How Fashion Bloggers Have Blended the Roles of Marketer and Sales(wo)men

Thursday Jun 15th, 2017

Blending Roles

Before the “Internet of Things,” social media, and the omnipresence of reviews and rating scales, there was a distinct set of responsibilities for both fashion marketers and designers. Marketers in the fashion scene were—and still are—media driven, communicating with prospective buyers via print, television, radio, and of course, internet advertisements. On the other hand, those in sales typically handled prospective customers, connecting with them in a “face-to-face” kind of relationship. “What drives the ultimate success of your marketing plan is a smart marketing team,” writes George Deeb, a growth strategist and Forbes contributor. “Hiring the right salespeople with the right relationships will make or break your efforts,” he adds. So who is your marketing team? If you haven’t already joined forces with a few fashion bloggers, it’s high time you do so. Content creators seamlessly merge sales and marketing while elevating the quality of both departments of your brand.

The Buyer’s Journey

Once upon a time a buyer’s journey was simple much like the easily defined roles of the late seller or marketer’s responsibilities. It went like this: a consumer became aware of their needs, he or she considered available options, and finally, he or she made a decision. In today’s marketplace there is one additional step, and this added tier has completely changed the game. With the advent of online reviews, fashion blogs, YouTube shows, etc., shoppers are now savvier than ever. In fact, research from MindWhat.com found that “ Eighty-one percent of shoppers conduct online research before they make a purchase.” In practice, the buyer’s journey might go like this: Summer is underway, it’s the first warm morning in months, and the potential customer is sitting outside of a cafe, sipping coffee in the sun. That’s when she thinks, I need a new swimsuit. Is she going straight to the mall? No, she’s going straight to her phone to see what the hottest trends are. Maybe she stumbles upon Hello Fashion and reads about “The Perfect One Piece Under $100” or Atlantic Pacific ’s “Summer // Stripes.”

Engaging the Community

Traditionally, marketers are responsible for engaging potential customers, advocating for brands, and influencing a decision. What do fashion bloggers do? They keep consumers interested, promote the best products, and ultimately, persuade readers to make the purchase. Fashion bloggers blend advertising, marketing, and sales into valuable native content. Think of them as your brand ambassadors.

Fashion Bloggers Assist in Social Selling

Fashions bloggers and micro-influencers assist your brand in social selling. Even if you’re unfamiliar with the term, chances are you’re probably already doing it. If you have a Facebook business page, a LinkedIn Company Page, or an Instagram Business Profile and have engaged with consumers and other businesses, you’ve participated in social selling. Basically, social selling is a method of building relationships that involves joining relevant conversations, providing valuable content and solutions, lending insight into current events, and/or utilizing any other means to positively engage your target audience. While joining the conversation is great, fashion bloggers often times get the conversation started by pumping out creative, valuable, and engaging content that fuels dialogue. At times, it can seem as though the conversations that occur over social platforms are simply small talk, but in reality, they’re making a huge difference. HootSuite noted that 78% of salespeople engaged in social selling are outselling competitors who do not use this strategy.

6 Ways Fashion Bloggers and Micro-Influencers Have Taken Over Marketing and Sales:

  1. Fashion bloggers are people-focused. Because of this, consumers trust an influencer’s message over a brand’s.
  2. Micro-influencers have a clear direction, vision, and strategy. When brands align with these social media marketers, their message becomes the influencer’s message, and vice versa.
  3. Fashion bloggers are creative leaders—they’re like rocket fuel for original content.
  4. Micro-influencers are secret SEO and analytics experts. Remember, they’re looking for more engagement as well, so they’re paying close attention to numbers, statistics, and metrics.
  5. Fashion Bloggers are better brand advocates than anyone working in your business. People always trust other people over a company.
  6. Micro-influencers appear earlier in the contemporary buyer’s journey. Remember, your brand is only one option to choose from. Ensure someone experienced is advocating for it.

ApexDrop has helped thousands of authentic micro-influencers connect with quality brands through contextual product gifting (also known as trade collaborations). Imagine having an affordable and easy way to get your products featured by hundreds of influencers immediately on Instagram, but without all the extra work. ApexDrop offers an unparalleled service in campaign management from start to finish and can assure that their clients receive quality posts and authenticity. For more information, schedule a call with an ApexDrop Influencer Specialist today www.apexdrop.com/contact