Most people would assume that men are less likely to shop for fashion items than women. However, according to statistics from 2021, men’s shopping habits and preferences have become similar to women’s. Intriguingly, men today are specific and careful with their fashion needs.
Technology and the internet have changed and shaped people’s shopping habits. Because of the accessibility and convenience they provide, people have now become more particular with their wants since options have become abundant. This change in shoppers’ actions has allowed fashion businesses to expand and grow digitally.
And so today, various menswear businesses are growing in the market. Gone were the days when women’s fashionwear overpowered men’s clothing or only offered limited items for menswear. But even though menswear businesses are rising, it’s still more challenging to market to men than women. Why? Because not all men are that interested in fashion unless they’ll need it for a special occasion.
If you have a small menswear business or are planning to start one, you’re probably wondering how to market it in today’s digital world. To help you, let’s discuss five tips to market a menswear business effectively.
1 - List the top items that most men wear and use daily.
First, let’s start by identifying the top items that most men wear and use daily. If this is your first business, your head is likely overflowing with ideas to incorporate into your brand. You probably have this sense of urgency to sell every product that you think men would need and like.
The thing is, men have a lot of fashion needs like most women. However, not every ‘need’ is essential to their day-to-day lives. White-collar professionals need a suit and tie, slacks, and a watch for their work, while others only need a polo shirt, wallet, and jeans. In short, men’s daily essentials vary depending on their profession and daily activities.
With that, you must research and study the essentials that men need and use daily. If you notice that many men wear an orange tie in a specific business area, maybe you should include neckties on your list. Observe and ask your male friends and relatives. Doing so will give you an insight into their daily necessities that you could incorporate into your business.
2 - From the items you’ve listed, identify your target audience.
Now that you have a list of the items, it’s time to identify your target audience. You might wonder, how? First, look at the items on your list. If most of the items on your list are from white-collar professionals, you’re to market to business and corporate men. On the other hand, if it’s mostly for casual wear items, you’re best to market to young university men and fashion enthusiasts.
Your items will tell you immediately who your target audience is. But if you like to target more than one audience type, I suggest going for the audience likely to purchase your top items. Remember, you’re just new to the business. It’s better to test the waters first with products that you are likely to make a profit from than putting one foot in the grave with the item you like.
3 - Work and collaborate with men's fashion influencers to start reaching your target audience quickly.
Today, it’s harder to build a reputation for your business online. Unless you have the right network that could help market your brand, you have to start from scratch and climb the ladder step by step. Thankfully, influencers exist to help small businesses get ahead in the race.
Tiktok, Instagram, and Youtube have become the platforms for people to advertise themselves digitally. Without influencers, many businesses wouldn’t be able to survive and grow today. Even big and well-established brands use influencers today. So, if you’re not fond of this idea, this is your sign to try it.
Start by looking for a male fashion influencer with a big audience on his respective platform. Then, study the style of his content. It’s easier and better to pitch a collaboration with an influencer that would match and work well with his online content. Remember that partnerships are not only for your business. Influencers also weigh and review how beneficial a specific collaboration would be for them.
4 - Consider having pay-per-click Google ads services for your business to build brand awareness.
Aside from collaborating with influencers, many small businesses invest in pay-per-click ad services to build brand awareness. Today, many digital marketing companies exist to help small to medium-sized businesses rank on the first page of Google search results. If you want to increase your brand’s awareness quickly and reach the right audience, you might want to try Google ads.
The great thing about Google ads is that you can start with any budget you like. If you only have 100 pounds to spend on paid ads, that’s okay. If you want, you can hire an advertiser to do the work for you. Hiring one would be helpful so that they can manage and ensure that you’ll get the most out of your budget.
Consider this tip if you have an extra hundred pounds to spare and want to build brand awareness quickly.
5 - Work on building a reputation for quality yet affordable pieces to make a good brand impression.
Regardless of gender, we all want to save money on every purchase. But of course, we don’t want to sacrifice an item’s quality over its price. And so today, almost every business aims to build a reputation for quality yet affordable pieces to make a good brand impression.
With that, you must work on improving your brand’s website design and marketing collaterals online. You must ensure your materials are uniform and in line with your brand’s theme. It’s easier now to work on your business’ marketing collaterals using free apps and software such as photoshop.
That way, even though your business is new and your products are affordable, your target audience will appreciate your professionalism and presentation of your brand.
Try these five tips and see how they will affect your business.
I hope you find these tips helpful to your menswear business. Soon enough, your business will surely grow and reach your target audience seamlessly. Good luck with your menswear business!
About the author:
Bianca Banda is a writer for Rael Brook, a menswear retailer from London providing quality shirts and accessories in a range of colours, designs, and fabrics, to men across the globe.
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