Clothing brands have evolved in a very interesting way over the last 10 years, from the style of garments used to the way they are made.
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Long gone are the days when a clothing brand was promoted with a basic website made in Shopify and a few mockups made in Photoshop.
Never before has it been so important to have a marketing plan when creating a clothing brand. What's more, a marketing plan is absolutely essential for the success of a clothing brand.
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I'm asking you, if you've created or are thinking of creating a clothing brand, who you're going to sell it to. And how are you going to sell it?
I know your friends will buy it. And possibly their friends will buy some garments from you too. Instagram will probably be your best friend for a while, but we both know that even this channel has an expiry date because your friends list will come to an end.
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So how do you grow your brand?
It's not easy, but we're seeing more and more brands succeed because their creators realise that they're going to have to invest in the brand.
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And how do you invest in the brand?
- Doing something different
There are many brands and since the creation of print on demand and the emergence of direct printing, it has become much easier to create something with a short investment. But this also means that people don't invest in the brand, financially or even emotionally.
Nowadays there are some options that are not available in print on demand (POD) and that can make you stand out from the competition.
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In the POD business model, speed is of the essence. That's why embroidery is rarely an option. And I think you'll agree with me that embroidered patches or even embroidery on clothes (directly) will make your brand stand out;
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- Labels
Textile labels for clothes, whether printed or fabric labels, are absolutely essential. That's what distinguishes a 50€ brand from a 5€ personalised T-shirt.
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- Leather emblems
This is an exclusive Maudlin Merchandise product that - we guarantee - will take your brand to the next level. This type of finish sells itself and is absolutely incredible for polos, shirts, jackets or caps.
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- Outstanding photo shoots
Long gone are the days when a computer mockup was enough to sell your clothes. Today, we guarantee, it will bring you exactly 0 sales.
More and more of us are visual beings and we want to see what we're buying.
The typical T-shirt on a hanger in front of a white wall also stopped working a few years ago.
In 2022+ you'll have to invest in photo shoots. It doesn't have to be expensive. You don't have to spend a lot of money or - in many cases - any money at all.
You certainly have a mobile phone. You have friends too. And I'm sure you have a skate park or a graffitied building (if those are your themes, of course) where you can take photos.
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Bendita Company is a brand focused on motorbikes and bikers. What do they do? Photos with motorbikes. Lifestyle photos that show the life they want to live.
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Any mobile phone today is good enough to take good photos. Can't edit? I'm sure you know how to use Instagram filters. Upload photos to Instagram, apply filters and download them back to your mobile phone. Simple, practical and free!
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Your mobile phone also films (many now allow you to take photos while filming). Use and abuse too. Show people having fun. Show the backstage, how you created the photo shoot.
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Creating content is simple, with an afternoon of photographs you can have content for months.
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- Facebook e Instagram marketing
When it comes to marketing in the 21st century, it's impossible not to mention social networks, the most widely used of which are Facebook and Instagram.
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Facebook was once fantastic for promoting any brand. Today it's little more than a cemetery, but it's still totally essential to keep an active and up-to-date account on this social network. It allows you to reach more people and create interactions.
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Instagram is and will be your best friend. Insta is a visual network, which is great for you because after all... you sell clothes. Clothes need to be seen, so you're in the right place. This is where you'll bet all your chips if you want to win.
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- Paid advertising
Paid advertising is, unfortunately, important when you want to grow a brand.
Going back to Instagram above, this is probably where you're going to bet your chips, so this is also where you're going to create paid adverts.
Remember the videos I mentioned above? This is where you'll apply them. Short videos of just a few seconds may be enough.
Nor is anyone telling you to sell your car and house to pay for this advertising.
At Maudlin we have some publicity running and with just €2 a day we can reach up to 2000+ people every day. I'll say it again. €2 a day (€60/month) allows more than 2,000 people to see our content every day. Incredible, isn't it?
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Do you agree with our ideas? How do you advertise and market your brand? Comment below, let's help those in need.
