| Most fashion designers plan the online sales of their | | | | and you add on the no-hassle return policy if it |
| designs in a bit of a backward manner, meaning that | | | | makes business sense to you, and you make a big |
| they never properly develop an idea of what truly | | | | marketing deal out of the plus sizing, since you're one |
| separates them in the marketplace from their | | | | of the very few that offer that flexibility to your |
| competitors. However, if they did, they could | | | | customers. |
| guarantee sales and thereby assure the success of | | | | Suddenly, you're a designer that offers flashy, |
| their brand. | | | | attention-getting designs printed on soft, organic |
| The way to attract online customers who want and | | | | cotton especially for the plus-sized t-shirt connoisseur. |
| need your designs is by clearly defining what sets | | | | Oh, and by the way, never be afraid to buy from |
| you apart from the rest of the fashion industry, | | | | your favorite retailer or online, because regardless of |
| which in marketing is called defining the Unique Selling | | | | where you purchased our t-shirt, we'll exchange it for |
| Proposition (USP). | | | | something that works better for you. |
| In a nutshell, the USP is a quick-but-intense analysis | | | | Congratulations! You've just created your USP. |
| of your competitors, your target customer, and | | | | So now what? Well, very simply, this message should |
| you...and how they all interlock (or don't). By | | | | invade all your marketing materials...your website |
| understanding where your competition succeeds and | | | | content, your line sheets, your banner ads, your |
| where they fail, as well as what motivates your | | | | pay-per-click ads, just to name a few. You are now |
| target customer to buy, you can become the safety | | | | offering the market something completely different, |
| net to catch everyone who your competition cannot | | | | something that no one else has (of course, assuming |
| serve. In addition, you will differentiate yourself by | | | | you did your competitive research thoroughly). Why |
| doing all the same basics your competition does, | | | | wouldn't online-wary, plus-sized, glam-but-green folks |
| except one better. | | | | want to buy from you? |
| Let me try to illustrate via a simplistic-but-hypothetical | | | | Your research will suggest that the market is being |
| scenario of three hypothetical t-shirt designer | | | | underserved in one particular aspect upon which you |
| retailers. Let's assume that you've already figured out | | | | can capitalize. In this very simplistic example, it was |
| what makes your target customer happy. Let's say | | | | the plus-sized market. The flip side of developing |
| you figured out that your target customers are | | | | your USP, however, is that it indicates to you how |
| green-minded, so they want tees in organic cotton. | | | | your business should change to be able to meet that |
| They're also a bit glam, so they like flashy designs. | | | | demand. It requires some out-of-the-box thinking in |
| They don't really trust ordering online because | | | | choosing which segment of the market that |
| they've had a bad experience before, so they look | | | | deserves your attention. In this case, even if you, |
| for a no-hassle return policy. Finally, this target | | | | the designer, are rail thin, you'll now be faced with a |
| customer is looking for plus sizing. | | | | decision: to go after the low-hanging fruit in the form |
| You've also been the smart independent fashion | | | | of the plus-sized consumer, or continuing to swim |
| designer with marketing savvy, and your competitive | | | | upstream and offer what everyone else does. If you |
| analysis has garnered some key information about | | | | choose the latter (say, because you're not |
| what your competition offers as well. You have | | | | plus-sized), then the only real message you'll be |
| found out that you each offer tees in organic cotton, | | | | communicating to the marketplace is "I have t-shirts |
| as well as metallic embellishments. But you found out | | | | too!" In that scenario, you could then consider your |
| that you and Store 2 are the only designers that | | | | brand officially "watered down." |
| offer plus sizing. And...eureka! Store 1 is the only one | | | | As long as you always concentrate on what your |
| of the bunch that offers a no-hassle return policy. | | | | customers want, as well as what your competition is |
| So what does this analysis tell us? | | | | doing, you will never go wrong. You have then |
| - You are just as strong as the majority of the field. | | | | developed a captive audience out of a marketing |
| - You offer one benefit more than one competitor. | | | | niche, and they will never stop buying your next big |
| - Only one competitor offers one benefit that you | | | | thing. |
| don't. | | | | I'm rooting for your success! |
| So, you go back to your marketing drawing board, | | | | |