Upload
casie-kiel
View
58
Download
1
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Strategic Communications Plan 2016
Casie Kiel
August 2016
Georgetown University
MPPR 950: Capstone Summer 2016
2 | P a g e
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY………………………………………………………3
II. BACKGROUND………………………………………………………………....4
III. SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS………………………………………………..….11
IV. PROBLEM/OPPORTUNITY……………………………………………...……11
V. GOAL………………………………………………………………...………….11
VI. OBJECTIVES……………………………………………………..……………..12
VII. KEY PUBLICS…………………………………………………………………..12
VIII. BRAND POSITIONING & FRAMING…………………………………………13
IX. MESSAGES……………………………………………………………………...14
X. STRATEGIES & TACTICS……………………………………………………..16
XI. CALENDAR……………………………………...……………………………...21
XII. BUDGET…………………………………………...……………………………24
XIII. EVALUATION………………………………………………………………….29
XIV. APPENDICES……………………………………...……………………………32
Appendix A: SWOT Analysis……………..………………………………………32
Appendix B: Survey (Original research)……………………………………………...32
Appendix C: Online Content Calendar…………………………………………..…...35
Appendix D: Mockup of #LoveTrunkClubCustom campaign
Instagram & Facebook posts…………………………………………………………...36
Appendix E: Mockup Invitation to the Fall Preview Party………………………37
Appendix F: List of D.C. blogs, bloggers, socialites, and power players……….38
Appendix G: Mock-Up E-Mail for the Insider Loyalty Program…………………..39
XV. REFERENCES…………………………………………………………………..40
3 | P a g e
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
“We don’t do fashion shows. We’re not a fashion company. We’re an apparel business,
and a service business.” ~CEO Brian Spaly
Trunk Club is a clothing service that combines the expertise of personal stylists
with exceptional service and top of the line brands to outfit their clients for every aspect
of life. In today’s fast-paced, technology-enabled world it is a retailer’s mission to not
only provide consumers with the best products available, but to ensure retailers are doing
so with the best customer service and convenience possible. Well-known consumer
review sites such as Yelp and public social media posts force companies to find ways to
break through the chatter and get noticed. Trunk Club found a way to serve its clients’
needs in a unique and personal way that fixes the problem most men and women deal
with; how to get great clothing and style advice without exerting the effort.
Trunk Club is a fairly new company that has already had much success in the
styling and boxed delivery service markets. Since its start in 2009, the company has
expanded into several locations across the United States to include Chicago, Los Angeles,
New York City, Dallas and recently Washington, D.C. In the D.C. region the company is
still relatively unknown particularly their custom clothing line which was introduced in
2015. A large portion of the company’s potential customers in this market are simply
unaware of Trunk Club’s existence. Trunk Club must overcome this challenge and build
relationships with their community to gain exposure for their services and increase
clientele. Without doing so, they face a loss in profits and an unsuccessful entrance into
the market.
The goal of this plan is to increase awareness and market share by re-launching
Trunk Club men's custom clothing line in the Washington, D.C. area by highlighting the
services and showcasing the quality products and merchandise this division has to offer.
To achieve this goal the plan will focus on four specific, measurable and timely
objectives which include the following: 1) increase engagement on social media by 25%,
2) generate ten to fifteen media placements in local D.C. media outlets, 3) host VIP
events and promotions for all audiences and, 4) activate seven new Trunk Club Custom
ambassadors to assist and motivate stylists in promoting Trunk Club Custom as the elite
experience in custom clothing.
These objectives will be communicated to 35-60 year old business men, wealthy
women with partners, luxury media and fashion and lifestyle bloggers in the Washington,
D.C. area. The message will be that Trunk Club Custom is the market leader in custom
clothing and styling services that gives its clients a luxury experience. The plan will
increase the online conversation surrounding Trunk Club, partner with local media and
bloggers to educate the consumer, leverage Nordstrom’s rewards points program for the
fall/spring fashion seasons, create a high-profile Love Trunk Club Custom campaign,
establish a gift promotion for local corporate headquarters conferences, utilize LinkedIn
to target key publics, and launch an insider loyalty program.
4 | P a g e
This comprehensive plan will cost $295,720 and will take place over the course of
the 2016 fall and 2017 spring fashion seasons with room to expand into the future. It will
re-establish the custom line in the market as the first choice for consumers when looking
for specialty clothing, a great shopping experience and convenient service. It will also
brand the D.C. market office with a reputation that is superior to the competition in
regards to service, quality products and the ease and comfort of providing its consumers
the best wardrobe possible.
BACKGROUND
External Environment
The Economy
The U.S. economy is at a healthy state with technology, social media and cloud
computing industries on the rise. When the U.S. economy does struggle the Washington,
D.C. area is usually less affected than other cities given the proximity of the government
and high profile corporate headquarters to the area. The local market is doing particularly
well in 2016 with employment growth above the national average. Professional and
business services and the government and health service sectors make up the majority of
jobs.1
The median household income in the D.C. metro area is $91,193, which surpasses
the national average by more than $37,000 annually.2 Top management salaries for jobs
including legal executive, chief information officer, CFOs and CEOs are above national
levels with a CEO making a median of $750,000 annually. 3 Statistics show that people
living in the Washington, D.C. area have more disposable income for personal
experiences such as shopping, dining out and travel. Residents work hard but are also
able to enjoy their time off and take part in the many enjoyable activities and events the
city and surrounding area has to offer. A survey conducted of men living and working in
the D.C. region conclude that area residents also enjoy listening to local radio news
stations such as NPR as well as popular music stations 107.3 and 99.5. This group enjoys
reading GQ, Men’s Health, The New York Times and Forbes and are focused on
developing their personal interests and
hobbies just as much as they are career
focused.
Delivery Services
A booming economy comes with
increased work hours and a 24/7 connected
lifestyle which brings the need for fast,
convenient products like solutions in a box; a
rapidly growing trend. The subscription
delivery service culture has seen major
1 Society for Human Resource Management. 2016. Metro economic outlook: Washington, D.C. www.shrm.org: Society
for Human Resource Management,. 2 Ibid 3 Ibid
5 | P a g e
growth with companies such as Amazon Prime, Blue Apron, Giant’s Peapod grocery
delivery and Birch Box delivering everything from food, clothing and beauty products to
children’s craft boxes and specialty razors to your doorstep daily, weekly or monthly.
Consumers are guaranteed to know at least one to two people in their network that
subscribe to one of these services. Seeing friends and family use these services increases
the likely hood of the individual trying it out as well.
Amazon spent $13.9 billion since 2010 on warehousing and fulfilment to support
its growing business. 4 Amazon Prime is one of the top delivery service subscriptions in
the country. Key drivers in the delivery service boom are attributed to worldwide
spending by millennials, which will grow 70% by 2020. It is predicted that there will be a
49% increase in smartphone penetration by 2017 and a 46% increase in internet
penetration by 2017 5
Digital Consumers & The eCommerce Boom
Consumer buying power is at an all-time high. Internet usage growth, unlimited
access to products, and the ability to get first hand recommendations from real people
enables buyers to dictate what they want to see and hear, not the merchant. 6
In 2015 mobile search surpassed desktop search for the first time and currently
79% of consumers use their devices to conduct local searches on a daily basis. 72% of
consumers want mobile-friendly websites, making website optimization for mobile
devices very important.7 Buy buttons are forecasted to have major growth in the future of
marketing. Pinterest leads the way with 60 million buy pins on its site and Twitter users
can now purchase directly from a tweet by clicking the buy button.8 Polls and quiz
popularity is on the rise, in 2015 quizzes were the most shared content on Facebook and
96% of users who take a sponsored BuzzFeed quiz will complete it.9 Companies must
embrace these trends, they must partake in mobile, social and other ways that grasp the
consumers attention like polls and surveys or they will fail to other companies who do
adopt these marketing elements.
Industry
Fashion & Retail
The fashion industry is a $1.2 trillion global industry and growing. More than
$250 billion is spent annually on clothing and merchandise in the U.S. Although the
majority of apparel manufacturing is still done overseas, the U.S. is known for it’s high-
fashion clothing which generates quick turn-around and high profits. 10
Social Media is
4 Accenture. 2015. Adding value to parcel delivery. https://www.accenture.com/t20151103T011715__w__/cn-
en/_acnmedia/Accenture/Conversion-Assets/DotCom/Documents/Global/PDF/Dualpub_23/Accenture-Adding-Value-
to-Parcel-Delivery.pdf#zoom=50: Accenture, . 5 ibid
6 ibid
7 Morrison, Kimberlee. These are the 2016 digital trends consumers love (infographics). in AdWeek [database
online]. www.adweek.com, 2016 [cited June 15 2016]. Available from http://www.adweek.com/socialtimes/these-are-
the-2016-digital-trends-consumers-love-infographic/634774. 8 ibid
9 ibid
10 Office of Democrat Maloney, Carolyn B. 2015. The economic impact of the fashion industry. Joint Economic
Committee, United States Congress, .
6 | P a g e
becoming the new storefront. Style leaders are creating links from social media sites to
retail sites and getting a commission from three to 20 percent. Popular bloggers who have
become social media stars make from $30,000 to $50,000 to host brand events for luxury
houses such as Louis Vuitton and Dior. 11
Couture is having a revival. High fashion customers want to mix high and low
styles and designers are starting to adopt this trend by putting more energy into building
their couture houses. Designers such as Viktor & Rolf and Jean Paul Gautier have
completely stopped their ready-to-wear houses to focus solely on couture. 12
Retailers
who are successful in building effective brand communities build a stronger loyalty
between brands and consumers.
Personal Styling
The personal styling industry is experiencing growth with time-pressed
consumers who have a plethora of choices. The over-reliance on digital communication
and cloud-sourced peer-advice is building a need for
expert opinions.13
Consumers place priority on
experiences over retail purchases and the luxury
experience personal shopping creates meets this desire
head on. Private areas, complimentary drinks, personal
attention and first looks at next-season trends make
shoppers feel special. Allowing shoppers to share
their experiences on social media and boast being “in
the know” before the rest of the world gives them the
elite experience they want.14
Two-thirds of men surveyed in the graph
shown consider themselves somewhat stylish/very
stylish meaning they are more likely to spend additional money on clothing. One in five
men aged 18-44 want to dress more stylish but do not know how, which shows a growth
opportunity for retailers to provide styling assistance.15
Demographics show most stylish
men who purchase clothing from high-end retailers are between the ages of 25-34, live in
urban areas and make an annual income of more than $75,000.16
Original research conducted with Washington, D.C. based men concludes that
quality of products is the key factor in their purchase decisions, a proper fit is the what
they would look for most in a custom garment and the majority surveyed would use a
personal stylists to select custom clothing for them.
Client Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Trunk Club was founded in 2009 by CEO
Brian Spaly who previously founded popular men’s clothing company Bonobos. The
personal styling service was started to solve the problem of the overwhelming and
11
Smulders, Tammy. 10 new trends in fashion retail. in Luxury Daily [database online]. 2015 [cited June 20 2016].
Available from https://www.luxurydaily.com/10-new-trends-in-fashion-retail/. 12
ibid 13
Goody, Alice. 2016. The personal styling opportunity. Mintel: Womenswear, . 14
ibid 15
Mintel. 2016. Men's clothing - perception of stylishness and attitudes toward style. Mintel: Mintel, . 16
ibid
7 | P a g e
“Buying time is the most valuable thing
an executive can do, but until Trunk
Club opened its doors there was no
efficient way to outsource men’s
wardrobing.” ~Journalist, Kelly Reid
inconvenient act of shopping for clothing. Trunk Club pairs top brands with expert
service to provide a conveniently personalized experience with spacious lounges for
clients to meet with stylists and try on clothes while enjoying drinks from their open bar.
Clothes are selected by a stylist and shipped for free in a trunk directly to the clients’
door. There are no additional fees or subscription payments. Customers simply request a
trunk, pay for what they want to keep and ship back the rest within 10 days. 17
The custom-clothing program is part of the company’s promise to help its
customers always look their best. Personal stylists identify custom garments and fabrics
to create a statement piece or go-to item that fits the individual incredibly well. In six to
eight weeks garments arrive to the clubhouse for a final fitting. Suits range from $800 to
$1,000 and are delivered to clients in under two months.18
From April 2013 to May of 2014 its customer base tripled in size and it nearly
doubled its sales force over the same time period. It hit nearly $100 million in revenue by
2014, up $1 million in 2010 and up from $20 million in 2012.19
On August 22, 2014
Trunk Club was bought by department store Nordstrom for $350 million.20
It’s clients
were mainly wealthy men, however, as of 2015, a trunk club service for women has been
introduced. The Nordstrom acquisition brought with it a much larger inventory, which
was a challenge the company was facing, allowing the clientele to expand.21
The
acquisition also gave Trunk Club a higher growth rate, profitability, revenue and more
distribution and sales networks.22
The average price of a trunk depends on what the client
selects. Merchandise is priced similar to high-end brands at department stores like
Nordstrom. Jeans range from $170-$250 per pair, casual shirts range from $100-$200 and
sweaters are on average $100-$300 per piece.23
Trunk Club’s competitive advantage is their
stylists. The stylists are salaried employees that receive
a commission on purchases but are not incentivized to
sell customers what they do not like. They create
personal, trusting relationships with each client giving
them the added attention a consumer would not get from
a floor sales person at a high end department store.24
17
Trunk Club. Trunk club: About us. in Trunk Club [database online]. 2016 [cited June 30 2016]. Available
from https://www.trunkclub.com/about. 18
ibid 19
Sweeney, Brigid. Trunk club's spaly: Nordstrom a 'gracious and handsome suitor'. in Crain's [database online]. 2014
[cited June 25 2016]. Available fromhttp://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20140731/NEWS07/140739959/trunk-
clubs-spaly-nordstrom-a-gracious-and-handsome-suitor 20
Tkaczyk, Christopher. One man's attempt at a style makeover. in Fortune [database online]. fortune.com, 2015 [cited
July 1 2016]. Available from http://fortune.com/2015/10/12/trunk-club-mansion-style-makeover/. 21
ibid 22
SWOTanalysis24. Trunk club dynamic SWOT analysis - strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats of trunk club.
in SWOTanalysis24 [database online]. 2016 [cited June 5 2016]. Available fromhttp://www.swotanalysis24.com/swot-
t/112073-swot-analysis-trunk-club.html. 23
Trunk Club. Trunk club: FAQ's. in Trunk Club [database online]. trunkclub.com, 2016 [cited July 1 2016]. Available
from https://www.trunkclub.com/help/how-much-does-a-trunk-cost. 24
Reid, Kelly. Chicago startup trunk club is distrupting the men's fashion industry. in Forbes [database online].
forbes.com, 2012 [cited June 10 2016]. Available from http://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyreid/2012/07/13/trunk-
club/#126f2f3e5d83.
8 | P a g e
Service Challenge
Trunk Club is a personal styling company that aims to take the complicated, time
consuming work of looking for trendy clothing out of the customers hands and into a
personal stylist’s. Trunk Club Custom, its men’s custom clothing line, was introduced in
the summer of 2015. This new division to Trunk Club D.C. has not had the proper chance
to be introduced to the local market or future potential customers. The main target
audience of upper-class business men do not know about its services.
D.C. is a business formal town with the majority of professionals wearing suits to
work and social events on a daily basis. This group would greatly benefit from the ease
and comfort of having their suits made specifically for them. Trunk Club needs to
promote its custom services to the D.C. metro area business professionals in a unique and
creative way that produces a strong desire for custom suits.
Promotions & Outreach Since Trunk Club is still fairly new they have not delved very deep into promotions and
outreach with other companies and services. The few they have done were successful and
are listed below:
Partnerships: In 2015 Trunk Club partnered with UberBlack offering customers
“Take 3 UberBLACK Rides and Get $100 towards Trunk Club. It's that Easy.”
The five day promotion ran in March and offered its first 10,000 users rides in one
of its markets to receive the cash credit using the promo code
TRUNKCLUB100.25
Social Media: Trunk Club has a variety of social media outlets used to discuss
new trends, give fashion advice, showcase how-to videos and monitor what their
clients are interested in. Its professionally curated content and photo selections
fare well against the competition in its following base; it’s Facebook page has
700,261 likes,26
its Twitter handle has 74.4k followers, 27
its Instagram account
has 71.3k followers,28
and its Pinterest page has 4.5k followers29
Blog, The Clubhouse: The Trunk Club blog showcases the knowledge stylists
bring to one-on-one interactions to its greater audience while also featuring well
thought out curated content and a storytelling piece. Sections include: How-To,
Wardrobe, Lifestyle and Personality and different series such as “I’d Rather Be”
showcasing people who use the service and “Member Skills” with story driven
25
Flanagan, Will. Trunk club partners with uber on stylish promotion. in ChicagoInno [database online].
chicagoinno.streetwise.co, 2015 [cited June 8 2016]. Available from http://chicagoinno.streetwise.co/2015/03/23/trunk-
club-partners-with-uber-on-stylish-promotion/. 26
Trunk Club. Trunk club Facebook. in Facebook [database online]. 2016 [cited June 30 2016]. Available
from https://www.facebook.com/trunkclub/. 27
Trunk Club. Trunk club twitter. in Twitter [database online]. 2016 [cited June 30 2016]. Available
from https://twitter.com/TrunkClub?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor. 28
Trunk Club. Trunk club instagram. in Instagram [database online]. 2016 [cited July 10 2016]. Available
from https://www.instagram.com/trunkclub/?hl=en. 29
Trunk Club. Trunk club pinterest. in Pinterest [database online]. 2016 [cited June 10 2016]. Available
from https://www.pinterest.com/TrunkClub/.
9 | P a g e
content. The custom line has its own “Custom Conversations.” Traffic to the blog
is driven by links to social media accounts with sharing options. 30
Mobile App: The app pairs customers with stylists to help scale these
interpersonal relationships. It helps stylists understand the members readiness to
buy, learns their preferences and allows the stylist to educate the customer on how
the shopping model works. By using mobile app A/B testing and requiring users
to add a credit card to their account they were able to increase stylists efficiency
by 90% and increase the likelihood of a trunk shipment to the client by 43%.31
Marketing/Advertising
o For the 2015 holiday season Trunk Club partnered with AHAlife Holdings
Ltd. for a joint marketing program in which Trunk Club stylists created
gift guides for its clients using the AHAlife curated catalogue with home,
beauty, tech and dining gifts and promoted it to their customer base.32
o They sponsored a 15-second spot on the popular Serial podcast before the
host broke down the latest episode of the Baltimore murder saga. This
platform was chosen because research found many of their clients also
love NPR where the show is aired. A show with a large national reach
helped to get the company name promoted.33
o Their first national TV ad launched in October 2015 – the 30-second ad
raised awareness of the brand and the importance of wardrobe updating.34
o E-mail marketing: Trunk Club sends out informative emails to all its
clients with a brand voice that is conversational, trustworthy, and
informative but does not sound too fashion-forward. They try to compare
clothing trends to other customer interests like sports.35
Trunk Club is currently testing promotions on the customers they already have but does
not promote to new clients on any social sites. This is something they should start to
incorporate in the near future to gain more clientele and awareness of their products.
Market Share Trunk Club is part of the fashion and delivery service market. Due to its acquisition by
Nordstrom in 2014 the company it is now bucketed under the overall Nordstrom brand
making it difficult to determine its actual market share.
30 Dahl, Kieran. Making content fashionable: How trunk club connects to consumers through story. in Contently
[database online]. 2014 [cited June 5 2016]. Available from https://contently.com/strategist/2014/10/20/making-
content-fashionable-how-trunk-club-connects-with-consumers-through-story/. 31
Rusonis, Shana. Trunk club increased mobile app conversions 43% by adding this step. in Optimizely [database
online]. 2015 [cited June 5 2016]. Available from https://blog.optimizely.com/2015/09/30/mobile-app-conversions/. 32
Bloomberg News. Company overview of trunk club, inc. in Bloomberg News [database online]. 2016 [cited July 1
2016]. Available from http://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=105850660. 33
Dallke, Jim. Why chicago's trunk club bought a spot on the insanely popular serial podcast. in ChicagoInno
[database online]. 2014 [cited June 5 2016]. Available from http://chicagoinno.streetwise.co/2014/12/11/serial-podcast-
episode-11-trunk-club-joins-as-sponsor/. 34
Dallke, Jim. Watch trunk club's first national TV ad. in ChicagoInno [database online]. 2015 [cited June 5 2016].
Available from http://chicagoinno.streetwise.co/2015/10/05/watch-trunk-clubs-first-national-tv-ad/. 35
ibid
10 | P a g e
Competitors The overall company has several competitors such as Stitch Fix. However for the
purposes of this plan the focus is on the Trunk Club custom competitors outlined below:
Suitsupply: A fashion retailer with online and brick and mortar showroom shops
set up like a men’s club mixed with a walk-in closet type atmosphere similar to
Trunk Club. They market to the same time-crunched clientele looking for a great
suit without the hassle of really looking.36
They do not have stylists, specially
selected clothing shipped to clients, or a focus on the experience that Trunk Club
gives its customers. Off the rack suits range from $500 - $1,000 and made-to-
measure sells for up to $2,000.37
Trunk Club markets to a clientele with a higher
price point and does not put emphasis on getting a good deal for its suits.
Alton Lane: A men’s custom clothing company, Alton Lane’s concept matches
Trunk Club’s more closely with the stylist experience, a full bar and a showroom
with high-end fabric and product options to select from.38
They have 3-D body
scanning image technology allowing the stylist to capture the image of the body
and take into account all the intricacies of the customers form to help create a
better garment. Clothing is sent directly to the clients doorstep like Trunk Club.
The quality, materials and service is top notch and in-line with Trunk Club’s
business model.39
A bit less expensive than Trunk Club because they outsource
their measurements overseas, prices range from $595 to $10,000.40
Resources
In August 2014 Nordstrom acquired Trunk Club for $350 million. The deal kept
the Trunk Club leadership team on board and included a long-term management incentive
plan up to $100 million.41
The sale benefits both parties in several ways; Trunk Club was
limited in the alteration services they could provide and their inventory management was
low, with Nordstrom’s resources it can now function at a much faster and successful
pace. Nordstrom benefits by serving the specific customer demographic Trunk Club
brings much quicker than if they tried to do this on their own.42
Nordstrom does not list Trunk Club earnings on its financial reports however the
following shows the benefit in financial resources Trunk Club now has with a Nordstrom
backing. Nordstrom’s 2015 fourth quarter net earnings were $180 million and $324
before interest and taxes. Full year net earnings were $600 million and $1.1 billion
36
Bennett, Drake. Suitsupply: The 60-minute makeover. in Bloomberg News [database online]. 2013 [cited June 8
2016]. Available from http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2013-11-07/suitsupply-affordable-high-end-mens-
suits-for-the-impatient-masses. 37
ibid 38
Alton Lane. Alton lane: How it works. in Alton Lane [database online]. 2016 [cited June 30 2016]. Available
from http://www.altonlane.com/how-it-works/. 39
ibid 40
Men's Journal. Best on-demand bespoke suits. in Men's Journal [database online]. 2016 [cited July 1 2016].
Available from http://www.mensjournal.com/expert-advice/best-on-demand-bespoke-suits-20130816/alton-lane. 41
Elejalde-Ruiz, Alexia. Nordstrom paying $350 million for chicago's trunk club. in Chicago Tribune [database
online]. 2014 [cited July 1 2016]. Available from http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-nordstrom-trunk-club-
20140814-story.html. 42
Cahill, Joe. Takeaways from trunk club's sale. in Crain's [database online]. 2014 [cited July 1 2016]. Available
from http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20140801/BLOGS10/140739945/takeaways-from-trunk-clubs-sale.
11 | P a g e
before interest and taxes. Total company net sales of $14.1 for fiscal 2015 increased 7.5
percent. 43
SITUATION ANALYSIS
Trunk Club is a relatively new company; in the seven years since its founding it
has seen rapid success in the industry. From April 2013 to May of 2014 its customer base
tripled in size and it nearly doubled its sales force. It hit nearly $100 million in revenue
by 2014, up from $20 million in 2012.44
With so much growth in such a short time Trunk
Club faced a problem many young companies have: not enough inventory for such high
demand. With its custom features and high-end lines, alteration services were also
coming short, something a much larger and experienced company could help with. The
Nordstrom acquisition gave Trunk Club a higher growth rate, profitability and revenue as
well as more distribution and sales networks.45
Trunk Club has the opportunity to maximize from their success and Nordstrom
backing to further expand into the Washington, D.C. market, grow with the economy and
benefit from the high income levels of their clients. Since they are still relatively new,
there is still a large part of the market that does not know they exist. By building stronger
relationships with their communities and clientele, they can grow their customer base and
build their reputation as the go to styling service that meets all its customers wardrobe
needs.
PROBLEM/OPPORTUNITY
Trunk Club has a lack of market share in the Washington, D.C. area; a large part
of their target audience does not know they exist. They need to build relationships within
this community to gain exposure for their services and increase clientele. Otherwise, they
face a loss in profits and an unsuccessful entrance into the market.
GOAL
To increase awareness and market share by re-launching Trunk Club men's
custom clothing line in the Washington, D.C. area. This will be accomplished by
highlighting the Custom Line’s services and showcasing the quality products and
merchandise this division provides to its clients.
43
BusinessWire. Nordstrom Fourth Quarter and Fiscal 2015 Earnings In-Line with Expectations. in BusinessWire
[database online]. 2016 [cited August 7 2016]. Available from
http://www.buisnesswire.com/news/home/20160218006252/en/Nordstrom-Fourth-Quarter-Fiscal-2015-Earnings-In-
Line. 44
Ibid.. 45
Ibid.
12 | P a g e
OBJECTIVES
1. Increase engagement on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn of Trunk
Club custom in the Washington, D.C. market by 25% by April 2017.
2. Generate ten to fifteen media placements about Trunk Club Custom in local D.C.
media outlets by March 2017.
3. Host five VIP events and promotions for all audiences in the fall/winter 2016 and
spring/summer 2017 season from August to February.
4. Activate seven new Trunk Club custom ambassadors to assist and motivate
stylists in promoting Trunk Club Custom as the elite experience in custom
clothing by September 2016 for the start of fall/winter season.
KEY PUBLICS
1. 35-60 year old business men
Trunk Club’s main customer focus is 35-60 year old business men. They
are specifically located in the Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia region.
This group consists of corporate executives, lawyers, politicians, consultants and
business men with an annual household income of at least $75,000 who value
time more than money and wear business suits and formal attire on a daily basis.
They purchase clothing from upscale/high-end stores because they value high
quality products and place priority on their appearance. They are successful and
noteworthy, ambitious, thoughtful, competitive, but not desperate. They focus on
what really matters in life: friends, family and successful careers.46
Original research conducted with men living in the Washington, D.C.
region conclude that product quality is the key factor that influences their
purchase decisions. Proper fit is the primary reason those surveyed do not like
their current suits and why they would purchase a custom suit. Facebook and
Instagram are the main apps they use on a daily basis, radio stations they listen to
most are 99.5 and 107.3 and publications read the most are GQ, Forbes and The
New York Times. The group surveyed also enjoy social activities such as happy
hours and wine and beer tastings in addition to attending local sporting events.
2. Wealthy women with partners in the Washington, D.C. Area
This group is the primary decision makers in their household and have the
most influence on their husbands, partners and children regarding purchases and
clothing attire. This group ranges in age from 35-60+ years old and cares greatly
about their appearance, health and career. These mature luxury consumers place a
higher priority in making memories and experiences than on price and other
shopping features. They don’t buy things to have more things; they want the
46
Jarvis, Joe. Interview with trunk club CEO brian spaly, part one. in Trunk Club [database online]. 2013 [cited June
25 2016]. Available from https://www.trunkclub.com/blog/brian-spaly-interview-trunk-club-ceo.
13 | P a g e
experience to go along with it. Luxury consumers expect superior quality and are
extremely discerning.47
Wealthy boomer women are the marquee players in our country’s culture
and commerce, they are educated with a high disposable income. Women who are
50 and over and whose children have left the house spend an average of 2.5 times
the average person.48
Affluent working women with personal incomes of
$150,000 or more are growing in number. About half are now considered heavy
users of the Internet, while heavy use of radio, television, newspapers and direct
mail has declined within this group.49
Women account for 85% of all consumer
purchases and represent the majority of the online market. 76% want to be part of
a special or select panel and 80% would solidify their brand loyalty. Women spent
80% of all sport apparel dollars and controlled 60% of all money spent on men’s
clothing.50
3. Luxury Media and Fashion & Lifestyle Bloggers
This key public will help control the message Trunk Club wants to convey
to the public and help establish Trunk Club as a leader in the custom clothing and
styling sectors in Washington, D.C. According to Technorati, blogs rank among
the top five “most trustworthy” sources of information on the internet.51
They are
style and fashion leaders with large followings as they are expected to be in the
know on the best companies and products in this industry. They will be targeted
to help Trunk Club reach a greater audience they have not been able to tap yet.
They publish and report on stories in the Washington, D.C., Maryland and
Virginia metropolitan area. Ages range from 25-60 years old and include fashion
magazine editors, male and female fashion and lifestyle bloggers, reporters and
writers who work for publications including but not limited to; Washingtonian
Magazine, Capitol File, DC Magazine, Daily Candy, Washington Life, WTOP,
NPR.
BRAND POSITIONING & FRAMING
Trunk Club is a brand known for its high-quality and exceptional service. They
are positioned as an exceptional choice for those who are limited on time, and want an
easy, convenient way to get a stylish wardrobe that will set their clients up for success.
They have quietly expanded into several other markets since their launch in Chicago
including Washington, D.C. in 2014 and most recently began offering its men’s custom
clothing line in mid-summer 2015. They have not put a lot of marketing efforts into
promoting their brand publicly in the area. The D.C. office would benefit from stronger
social media and community outreach initiatives to brand themselves as the ideal
47
Holland, Stephanie. Marketing to women quick facts. in She-conomy [database online]. 2016 [cited June 25 2016].
Available from http://she-conomy.com/facts-on-women. 48
ibid 49
ibid 50
ibid 51
Weinberg, Tamar. 12 ways brands can collaborate with influential bloggers. in Hubspot [database online]. 2015
[cited July 29 2016]. Available from http://blog.hubspot.com/agency/collaborate-influential-
bloggers#sm.000ei2ffh3u7ddv11m32f29csc82q.
14 | P a g e
luxurious choice for busy business men on the go and wealthy women who make
majority of the household purchase decisions.
This plan will use the following frames and cues to attract key publics to use Trunk Club:
Reputation –Trunk Club gives its customers the sharp image that sets them apart
from the crowd and helps them excel in their career and personal goals. Trunk
Club matches the lifestyle and values of its clients.
Credibility –Trunk Club is a trust worthy brand with a vast selection of high-
quality brands and personal stylists that really care about making its customer
look good. Trunk Club strives to continue to build their credibility that they are
giving their clients the best for what they are paying for.
Attributes –Trunk Club’s stylists, personal touch, high-end brands, high-quality
service and clubhouse like experience are its unique attributes that sets them apart
from its competitors. Showcase how great you will look in something custom
made to fit your specific body type.
These frames will be triggered through touching people’s emotions and desire to look
good while also saving themselves time to spend on the more important things in life.
They will also target people who are career and business focused that want to excel in
their careers.
MESSAGING
All Audiences
Primary: Shop at Trunk Club, a leader in the custom clothing industry to get the
highest quality fabrics, cuts and products to ensure you look your best every day.
o Secondary: Private appointments will give customers the chance to learn
about where fabrics come from, how they are made and how to create the
most comfortable suit possible.
o Secondary: The inventory is bigger and better with Nordstrom’s partner
brands now added.
o Secondary: Our stylists are on call any time you need them through text,
email, call or through social media and our app you have wardrobe options
at your fingertips.
Primary: Experience the luxury of selecting handmade fabrics to customize
you/your partners’ wardrobe for all their style needs.
o Secondary: At Trunk Club you will receive a new level of experience that
you wont forget. Touch and feel the fabrics, sift through our look books
and relax with your favorite beverage from our bar while asking our
stylists anything you would like.
o Secondary: We want you to have the best shopping experience you have
ever had. Trunk Club takes personal requests for whatever would make
your time more enjoyable.
15 | P a g e
35-60 year old business men
Primary: Trunk Club wants to make your life easier. You lead a busy life and your
time is important - take the guess work and time out of choosing your wardrobe
and leave it to Trunk Club Custom.
o Secondary: Trunk Club knows you value your time and is committed to
providing you a personal stylist who chooses the best selected clothing
based on your preferences so you can spend your time on more important
things in life.
o Secondary: With the Trunk Club App you can send your stylists new
clothing ideas with the click of a button.
Primary: Invest in your future. When you look good, you feel good. Let Trunk
Club set you up for success, with custom fit clothing you will feel comfortable
enough in to enhance your performance in any meeting or event you attend.
o Secondary: With the 26 precise measurements taken for a custom fit suit
you are setting yourself up for success and even your next promotion.
o Secondary: Top businessmen and CEOs in the area use Trunk Club as
their primary clothing choice, you should too.
Wealthy women with partners in the Washington, D.C. area
Primary: If you want your man to look better for their big meeting or event and
they are too busy to go to the store with you trust Trunk Club to handle it.
o Secondary: Trunk Club stylists will pick out outfits so you don’t have too,
the ease and comfort of knowing you are well taken care of is worth it.
o Secondary: You can text your stylist any piece of clothing you see on the
street or online, even in a magazine and they will find it and have it
shipped right to you in no time.
o Secondary: Trunk Club custom is the best choice for weddings and special
events to make sure your man will look his best without looking like
everyone else.
Primary: Make shopping a new type of experience you and your friends can enjoy
mixing together a night out with friends and shopping for your significant others.
o Secondary: Enjoy Happy Hour at the Trunk Club showroom with your
friends. While you enjoy drinks your stylists will pick out clothes for you
to try on while teaching you about the newest trends for the season.
o Secondary: Never go to the mall and deal with crowds again, at Trunk
Club you can sit back and relax while you shop. The stress free experience
you have always wanted.
Luxury Media & Bloggers
Primary: Build content for your blog or publication with specially curated outfits
by Trunk Club stylists.
o Secondary: Let our stylists pick out custom clothing shipped right to your
door to give your readers new and fresh recommendations for their outfits.
o Secondary: With the Trunk Club mobile app you have a stylist at your
fingertips 24/7. Exclusive features include the ability to request a trunk
and see your entire wardrobe with outfit suggestions from your stylist. It
16 | P a g e
Objectives: 1 & 2
Key Publics: All
Objective: All
Key Publics: All
lets clients know when their trunk has shipped, arrived and alerts your
stylist which items you are keeping and returning.
Primary: Give your readers the innovative styling experience they want with an
added service touch unlike any other brand.
o Secondary: Stylists aren’t commission based like other large department
stores giving them full ability to help the client without worrying about
their bottom line.
o Secondary: Trunk Club is focused on providing the best brands and
products for its clients. The custom department is always finding new and
trendy fabrics and cuts to improve the quality and fit of each suit.
STRATEGIES & TACTICS
The following strategies and tactics are the key components in this plan that will help to
accomplish the established objectives and overall goal.
Strategy 1: Increase online conversations of Trunk Club Custom
by positioning it as the first choice for custom clothing in the
Washington, D.C. market.
Create an online content calendar for the fall/winter 2016
and spring/summer 2017 seasons with original content to post on social media,
the website and blog that features Trunk Club stylist tips, interviews with top
customers and fun clothing facts.
Control the message by monitoring the online conversations weekly with google
analytics and alerts and by reaching out to local bloggers and social media leaders
with important Trunk Club information.
Invite popular reporters and bloggers with fashion beats to the Trunk Club office
for a styling appointment and interview to be featured on their site. Interview
bloggers to see what they think of Trunk Club Custom and post it on the TC blog
and social media channels.
Sponsor a series of promoted tweets to the Washington, D.C. market to encourage
key publics to view videos, visit the blog and follow Trunk Club Custom.
Strategy 2: Launch the #LoveTrunkClubCustom campaign for the fall/winter 2016 and
the spring/summer 2017 shopping seasons to increase awareness
of the custom department.
Host a campaign launch event at the Washington, D.C.
Trunk Club offices and invite bloggers, media and key
individuals in the D.C. social scene to the event.
Place the Trunk Club Elephant in different locations throughout D.C., Arlington,
Virginia and Bethesda, Maryland during rush hour and prime times with
information on the promotion to spark conversation and interest.
Curate custom Instagram and Facebook posts for the campaign using #love, the
most used hashtag on Instagram in conjunction with the full hashtag
#LoveTrunkClubCustom.
17 | P a g e
Objective: 3
Key Publics: 35-60
year old business men
Objective: 1
Key Publics: 35-60
year old business men
Create a weekly e-mail newsletter distribution during the campaign to generate
buzz and increase traffic to the website. Include sales promotions, curated content
from the blog, a call to action, videos, links and a social sharing button to all
social media sent out mid-week at 6:00am, the highest open rate. The e-mails will
be sent from a key individual in the D.C. office and each stylists personal
accounts with a call to action in subject line.
Create a press release and press kit about the campaign to distribute to all local
PR agencies and media.
Pass out campaign flyers and materials outside popular sporting events in the D.C.
area: Washington National games at Nationals Park, Wizards and Capitals games
at Verizon center, Redskins games at FedEx Field.
Host #LoveTrunkClubCustom bi-weekly happy hours and special holiday events
at the office inviting new customers and their friends to come meet with the
stylists and get tips and tricks to style their clothes and see the newest custom
trends and fabrics.
Strategy 3: Leverage the fall/spring conference seasons by
targeting business men at Washington, D.C. based corporate
headquarters to promote the custom line as the best choice for
their suiting and business attire needs.
Establish a gift promotion offering 10% off trunks as gifts
to entice companies to look to Trunk Club as a corporate gift option for
conferences and events.
Set appointments with local corporate headquarters event planning teams such as
Marriott International, Hilton, Capitol One, General Dynamics and Lockheed
Martin to pitch Trunk Club as a perfect corporate gift for their fall/spring
conferences.
Invite local corporate event planners into the TC offices to meet with the stylists,
preview the clothing and fabrics and learn more about the promotion.
Send corporate event planners promotional materials in the form of a mini trunk
with important information on the custom line and overall trunk club, styling tips
and a metal Trunk Club elephant paper weight.
Strategy 4: Target business men in the Washington, D.C. market
through LinkedIn to increase traffic to the Trunk Club website and
app.
Offer business men on LinkedIn 15% off their first custom
purchase during the months of September through
November.
Place premium display ads on LinkedIn targeted to 35-60 year old business men
in the D.C. area. Share direct sponsored content with the targeted audience on LinkedIn.
Identify, friend and interact with targeted potential customers on LinkedIn.
Create a LinkedIn Group and join several groups on LinkedIn to network and
promote the offering. Include key words, links to the TCC blog and website and
send messages a few times a week to increase interactions.
18 | P a g e
Objectives: 1, 3 & 4
Key Publics: Wealthy
women with partners in the
Washington, D.C. area.
Objectives: 1 & 3
Key Publics: Wealthy
women with partners in the
Washington, D.C. area.
Invite top Trunk Club custom stylists and ambassadors to feature a write up about
the custom department and promotion on their LinkedIn pages.
Produce fun and informative surveys on the Custom LinkedIn page for followers
to take. Once they complete the survey they will receive an additional 3% off the
15% offering for the promotion.
Strategy 5: Educate wealthy women with partners in the
Washington, D.C. area on the unique features of Trunk Club
Custom by partnering with local celebrities to become Trunk
Club brand ambassadors.
Create a Trunk Club ambassador series {featuring: popular D.C. bloggers,
Instagram celebs and D.C. socialites} on social media for the ambassadors to
share stories and key facts about Trunk Club custom clothing on their social
media accounts. The Trunk Club custom accounts, its regular account and all
stylists will re-post the series on their accounts to gain additional reach. *Ambassadors are popular socialites and fashion individuals in the area with a
high following on social media, they are not top celebrities. Services of the
ambassadors will include: Social media and blog posts, use of name and select
appearances during the calendar time frame.
**See Appendix E for list of potential ambassadors. Host three VIP happy hour events at the Trunk Club D.C. office with the brand
ambassadors and stylists.
Host a special fall preview party to promote the custom clothing line with styling
and beauty features. Partner with DryBar, Equinox, Erwin Gomez at Karma
Beauty Lounge and Georgetown Cupcake for the event. Invite the target audience
and their friends to come in, get pampered, and learn about TCC and the seasons
trends. Encourage guests to post reviews and photos on their account with the
#TrunkClubCustomDC.
Host weekly twitter chats with local celebrities and important individuals in the
D.C. social scene with large followings about Trunk Club custom, styling and fall
fashion.
Develop a weekly series of blog posts featuring each brand ambassador on the
Trunk Club blog highlighting fun and interesting facts about them and what they
love most about Trunk Club custom. Include information on the fabrics and
styling tips and tricks.
Establish a team of stylists for each brand ambassador to meet with weekly and
establish best practices on how to promote the custom line in unique and creative
ways.
Create a D.C. specific Twitter and Instagram account to target local customers.
Strategy 6: Leverage the Nordstrom's rewards points program to
increase visibility and custom appointments to the Trunk Club
offices.
Offer Nordstrom rewards customers the following
promotion: For the month of October any purchase made
19 | P a g e
Objective: 1, 2 & 3
Key Publics: 35-60 business
men & wealthy women with
partners in the D.C. area
Objective: 3
Key Publics: Luxury Media
and Fashion & Lifestyle
bloggers
at Trunk Club you will receive triple Nordstrom rewards points from your
purchase. Nordstrom reward points can also be used towards your first purchase
at Trunk Club.
Host 4 VIP events at Trunk Club to promote the Nordstrom rewards promotion,
invite current Nordstrom rewards customers that live in the Washington, D.C.
area.
Utilize Nordstrom’s status as one of the top three brands on Pinterest to create a
series of custom clothing boards for each type of style. Promote the hosted events
with these custom boards while linking it to other social media accounts
increasing traffic to Trunk Club Custom’s social media pages.
Create online and print advertisements to post in the Washington Post, The Hill,
Washingtonian Magazine, Capitol File, The Examiner.
Produce radio advertisements for the promotion to be aired on NPR stations and
all-news station WTOP.
Strategy 7: Launch an insider loyalty program for select
customers and media giving them first-hand information on
trends, promotions and secret custom features.
Create an email campaign positioning the program as a
way to change your style, be in the know on the seasons trends and best ways to
dress and get discounts on the custom lines.
Host a VIP media event for local media and bloggers to meet with stylists and
learn about new trends and promotions. Use this time to gain opinions and
suggestions on what items are best to feature for the program.
Include a section for the program on the app and website updating members on
their points and upcoming promotions.
Set up a database of local popular media/bloggers a month before the program
begins. Friend and follow the individuals at least three weeks before the outreach
beings.
Set up group styling appointments for insiders and their friends to preview and
pre-order custom clothing with the next seasons fabric and cut trends. Encourage
insiders to share and post on social media.
Partner with local business that the Trunk Club customer frequents to offer
additional promotions as part of the insider program such as Vida Fitness and
popular D.C. restaurants.
Strategy 8: Engage local bloggers and media to raise awareness
of the Trunk Club custom fall/winter 2016 and spring/summer
2017 lines.
Host a blogger and media preview of the 2016
Fall/Winter lines in August and the 2017 spring/summer
2017 lines in December.
Invite several local blogs and D.C. magazines and newspapers {DCist, Thrillist,
Bisnow, Guest of a Guest, Washingtonian Magazine, Capitol File} to attend the
event with stylists and top Trunk Club employees in attendance. Encourage
20 | P a g e
Objective: 1 & 4
Key Publics: Luxury Media
and Fashion & Lifestyle
bloggers
product reviews and social media posts with the hashtag
#trunkclubcustommediapreview.
Sponsor three social media posts about the event from bloggers who attended with
the highest followings.
Hand out swag bags with important information on each line, sample fabrics,
promotional gifts from partners and discounts.
Offer bloggers who attend and blog about the event 50% off one custom article of
clothing.
Partner with bloggers who attended to promote a group giveaway, 50% off one
custom article of clothing for 10 people, one per blogger site. This giveaway will
be posted by all bloggers on the same day and collected through the same
platform for maximum exposure.
Strategy 9: Solicit local popular bloggers to partner with Trunk
Club stylists to teach them the best ways to promote their
services and the custom line to the public.
Conduct a social media training for the stylists run by the
blogger ambassadors to teach them what to post and
when, what attracts customers the most to companies and products, and best
practices for promoting a business online.
Ask bloggers to feature stylist profiles on their blogs or partner blogs with
outfit/product reviews of what the stylists put together for them.
Invite fashion bloggers to come in to be a guest stylist for a few days and write
about their experience. Sponsor their post if needed to get the bloggers to
participate.
Host a blogger styling event. Invite local key publics and customers to come in
for a VIP event to be styled by popular fashion blogger in the Washington, D.C.
area and have a chance to be featured on their blog.
Invite the bloggers do a guest post on the Trunk Club Custom blog.
21 | P a g e
The following calendar is suggested to be used when implementing the strategies and
tactics outlined in this plan. It is organized by key public, strategies and then the tactics
for each strategy. The calendar can and should be adapted based on current events, any
conflicts within the department as well as lead-times and planning.
2016 2017
AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR
ALL PUBLICS
STRATEGY 1: Increase online conversations of Trunk Club Custom by positioning it as the first choice for custom clothing in the
Washington, D.C. market.
Create an online content calendar for the 16/17
seasons.
Monitor online conversations weekly with google
analytics and alerts + reach out to local bloggers and
social media leaders with important info. on TC/
Invite reporters and bloggers with fashion beats to
come to TC for a styling appointment and interview
to be featured on their site + interview the bloggers
and post on the TC blog and social media channels.
Sponsor a series of promoted tweets to the D.C.
market to encourage key publics to view videos, visit
the blog and follow Trunk Club custom.
STRATEGY 2: Launch the #LoveTrunkClubCustom campaign for the fall/winter 2016 and the spring/summer 2017 shopping
seasons to increase awareness of the custom department.
Host a campaign launch event at the D.C. offices.
Invite bloggers, media and key individuals in the
D.C. social scene to the event.
Place the TC elephant in different locations
throughout D.C., Arlington and Bethesda during rush
hour and prime times with information on the
promotion to spark conversation and interest.
Curate custom Instagram and Facebook posts for the
campaign using #love with #LoveTrunkClubCustom.
Create a weekly e-mail newsletter distribution during
the campaign to generate buzz and increase traffic to
the website sent out Wed. mornings at 6:00am.
Create a press release and press kit about the
campaign, distribute to local PR agencies and media.
Pass out flyers and campaign materials outside
popular sporting events.
Host #LoveTrunkClubCustom bi-weekly happy
hours and special holiday events at the office inviting
new customers and their friends.
Every
other
Thurs.
Every
other
Thurs
Every
other
Thurs
1st 3
thurs. +
holiday event on
19th
Every
other
Thurs
Every
other
Thurs + Vday
event on
the 13th
35-60 YEAR OLD BUISNESS MEN
STRATEGY 3: Leverage the fall/spring conference seasons by targeting business men at Washington, D.C. based corporate
headquarters to promote the custom line as the best choice for their suiting and business attire needs
Establish a gift promotion offering 10% off trunks
as corporate gifts for conferences and events.
Set appointments with local corporate headquarters
CALENDAR
22 | P a g e
event planning teams to pitch Trunk Club as a
perfect corporate gift for their fall/spring
conferences.
Invite local corporate event planners into the TC
offices to meet with the stylists, preview the clothing
and fabrics and learn more about the promotion.
Send corporate event planners promotional materials
in the form of a mini trunk.
STRATEGY 4: Target business men in the Washington, D.C. market through LinkedIn to increase traffic to the Trunk Club
website and app.
Offer business men on LinkedIn 15% off their first
custom purchase during the months of September
through November.
Place premium display ads on LinkedIn targeted to
35-60 year old business men in the D.C. area.
Share direct sponsored content with the targeted
audience on LinkedIn.
Identify, friend and interact with targeted potential
customers on LinkedIn.
Create a LinkedIn Group and join several groups on
LinkedIn. Send messages a few times a week to
increase interactions.
Invite top Trunk Club custom stylists and
ambassadors to feature a write up about the custom
department and promotion on their LinkedIn pages.
Produce fun and informative survey’s on the Custom
LinkedIn page for followers to take.
WEALTHY WOMEN WITH PARTNER IN THE WASHINGTON, D.C. AREA
STRATEGY 5: Educate wealthy women with partners in the Washington, D.C. area on the unique features of Trunk Club Custom
by partnering with local celebrities to become Trunk Club brand ambassadors.
Create a Trunk Club ambassador series on social
media for the ambassadors to share stories and key
facts about Trunk Club custom clothing on their
social media accounts.
Host three VIP happy hour events at the TC office
with the brand ambassadors and stylists.
Host a special fall preview party to promote the
custom clothing line with styling and beauty
features. Encourage guests to post reviews and
photos on their account with the
#TrunkClubCustomDC
Host weekly twitter chats with local celebrities and
important individuals in the D.C. social scene with
large followings about Trunk Club custom, styling
and fall fashion.
Develop a weekly series of blog posts featuring each
brand ambassador on the Trunk Club blog.
Establish a team of stylists for each brand
ambassador to meet with weekly and establish best
practices on how to promote the custom line in
unique and creative ways.
Create a D.C. specific Twitter and Instagram account
to target local customers.
STRATEGY 6: Leverage the Nordstrom's rewards points program to increase visibility and custom appointments to the Trunk
Club offices
23 | P a g e
Offer Nordstrom rewards customers the following
promotion: For the month of October any purchase
made at Trunk Club you will receive triple
Nordstrom rewards points from your purchase.
Nordstrom reward points can also be used towards
your first purchase at Trunk Club.
Host 4 VIP events at Trunk Club to promote the
Nordstrom rewards promotion, invite current
rewards customers in the D.C. area.
Utilize Nordstrom’s status as one of the top three
brands on Pinterest to create a series of custom
clothing boards for each type of style. Promote the
hosted events with these custom boards while linking
it to other social media accounts increasing traffic to
Trunk Club Custom’s social media pages.
Create online and print advertisements to post in the
Washington Post, The Hill, Washingtonian
Magazine, Capitol File, The Examiner.
Produce radio advertisements for the promotion to be
played on NPR and WTOP.
35-60 BUSINESS MEN & WEALTHY WOMEN WITH PARTNERS IN THE WASHINGTON, D.C. AREA
STRATEGY 7: Launch an insider loyalty program for select customers and media giving them first-hand information on trends,
promotions and secret custom features
Create an email campaign positioning the program as
a way to change your style, be in the know on the
seasons trends and best ways to dress and get
discounts on the custom lines.
Host a VIP media event for local media and bloggers
to meet with stylists and learn about new trends and
promotions.
Include a section for the program on the app and
website updating members on their points and
upcoming promotions.
Set up a database of local popular media/bloggers a
month before the program begins. Friend and follow
the individuals at least three weeks before the
outreach beings.
Set up group styling appointments for insiders and
their friends to preview and pre-order custom
clothing with the next seasons fabric and cut trends.
Partner with local business that the Trunk Club
customer frequents to offer additional promotions as
part of the insider program such as Vida Fitness and
popular D.C. restaurants.
LUXURY MEDIA AND FASHION & LIFESTYLE BLOGGERS
STRATEGY 8: Engage local bloggers and media to raise awareness of the Trunk Club custom fall/winter 2016 and spring/summer
2017 lines.
Host a blogger and media preview of the 2016
Fall/Winter lines in August and the 2017
spring/summer 2017 lines in December.
Invite several local blogs and D.C. magazines and
newspapers to attend the event with stylists and top
Trunk Club employees in attendance.
Sponsor three social media posts about the event
from bloggers who attended with the highest
24 | P a g e
followings.
Hand out swag bags with important information on
each line, sample fabrics, promotional gifts from
partners and discounts.
Offer bloggers and media who attend and blog about
the event 50% off one custom article of clothing.
Partner with bloggers who attended to promote a
group giveaway, 50% off one custom article of
clothing for 10 people, one per blogger site. This
giveaway will be posted by all bloggers on the same
day and collected through the same platform for
maximum exposure.
STRATEGY 9: Solicit local popular bloggers to partner with Trunk Club stylists to teach them the best ways to promote their
services and the custom line to the public.
Conduct a social media training for the stylists run
by the blogger ambassadors to teach them what to
post and when, what attracts customers the most to
companies and products, and best practices for
promoting a business online.
Ask bloggers to feature stylist profiles on their blogs
or partner blogs with outfit/product reviews of what
the stylists put together for them.
Invite fashion bloggers to come in to be a guest
stylist for a few days and write about their
experience. Sponsor their post if needed to get the
bloggers to participate.
Host a blogger styling event. Invite local key publics
and customers to come in for a VIP event to be
styled by popular fashion blogger.
Invite the bloggers do a guest post on the Trunk Club
Custom blog.
25 | P a g e
The budget below reflects the cost of the proposed strategies and tactics of this plan. To
implement this plan it is recommended to have a PR agency staff dedicated to the plan for
20 – 30 hours a week during the nine months of the plan. The nine month retainer fee is
budgeted at $10,000 with the additional of labor hours at $150. Hours will range based on
the calendar events.
Quantity Cost per Item Sponsored
Credit Final Projected
Cost ALL PUBLICS Strategy 1: Increase online conversations of Trunk Club custom by positioning it as the first choice for custom clothing in the
Washington, D.C. market. Create an online content calendar for the fall/winter 16
and spring/summer 17 seasons. 4 Labor Hours $150 $0 $600
Control the message by monitoring online conversations
weekly with google analytics Premium subscription.
(can use their free option however its not as easy to navigate
and may not get what you want out of it.)
1 $50,000/6
months $0 $50,000
Invite reporters & bloggers to come for a styling appt. and
interview to be featured on their site + to put on the TC
blog and social media channels.
($100 per sponsored post)
5 $100 $0 $500
Sponsor a series of promoted tweets to the D.C. market
about TC custom.
(est. 50cents to $10+)
1 tweet per
day/ 12 weeks
= 84
$5/tweet $0 $420
Strategy 1 Total: $51,520 Strategy 2: Launch the #LoveTrunkClubCustom campaign for the fall/winter 2016 and spring/summer 2017 shopping seasons to
increase awareness of the custom department. Host a campaign launch event at the TC offices.
200 guests – entertainment, décor and gifts from TC.PR labor
hours included in total cost.
(Alcohol and Food sponsored by local companies)
1 $10,000 $25,000 $10,000
Place the Trunk Club elephant in different locations
throughout D.C. during prime times with information on
the promotion.
*Cost includes extra-large elephant with content printed on it
and moving/mounting fees at each location.
1 $5,000 $0 $5,000
Create custom Instagram & facebook posts for the
campaign using #love and #LoveTrunkClubCustom
Cost for creative deliverables and design hours.
20 $200 $0 $4,000
Create a weekly email newsletter distribution during the
campaign with promos, curated content, etc.
Internal TC design team creates these at no additional cost.
36 weeks $0 $0 $0
Create a press release and press kit about the campaign.
Cost for labor/creative design.
4 labor hours $150 $0 $600
Pass out flyers and campaign materials at popular
sporting events in the D.C. area.
Cost of creative design and labor hours - $300 + labor hours
15 events
2 hours of
labor per event
= 30 hours
$150
+$300 fee for
design
$0 $4,800
Host #LoveTrunkClubCustom bi-weekly happy hours and
holiday events.
A portion of the F&B for each to be sponsored by local
20 Happy
Hours
2 hours of
$250 per HH
$150 per labor
hour
$250 $5,000 per HH
$6,000/labor
BUDGET
26 | P a g e
companies. labor per event
= 40 hours Strategy 2 Total $35,400
35-60 YEAR OLD BUSINESS MEN Strategy 3: Leverage the fall/winter & spring/summer conference seasons by targeting business men at Washington, D.C. based
corporate headquarters to promote the custom line as the best choice for their suiting and business attire needs. Establish a gift promotion offering 10% off trunks as gifts.
No cost to TC as the actual cost to TC for this discount wont
affect their bottom line.
1 $0 $0 $0
Set-up appointments with local corporate headquarters
event planning teams to pitch the corporate gift option.
(labor hours to set and meet appointments)
8 Appt.
10 labor hours $150/labor $0 $1,500
Invite local corporate event planners to the TC offices to
meet with stylists, preview clothing and see the season
lines.
50 local event
planners $0 $0 $0
Send local corporate event planners promotional
materials in the form of a mini trunk with fun materials
and gifts.
50 planners $80 per gift $0 $4,000
Strategy 3 Total $5,500 Strategy 4: Target business men in the Washington, D.C. market through LinkedIn to increase traffic to the Trunk Club website
and app. Offer business men on LinkedIn 15% off their first
custom purchase during the months of Sept. through Nov.
No cost to TC as the actual cost to TC for this discount wont
affect their bottom line.
Varies based
on who takes
the offer.
$0 $0 $0
Place Premium Display Ads on LinkedIn targeted to this
key public.
Based on cost per click. LinkedIn minimum budget of $10.day
for users.
2 days per
week for 20
weeks
$50/day $0 $1,000
Share direct sponsored content with the targeted audience
on LinkedIn. 3 months $3,000 $0 $9,000
Identify, friend and interact with targeted potential
customers on LinkedIn. As many as
possible $0 $0 $0
Create a LinkedIn group and join several groups on
LinkedIn to network and promote the offering. Interact
and send messages 5 times a week to increase interactions.
Varies $0 $0 $0
Invite top Trunk Club custom stylists and ambassadors to
feature write ups about the custom department on their
LinkedIn pages
50 $0 $0 $0
Produce fun and informative surveys on the Custom
LinkedIn page for followers to take. Once they complete
the survey they will receive an additional 3% off the 15%
offering.
Creative design materials and labor hours = $150 per hour
+$500 creative fee
50 surveys
throughout
the 9 month
plan
20 labor
hours
$150/labor
hour
$500 creative
fee
$0 $3,000
$500
Strategy 4 Total $13,500 WEALTHY WOMEN WITH PARTNERS IN THE WASHINGTON, D.C. AREA Strategy 5: Educate wealthy women with partners in the Washington, D.C. area on the unique features of Trunk Club Custom by
partnering with local celebrities to become Trunk Club ambassadors.
Create a Trunk Club ambassador series on social media
for the ambassadors to share stories and key facts about
TCC on their social media accounts.
*Celebrities are popular socialites and fashion individuals in
the area with a high following on social media, they are not
top celebrities. Services of the ambassadors will include:
5 ambassadors $8,000 $0 $40,000
27 | P a g e
Social media and blog posts, use of name and select
appearances during the calendar time frame. Host three VIP happy hour events at the Trunk Club D.C.
office with brand ambassadors and stylists.
(Creative design for invite - $200 + 2 labor hours per event)
3 events – 6
labor hours
$500/ event
$150/labor hour
$200 creative
$200 $1,500
$900
$200
Host a special fall preview party to promote the custom
line with styling and beauty features. Partner with
DryBar, Equinox, Erwin Gomez at Karma Beauty Lounge
and Georgetown Cupcake.
($200 creative invite design + labor hours)
1 party
1 invite design
6 labor hours +
4 team
members
$10,000
$200
$150/labor hour
x 4 people
$10,000 $10,000
$200
$3,600
Host weekly twitter chats with local celebrities and imp.
Individuals in the D.C. social scene with large followings.
39 weeks $0 $0 $0
Develop a weekly series of blog posts featuring each brand
ambassador highlighting fun and interesting facts about
them and what they love about TCC.
(Conducted by TC employee, no additional labor hours)
39 weeks $0 $0 $0
Establish a team of stylists for each brand ambassador to
meet with weekly and establish best practices on how to
promote the custom line.
1 $0 $0 $0
Create D.C. specific Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
accounts to target local customers.
(PR staff to create and run = 3 hours per week x 36 weeks)
3 accounts
108 labor
hours
$150 $0 $16,200
Strategy 5 Total $72,600 Strategy 6: Leverage Nordstrom’s rewards points program to increase visibility and custom appointments to the Trunk Club
offices.
Offer Nordstrom rewards customers the following
promotion: For the month of October any purchase made
at TC you will receive triple Nordstrom rewards points on
your purchases. Nordstrom rewards pts can also be used
towards your first purchase at Trunk Club.
*Assuming there is a cost for these points. Total cost to TC
will very based on how many individuals use the offer.
1 promotion $5,000
$0 $5,000
Host 4 VIP events at Trunk Club to promote the
promotion. Invite current Nordstrom rewards customers
in the area.
*Partner with local Nordstrom stores to pay for the events.
*Labor hours = 3 hours per event.
4 events
12 labor hours
$2,000/event
$150/labor hour
$2,000 $8,000
$1,800
Utilize Nordstrom’s status as one of the top three brands
on Pinterest to create a series of custom clothing boards
for each type of style. Promote the boards on social media.
*Task a TC social media team member to do this for no cost.
10 boards $0 $0 $0
Create online and print advertisements to post in the
Washington Post, The Hill, Washingtonian Magazine,
Capitol File and the Examiner.
*Creative design $2,000 for all adds
10 ads $1,000 avg.
$2,000/creative
$0 $10,000
$2,000
Produce radio advertisements for the promotion to be
played on NPR and WTOP.
*3 month agreement
*$10,000 to create the ads
2 ads $5,000
$10,000
creative
$0 $10,000
$10,000
Strategy 6 Total $46,800 35-60 YEAR OLD BUISNESS MEN + WEALTHY WOMEN WITH PARTNERS IN THE D.C. AREA Strategy 7: Launch an insider program for select customers and media giving them first-hand information on trends, promotions
and secret custom features. Create an e-mail campaign positioning the program as a
way to change your style, be in the know on trends and get
10 labor hours
10 emails $150/labor
$500 creative $0 $1,500
$500
28 | P a g e
discounts.
$500 creative for email + 10 labor hours Host a VIP media event for local media and bloggers to
meet with stylists and learn about the new trends.
1 event
10 labor hours $5,000/event
$150/labor $0 $5,000
$1,500 Include a section for the program on the app and website
that updates members on their points and upcoming
promotions.
1 $0 $0 $0
Set Up a database of local popular bloggers and media a
month before the program begins. Friend/follow the
individuals three weeks before launch.
Varies
10 labor hours $150 $0 $1,500
Set up group styling appointments for insiders and their
friends to preview and pre-order the custom clothing.
*Cost for food and beverage and a small gift. A portion of the
F&B is sponsored by local companies.
20 group
appointments
$200 $200 $4,000
Partner with local businesses that the Trunk Club
customer frequents to offer additional promotions as part
of the insider program such as Vida Fitness and popular
local restaurants.
(Trunk Club staff tasked with this at no additional cost)
10 promotions $0 $200 $0
Strategy 7 Total $14,000 LUXURY MEDIA AND FASHION & LIFESTYLE BLOGGERS Strategy 8: Engage local bloggers and media to raise awareness of the Trunk Club custom fall/winter 2016 and spring/summer
2017 lines. Host a blogger and media preview of the custom lines in
August and December.
$200 creative invite design
2 events
10 labor hours $5,000
$150/labor hour
$200 creative
$0 $5,000
$1,500
$200 Invite several local blogs, magazines and newspaper media
to attend the event. Encourage product reviews and social
media posts with the #trunkclubcustommediapreview
100 guests $0 $0 $0
Sponsor three social media posts about the event from
bloggers who attend with the highest followings.
*Flat fee of $1,000 per post
3 $1,000 $0 $3,000
Hand out swag bags with important information, sample
fabrics and fun gifts/promotions from partners. 100 $75 $100 $7,500
Offer bloggers and media who attend and blog about the
event 50% off one custom article of clothing.
*Charge to Trunk Club offices vary based on how many use
this promotion. This would exceed production costs equaling
a cost to the office.
50 $10,000 $0 $10,000
Partner with bloggers to promote a group giveaway, 50%
off one custom article of clothing for 10 people, one per
blogger site.
10 people $5,000 $0 $5,000
Strategy 8 Total $32,200 Strategy 9: Solicit local popular bloggers to partner with Trunk Club stylists to teach them the best ways to promote their services
and the custom line to the public. Conduct a social media training for the stylists run by the
blogger ambassadors teaching them what to post and
when, etc.
*Blogger ambassador fees part of the $8,000 per ambassador
in Strategy #5
1 training $0 $0 $0
Ask bloggers to feature stylist profiles on their blogs or
partner blogs with outfit/product reviews of what they put
together for them.
5 posts $500 $0 $2,500
Invite fashion bloggers to come in to be a guest stylist for a
few days and write about their experiences. Sponsor their
5 posts $1,000 $0 $5,000
29 | P a g e
post about the experience. Host a blogger styling event. Invite local key publics and
customer to come in for a VIP event to be styled by a
popular fashion blogger.
*$500 creative invite design
1 event
8 labor hours $5,000
$500
$150/labor hour
$0 $5,000
$500
$1,200
Invite bloggers to do a guest post on the Trunk Club
custom blog.
*part of the $8,000 ambassador fee from Strategy #5
5 $0 $0 $0
Strategy 9 Total $14,200
GRAND TOTAL $295,720
EVALUATION The goals and objectives stated in this plan will be achieved by the strategies and tactics
outlined. To ensure the plan is successful, the following evaluation methods will be used.
Objective 1 Increase engagement on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn of
Trunk Club custom in the Washington, D.C. market by 25% by the end
of 2016.
Evaluation Utilize Twitter and Google Analytics tracking tools to monitor the
amount of retweets/reposts, replies, clicks and favorites the Trunk Club
twitter handle and other social media accounts have achieved from the
beginning to the end of this plan. Evaluate at the end of each month how
well the engagement is tracking based on increased followers and
interactions.
Conduct a survey of 1,000 local consumers and followers on social media
at the end of August before the fall/winter season begins to determine how
well Trunk Club custom is perceived. Conduct a second survey at the end
of the fall/winter 2016 season to determine if positive perceptions have
increased. Based on the differing results from the first and second survey
this plan will adjust its strategies and tactics for the Spring/Summer 2017
season to ensure engagement is increasing and the online conversations
are positive.
An analysis of the engagement on all social media accounts will be
conducted to determine which accounts are tracking better than others.
The plan will then adjust to increase or decrease their efforts based on
where the audience is engaging with Trunk Club the most. By determining
which accounts fare the best will give Trunk Club insight on their
audience demographics and the D.C. based market that they are attracting.
Objective 2 Generate ten to fifteen media placements about Trunk Club Custom in
local D.C. media outlets by March 2017.
30 | P a g e
Evaluation The calendar for this plan has outlined key times to generate media
placements throughout the fall/winter 2016 and spring/summer 2017
seasons. Media coverage will be tracked using Google Alerts and paid
media monitoring services. Social media activity, online conversations,
comments, social media impressions and audience shares will be analyzed
and a report drawn at the conclusion of the fall/winter 2016 season to
determine what needs to be adjusted for the spring/summer 2017 season.
Success will be determined by how the public conversation is leaning
towards Trunk Club, if engagement, followers and customers to the offices
has increased and if more than the goal of fifteen placements has been
published. The more talk of Trunk Club the better the mission of this plan
will be met.
The PR team on this plan will track daily conversations and online media
mentions. If any negative conversations or reviews are made they will
reach out to the authors and work to rectify the experience and change the
opinions of the writers to generate a more positive perception of the brand.
Objective 3 Host five VIP events and promotions for all audiences in the fall 2016
season from August to November.
Evaluation All new customers that come to the Trunk Club offices from August to
November will be asked in a survey how they heard about the D.C. office
and what made them want to come in for an appointment. Their responses
will be tracked by the PR consultant to determine if these new customers
are coming in from the VIP events and promotions conducted in this plan.
Social media activity will be tracked surrounding the promotions and VIP
events to see how many people are using the hashtags created and see if
there are increases to the trunkclub.com website, blog the app. Trunk Club
will conduct a survey at the conclusion of the LoveTrunkClubCustom
campaign to determine how successful this strategy and the tactics were
and if it should be modified for 2017 season.
Objective 4 Activate seven new Trunk Club custom ambassadors to assist and
motivate stylists in promoting Trunk Club Custom as the elite experience
in custom clothing by September 2016 for the start of fall/winter season.
Evaluation At the beginning of this plan a focus group will be conducted with Trunk
Club stylists to determine what they want to gain from an ambassador’s
help and what would make them successful. At the conclusion of the
fall/winter 2016 season a survey will be given to gauge how the
ambassadors did in motivating and assisting stylists in promoting Trunk
Club custom. Strategies and tactics will be adjusted for the spring/summer
2017 season based on these results.
31 | P a g e
Online ambassador favorability will be determined by analyzing the tone
of online conversations with Google Analytics and media placements
surrounding their participation at Trunk Club events and in their mentions
and blog posts about the custom department. If certain ambassadors are
not helping to meet the goals of this plan they will be replaced by other
more relatable individuals.
32 | P a g e
Appendix A: SWOT Analysis
Internal Strengths Internal Weaknesses
-high growth rate
-monetary assistance provided
-high profitability and revenue
-existing distribution and sales networks
-experienced business units
-diversification potential reduces overall
risk
-future profitability
-investments in research and development
-future debt rating
-brand recognition
-lack of differentiation from lower price
point competitors.
External Opportunities External Threats
-venture capital
-growing economy
-new markets
-income level is at a constant increase
-growth in social media and technology
-price changes
-government regulations
-increasing rates of interest
-competitor growth
-stylist turnover
Appendix B: Survey (Original Research)
A survey was conducted in June and July of 2016 using the online platform
SurveyMonkey. The surveys were delivered via Facebook and email and requested that
men living in the Washington, D.C. area answer ten questions about styling, their
shopping preferences, social media, social events and reading preferences. The results of
the survey are included below and give feedback from 27 Washingtonian Men.
APPENDICES
33 | P a g e
0 5 10 15 20
Snapchat
Tumblr
Haute Look
Series1
34 | P a g e
Radio
Other includes: 93.9, 95.5, 98.7, 103.5, The Highway on XM, XM 80s, FiveThirtyEight, VOX, Pandora, 106.7 Publications
Other includes: NPR, Cosmopolitan, CNBC, Golf Magazine, Cigar, Aff, Bridge Money – 1
*Other: Tennis
99.5
107.3
ESPN
97.1
101.1
Other
GQ
Men's Health
New York Times
Forbes
35 | P a g e
CREATIVE MATERIALS
APPENDIX C: Online Content Calendar for the Fall/Winter 2016 and Spring/Summer 2017
seasons. The September calendar can be duplicated for future months with tweaks to content.
SEPTEMBER 2016 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12 13
14
15
16
17
18
19 20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
Instagram Facebook Twitter Blog
What to wear to
brunch
All Social Channels
Sponsored tweet -
video Sponsored
tweet
Sponsored
tweet – Monday
blues
Sponsored
tweet
Sponsored
tweet
Sponsored
tweet – Happy
Hour options
Sponsored
tweet – Tuesday
Shoesday
Sponsored
tweet - video
Sponsored
tweet - video
Sponsored
tweet
Introduce
#lovetrunkclubcu
stom campaign
#lovetrunkclubc
ustom
campaign
#lovetrunkclubcu
stom
#lovetrunkclubcu
stom
#lovetrunkclubcu
stom
#lovetrunkclubcu
stom
#lovetrunkclubcu
stom
#lovetrunkclubc
ustom
#lovetrunkclubc
ustom
#lovetrunkclubc
ustom
#lovetrunkclubc
ustom
Introduce
Ambassador
Series
Chat with local
celeb
Chat with local
celeb
Chat with local
celeb
Chat with local
celeb
Chat with local
celeb
Post with
ambassador
Post with
ambassador
Post with
ambassador
Post with
ambassador
Nordstrom
Rewards Promo
Nordstrom
Rewards Promo
Nordstrom
Rewards Promo
Nordstrom
Rewards Promo
Nordstrom
Rewards Promo
Introduce
Insider Loyalty
Program
Sponsored
blogger post
Sponsored
blogger post
36 | P a g e
APPENDIX D: Mock Up of #LoveTrunkClubCustom campaign Instagram & Facebook Posts.
37 | P a g e
APPENDIX E: Mock Up – Invitation to the special fall preview party featuring the partnerships
with DryBar, Equinox, Erwin Gomez at Karma Beauty Lounge and Georgetown Cupcake.
38 | P a g e
APPENDIX F: The following is a list of popular D.C. blogs, bloggers, media, socialites and
power players in Washington, D.C. to utilize for strategies and tactics.
NAME AFFILIATION CATEGORY
1. Guest of a Guest Blog Media
2. Bisnow Media (The Scene, Real Estate, Tech)
Daily Newsletter Media
3. Corrie Sue Morris Bitches Who Brunch Blogger/Socialite
4. Woman Around Town Website/Blog Blogger
5. Mary Amons Real Housewives of D.C. Socialite
6. Lynda Erkiletian Real Housewives of D.C. Socialite
7. Cat Ommanney Real Housewives of D.C. Socialite
8. Stacie Scott Turner Real Housewives of D.C. Socialite
9. Liz Owens Cvent Account Manager Socialite
10. Angie Jusino President, The Madisons Socialite
11. The Madisons Exclusive Social Club of Philanthopists Socialites
12. Britt McHenry ABC 7 Sports Reporter Media
13. Cynne Simpson ABC 7 “Good Morning Washington” anchor Media
14. Ashley Taylor Wife of FedEx Heir Matt Bronczek Socialite
15. DCist Popular DC blog Blog
16. DC Style is Real Popular DC blog Blog
17. Huma Abedin Vice Chair, Hillary for America & major part of the 2016 election campaign.
D.C. Power Player
18. Katie Dowd Digital Director, Hillary for America & major part of the 2016 election campaign.
D.C. Power Player
19. Monling Lee Founder of popular DC Fashion Blog Color Index.
Blogger
20. Meg Biram Founder of DC’s Creative Collective Blogger
21. Meaghan Moynahan Founder of DC Blog District Sparkle and State Department official
Blogger
22. Rebecca Trosset Digital Marketing Specialist at The Washington Post also has a large Instagram following for her fashion posts.
Media & Socialite
23. Diego Gonzaalez-Zuniga Founder of DC men’s fashion & lifestyle blog Diego Downtown
Blogger
24. Tammy Preston Founder of DC fashion blog A Loyal Love Blogger
25. Steve Inskeep Host, NPR’s Morning Edition Media
26. David Greene Host, NPR’s Morning Edition Media
27. Sebastian Salazar Sports Reporter, News4 Washington Media
28. Chris Miles Sports Anchor, News4 Washington Media
29. Susan Hogan Consumer Reporter, News4 Washington Media
30. Steve Scully Political Editor and Morning Show Host, C-SPAN
Media
39 | P a g e
APPENDIX G: Mock-Up E-Mail for the Insider Loyalty Program
40 | P a g e
REFERENCES
Accenture. 2015. Adding value to parcel
delivery. https://www.accenture.com/t20151103T011715__w__/cn-
en/_acnmedia/Accenture/Conversion-
Assets/DotCom/Documents/Global/PDF/Dualpub_23/Accenture-Adding-Value-to-Parcel-
Delivery.pdf#zoom=50: Accenture, .
Alton Lane. Alton lane: How it works. in Alton Lane [database online]. 2016 [cited June 30 2016].
Available from http://www.altonlane.com/how-it-works/.
Bennett, Drake. Suitsupply: The 60-minute makeover. in Bloomberg News [database online]. 2013 [cited
June 8 2016]. Available from http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2013-11-07/suitsupply-
affordable-high-end-mens-suits-for-the-impatient-masses.
Bloomberg News. Company overview of trunk club, inc. in Bloomberg News [database online]. 2016
[cited July 1 2016]. Available
from http://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=105850660.
BusinessWire. Nordstrom fourth quarter and fiscal 2015 earnings in-line with expectations. in
BusinessWire [database online]. 2016 [cited August 7 2016]. Available
from http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160218006252/en/Nordstrom-Fourth-Quarter-
Fiscal-2015-Earnings-In-Line.
Cahill, Joe. Takeaways from trunk club's sale. in Crain's [database online]. 2014 [cited July 1 2016].
Available from http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20140801/BLOGS10/140739945/takeaways-
from-trunk-clubs-sale.
Dahl, Kieran. Making content fashionable: How trunk club connects to consumers through story. in
Contently [database online]. 2014 [cited June 5 2016]. Available
fromhttps://contently.com/strategist/2014/10/20/making-content-fashionable-how-trunk-club-
connects-with-consumers-through-story/.
Dallke, Jim. Watch trunk club's first national TV ad. in ChicagoInno [database online]. 2015 [cited June 5
2016]. Available from http://chicagoinno.streetwise.co/2015/10/05/watch-trunk-clubs-first-national-
tv-ad/.
———. Why chicago's trunk club bought a spot on the insanely popular serial podcast. in ChicagoInno
[database online]. 2014 [cited June 5 2016]. Available
from http://chicagoinno.streetwise.co/2014/12/11/serial-podcast-episode-11-trunk-club-joins-as-
sponsor/.
Elejalde-Ruiz, Alexia. Nordstrom paying $350 million for chicago's trunk club. in Chicago Tribune
[database online]. 2014 [cited July 1 2016]. Available
from http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-nordstrom-trunk-club-20140814-story.html.
Flanagan, Will. Trunk club partners with uber on stylish promotion. in ChicagoInno [database online].
chicagoinno.streetwise.co, 2015 [cited June 8 2016]. Available
fromhttp://chicagoinno.streetwise.co/2015/03/23/trunk-club-partners-with-uber-on-stylish-
promotion/.
Goody, Alice. 2016. The personal styling opportunity. Mintel: Womenswear, .
41 | P a g e
Holland, Stephanie. Marketing to women quick facts. in She-conomy [database online]. 2016 [cited June
25 2016]. Available from http://she-conomy.com/facts-on-women.
Jarvis, Joe. Interview with trunk club CEO brian spaly, part one. in Trunk Club [database online]. 2013
[cited June 25 2016]. Available from https://www.trunkclub.com/blog/brian-spaly-interview-trunk-
club-ceo.
Men's Journal. Best on-demand bespoke suits. in Men's Journal [database online]. 2016 [cited July 1 2016].
Available from http://www.mensjournal.com/expert-advice/best-on-demand-bespoke-suits-
20130816/alton-lane.
Mintel. 2016. Men's clothing - perception of stylishness and attitudes toward style. Mintel: Mintel, .
Morrison, Kimberlee. These are the 2016 digital trends consumers love (infographics). in AdWeek
[database online]. www.adweek.com, 2016 [cited June 15 2016]. Available
fromhttp://www.adweek.com/socialtimes/these-are-the-2016-digital-trends-consumers-love-
infographic/634774.
Office of Democrat Maloney, Carolyn B. 2015. The economic impact of the fashion industry. Joint
Economic Committee, United States Congress, .
Reid, Kelly. Chicago startup trunk club is distrupting the men's fashion industry. in Forbes [database
online]. forbes.com, 2012 [cited June 10 2016]. Available
from http://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyreid/2012/07/13/trunk-club/#126f2f3e5d83.
Rusonis, Shana. Trunk club increased mobile app conversions 43% by adding this step. in Optimizely
[database online]. 2015 [cited June 5 2016]. Available
from https://blog.optimizely.com/2015/09/30/mobile-app-conversions/.
Semtei, Erika. Are personalized styling services the future for retail? comparing stitch fix and trunk club. in
Crimson Hexagon [database online]. 2016 [cited July 1 2016]. Available
fromhttp://www.crimsonhexagon.com/blog/opinion/are-personalized-styling-services-the-future-for-
retail-comparing-stitch-fix-and-trunk-club/.
Smulders, Tammy. 10 new trends in fashion retail. in Luxury Daily [database online]. 2015 [cited June 20
2016]. Available from https://www.luxurydaily.com/10-new-trends-in-fashion-retail/.
Society for Human Resource Management. 2016. Metro economic outlook: Washington,
D.C. www.shrm.org: Society for Human Resource Management, .
Sweeney, Brigid. Trunk club's spaly: Nordstrom a 'gracious and handsome suitor'. in Crain's [database
online]. 2014 [cited June 25 2016]. Available
fromhttp://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20140731/NEWS07/140739959/trunk-clubs-spaly-
nordstrom-a-gracious-and-handsome-suitor.
SWOTanalysis24. Trunk club dynamic SWOT analysis - strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats of
trunk club. in SWOTanalysis24 [database online]. 2016 [cited June 5 2016]. Available
fromhttp://www.swotanalysis24.com/swot-t/112073-swot-analysis-trunk-club.html.
Tkaczyk, Christopher. One man's attempt at a style makeover. in Fortune [database online]. fortune.com,
2015 [cited July 1 2016]. Available from http://fortune.com/2015/10/12/trunk-club-mansion-style-
makeover/.
42 | P a g e
Trunk Club. Trunk club facebook. in Facebook [database online]. 2016 [cited June 30 2016]. Available
from https://www.facebook.com/trunkclub/.
———. Trunk club instagram. in Instagram [database online]. 2016 [cited July 10 2016]. Available
from https://www.instagram.com/trunkclub/?hl=en.
———. Trunk club pinterest. in Pinterest [database online]. 2016 [cited June 10 2016]. Available
from https://www.pinterest.com/TrunkClub/.
———. Trunk club twitter. in Twitter [database online]. 2016 [cited June 30 2016]. Available
from https://twitter.com/TrunkClub?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eaut
hor.
———. Trunk club: About us. in Trunk Club [database online]. 2016 [cited June 30 2016]. Available
from https://www.trunkclub.com/about.
———. Trunk club: FAQ's. in Trunk Club [database online]. trunkclub.com, 2016 [cited July 1 2016].
Available from https://www.trunkclub.com/help/how-much-does-a-trunk-cost.
Weinberg, Tamar. 12 ways brands can collaborate with influential bloggers. in Hubspot [database online].
2015 [cited July 29 2016]. Available from http://blog.hubspot.com/agency/collaborate-influential-
bloggers#sm.000ei2ffh3u7ddv11m32f29csc82q.
Zarya, Valentina. This online stylist is using big data to dress guys. in Fortune [database online]. 2016
[cited June 10 2016]. Available from http://fortune.com/tag/trunk-club/.