“Now, customers no longer want us to tell them what to buy; It is not worth being experts in fashion, we also have to be experts in people”. This is how Alejandra Caro, director of marketing at Harrods, has summed up the future of connecting with the consumer. “For the consumer, fashion has always been a vehicle for emotions, which is why it is essential that we create a connection with the customer for the business to work”, Caro explained.
The Harrods marketing director has presented four fashion customer profiles: the loyalist, loyal to the brand; the fashionista, faithful to the product and to the trends; the investorwho put value for money above all else, and conveniencefor whom fashion is secondary to necessity.
“The only valid classification is internal segmentation,” explained Caro, adding that “as a brand, the important thing is to be clear about the target customer and ignore the rest: if you try to sell to everyone, you don’t sell to anyone.” , has sentenced the executive.
“As a brand, the important thing is to be clear about the target customer and ignore the rest: if you try to sell to everyone, you don’t sell to anyone”
“There is talk that the younger generations want to connect more than ever with brands, but they are not the only ones; the value of the brand has become something increasingly relevant”, the executive pointed out. The directive has also valued the consumer experience, especially at the point of sale. “Customers are increasingly busy and are looking for the greatest comfort: now, they are looking for brands to make their lives easier,” summarized the Harrods marketing manager.
But, how to reach a hyperconnected client, with little free time and who prioritizes the experience? Caro has pointed out that one of the vehicles to achieve this goal is retail marketing, in which the in-store workforce is essential. “Without a good brand ambassador in the physical space, the client does not sell itself,” she has argued.
The directive has indicated that in the short and medium term the concepts of the retail theatre, that is to say, the creation of a scenery that reflects the brand and that serves as a differential experience in the store; in addition to the union between product and service, with initiatives such as the hotel industry, the repair of used items or the organization of events.
On the other hand, in the online channel, Caro has highlighted the paradigm shift that occurred in social networks. “Since the pandemic, all major platforms reflect engagement down except TikTok, consumers have become saturated and now they want content that is real and that makes them feel something ”, he exposed.
Barcelona Fashion Summit celebrates its eleventh edition today in the Petit Palau de la Música Catalana under the title Back to Basics: Tune in to the Fundamentals. Organized by Modaes, the day, consolidated as the main meeting of the fashion business in Spain, is sponsored by Districenter, Ecolife by Belda Lloréns, Meta and Sequra and with the support of 080 Barcelona Fashion.
