Marketing is and always will be one of the most essential elements to finding success for a brand. Without it, the company would not survive and certainly will not thrive. Just 10 years ago there was a pretty small community of streetwear and alternative fashion brands out there, now marketing t shirts online has changed the whole game.
With the influx in manufacturing operations, the supply chain has opened up many opportunities for on demand and low volume ordering which makes it easier to operate with less working capital and financial risk than ever before. This makes marketing a clothing line easier for you, but also easier for everyone else.
The internet has completely changed the game, not just for how things are sold, but brands are now in a fighting position placed in front of a generation of consumers who were raised in fast fashion, and rapidly evolving culturally influenced markets. As soon as a style is in, it is out. Keeping up with fast fashion is a real challenge. Custom printed clothing by superior ink industries are fighting to go back to simple. With simple I mean the good old fashion craft and integrity vs routine of purchase that comes with little to no story or sustenance. It also goes beyond making a good product. Being seen and placed in front of the right people at the right time for the right purpose is essential. Marketing a clothing line is as much about your story now, as it is about your product. Great stories differentiate real brands.
The traditional methods of marketing such as direct mail, cold calls and even cold emailing seem to be archaic now. Those traditional styles have virtually all been replaced with digital mediums. SEO and social media are obviously the matriarchs for modern day marketing. But there are many nooks and crannies that are overlooked and might be surfacing more and more options every day. If you ask 10 different people how to market your t shirt line you will most likely get 10-12 different responses.
Here are a few pointers that we have found to work well both in educating and engaging your consumers. 001. THE HOW AND THE WHY OF MARKETING A CLOTHING LINE The key component to successfully marketing your brand is to understand what your brand is and why you started it. Without truly knowing your why, and the purpose for which it exists, it’s going to be very difficult to clearly define what your brand is about once you start marketing.
Start with a good story. Ask yourself why you do what you do. If a company is built solely on a monetary incentive, it’s going to be difficult to organically build sustenance and purpose into your story. People often connect with passion and integrity over anything else. We all want to feel a part of something bigger. 002. TEST, REVIEW AND IMPROVE — THE FOUNDRATIONS OF T SHIRT MARKETING Once the the vision comes together, the fun begins.
Marketing as a whole, is nothing more than a well educated form of analytical gambling. You’re constantly going to be reviewing data to change, improve and perfect your strategy. The most important piece is to express clear and consistent content and messaging.
Your voice is what can make your brand excel or stay stagnant depending on how you can relate to the customer. Whether utilizing social media, email campaigns or good old fashion traditional or guerilla sales, always be sure to test, review and analyze the results to better understand what makes the biggest and most positive impacts. T shirt marketing is no different than any other form of marketing. 003. BRAND AESTHETIC Social platforms are often free which is great when your just starting out and have a limited budget. But brand aesthetic and integrity are some of the most important ingredients. Storytelling and emotional connection to a company starts with good design, clear intentional messaging and focusing on the simple things. Keep it simple stupid is one of the smartest expressions out there.
You want people to have a clear understanding of what you do, what you make and why you do it. If this is not achieved by simply looking at your profile, logo and assets, your going to have a difficult time articulating the purpose and ethos of your company without going heavy into verbiage which is not something as easy as it used to be for grabbing people’s attention. 004. CONNECTING MAKERS AND CONSUMERS You always want to portray a clean and easy to tell story. Product that tells a storey, bridges the gap in connecting the makers, influencers and buyers making it an essential piece. There are often stories to tell that are as simple as showcasing how your products are made. If you produce your own products make sure to show the customers your process.
If you outsource your printing or manufacturing, try to team up with your printers and makers to produce a little highlight video of the process, If that partner happens to be Superior Ink, we have videos showing our process pre-made here. Consumers want to know where and how their apparel is made. So be transparent and be honest in what is done to set you apart from the competition.
