Consumers are so inundated with marketing and advertising pitches that they can start to shut down if you’re always trying to sell to them. Content marketing allows you to keep the door of communication open while reinforcing your brand and image. Here some ideas for content marketing strategies that you can use this year to improve engagement and ultimately drive sales.

1) Targeted, direct “snail” mailings
As the amount of online promotion and marketing campaigns increase, their effectiveness decreases. The reality is disheartening, but the percentage of consumers who actually read your mass emails is very low. That said, email marketing is essential, so long as it is targeted and relevant. To maximize the effectiveness of your marketing dollar, incorporate direct, personalized letters to VIP customers.

The value of a personalized letter cannot be underestimated, particularly in the increasingly impersonal tech environment that your customers shop in. Target your repeat customers, alert them to fashion trends and events with a personalized letter, and incorporate the human element back into your promotions.

2) Online forums and comments – Use your voice
The effectiveness of your Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn account is dependent on your involvement with your followers. Merely having a social network with the pertinent information is not enough. You need to remember that you’re competing with other, similar retailers, and must assume that they’re interacting with their customers, and the community that surrounds them.

So, what does this mean exactly?

Instead of simply alerting your customers to promotions with Facebook posts and Tweets, make sure to respond to any comments they post. Pose questions to the community that supports your business – ask them what they’re wearing if that gets them engaged! You can create a place for like-minded shoppers, and find trends within those interactions.

3) Create a monthly video series
For most consumers, the amount of excitement that’s generated from text-based marketing is limited. You need to consider the extreme amount of media stimulus that consumers are exposed to, and follow suit with online media that encapsulates your store and the image you want to project.

Try a monthly video series that showcases new products and fashion trends. This way, you’ll provide a link between your text-based marketing and your store. You’ll find in the future that your promotions with become that much more effective when you customers are able to see your sales experts and products in action.

4) Newsletters
A great way to consistently keep your customers up-to-date with new goods, promotions, and other events is a store newsletter (or e-newsletter!) Think of it as a report of sorts, which details fashion trends, new vendors within your business, and anything else you may think your customers will find interesting. The most important thing is that it’s consistently interesting, substantive, and easy to follow and to access.

E-commerce sales of specialty apparel already reached 18.1% last year, nearly doubling from 2007.

McNamara predicts that online sales could exceed $200 billion this year, with $45 billion alone coming from the November to December holiday period. This compares to holiday sales of $37 billion last year.

With so much of the sales and margin growth coming from online, McNamara urged specialty retailers to focus on this channel. However, Blacks Founder and Senior Consultant Steve Pruitt cautioned that not all retailers can succeed online and those who want to move in this direction should do a lot of investigation beforehand.

“There is no one-size-fits-all model for retailers, so merchants have to come up with a plan that keeps their particular market, customers and products in mind,” he said.

Still, there is a lot of opportunity to be had for specialty apparel online, if you can offer your customers a unique and convenient shopping experience and are willing to invest in doing it right, Pruitt added.

The promising outlook indicates a restored confidence among employers who feel that is the right time to expand their workforces.

Additionally, the sustainability of job growth is less in question than in recent months. A revised snapshot of December job growth brought it up to 203,000 jobs, from its previous level of 200,000. Similarly in November, we saw a revised gain of 157,000, up from 100,000. The number of layoffs seems to be to slowing as well, with fewer claims for unemployment benefits and a rise in factory orders.

These indicators support a shift towards a broader and more sustainable American workforce, but even still, some invariable factors remain.

Small businesses remain cautious and are reluctant to hire, and home prices continue to fall, even while existing home sales are on an upward trend. Consumers are still weary and reluctant to spend and will likely remain so as income growth remains slow.

So, what is this all mean for our retailers?  Our best advice is to stay on top of what is happening with your unique client base. Their conditions may reflect the economy at large, or they may not, and as long as you have a pulse on how they were feeling you should be able to create a strategy to drive growth in your operation.

Women’s:

Bold coats
Coats and jackets typically serve as one layer or texture to an overall ensemble, and rarely stand alone, but strikingly bold jackets that scream “look at me!” were making an appearance in Milan. We saw everything from jeweled embroidery to bold prints and pleats. This should develop into a strong trend in bold jackets this fall.

Sweater dresses are trending for fall in sexy jewel tones.

Edgy suits
The idea of the “power suit” has been rethought as more edgy and less conservative, offering a wider range of fall formal and business wear.

Fur! Fur! Fur!
In what has proven to be a leading pre-fall trend in 2012, fur has dominated the runway, with an array of styles, from subdued tufts on the fringes of coats, to dainty dresses.

Sweater dresses:
It wouldn’t be a “pre-fall” trend report without some type of sweater or knit, and 2012 is no different. The sweater dress proved to be a standout this year with an air of elegance and sexiness not typically associated with a product of the loom.

Men’s:

Bold and bulky
Padded shoulders and heroic proportions don’t typically come to mind when you think of street-punk fashion. This year, however, fitted suits and pea coats have been “jocked-up,” with layered padding on broadly cut shoulders that look cut for a linebacker. Think of it as a cross between Johnny Rotten and Joe Theismann.

Tailored leather
Slim, dark, and tailored leather jackets were the focus of many collections. The dark leather seemed to be paying homage to biker culture, but with the addition of sleek execution that appeals to a more eclectic audience.

Flowing silhouettes
In what may be a response to the ultra-fitted streetwear and indie vibe of the past several years, fuller, and even baggier garments are making an appearance. We saw tops boldly flowing just past the waist, accompanied by shorts that retained a natural fit.

Modest patterns
A bold pattern can feel forced when it is the focus of a garment, but this season’s psychedelic and multicolored prints were toned and tailored to accentuate an already streamlined pea coat or pant, rather than dominate it.

This store will soon feature everyday prices, monthly specials and clearance sales, which will put it more in line with other big retailers.

Johnson also announced a plan to completely revamp the stores, dividing them each into around 100 small boutiques with the service center and “town square” at the center. His plans are ambitious given that Penney’s has over 1,100 stores and he plans to complete the project within four years.

The retailer has been struggling recently, and even had a tough holiday season, compared to its peers. Whether Johnson’s aggressive plans can turn the ship around remain to be seen. Some analysts point out that the nature of Penney’s real estate holdings will make it difficult to completely remodel the stores.

“Johnson’s ideas fit into the big trends in retail real estate right now, particularly the idea of the town square,” says Blacks Senior Consultant Steve Pruitt. “But implementing the changes are a different issue. I’ll be interested to see how they tackle these plans,” he added.

What we found was that there does appear to be two patterns of influence. Firstly, the stock market tends to perform well in election years, perhaps out of hope for change, but we can’t be sure. What we do know is that since 1960 we’ve seen positive gains in the S&P 500 in 10 out of the 13 election years, which is a 77% success rate.

Given that the stock market has a psychological effect on consumers’ spending habits, giving them more confidence in the soundness of the economy in general, this could have a positive affect on retail sales.

However, the second pattern we detected was a downturn in retail sales in the year following an election. In the past 40 years this pattern has held true for all but two elections, with Ronald Regan in 1980, and Bill Clinton in 1992. In both cases the economy was coming out of a recession and consumers were feeling more hopeful with a new president.

So, given the data, what can we expect for this presidential election year and 2013?

It seems wise to assume that the election and sales patterns we’ve seen over the last few decades will hold true. Already, the stock market has started the year with some of its strongest gains in years, and spring is on the track to produce positive sales. Assuming there is no external shock that shakes consumer confidence, we should see single-digit retail sales increases for 2012.

Next year, however, could be more challenging as hopes surrounding the new president fade, coupled with a slowdown in the cyclical retail cycle. We’ve seen three years of straight increases since the recession and it would be only natural for this cycle to wind down.

Given these probabilities, retailers should plan accordingly, making sure that they are carefully examining the trends within their own businesses, while at the same time making sure that they can be promotional when they need to be by building significant margin.

While we admit that we don’t have a crystal ball, the cycles seem pretty clear, so it’s best to be prepared.

While this is good news, experts warn that already high gas prices could continue to climb this summer due to Iran’s anger over Western embargoes, eroding consumer confidence. But for now, the mood is positive and we expect decent retail sales this spring.

January’s Slow Start
Most stores have seen a slow start to the season following better-than-expected holiday sales. The final December numbers are in, showing a 8% increase in menswear and a 7% spike in women’s wear, according to Blacks’ exclusive trends.

Menswear sales were led by demand in the clothing category, including suits, dress shirts, neckwear, dress pants, and sportcoats, which all saw double-digit gains.

In women’s, accessories and special order propped up sales, while ready-to-wear posted a decent 5% gain.

(For specific trend numbers and predictions for the next two seasons check out our Trends by Class page.)

The Seasons Ahead
We expect spring sales to pick up in February when retailers begin to put on trunk shows, and hopefully, the weather starts to warm. Just remember to start promoting your trunk shows early so you can get on your clients’ calendars. Start advertising a few weeks in advance, and consider contacting clients directly while the event is going on via phone or text message to give it a personal touch.

As you buy more goods for late spring and fall, keep in mind that you will have to be as promotional this year as you have been in the past so make sure that you build in enough margin. This is especially true for the fourth quarter when most retailers will have to put on heavy promotions to drive decent holiday sales. Since this year is an election year, it’s difficult to say what kind of mood consumers will be in, so it’s best to have a number of promotions in your pocket.

Blacks Bottom Line
Make sure you exit your old product quickly and are able to bring in new spring merchandise to spark sales.

The MrketNY show started yesterday and runs through tomorrow at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City, featuring men’s accessories, footwear, outerwear and contemporary sportswear.

The app is free and easy-to-use, allowing you to search exhibitors by company, name, or product. It also includes GPS so you can see which exhibitors are close to you while on the floor.

If you’re attending the show this week, we recommend that you check it out here. The app is available for Android, iPhone, and Blackberry devices.

Contentious debate over timing of the various fashion weeks started early last fall when some argued that the dates needed to be moved in order to make the shows easier to put on and attend, while New York and London insisted that the dates of the shows remain the same (to avoid overlap with Milan Fashion Week).

The resulting arrangement will move both New York and London’s events up one week, allowing Milan the time required for them to properly execute their show.

Officials from both the New York and London fashion weeks said in a release that the fix is only short-term, and they still need to find a more long-term solution that best suits each city’s shows.

A long-term fix would aim to avoid any potential overlap of shows in the future, thus giving all the collections their deserved attention, and equal opportunity to thrive in the global market.

Men’s

Bold-colored pants are trending for spring.

Bold accents, to primary hues:
Last year was all about bold and colorful accents in men’s apparel, this year, however, bold colors have become the main event. Look for vibrantly colored and patternless pants, jackets, and tops in greens, mustards, and oranges.

Boxier, loose fitting suits:
The slim-fitting suit or blazer is far from being yesterday’s news, but some designers are bringing back a looser and even boxier fitting suit. Think of it as an update on a sleeker version of the suit you wore when you were 12-years old.

Double-breasted blazers, revisited:
While the double-breasted blazer made its comeback some time ago, look for even more of them in 2012, except this time with the proportions of a jacket.

White revisited:
In what seems to be a trend towards revamping the old standards, white is the new black. Look for t-shirts in bone, off-white, and off-off-white. Also look for bleached patterns on white t-shirts.

Wider pants: the end of skinny?
Skinny trousers, or rather, the pant bridging the gap between skinny and straight, have been a mainstay of the last several seasons. This year look for the opposite extreme with wider trousers, in both suits and pants.

Women’s

Sportswear:
Sporting goods and activewear have have merged with more feminine garments this year, using zippers and mesh fabric. Look for the athletic styling in perforated, form-fitting skirts and dresses, as well in jackets and other accessories. Also look for playful interpretations of hooded sweatshirts, that when zipped halfway down convert into a dress.

“Pretty princess”:
Waist-to-floor princess skirts seem to be embracing any innocence lost in 2011, showing in pink, baby blue, and ruby red silk taffetas. Look to pair the skirts with a range of tops from lace, to spandex tube tops.

Faded pastels:
In what may be a response to the trend in the strikingly colorful shades of spring, designers are now opting for the more subtle and softer shades of the season. Look for baby pink, blue, and yellow pastels on silk and cotton.

Floral patterns:
If you’re looking for the more traditional stylings of springs past, you can find it this year in head-to-toe floral patterns. Vibrant floral prints are being adorned on everything from slim fitting suits and pants, to tailored blazers and shorter-than-average shorts.

Peplum structure:
If a structured fit is your thing, a peplum is the perfect add-on to your blouse, skirt, or jacket. Many of the peplum overskirts are being cinched and printed on lace, and hung low on the hips.