When it comes to building a Fashion Brand there is no one more equipped with the knowledge and skills to help you grow then Leah from The Fashion Cultivator.
Leah is a fashion brand coach & strategist helping impact-driven fashion CEOs build their dream fashion empires. With over 12 years experience in her field, including Buyer roles for Topshop & ASOS, her impressive track record has seen her deliver expert advice at Pure London, Graduate Fashion Week & Vogue’s very own Condé Nast College of Fashion & Design London.
We couldn’t be more thrilled to have Leah join us for our first live masterclass over on Style Up Social Academy’s Facebook to talk all things nailing your niche for your Fashion business.
The reason we invited Leah to join us for our first ever Masterclass is because we know that without absolutely nailing down your why, your values and your brand personality it will make everything else you do so much harder. Especially your online and Social Media marketing. We always work with clients to identify areas of their brand personality to help with tone of voice. We also work through various elements of who their ideal customers are, however, Leah is next level with this work.
You can find the live session inside our Facebook group here but below you will find the highlights of Leah’s words of wisdom.
Brand Personality
Leah explains that it is so important to have a killer brand personality! In today’s retail market anyone can put a product onto the market, but it’s your brand that sells.
When building your fashion empire it’s crucial to define your brand personality from the get-go and get super clear on your ideal customer. So you can hit the ground running with all areas of growing your fashion brand but more importantly so you know exactly how you can serve the needs of your target market.
Leah says it is about connection and being part of the brand. The reason we buy is because of the brand behind it. Leah breaks down how to define your brand personality and breaks into 5 elements…
PURPOSE
Ask yourself…
Why are you starting your biz? What’s your aim? What is your purpose? What is the thing that is getting you started and what is it you want to solve? You need to dig deep, peel back the layers so you can hone in on your customers needs.
BRAND VALUES
What are your brand values? These are the foundation of your brand and you need to champion your values. Leah describes brand values as the key elements you believe in, what you will shout out about and essentially they will shape everything you do within your business.
Leah used Nike as an example and how well their brand values come through everything they do. She goes on to say that your values are the main narrative that connects you to your customer so you can both sing from the same hymn sheet and that is why you attract one another.
UNIQUE SELLING POINTS
What is your USP? This about you working out exactly what it is that will make you sparkle above everybody else in the marketplace. Leah works with her clients to really work out those little pieces of DNA that only exist with them and their brand.
Going really deep on now your brand values and your DNA – What is it? Find out the why behind your why. Use that as your narrative and champion everything you do. What are the little things that only you are going to be known for.
As Leah explains it is crowded out there, so you need to own your USP!
MISSION
Your Mission is different to your purpose. It is not the reason your brand came into existence. It is about knowing exactly what it is you are going to uphold for your customers and what you are going to do for them.
CREATE YOUR DREAM AVATOR
Leah tends to find that a lot of people are afraid to hone in one specific customer. This is where you clarify your dream customer avatar. You really need to know who is your ideal customer – You need to know who it is you want to serve and how will you serve their needs? How will you serve their needs?
Use keywords that describe your customers and clear them. Leah suggests around 15 words and then use Pinterest to put this customer visually together. Leah goes on to explain that once you have this person visually clear in your head you can always picture them in everything you do. Other key elements of defining your customer are their values and pain points. Your business should be built around those so you can solve those issues, frustrations and challenges your customer has.
Leah suggests that once you have these points identified you can then look to find if anyone else is currently serving your dream customer. So looking to see who else is there in the playing field. Who are you up against?
Another exercise that Leah recommends doing is to make a list of words on exactly; how you want your customer to feel, how they see your brand, experience your brand in real life, because those words will become part of your visual aesthetic, your brand distribution, your copy…. Your everything. This is crucial because a brand is not just a logo. It is everything you are building about your business.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Leah suggests creating your Brand proposition statement.
This is a sentence that is fresh, it’s your tagline that you can just reel it off. If someone asks you what your brand is you should be able to provide this information!
A great way to break it is by using the 3 P’s…
- Person
- Problem
- Place you are taking them to!
Leah’s tip for this is to write it down 25 times and you will find that sparkly piece that you can use as your brand proposition.
Create your brand guide that includes your brand mission, purpose and values. Start to build those Pinterest customer avatar and compile your brand personality into a brand guide
Remember, don’t be afraid to niche down, you can stand out further if you serve a small audience.
You will attract your tribe because they share your narrative and values.
Make sure you go follow Leah on Instagram for daily tips and join her Facebook group for amazing live masterclasses.