Question

Topic: Taglines/Names

Help Needed, Tagline, Re-branding Fashion Store

Posted by oleary92 on 6/17/2013 at 6:04 PM ET 250 Points
Hello,
I stumbled across this site by accident and still can't quite believe it!!

I'm posting from a small provincial town, in a country outside USA.

We run a ladies fashion store, the business was established in 1919, we are the third generation to run the store.

Historically the business was run as a small department store, with ladies fashions, shoe, underwear, curtaining and soft furnishing, special occasion wear, plus size, departments, catering to the 35+ mid price range female market.

For a number of reasons, including but not exclusively due to the recession we have seen our turnover plummet, steadily, over the last few years.

We want to re-focus the business in terms of target market and products offered.

Moving forward, we aim to provide weekend casual wear for the 25-45 female professional or stay at home mum with disposable income and provide a head to toe, full outfit service.

Now, here is my dilemma.... we are perceived as an old fashioned shop..leaving stock offerings aside for the moment...We still dress their mothers and we used to dress their grandmothers.

Anyways, the positives, we have been offered a concession store with a great brand, exclusive to us in our country (25-35 yr market, mid price range).

We have retained and have built a great brand list covering the 25-45 age range for next season.

Dilemma solution: Because we are a long established business and because we still have a strong following in our shoe department and because our name is synonymous with our town we feel that we have to retain the store name...which is for example "O'Malley".

For the re-launch in August, I am keen to change the name to "O'Malley & Daughters"....I'd like your opinion on this.

I am also working on a logo, trying to incorporate all we represent, solid, established, quality, customer service.

The tag line is the thing...I don't mind it being tongue in cheek..

In fact that would be my preference because I think it could follow it could be worked well using social media.

I'm looking to the future too and working towards an e-commerce site and "O'Malley & Daughters" is just not going to work.

Thanks, in advance for reading

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RESPONSES

  • Posted by Gary Bloomer on 6/17/2013 at 6:22 PM Member
    Try these incentives:

    Gift with purchase.

    Discount coupons valid for the opening week, with other coupons valid for 7 days only during opening week.

    Gentle up sells at point of purchase (when the buyer spends $100, offer a $25 item for half price and you add 12.55 to the value of the sale.

    Buy one get one free (connected to a minimum purchase level).

    Seasonal offers connected with specific days and on which you offer extended offers.

    Train your staff to advise the customer on specific styles that go together. Get staff asking questions about the reason for the purchase (wedding, baptism, etc), then position offers that complement the buyer's choices.

    Ask for e-mail addresses so that you can send additional offers on a timely basis. As customers to connect with you on social media and offer Facebook and Twitter only offers, deals, and coupons.

    Start a customer of the month or frequent buyer club and promote the people IN the club IN the store. "This month's star customer is Mrs. Jones from Joneswille."
  • Posted by Gary Bloomer on 6/17/2013 at 6:23 PM Member
    BTW, what can't you believe?

    I'll post more later.
  • Posted by oleary92 on 6/17/2013 at 6:32 PM Author
    @Garry bloomer...thank you so much..we are structuring, loyalty, referral and advisory programs..but your ideas add a lot..thank you!!!

    BTW..I can't believe that i didn't have to sell a kidney to get access to such expert advice.
  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 6/17/2013 at 9:13 PM Member
    "O'Malley & Daughters" could work well - especially if there's a story about the "daughters". Or, you could go with Ms. O'Malley - to potentially appeal to your target audience.
  • Posted by Moriarty on 6/18/2013 at 1:40 AM Member
    Good morning from the other side of the planet.

    Names - whatever name is chosen, make sure you've asked your customers which one they like. Because in this kind of situation knowing what your best customers think and like (and you'll have a good few of them too) is the key here. Focus everything to their needs, likes and habits.

    For ideas on websites and otherwise, try J Peterman the copywriter's secret weapon.

    https://www.jpeterman.com/Palazzo-Party-Pants

    Down to work:

    O'Malley and Daughters doesn't have that ring to it. Don't not try it, only I'm going in another direction. You are known for solid sensible fashions, and have been for a long time.

    You could try

    O'Malley Generations
    O'Malley Clothing Emporium
    O'Malley Clothing - O'Malley Fashions - O'Malley Styles, Established 1937

    As I say, phrase everything in the way your best customers like to see things.
  • Posted by oleary92 on 6/18/2013 at 5:07 AM Author
    The point is that we need to expand our customer base, we need to attract a younger generation of customers. To be brutally honest, the older generation are dying off and thus our customer base is shrinking.

    @Jay you are correct, there is a story about the daughters, both our girls are adopted from overseas. Many small business' in our area might have the "& Sons" tagged on the end,

    I'm just thinking that the & Daughters makes it a little bit personal to us and indicates our intention of inclusion for younger customers.

    I would like to include a tag line in the new logo that reflects our new emphasis..."not just for your granny" lol!!

    but www.OMalley&Daughters.com won't work for a website and neither will www.OMalleyanddaughters.com but maybe an abbreviation of the name could be used for the website?

    @ Moriarty, thanks for your input also. Naturally, we don't want to alienate our long term customers, they certain feel that the name O'Malley has been over a shop door in our city since 1919 and should remain. And our logo will reflect the solidity of the business. However, we need to attract a younger clientele and I hope I don't offend by saying that the term Emporium, for me, has an old-fashioned ring to it and we need to pull away from that sensible solid fashion image. So, if we wanted to continue doing the same thing we always have then your suggestions would work but in this case we are heading in a completely different direction....However, you have given me an idea for a potential tag line.."The new generation " or "The next generation" or "next generation fashion". Thanks for the J.Petermann link, very clever.
  • Posted by Moriarty on 6/18/2013 at 5:27 AM Member
    Firstly, I have no problems with getting things wrong. These are small comment boxes that don't allow for much in the way of expression.

    Another thought is that you say "if we wanted to continue doing the same thing etc" - my point wasn't about the things you sell, but the way you sell them. J Peterman's stuff isn't that great - their copy is. My thinking about your current customers is that they come to you because you're YOU. You could be selling brass tacks or railway sleepers - you would have people coming to you because you work in a particular way. Newer customers - young, old, wise, daft - will come because of much the same motivation. This goes way beyond standard stereotyping.

    I like your "new generation" approach - after all, a marketer getting things wrong isn't always a bad thing ;-). It has more vitality than the and daughters line. What about the thought "Est. 1919 and on to 2019"?

    Of couse you could just have "The O'Malley Girls" ;-)
  • Posted by oleary92 on 6/18/2013 at 5:55 AM Author
    Dear Moriarty,
    as you say, it's very hard to express and communicate exactly the dilemma in a few short sentences. I would suggest that I did not fully communicate my needs and intentions, rather than you getting anything wrong. Actually, your input and suggestions are very helpful and have given me food for thought.

  • Posted by Moriarty on 6/18/2013 at 6:16 AM Member
    Ah, but I do get things wrong. Sometimes with intent!

    As long as you realize that it's as hard for both of us to communicate fully. It wouldn't be perfect even with the both of us standing outside your shop! There are times when it takes months if not years for both to appreciate what the other has.

    I think you can imagine that as a regular poster, I see a lot of the same sort of questions. I used to do interior decorating, and 90% of the questions were the same. It was dealing with the remaining 10% that made the job interesting for me as this was where my customer wanted something different or special.

    So I can see the general problem you have - only the specifics are the things that we need to handle properly as these will put your general problem into your context, form practical solutions for you out of the sort of generalities you find in books.

    Your general problem as I see it is that you have a business that has effectively run its course, and you need to revive it. That is not as uncommon as you might think. Most people just close the doors and walk away. It takes guts and imagination to even think to revive something that is flagging, especially in a tough market such as yours. Remember this: J Peterman set up in 1987 and has already filed for bankruptcy once. In that respect you can say "well done" to yourself.
  • Posted by oleary92 on 6/18/2013 at 6:39 AM Author
    Thanks for the encouragement Moriarty and yes I am fighting very hard to revive a failing business.
  • Posted by Moriarty on 6/18/2013 at 11:11 AM Member
    I'm glad you realize the hill you have to climb.

    However, just because the previous model has run out of road doesn't mean that you have. What's more the secret lies in the things you do - and your daughters too - that will breathe new life into it for the coming generations. That is to say, the new generation of shopkeepers and customers!

    Let's get down to business: what have your customers said about your business - that makes them come back time and time again? How can this be used to target the younger generation?

    Plus: you can run an online campaign using the Google display network (part of their Adwords interface) which you can target demographics quite accurately. You can use your experience with your current customers to engage people with a real message. Then of course there's Facebook, and I know of several businesses in Utrecht that have leveraged this effectively. For a local business it can be quite a boon - especially in your line of business! Plus of course, your daughters can do all the hard work :-)
  • Posted by oleary92 on 6/20/2013 at 7:18 PM Author
    Times running out ...

    Suggest a tagline to win all 250 points.
  • Posted by SteveByrneMarketing on 6/20/2013 at 8:00 PM Accepted
    In With The New, (Fun Fashions)
    Daughters & Granddaughters Welcome
    New & Trendy Fashions for All Ages
    We're Making A Few Changes
    New Arrivals For The Third Generation
    Generation Free, Just Fun Styles
  • Posted by Moriarty on 6/21/2013 at 7:48 AM Member
    This isn't about time, and it's not about points. It's about your customers and what they like about you.

    Everything else right now is irrelevant.

    So: what have your customers said about your business - that makes them come back time and time again? How can this be used to target the younger generation?

    Share this with me and I'll come up with a tagline that'll speak to their hearts.
  • Posted by Moriarty on 6/21/2013 at 8:07 AM Member
    As posted for a similar question - take some inspiration

    taglines

    "Avenues of Manhattan" - walk with us in style down avenues of fashion.
    "Fifth Avenue Fashions" - letting the sun dip on a summer's evening of fashion

    Does this evoke any images in your mind's eye? That's what taglines are all about, after all. Knowing this, I'm sure you can come up with a few of your own.

    https://www.marketingprofs.com/ea/qst_question.asp?qstid=41556#253291
  • Posted by Moriarty on 6/21/2013 at 1:57 PM Member
    Good luck, and I wish you well!
  • Posted by oleary92 on 6/21/2013 at 6:39 PM Author
    Thank you Moriarty,
    this board owes a lot to you. I will come back again, largely because of your generosity of spirit.
  • Posted by Moriarty on 6/22/2013 at 5:04 AM Member
    Freely given means freely accepted. You owe me nothing save a smile :-)
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