Tag: DynamicallyBranded

Where to find DESIGNER BRANDS 50%-75% off

Published on by Stephania SchirruLeave a comment

If you have been following my blog you might have noticed that I love a great deal when it comes to shopping. I also love mixing a designer brand with vintage pieces. After being asked numerous times by followers and friends where I got my designer brands from, I decided to dedicate this post just to this topic.

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Calvin Klein Denim Wrap Dress with Zipper
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Calvin  Klein Pink Ombre Dress (Photo Credits: Jamisha Daniels)

 

I bought both Calvin Klein dresses at Ross Dress For Less they both retailed originally for $159  and I secured these two for just $49.99 each. I love Ross!!! I’ve also purchased several pairs of comfy Guess heels and booties during my shopping sprees at the discount retailer. I usually go to Ross on Tuesday or Thursday mornings when it’s not too crowded and when they just received new inventory ;-).

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Michael Kors Stretch Matte-Jersey Slide Dress 

5 years ago I bought this Michael Kors dark blue Stretch Matte-Jersey Slide Dress at an Outlet Mall in Oklahoma City. I knew back then that this would be a timeless piece that could be worn throughout all seasons over the next years. International sales of this form-flattering garment climaxed to the point that last year, the fashion label re-launched this best-selling item with a larger belt for their pre-fall collection. You can find a detailed post on Michael Kors here. The relaunched jersey dresses retail for  $1395. I’m almost afraid to write down the amount of money I invested in this piece. But it was $39. I believe the store had to get rid of their inventory for new collections and literally threw everything out. In-between seasons is also the best time to secure amazing deals!!!

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Stuart Weitzman Suede Boots

Right before New York Fashion Week I found these Stuart Weitzman Boots at Nordstrom Rack I believe I paid around $299 instead of $799. Again I purchased in-between seasons :-). Here I paired brand name boots with a $12.99 printed mini-dress from Ross.

Shop smarter not harder!!!

XOXO,

Dynamically Branded

Top Events This Season!!!

Published on by Stephania SchirruLeave a comment

These are events you don’t want to miss this season:

  1. August 28th: The Cosign Experience 2016CosignX2016

The event, taking place August 28, is a jam-packed show full of some of Dallas’ best rising talent including singer/poet Lauren Steele, pop/soul singer Sam Harvey, hip-hop artist Lyric Le’Velle, and dancer/dance instructor Miranda Brackins. COSIGN will transform the warehouse-style event space, SIXTY FIVE HUNDRED, into an exciting breeding ground for Dallas’ trendiest underground scene. Artists of different genres will be featured and in attendance at the “#TheCOSIGNExperience: Fashion, Music, & Art Show.”

The fashion showcase will begin with a special ballet performance and will feature designs from Guns & Roses Boutique, Flawless Honey, Melancholic Design, RKJ Clothing and will also introduce the new COSIGN Unlimited clothing line.

Presale tickets are available for purchase at: www.thecosignexperience2016.eventbrite.com. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Women Called Moses, a non-profit organization that seeks to prevent and end the cycle of violence against women and that was created to be an “underground railroad” of sorts for victims of domestic violence. www.womencalledmoses.org

2. September 8th-10th: Fashion X Dallas

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Photo Credits: Fashion X Dallas

 

Fashion X Dallas is the premiere “fashion week” in the DFW market and features 3 nights of runway shows each Fall.

Each night in 2016 will feature at least 9 full runway collections from local DFW-based designers, Season Winners and All Stars from the hit Lifetime Television show Project Runway, and emerging designers from across the globe. FXD also gives opportunities to the youngest of designers through CAPSULE, mini 3-look collections allowing for an accessible runway experience. Finally, over 20 curated Gallery spaces will feature the best in emerging jewelry and accessories designers each night.

One talented DFW based designer will also receive the 2016 BERNINA Dallas Fashion Fund to help spur their career with tools necessary for the trade. For more information visit http://fashionxdallas.com/

3. September 30th: Diner En Blanc

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Photo Credits: Diner En Blanc

At the last minute, the secret location is revealed to thousands of friends who have all been patiently waiting to learn where “Dîner en Blanc” will take place. Thousands of people, dressed all in white, and conducting themselves with the greatest decorum, elegance, and etiquette, all meet for a mass “chic picnic” in a public space.

Over the course of the evening, guests experience the beauty and value of their city’s public spaces by participating in the unexpected. Beyond the spectacle and elegance of the dinner itself, guests are brought together from diverse backgrounds by good taste and a love of beauty. Le Dîner en Blanc recalls the elegance and glamor of high French society, and guests engage one another, knowing that they are taking part in a truly magical event. There are no disruptions: no car traffic, no pedestrian traffic—only amazed and astonished looks from passersby observing the scene before them. And participants, like spectators, wonder whether it’s all not a dream… For more information visit http://dallas.dinerenblanc.info/

 

How to WOW Editors and Decision Makers

Published on by Stephania SchirruLeave a comment

I don’t know how many emails I sent to buyers, editors, and other decision makers without receiving a response. Frustrated I started talking to people in my inner circle that held influential positions. After soaking up their recommendations and experiences my response rate sky-rocked and my clients were featured in major publications such as Harper’s Bazaar, Cosmo, E-News, Sports Illustrated and other. Here the key points I paid attention to:

  1. Time is Money: Editors and Dicision Makers have very little time to read emails until they move on to the overflow of messages landing in their inbox. Therefore you only have a few seconds to catch their attention and explain your argument. Keep intros short and get straight to the point (Who, What, When). Please don’t write a page long essay. No one will read that!!!
  2. Visuals: Ever heard the phrase “a picture is worth a thousand words”? I start my pitch emails with a strong, high resolution and professional picture. For example when I’m contacting buyers I include our best-selling items at the top of my email.
  3. Emphasize: Highlight and/or write in bold the most important things you want your reader to take away. Not only makes this reading your email easier but your audience doesn’t have to spend much time taking notes if your pitch is of interest.
  4. Think for the reader: As mentioned in 1. time is limited! Be concrete and tell a story. Avoid throwing out generalization such as “I have this amazing product you have to write about” instead paint a picture why your product is amazing and attach a cool yet unique story to it. Every magazine wants to write about something they have never heard of before. Every store wants to carry items that will fly off the shelves.
  5. Do your Research: You need to know who you’re writing to, most articles include the author’s name so make sure you address the correct person in your email. Find out topics and deadlines. If you pitch a summer trend for a winter issue your email will be deleted right away. If you have a great story but submitted past the deadline you might have missed out on a great advertising opportuniy.

I hope this will help you guys. If you need anyone to look over your pitch feel free to send me an email Sschirru@DynamicallyBPr.com.

XOXO,

Dynamically Branded

Budget friendly Marketing

Published on by Stephania Schirru1 Comment

The challenge of every business especially for small businesses is allocating marketing budgets efficiently. Marketing is essential for the survival of any company. There is a reason why successful companies such as Apple invest more in Marketing then in Research and Development. But the big question is how much and in which marketing activities to invest. The magic number is 10% according to the American Marketing Association. It is recommended to invest on average 10% of your annual revenue in marketing activities. Some marketing and design focused firms invest even as much as 60% of their annual revenue in marketing. Here some budget friendly marketing activities before you invest in national TV, print or online ads:

  1. Hire a professional: There is a myriad of marketing specialists and publicists with extensive marketing background you can hire. Look for boutique style marketing or PR firms that won’t break the bank. They will not only save you time and money in the long-run but also have the INSIDER knowledge of tactics that actually work in real life. Before you hire anyone make sure you clearly communicate your goals and check their portfolio and resume. marketing
  2. Social Media: It’s free to open up social media accounts and very cost effective to run ads on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. The key is to be very specific when targeting your audience. Also be intentional with your ads, determine very specific goals. Do you want to expand your reach? Do you want more traffic to your website? Do you want specifics known about your company? Etc. I’ve seen great results with promotional campaigns and events taking advantage of social media ads for as low as $10/day. Implement great visuals and please don’t run the same ad all year-around. If you need overall tips and tricks for social media check out my previous post here. Untitled design (14)
  3. Product Endorsement of a Celebrity or Influencer: When going this route you have to ensure that it makes sense. What I mean with that is: Choose someone that has a similar audience as your brand (gender, age, income, geographic area, interests) and can influence his/her following. An indicator of influence is engagement. Do people comment, repost/share content, and cosign what the influencer posted? Engagement and reach are way more important than followers and likes. The posts have to be authentic, no one wants to see another of those tea ads. We all know they don’t really drink tea or wear waist shapers all the time :-). Also make sure you clarify your expectations (how many posts, type of shots, things you want highlighted, tags and hashtags, etc.) in writing and have an agreement signed by both parties if possible. Also include a return label in case items don’t fit or won’t be used. I continuously see brands sending Social Media Celebs product, for which they don’t receive any credit for.  FullSizeRender (9)
  4. Direct Marketing at local events: I love local events, trunk shows, markets etc. I see it as a real life research study while selling directly to customers. You will take away so many insights such as who your real target market is vs. who you would like your target market to be. If you’re a designer you will learn which sizes and styles to focus on. These events further teach you whether you have to tweak your prices or keep them as they are. If a potential customer is interested in your product don’t be afraid to ask what they liked or disliked. Listen to your customer and pay attention. You should be collecting customer data (name, email, area) at every event. When selecting events the same rule applies to them as to identifying brand ambassadors – it simply has to make sense for your brand. If unsure simply reach out to people that participated in the past. Price wise a vendor booth at local events can range anywhere from $200-$600 depending on the scope of the event, whereas market space is more expensive with a price tag between $1000-$3000. First impression is key, ensure you have appealing marketing materials and display your product offering in a professional manner. BECOME A VENDOR

If there are any points you would like for me to go into further detail, comment below or send me a message. Hope this helped some of you guys. Let me know what you think!

XOXO,

Dynamically Branded