Consumers do not want tobuy something because they can afford it.They need their purchases to reflect their lifestyle or the lifestyle they aspire to have.Luxury brands naturally find themselves in this space because they represent the potential of living that lifestyle.
But they no longer have a stranglehold on selling exclusivity. Social media combined with more small-time creatives producing handmade items has created a situation where exclusivity no longer lies in the name of the brand or the expense of the products.
Creative entrepreneurs produce one-time-only items and bespoke goods that they assure their clients they will never make for anyone else. This exclusivity can feel even more attractive to a potential client looking to invest in something unique that makes them feel apart from the crowd.
But, as a creative with a yen to sell exclusive items that represent a lifestyle and reap the kind of prices such things can command, you cannot rely solely on your competition to fail. You must reach for ways to appeal to potential clients and showcase your work.
For example, suppose you run a jewelry business. Highlight the quality of your work by seeking jewelry photo retouching services to make your designs sparkle when posting online. Share high production value videos of making the items to underscore that the designer genuinely made it by hand.
Luxury brands may have the polish and weight of history behind them. But, they cannot take advantage of the increasingly popular forms of marketing that social media has opened. To appeal to as many people as possible dilutes the exclusivity these luxury brands have been marketing for years as their unique selling point. Step into the gap this creates and become a retailer of the exclusive lifestyle that people with money want to pay to flaunt.
Presentation
You and your products have to look the part.You must look polished and well-put-together, and your products must have a high level of finish. People have expectations of how they think luxury should look. You can be rugged or ruffled around the edges, even worn by societal standards. But, even your scruffiness must be balanced out. Your ragged edges must be on clothes that are expensive and clean. Your wild hair should smell costly, and your tattoos are works of art.
People who have a lot to spend do so because they can distinguish between a good investment and a bad one. If you can show that you subvert the narrative while maintaining a solid hold on professionalism and quality, you will gain their respect. It is a balance in remaining true to your creativity without losing sight of the things that make your work appealing and worth the price tag to people who indulge in items that make them feel unique.
Portfolio
A portfolio website is your calling card on the internet. It is the digital face of your storefront. The more attractive and sleek your portfolio website looks, the more appealing your items will be to potential clients. The website itself needs to feel like something that clients must aspire to as well. Showcase your best works, including some commissioned pieces but do not reveal the majority of your work. Allow further access to your work and website only to members of your brand’s membership club.
Additionally, have a highlighted tab where people can consult a dedicated concierge person to discuss their interests, view exclusive designs, or discuss commissioning work. It may cost a bit at first to train and pay for these sales associates to be available exclusively. But you will more than make up for the cost in the expensive commissions that a properly trained sales associate can entice out of a client.
Your success depends on people purchasing your items.But the exclusivity that you must cultivate to attract high-end clientele means that you cannot offer the same things to everyone. Social media marketing can help you to create the divide that can help you to balance these out.
Use your social media platforms to create content exclusively about the lifestyle of the people who purchase your product. Do notprominentlyfeature your product alone in the advertisements.These should be tasteful, well-lit vignettes into the happy and content lives of those who happen to also enjoy the exclusive items you craft.
People who aspire to the lifestyle will come searching on your website and can be led to invest or purchase your line of lifestyle products that are not bespoke.People who have the lifestyle your marketing efforts portray still desire to add to their comfort or enjoyment.They will reach out for more customized items to add to their general satisfaction with their lives or enhance their pleasure from what they have already commissioned.
