One of my favorite leisure activities on a weekend is watching CNN on the tele. In particular I enjoy two shows i.e Art of Movement & African Voices. I also enjoy seeing Christiane Amanpour and Isha Sesay, with the latter being a muse of mine on a dull weekend. I was gazing mindlessly and on came an insert about a website called Rent The Runway (RTR) – this insert was done on the backdrop of the New York Fashion Week.
Side note :Â As a South African, this year’s fashion week would have been of interest because it here where king David Tlale showcased on his own, without the umbrella of the Precious Motsepe lead AFI entity.
What the RTR company aims to do is bring couture runway fresh pieces to ordinary people at a fraction of the price using the vehicle of web technology.
See this link >>>Â RTR on CNN
I thought this was such as phenomenal idea, I proceeded to view the site.Upon entering the site there a database pop up form.
According to eMarketing : Essential guide to marketing in a digital world “A good CRM programme begins with data. Who are my customers and what do they want? Why did they choose me in the first place? How many of them are active, and continue doing business with me? ”
Once RTR has acquired the foundational data about potential customers on their site, the info can be used for :
- Event monitoring – tie offline events, like the New York Fashion Week to online interactions and sales
- Personalization – customize communications to each customer and aid in the formation of a bond that can yield repeat sales.
- Improved customer segmentation including : Customer prioritisation – targetting small groups of customers with customised products and service offerings that are aligned to meet customer needs, rather than simply generic current offerings. You should craft specialised retention strategies for customers with the highest CLV (Customer Lifetime Value). In the case of RTR they have identified the segment of younger women who cannot afford the garments as sold on “5th  Avenue”
What does all the above info mean ? Why should you care about it as a South African ? Well here at home we have’nt experienced a phenomenon such as RTR. However the online sales model is particularly taking off. With our local Fashion Week season coming up in March/April, perhaps we can also benefit from such a service ?
I have learned about local platforms such Zando & Spree who have been getting good reviews. Spree have affiliated with local magazine, Grazia to optomise by the incorporation of Social Media channels like Pinterest.
The trend alert that I believe netizens (perhaps the ordinary citizens, not the converted netizens) should consider is that technology is affecting every area of our lives. So digital marketers have the task of on-boarding traditionalist brands to get with the programme or lose out. I believe this can be best achieved when eMarketers can illustrate that there is science behind the “vanity ” of Social Media channels. With that said I think Marie Claire’s latest cover story will make for an interesting read. See the image below….can somebody read the article and leave a comment for us ?!
