5 Reasons you should go for Fashion Trade Shows

Trade shows are a method of business communication that has survived and thrived through the years. Different mechanisms for marketing have come and gone, but trade shows remain as popular as they were decades ago. But what is the reason for this?

Whether you run a famous brand or are a beginner in the industry, a fashion trade show is your best bet for a marketing strategy. If you are wondering whether you should go to a fashion trade show, we enlist a number of reasons you must do so. 

1. Increase Brand Awareness 

Imagine having an audience that is already interested in your work and is specifically seeking out the kind of products you are offering. This is a dream for most marketers, and fashion brands are no exception. That is what a clothing trade show can do for your business.

If you are an established brand, the visitors will be seeking your designs, and you can launch new campaigns and collections; you can show off all the great work you are doing in different aspects of the business. On the other hand, if you are a new business, this is going to be the best platform for you to increase awareness about your brand.

The visitors to a clothing trade show are there because they are interested to know more about the brands. The format and the personal interactions give them an opportunity to know about you and experience your offerings firsthand. This is the best form of marketing. If you are able to leverage it in the correct manner, this can be a huge boost for your brand awareness campaigns.

2. Business Expansion / Lead Generation 

This has consistently been the single biggest outcome for any business from a trade show. If you are at a clothing trade show, the people visiting your booth and checking out your work, are a captive audience. They are looking for what you are offering. This is the most organic and simple way of lead generation.

A good marketing pitch, an effective demo of your product, and personal attention to the specific needs of the customers with face-to-face interaction – if that isn’t the perfect recipe for effective lead generation, then what is? A clothing trade show is the best place to find genuine leads for your fashion brand. If you are looking at expanding your business, attending the fashion trade shows is a must.

3. Building a Strong Network 

No business can thrive in isolation, more so, one that involves direct interactions with customers. A fashion business sells not just clothes but also dreams, aspirations, and ways of expression. When something is so deeply related to the emotions of the customers, it is critical for the brand to deliver every time. This can only be possible if you have a reliable network of suppliers, manufacturers, and other players who support your entire operations.

The important question then is, where do you find such a reliable network of industry members? One of the ways is to be part of an online platform like Fashinza, which is dedicated solely to the members of the fashion industry. A close second is to attend a clothing trade show. These shows not only showcase other designers but also have different members who play a key role in the overall business value chain. The network that you form in a clothing trade show, enabled by face-to-face interactions, can go a long way in streamlining your business operations.

A huge advantage of having such strong networks is the great deals that you can get for your business. Many brands use the opportunity provided by a clothing trade show to get huge trade discounts and offers from industry partners. The presence of competitors in such close proximity ensures that there are some amazing offers made during the trade show. If you are a new brand just entering the business, leverage this opportunity to crack great deals and find yourself some proven partners.

4. Updating Industry Knowledge 

To succeed in any business, one must be up-to-date with the latest knowledge in the domain. The fashion industry is no different. Whether you are an already established brand or a new entrant looking to make an impression, there is no substitute for being updated about the recent happenings in the industry.

When gaining knowledge about a specific area is the aim, the best place to start is where people involved are getting together. A clothing trade show is such a place for the fashion industry. All the members of the industry – designers, suppliers, manufacturers – as well as the enablers – technology partners, logistics partners – gather at one place during such events.

The idea of any clothing trade show is to showcase the advancements made in the industry, and thus they are the best place to quickly update oneself with the happenings in the industry. This exchange of knowledge can become a differentiator for brands if used properly.

5. Market Research 

Any marketer would agree that this is the most difficult aspect of their job. The challenge starts with finding genuinely interested responders, who have an interest in the offerings of the brand, and are willing to answer the research questions. Once such a group of people is identified, getting them to answer questionnaires is the next difficult step. Getting the correct answers and genuine concerns has an infinitesimally small chance.

Now, compare this to the situation in a clothing trade show. The audience there has come out of their own free will without having to be lured into answering the questions. They are looking for the offerings of the brands and are willing to answer questions that are being asked. All the marketing team needs to do is frame the questions in such a way that they get the answers they are looking for. A face-to-face interaction further increases the possibility of getting genuine answers and concern areas. This is literally market research gold! Thus, a clothing trade show can be the best place to carry out market research for any fashion brand.

These are some of the most common and effective reasons all seasoned marketers of fashion brands advise attending fashion trade shows. With the pandemic, the concern around attending physical trade shows has increased. Yet, there is no denying the fact that these remain the best way to grow a fashion brand.

The organizers of these shows are also taking cognizance of the increasing concern, and some of the shows have already started moving online. Whether offline or online, attending a clothing trade show is a must for all fashion brands.While the trade shows may happen during specific times in the year, your need for quality apparel manufacturing units remains relevant throughout. Fashinza is a one-stop platform that connects you to the best garment manufacturers and suppliers in the business and takes over the entire process from design to delivery so you can take care of the other aspects of your business.