Email marketing for fashion retailers: 7 Tips and examples

Posted 19 May 2022 in GUIDES, Uncategorized by wholawholesale

Are emails still a useful marketing tool in 2022? They absolutely are, especially for fashion retailers.

In fact, A RECENT STUDY shows that 60% of consumers say a marketing email has led them to a purchase, while only 12.5% say the same about social media.

Small businesses see email marketing as one of the biggest opportunities to build brand awareness and gain new customers, according to a study by CAMPAIGN MONITOR. So much so that 57% plan to increase their spending on email marketing!

And, did you know that 4 OUT OF 5 MARKETERS SAY they would rather give up social media than email marketing? That’s how crucial email marketing can be to a business.

As part of our retail marketing series, this article will walk you through the benefits of email marketing for fashion retailers and offer you guidance on creating your own email marketing campaigns. Let’s dive in!

Whola is a wholesale marketplace that makes it easy for fashion store owners to buy hot-selling inventory with just a few clicks. SIGN UP NOW and start getting our daily email update of the latest styles from our 100+ unique Australian brands!

WHY DO FASHION RETAILERS NEED AN EMAIL MARKETING STRATEGY?

There are many benefits to a smart email marketing strategy. We’ve listed the main ones below:

1. GETTING NEW CUSTOMERS AND KEEPING OLD ONES

Email marketing is a great way to acquire new customers and retain old ones because:

Emails allow you to speak directly to your customers through personalised messages.
You can target an audience that has already bought or shown interest in your products, making them more qualified prospects.
You have more control over the visibility of your content than you do on social media and organic search, where everything is determined by unknowable algorithms.

Nurturing your customers with personalised messages helps you build a loyal customer base who buys from you again and again – which is essential to the success of any fashion business.

2. INCREASING SALES

Emails are a relatively quick and cheap way to inform your subscribers about special offers, sales or loyalty discounts.

Research shows the return on investment (ROI) for email marketing in retail can be as high as $45 FOR EVERY $1 SPENT.

So, if you’re looking to increase your sales throughout the year and during the holiday shopping season, be sure to make email marketing a part of your RETAIL STRATEGY.

3. GROWING AUDIENCE

In the era of Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, email is still the world’s most popular communication platform.

In fact, the total number of email users worldwide is expected to grow from 4 TO 4.6 BILLION between 2020 and 2025.

No matter what audience demographic your target, it’s highly likely that your customers are using email on a daily basis as one of their main communication channels.

EMAIL MARKETING FOR RETAILERS: 7 ESSENTIAL TIPS

So now you know why email marketing is worth your time – but how do you get into it? Let’s start from the very beginning.

1. BUILD A MAILING LIST

In order to reach out to people, you’ll first need their contact details. Online customers will already be giving you their email addresses at the checkout, so this is a very obvious place to ask if they’re interested in subscribing.

Pop-ups on your website can also be an effective way to get shoppers to sign up when they’re just browsing through your online store. It’s an easy decision for customers since it doesn’t require them to spend any money.

If you run a physical clothing boutique, consider setting up a loyalty programme and asking your customers to provide you with their email address that way.

Additionally, you can add a signup form to your Facebook page and connect it to your email automation tool. Here’s HOW TO DO IT WITH MAILCHIMP.

2. USE EMAIL AUTOMATION TOOLS

Automating your email marketing will save you time, energy and money. Something as simple as an automatic welcome email for newcomers can go a long way to building loyalty.

Below is a list of the most user-friendly tools to help you automate your email marketing:

Mailchimp: This email marketing tool is super easy to get started with. It’s got all the essential and advanced options you’ll need, from automation tools to insights and analytics. And you can SIGN UP FOR FREE!
Klaviyo: This flexible and easy-to-use platform allows you to do everything from personalising your message and targeting specific customer groups to monitoring each email’s performance. Why not try out their DEMO?
SALESmanago: This platform caters to medium and large businesses, offering a deep analysis of your customers’ profiles and interests. Check out the FREE TRIAL HERE!
Sendinblue: While this service may have fewer top-end features, it uses clear language and covers all the basics for automated email marketing. Here’s their FREE TRIAL.

3. SEGMENT YOUR AUDIENCE

Blanket emails break trust and make you invisible to your customers. People like being recognised for their individual qualities, not seen as just another subscriber.

You can show that you know your customers by segmenting them into groups. These should be based on your CUSTOMER AVATARS, separating key demographics, interests, purchase history and more.

If you need proof of the effectiveness of segmentation, here it is: marketers who use segmented campaigns have seen up to a 760% INCREASE IN REVENUE.

Combining an automated email strategy with precise segmentation can lead to better engagement and sales. The three tools mentioned above will automatically segment your audience, saving you time and energy.

4. ENSURE BRAND CONSISTENCY

People recognise a brand when its identity is consistent; it uses the same logo, colours, tone of voice and style across all communication, including emails.

Therefore, your email marketing strategy should carry the same branding as all other elements of your business.

Even your subject lines should be recognisable so your customers immediately know that they’re receiving communications from you.

5. PERSONALISE YOUR EMAILS

We’ve already mentioned why it’s important not to send blanket emails when talking about segmentation above. Now we’ll go one step further: you also need to personalise your emails, so customers feel like you’re talking specifically to them.

The email marketing tools mentioned above allow you to add personalised elements (often called macros or variables) to your emails based on the information you have on your customers.

Something as small as inserting your customer’s first name into a subject line can work wonders – it’s bound to get you a higher open rate. But you can also personalise by other things, such as location or interest. Check out this EMAIL PERSONALISATION GUIDE for some ideas that work.

6. MAKE YOUR EMAILS MOBILE-FRIENDLY

Since mobile devices generate almost 55% OF GLOBAL WEBSITE TRAFFIC, failing to optimise your emails for mobile could negatively impact your email marketing strategy.

Emails that are non-responsive on mobile devices get fewer clicks and thus generate fewer sales.

So make sure the email marketing tool you’re using allows you to create sleek, mobile-responsive emails designs that your customers will find easy to read on their devices.

7. ANALYSE CAMPAIGN PERFORMANCE

The tools mentioned earlier have a ton of features that help you get the most out of your email marketing strategy. One of the most useful ones is monitoring the performance of each email sent to each customer segment.

Once you’ve sent out a round of emails, you’ll receive insights that will help you tweak your messaging to figure out what will work better next time. Maybe you need to change your subject lines to achieve a higher open rate or place your call-to-action in a more strategic spot to increase your click-through rate.

Analysing your performance will help you get better results and improve your ROI as you experiment with email marketing.

TYPES OF EMAIL MARKETING CAMPAIGNS FOR FASHION RETAILERS – WITH EXAMPLES

And now, let’s look at some of the most common types of emails that fashion retailers send, along with a few examples to inspire you.

1. NEWSLETTERS

Newsletters keep your audience in the loop about changes in your business, new stock or promotions. They carry the branding and are great for establishing your tone of voice.

For example, Whola customer GINGHAM & HEELS regularly updates its customers on new arrivals. The emails are always impeccably designed and in line with the company’s elegant, feminine style.

If you want to create similarly gorgeous designs, try CANVA! It’s an easy design tool with heaps of templates that store owners can use to create professional-looking emails.

2. SEASONAL PROMOTIONS

Regardless of YOUR CLOTHING STORE’S NICHE, seasonal promotions are a huge opportunity to capitalise on increased demand and boost your sales.

Whether it’s mid-season sales, Black Friday or Christmas promotions, email campaigns are a great way to let your customers know that you’ve got unmissable offers for them.

For example, here’s J. Crew’s email promoting its 40% off winter sale:

3. FLASH SALES

Sometimes, all your subscribers need to make a purchase is an extra push.

And what’s an even better reason not to delay a purchase than a discount landing straight in your customer’s inbox? An offer that’s time-sensitive, like a flash sale.

For example, here’s an email from Gingham & Heels promoting its Christmas flash sale:

4. CART ABANDONMENT EMAILS

When a shopper leaves your ecommerce store just before checkout, you can remind them of the items they left in their cart through a cart abandonment email.

This is a great way to recover sales that otherwise would have been lost.

Here’s an example of a cart abandonment email from Blarney Woollen Mills:

5. SPECIAL OFFERS FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS

A great way to personalise your emails is to send your customers special offers on special occasions.

For example, you can email your customers on their birthdays (just remember to collect their birthday information beforehand) and offer them a special discount.

A nice surprise can go a long way: customers who feel cared for are more likely to buy from you.

See an example of a birthday email below:

CONCLUSION: EMAIL MARKETING FOR RETAILERS IN FASHION

There you have it. A comprehensive email marketing strategy can be the difference for your business, particularly when it comes to attracting new customers and retaining existing ones.

Research has repeatedly shown that the personal touch is what separates emails from other channels like social media and organic search.

Furthermore, automated tools make sending, segmenting and analysing emails effortless and cheap.

So, whether you’re a beginner retailer or the owner of a chain of clothing stores, an email marketing strategy could be the best way for you to step up your marketing efforts.

FAQS

HOW CAN EMAIL MARKETING BE USEFUL TO AN ONLINE FASHION RETAILER?

Email marketing can help you build and maintain strong connections with shoppers as well as inform them about special offers or new stock/collections. For example, you can send welcome emails to newcomers to make them feel a personal connection. This can be built upon to create consumer trust.

HOW DO YOU WRITE A RETAIL EMAIL?

Simple tips include using visuals, a familiar tone of voice that reflects the brand’s values and a compelling subject line. It’s also crucial to personalise your emails and make sure there’s a clear call-to-action that customers can follow to take the next step (which is usually making a purchase).

WHAT’S THE BEST TIME TO SEND A RETAIL EMAIL?

Email automation tools can help you figure out the right time to send the right email to the right audience. However, in general, open rates and click-through rates are HIGHEST ON FRIDAYS AND LOWEST ON SATURDAYS. You should also consider the time zone your audience is in and send your emails at a time when they’re most likely to read them (so not at 2:30 am).