Have you ever wonder why fashion industry ahead of every industry regarding the trend news? Have you ever wonder why brands launch Fall/Winter 18 collection in beginning of the Year 2017? Even tho we haven’t meet the summer yet.
Fashion calendar is a bit different than traditional calendar. Retailers start selling spring clothes early in Winter. Fall trends arrive in stores around July, to catch back-to-school shoppers. When a new season comes in, you’ll notice the prior season will generally go on sale.
“Fashion Week” seasons are out of whack with retail seasons. Fall/Winter Fashion Week is held in February, showcasing trends for the upcoming winter. Spring/Summer Fashion Week is held in September, displaying trends for the upcoming spring. Collections are shown this early for a variety of reasons. Retail buyers need time to view collections and decide which pieces they want to pick up — in turn, designers need time to manufacture those orders. Magazines, which have a lead time of three months, also need to be able to pick up samples to photograph in enough time for issues to go to print. Therefore, clothes have to be shown months before they actually hit retail stores. (reference to http://www.leaf.tv)
All of these tactics are of course to maximize SALES. This tactic very much applies to every industry more over every marketing sales channels.
When I suggest my clients to plan ahead of the holiday, most of them think it is too early to think October campaign in March. In fact, it is a late already. Once you sent out your Holiday Email (October – December), start to analyse the campaigns and start to plan next year marketing campaigns. The reason is more likely to learn from your current mistake and make it better for next year. The reason we call it “Plan” is you have a time to test & apply in next 9 months to be a better.
In past 9 months (of course not necessary 9 months, min 6 months of period):
Test your subject line
Test content marketing
Test best time to send
Test best targets
Test best channels
I assure you this ahead of marketing plan works 110%. Of course most of the corporate brands and companies they have special guidance and very limited control over the marketing messages. Although, there is always room for improvement, no matter how your hands tight.
I have been analyzing retail industry benchmark and if you look at the conversion rate it goes low in Quarter 3. I call this quarter Slow Period before the before the SALES storm. Even tho there is back-to-school in August, Quarter 3 has always lower conversions compare to rest of the Quarter. Regarding the email marketing, revenue per email increases in Quarter 4.
By this article, I would like to suggest every marketers not only email marketing – Make an appointment with your customer’s WALLET. Not everyone’s wallet is ready for unexpected meetings!
Let’s take an example on the email marketing, how to get an appointment with your subscribers:
You may start to send countdown timer before big SALE starts
Start to send countdown timer before new product launch
Send countdown timer before the event starts
Send nurturing emails to educate your customers
Don’t let your emails get lost in receivers’ inbox. Send Reminder and Follow-Up
Be the early bird!