Came across this article from Complex and decided to turn it into a post for you to digest. These are all tips from successful brand owners including the founders of Menace LA, C’est Bon, Vale Forever and Felt USA.
While not everyone may care about or utilise this as a strategy, this post is more so geared towards those that are interested. I know this can be a sensitive topic for some judging by past posts and comments
TAKE TIME TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS
you have to take initiative to put your brand out there. that means meeting with customers and industry people even if its via FaceTime. connecting over message is good but nothing beats face to face connections. over time brand recognition will come organically as your customer base grows both in numbers and loyalty. stylists are some f the best people to build relationships with. you never know who they can connect your brand with.
STEVEN MENA (FOUNDER OF MENACE LA)
“Just ask because closed mouths don’t get fed” - mena
INVEST IN YOUR BRAND'S IMAGE
Simply put, your product has to look fire. people want to look good and they’re only going to wear something that makes them look good. so your brand image and products need to be strong as that’s what will attract and retain customers.
For example, the brand felt stands for For Every Little Thing and Forever Evolving Learning Teaching. owner Kristin Costa believes this what has drawn people into the brand.
Thanks to Instagram, Devon Byrd was able to secure his spot as Frank Ntilikina’s stylist. “Frank’s manager reached out and said he needed a stylist for the season. He asked if I had any styling experience and if I had a portfolio. I told him I didn’t, but jokingly, I said that he could look at my Instagram,” recalls Byrd. “I told him a bit about my story. But they went with that and hired me based off of my Instagram. They liked the way I dress, the way I put things together, and the little extras that I had.” To Byrd and Kosta, investing time and effort in their brand goes beyond just that. Ultimately, they’re investing in themselves.
CAPITALISE ON CELEBS WEARING YOUR BRAND
Celebrities wearing your brand is like social proof to others still thinking about buying from you. celebs have influence and this can be the final push to convert prospects into buyers. don’t be afraid to show this off on your page.
“A simple tag for an emerging brand like ours is significant and impactful to growing the brand, as it drives traffic to my page and site,” says Mamadou Bah, founder of LA-based brand C’est Bon
DON'T BE SCARED TO SEED YOUR CLOTHING
celebrities and influencers are like walking billboards. If you have the budget and you think its worth for your brand giving your clothes away for free to these people can do wonders for your brand. a lot of brands are rightfully scared to do this because of the risk involved such as making a loss or getting no exposure at all. don’t feel like you have to do this. do this with calculated risk and if it feels right, take the leap and move forward with it.
“For smaller brands, I think it’s important that when they reach out, they
have something that the artist will use.” - Nikki Jackson, Stylist