customer connection
Have you ever designed a product and asked yourself “who will wear this”? Season after season it seems that many brands tend to lose focus of their most important asset - the customer. I recently did a survey among colleagues in regards to the greatest challenges as a clothing designer today are. They overwhelmingly replied with “Unfocused Direction”. A large part of this has to do with lack of visibility to who you are designing for.
Many companies will have outside agencies conduct in-depth research on a brands consumers. They can provide information like where your customer lives, how much money they make annually, other brands they shop, or whether or not they have children. This is all valuable information, but it doesn’t give you as the designer the information to be able to create product that a customer needs or wants.
Where do they go on vacation? Do they pack their suitcases light and efficient, or do they bring half their wardrobe? Do they like fast-paced or slow-paced activities? Most importantly, what do they value in life? These types of questions offer a keyhole to a truer identity of a customer. It will tell you who they are, not what they are.
A lengthy, but worthwhile article shares the necessity of selling to a specific customer. When you invest time in your customer - get out to meet them, shop the same stores they shop at, live how they live - the payoff will be tremendous.
Here are some tips on conducting an in-depth, authentic consumer analysis:
Ask the right questions
What books do they like? Do they listen to podcasts? What do they do in their free time? What events do they go to on the weekends? What do they fear most in life? What do they secretly wish for in their lives? Knowing where they live, what they do for a living, and annual income are important, but the personal questions help to craft the full picture.
One-on-one time
Go to your store and talk to the customers. If you aren’t able to meet them physically, then send an email to your top 30 customers asking them if they would like to participate in a one-on-one meet and greet with the design team. What better way to get to know one another then over coffee (or video chat).
Go deeper
Online reviews are critical, but take it a step further and call or send out a survey. Why did they love that sweater? What was it they didn’t like about the fit of that pant? Remember that you’re designing clothing for them - their needs have to come first.
Visualize your customer
Post photos on your inspiration wall of who your customer is. What are they doing, who are they with, where are they? What are their dreams, what books are they reading, what is happening in the world that they are most interested in right now? Keep these up, and reflect on them each season. Your customer evolves - they are human - keep up with them!
Megan Anne Designs specializes in aligning brand and product by helping brands to conduct in-depth consumer analysis. Get in touch today for a free discovery call to learn more!