Email Marketing Strategy For Fashion Brands in 2023

Email marketing can be an incredibly powerful tool for fashion brands looking to connect with their audience and drive sales. But with so many businesses vying for attention in the inbox, it can be tough to stand out and make an impact. 

That's why developing a thoughtful email strategy is essential. By crafting targeted email campaigns that speak to your unique audience and showcasing your brand's personality and style, you can build lasting relationships with your customers and increase your bottom line. 

So if you're ready to take your fashion brand's email game to the next level, let's dive in and explore some key tips and strategies to help you get started.

Why should fashion brands use email marketing?

Fashion brands should use email marketing as a powerful tool to engage with their audience and build loyal customers. Email marketing allows brands to communicate directly with their customers in a personalized way, which can lead to increased sales and customer retention. 

Here are some other factors to consider in email marketing for B2C brands:

Affordability and ROI

The great thing about email marketing strategy for fashion brands is that once you have someone's email address, the cost of sending an email is virtually non-existent. Of course, you'll need to invest in an email service provider and consider outsourcing if you don't have the time or expertise to handle it all yourself. But aside from those expenses, the cost of sending promotional email campaigns is incredibly low compared to other forms of marketing. 

The average return on investment ROI) for email marketing speaks for itself — at $42 for every dollar spent, it's no wonder so many fashion brands are turning to this strategy. And the best part? It's simple yet incredibly effective. 

Customer retention

Want to keep your customers coming back for more? Look no further than email marketing for your customer retention efforts. It's one of the easiest and most effective ways to build a relationship with your audience and keep them engaged with your brand and attract inactive customers to get more sales

Once someone has made a purchase and opted in to receive your emails, you have the opportunity to stay in touch and remind them of all the amazing fashion items you have to offer with your promotional email campaigns. And the best part? With email, you won't get lost in the algorithm (like social media) or fade away from your customers' memories. Every day is a new chance to make a lasting impression and keep them coming back for more.

Multiple purpose emails

Fashion brands can also use promotional emails to showcase their latest collections, promote exclusive deals and offers, and share valuable content like styling tips and behind-the-scenes looks at the brand. Additionally, email marketing campaigns can be tracked and analyzed, allowing brands to understand their audience better and optimize their messaging for even greater success.

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6 Steps to create an email marketing fashion brand

Now that we understand the importance of developing a successful email strategy for your fashion brand, let's take a closer look at the steps involved in creating a successful marketing campaign for fashion stores

1. Define your target audience

The first step to creating an effective email marketing campaign for your fashion brand is to define your target audience. This means taking the time to understand who your ideal customer is and what they're looking for in a clothing brand. 

• Are they trendsetters or classic dressers? 
• Do they prefer high-end luxury or affordable fast fashion? 
• What age range do they fall into and where do they live? 

By answering these questions and more, you can develop a detailed buyer persona that will guide your email marketing efforts and help you create campaigns that truly resonate with your prospective customers. It's important to remember that your target audience isn't just individual consumers but also businesses and influencers in the fashion industry who can help amplify your message and drive even greater success.

2. Set your specific goals for the marketing campaign

Once you've defined your target audience, it's time to set specific goals for your email marketing campaign. 

• What are you hoping to achieve? 
• Are you looking to increase sales, drive traffic to your website, or simply build brand awareness? 
  

Whatever your goals may be, it's important to make them specific, measurable, and achievable. This will not only help you stay focused throughout the campaign, but it will also allow you to track your progress and make any necessary adjustments along the way. 

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When setting your goals, establishing a timeline for achieving them is also a good idea. Do you want to see results in a matter of weeks or months? By setting specific goals and a timeline, you can keep your team and your fashion emails marketing efforts on track and ensure that you're making the most of this valuable strategy.

3. Choose an eCommerce email service provider

Choosing the right eCommerce email service provider is a critical step in creating a successful email marketing campaign for your fashion brand. There are many different platforms to choose from, each with its own set of features and capabilities. 

Some popular options aside from Sendlane include Mailchimp, Klaviyo, and Constant Contact. When selecting a provider, it's important to consider factors such as ease of use, integration with your eCommerce platform, email design options, automation capabilities, and pricing. 

Learn more about the top email marketing software for eCommerce brands here.

Some inbox service providers will offer a free plan, while others charge a monthly fee based on the number of subscribers or emails you send. Take the time to research your options and choose a provider that best meets your specific needs and budget. With the right eCommerce email service provider in place, you'll have all the data and tools you need to create eye-catching campaigns that resonate with your audience and drive real results for your fashion brand.

Sendlane is an all-in-one email and SMS marketing platform that is packed with powerful features like email automation, segmentation, contextual data, and even SMS capabilities. You can create automated emails based on customer behaviors and segment your lists to send more targeted messages that drive sales and increase ROI. 

With multivariate testing, you can optimize your emails for better results. Sendlane's intuitive interface makes it easy to use even if you're not an email marketing expert. We think it's the best email marketing software for fashion brands!

4. Build your email list 

There are a number of tactics you can use to grow your list, to increase brand loyalty including offering exclusive deals, discounts, seasonal promotions in exchange for sign-ups, promoting your email list on your website and social media channels, and hosting events or giveaways to encourage people to join. It's important to make it clear what subscribers can expect from your emails, such as information on new arrivals , style tips, or exclusive promotions to engaged customers

When creating your opt-in pop-ups, think about the kind of information that would be valuable for creating a more personalized experience. Collecting information such as birthday, location, and SMS consent off the bat can help you in the long run when it comes to segmentation. 

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Remember, building an email list takes time and effort, but with the right strategy and tactics, you can create a valuable asset that helps grow your fashion store or brand and drive sales for years to come.

5. Set up email marketing automation

Setting up email marketing automation is crucial in streamlining your email campaigns and maximizing your time and resources. With automation, you can create targeted, personalized messages that reach your subscribers at just the right time. 

Some examples of email marketing automation include welcome email for new customers, abandoned cart reminders, and post-purchase follow-ups. These campaigns can be triggered by specific actions or behaviors, such as sing up form for your email list, leaving items in online shopping carts, or making a purchase. 

You can save time, increase efficiency, and deliver more relevant content to your subscribers with the right fashion email marketing automation software. Plus, with the right fashion brand email service provider and automation tools in place, you can track your campaigns and make data-driven decisions to optimize your strategy for even greater success.

6. Track important email metrics 

There are several key metrics to keep an eye on, including open rates, click-through rates, conversion rates, and unsubscribe rates. 

• Open rates: The percentage of subscribers who opened your email out of the total number of emails sent. Open rates are a good indicator of the effectiveness of your subject line and how interested your subscribers are in your content.
• Click-through rates: The percentage of subscribers who clicked on a link within your email out of the total number of emails sent. Click-through rates can help you measure how engaging and relevant your content is to your audience.
• Conversion rates: The percentage of subscribers who completed a desired action, such as making a purchase or filling out a form, out of the total number of emails sent. Conversion rates can help you measure the overall success of your email campaign in terms of driving specific actions.
• Unsubscribe rates: The percentage of subscribers who opted out of receiving your emails out of the total number of emails sent. Unsubscribe rates can indicate how engaged your subscribers are with your content and may provide insights into potential issues with your email frequency or content.

These metrics can help you understand how your audience is engaging with your content and where you may need to make adjustments to improve performance. 

For example, if your open rates are low, it may be time to experiment with different subject lines or timing of your emails. If your conversion rates are low, you may want to consider re-evaluating your call-to-action or the messaging in your email content. 

By regularly tracking and analyzing these metrics, you can gain valuable insights into what's working and what's not, and make data-driven decisions to improve the effectiveness of your email campaigns over time.

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4 Types of emails for fashion brands   

​​When it comes to sending emails to your subscribers, there are countless options to choose from. But for the sake of simplicity, let's focus on the four main types you're likely to come across.

1. Type #1 post purchase campaigns

One important type of fashion email marketing campaigns is the post-purchase email. This is an opportunity to follow up with customers after they have made a purchase, and provide them with additional value or resources. Post-purchase emails can take many forms, such as order confirmations, shipping notifications, and feedback requests. 

Below is a post-purchase email from the phone case company, Pela. It provides more information on exactly how the customer's purchase positively impacts the earth and further instructions for post-use. 

These emails can also be a great opportunity to showcase related products or offer discounts for future purchases. You can increase customer loyalty and encourage repeat business by providing a positive post-purchase experience with welcome emails. Remember to keep your messaging relevant and personalized, and ensure you're providing real value to your customers in each email you send.

2. Type #2 abandoned cart

Sending cart abandonment campaigns by email gives fashion retailers a chance to convert the more than 68% of customers who abandon their carts on their sites. This type of email is triggered when a customer adds items to their cart but fails to complete the checkout process. Abandoned cart emails are an effective way to remind customers of the items they left behind and encourage them to return and make a purchase

Le Tote does a great job of highlighting what the buyer is missing out on by instilling some FOMO into their email messaging. Plus, they add a solution to the buyer’s pain points for fashion needs. 

These emails can include high quality images of the abandoned items, along with personalized messaging and even a special offer or discount to incentivize the customer to complete their purchase. By sending abandoned cart emails, you can recover lost sales and build a stronger relationship with your customers. Just remember to make your messaging clear and concise, and provide a clear call-to-action that makes it easy for customers to return and complete their purchase.

3. Type #3 back in stock

This type of email is triggered when an item that was previously out of stock becomes available again. Back in stock emails are a great way to alert customers who may have been interested in the item but missed out on the initial offering. 

Quince makes it easy for the email recipient to make a purchase with this back-in-stock email. With clear visuals, affordable price points, and a direct button to purchase, there’s little reason why this buyer wouldn’t make the purchase.

These emails can include images of the item and a clear call-to-action to encourage customers to purchase before the item sells out again. By sending back-in-stock emails, you can keep your customers informed and engaged and increase the chances of making a sale for items that are in high demand. 

4. Type #4 review

Today’s consumers use reviews as part of their buying process, with 61% reading online reviews before purchasing. In the fashion industry, reviews are the lifeblood of products and give buyers a glimpse into what they can expect from a purchase. That’s why sending review emails is so important. 

Vuori makes it easy to leave a review by reminding you of exactly what you purchased and giving the buyer a quick scale to rate their purchase.

Typically, these emails ask customers to leave a review of their recent purchase on the brand's website or a third-party review platform. Product reviews are highly valuable for fashion brands as they provide social proof and build trust with potential customers considering a purchase. 

Review emails are also an excellent opportunity to engage with customers and demonstrate that their opinion matters to you. You can show your commitment to providing excellent customer service and building long-term relationships with your audience by responding to reviews. 

To encourage customers to leave feedback, make it easy to do so and offer a small incentive, such as a discount or free shipping. Remember to provide clear instructions and make the process as hassle-free as possible.

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Benefits of email marketing for fashion brands

There are countless benefits to email marketing for fashion brands. Here’s a list of the top ones:

• Email marketing allows you to stay top-of-mind with your audience and build lasting customer relationships. By sending regular emails that provide value, such as styling tips, exclusive promotions, and new product announcements, you can keep your brand in front of your customers and increase the likelihood that they will purchase in the future.

• Incorporate content marketing on emails also provides a highly targeted way to reach your audience. With the ability to segment your email list based on factors such as location, purchase history, and interests, you can deliver highly relevant content to specific groups of subscribers. This not only increases the chances that your subscribers will engage with your emails, but it also allows you to tailor your messaging and offers to each individual's unique needs and preferences.
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• Plus, with the ability to track important email metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates, you can measure the effectiveness of your campaigns and make data-driven decisions to optimize your strategy for even greater success.

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Use data-driven email marketing for your fashion brand

Email marketing is a game-changer for fashion brands looking to connect with their customers and drive sales. By using data-driven insights, you can tailor your email campaigns to your audience and provide real value with each email you send.

Whether you're reminding customers of items left behind in their cart, asking for reviews, or simply sharing new arrivals, email marketing is a cost-effective and targeted way to reach your customers. With the right eCommerce email service provider and a bit of creativity, you can build lasting relationships with your audience and achieve your business goals. 

So why wait? Start using data-driven email marketing for your fashion brand today! Reach out to the Sendlane team and request a free demo today!

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Email marketing for fashion brands FAQs