams. Lastly for those looking to future-proof their business, making the connections between your brand, your customers, and your data is something we see to hold great potential looking ahead.