Finding the best outfit has never been easier thanks to the emergence of the clothing subscription industry.
Each clothing subscription box works a little bit differently from one another.
Some give you the option to rent instead of purchasing outright, ideal for those with limited closet space and budget while others focus on specific types of garments (like activewear, office-ready trends, plus-size fashion, and even lingerie) that are yours to keep.
Customers opt for a fashion subscription plan to save time and money, for the convenience of having all processes virtually done, or to become stylish wearing designer pieces, etc.
Regardless of their reasons, your brand can stand out from the crowded marketplace with the right marketing techniques in place.
Think of your brand as a real-life fairy godmother who appears to help the customers dress their best, not just in special balls but also from day in, and day out.
Ready to revamp your customers' closet? Let's dive in!
11 Highly Effective Marketing Strategies to Elevate Your Fashion Subscription Brand
Explicitly introduce your brand’s services
To differentiate yourself in a crowded market, it is important to showcase what your brand can do for your customers, exceptionally.
As a brand offering subscription boxes, whether to women alone or their entire family, you need to clearly communicate your value proposition by providing a concise and comprehensive overview of your services. This helps you quickly capture audience interest as they're mostly looking for major reasons to opt in.
Here are some of the advantages fashion subscription services can provide with real brands to follow:
Adore Me puts a spotlight on the convenience of trying on items at home.
With their Elite Box, a monthly lingerie subscription box, you get a stylist's hand-picked items that you can try on from the comfort of your home.
In this email, they show 4 steps to find lingerie that fits your preference (e.g. romantic, bold, sexy).
This quick overview communicates the process from:
- assessment of your needs through a quiz
- delivery of chosen items
- keeping your picks at a discounted price
- sending back what you don't like, and skipping or canceling when you wish to.
Rent the Runway highlights distinct offerings through a rent membership program and one-time rentals.
Here, they speak directly to potential customers who have not tried such a service yet with their precise email subject, "New to renting?".
Using clean copy, they emphasize the two options when renting their clothes:
- signing up for a membership where one can choose a plan, select 5 styles to be delivered, swap items; and
- trying a one-time rental ideal for reserving a look for a special event with a free backup size, and easy return locations to boost the customers' confidence when choosing this type of service.
Gwynnie Bee emphasizes a no-commitment subscription service while offering a special discount promo for joining.
The banner talks boldly about having the freedom to rent without the obligation to purchase, giving customers flexibility.
To show more advantages of opting in, they also specify a subscription timeframe, i.e. a month-long, so it’s less daunting for customers.
Addressing convenience, budget concerns, worry-free styles, and a non-obligatory service are a few advantages of a fashion subscription.
We'll talk about more benefits in the following sections, with real-life examples of emails and ads.
Use a direct comparison over your competition
As a fashion subscription brand, how would you convince the customers to choose your service over others? Maybe they already have a brand or some brands on their minds.
A great technique you can employ to rise above the competition is using a direct comparison with another brand. It helps your target market make informed decisions about their choices, weighing different aspects of the service.
Take one competitor brand to prove your unique selling point and create a clear table of comparison. Make a courageous step like Wantable does in this email.
By employing a direct comparison strategy, they provide potential subscribers with clear insights into the benefits of choosing their company over other options.
Here, they differentiate themself from their competitor with several points to consider such as Trustpilot rating, themed edits, more number of items to try, and access to a personal styling service.
In what other ways you can see your edge over other companies in the same industry?
Start formulating your own table of comparison by checking your competitors' websites and landing pages, advertisements on social platforms, and newsletters for competitive analysis.
Highlight your shipping and returns policy
One big concern in clothing rental services you need to address as a brand is shipping and returns.
Questions like "How do I return these clothes after using them?" and "Where do I go to return these clothes?" arise from the customers' end (even before deciding to try the service).
Fashion subscription brands often emphasize their shipping and return policies to respond to these potential barriers to subscription, and build trust.
This strategy attracts new customers and helps retain existing subscribers by providing a hassle-free experience.
Rent the Runway addresses this issue and goes the extra mile to create a positive customer experience with the prepaid shipping labels that come with every one-time rental.
Prepaid shipping labels are a vital tool in modern shipping and logistics, offering a convenient and cost-effective way to manage parcel deliveries. This streamlined solution is equally beneficial to the company and to buyers.
If you include a prepaid shipping label with your shipment (plus instructions for correct usage), you’ll know exactly how much it’ll cost you, how long the return will take to reach you, and can even track the return as it’s in process.
Buyers don’t have to worry about returns costing them anything more than a trip to the carrier drop-off.
Offer styling services and edits
One benefit that people want to derive from a fashion subscription service is being able to upgrade their wardrobe with expert-curated styles without breaking the bank.
Your subscription boxes should take the headache out of keeping their wardrobes perpetually refreshed, especially during a change of season.
Take this email from Stitch Fix as an inspiration.
Stitch Fix positions itself as a style authority by giving access to fashion stylists who can do closet edits for subscribers.
Their email promotes the offer and encourages subscribers to “reset their style” through their services while highlighting the apparel they are selling.
Here, they share three major tips from stylists to ensure that your closet is complete with basics and versatility, work-to-play clothes, and essentials with the help of a stylist.
Feature community picks
A community engagement strategy creates meaningful conversations and interactions among members.
To encourage these exchanges, some brands establish a fan base in different touchpoints such as their social channels.
Nuuly gives their customers, who they call nuulyers, a chance to shine by featuring their choices from the brand’s offerings using #MoreLifeinYourClothes.
This move provides a platform for their fans to share their clothing tastes and advocacies and give the audience fashion inspiration while promoting your pieces.
It's also an effective strategy to prime their audience beforehand.
They sent a newsletter almost two weeks before, explaining the meaning behind the hashtag, and allowing the fans to tell their stories.
Get your customers involved when launching a new collection
Engaging customers in the creative process fosters a sense of ownership and excitement around new products.
By soliciting feedback, hosting design contests, or offering pre-launch exclusives to loyal subscribers, fashion subscription brands can build anticipation and create a stronger connection with their audience.
This approach also ensures that your new collections align with customer preferences, which potentially increases sales.
Wantable has a clever way of involving its subscribers before they launch a new collection.
They ask their community to vote on what to call their new clothing edit as a sort of teaser to the launch.
Polls like these are effective in engaging audiences and making subscribers feel directly involved with the brand and that their voices are important
Teach your audience how to style pieces
Many brands use their newsletters as an avenue to involve educational content that demonstrates how to style and wear the pieces they offer.
By providing styling tips, outfit ideas, and practical advice, fashion subscription brands can add value to their service and help customers make the most of their subscriptions.
Wantable is a good example of promoting different styling options for a piece of clothing like a blazer.
They publish a how-to guide for incorporating a blazer into outfits, an approach that enhances the overall customer experience and promotes a deeper engagement with the brand.
Additionally, if someone is not into blazers, she might consider adding them to her personal style being convinced by their propositions.
Forecast fashion trends
Fashion subscription brands can stay ahead of the curve by forecasting upcoming fashion trends and incorporating them into their offerings.
This strategy involves analyzing market data, runway shows, and cultural influences to predict future styles.
Provide your subscribers with access to emerging trends before they hit mainstream retail. It helps position yourself as fashion-forward and increases your appeal to style-conscious consumers.
Stitch Fix takes a forward-thinking approach by sharing its fashion trend predictions for the coming year.
By offering this foresight, the brand connects with its audience and demonstrates its commitment to staying current and relevant.
Highlight benefits using the “3 reasons to” hook in your ads
Differentiating your brand to new subscribers is crucial so highlighting your unique benefits becomes key.
Utilizing the “3 reasons to” format is particularly effective on social media platforms where concise, easy-to-digest content performs well.
This approach can be tailored to address different customer pain points or showcase unique selling points, making it a versatile and engaging marketing tool.
Rent the Runway and Nuuly employ a "3 reasons" framework to communicate the advantages of their services.
Rent the Runway uses user-generated content (UGC). The customer gives three reasons why they have chosen their brand and showcases their clothing purchases.
Rent the Runway and Nuuly have a classic approach. They use images to illustrate the reasons why people should pick their services.
Adding compelling visuals in their ads makes it easier for subscribers to grasp the benefits. Additionally, this method enhances engagement by providing a quick overview of what sets the brand apart.
Use a green screen filter to show the subscription process
This innovative marketing strategy leverages green screen technology to create visually appealing and engaging content for social media platforms.
Wantable does this by showing their website and emphasizing the brand's unique benefits ( e.g. access to a personal stylist).
This effectively communicates their value proposition to potential customers.
Showing how the service works helps to create confidence in the buying experience and builds trust in the brand
Start with a discount then highlight the benefits
Starting your ad with an exclusive and hefty offer such as "Save 50% off" captures attention, especially those who are on a tight budget.
Offering an initial discount is a popular strategy among fashion subscription brands to attract new customers and encourage them to try the service.
This approach reduces the barrier to entry for potential subscribers by providing a financial incentive to sign up.
By offering a discount on the first month's subscription or a percentage off the first few boxes, brands can entice customers to experience their service firsthand, potentially leading to long-term subscriptions.
Gwynnie Bee uses this approach, capturing attention with a tempting discount and then proceeding to highlight the unique clothing pieces they have.
As the market continues to evolve, your brand will need to stay agile and continuously innovate in terms of your offers and marketing approaches. By doing so, you can continue to thrive in the dynamic world of fashion subscriptions.
We hope these insights will move you forward with your goals!
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is a fashion subscription service?
A fashion subscription service is a recurring delivery of clothing items, accessories, or styling services based on a customer's preferences and style profile. Subscribers typically receive a curated selection of items on a regular basis, often monthly or quarterly.
2. Are fashion subscription services cost-effective?
It varies depending on the customer’s shopping habits. Some people find them to be of good value, especially if they enjoy having a curated wardrobe or struggle with finding time to shop. Others may find it more economical to shop in physical stores.
3. What if a customer doesn’t like the item/s in his/her subscription box?
Many fashion subscription services offer easy return or exchange policies. If you don't like an item, you can typically return it within a specified timeframe.
