we’ve devised a SUPER informative e-book specifically designed for fashion companies who want to start or improve their social media activities: * Explains what social media is & why it’s important * The different types of social media * Why & how to use social media * The 6 steps to use social media effectively * Examples of good & bad posts * How social media is changing

2. What is Social Media?
Social media has completely changed the landscape of the fashion business.
What was once an industry primarily dominated by the big guys like Ralph Lauren,
Louis Vuitton and Guess, social media has allowed smaller and newer lines to
successfully market their brand and their products. With the power of platforms like
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest, fashion companies are able to reach
thousands and even millions of people without having to resort to expensive
magazine spreads or billboard ads. Therefore, social media has really become the
great equalizer in the marketing space for businesses in many different sectors.
But just how did social media even get started? It began with a want for connecting
and sharing information, not necessarily for marketing and selling.
Before delving into a brief history of social media, lets first define the term. Social
media is a permissive and interactive form of information sharing. The element of
permission and interaction are how it greatly differs from traditional media.
Advertising vehicles, like commercials and magazine ads, don’t require your
permission to be displayed [The exception to the rule of permission within social
media is the use of paid advertising, in which certain posts or business accounts
get displayed to a user based on their viewing activity and interest. This is why you
would see Facebook posts from companies you haven't liked or tweets from
accounts you haven't followed.], nor can they receive feedback from you. The back
and forth interaction between the message giver and the message receiver is what
makes social media, SOCIAL.
The first versions of social media were more like message boards where the
creators posted announcements & meetings for their friends to read. Then came
the chat rooms (remember the trolls that instigated fights?) which were then
followed by the platform, Geocities in 1994. It allowed users to create mini
websites, much like how Wordpress and Blogger allow people to create their own
blogs. Blogging soon followed in 1997.
- page 1 -

3. What is Social Media?
Shortly after, Wikipedia emerged in 2001, which was then followed by the social
networking sites, Friendster in 2002 and Myspace in 2003. LinkedIn (a social
networking site geared towards professionals) and Facebook (a social networking
site originally intended for college students) soon launched. Then in 2005,
YouTube emerged, which preceded Twitter’s launch in 2006. But what further
fueled social media isn’t another social sharing site. It was a smartphone that Apple
launched in 2007 (the iPhone), which enabled users to access social sites much
easier through the use of apps. This was then further amplified with the rise of e-
commerce and the creation of other more affordable smartphone alternatives.
Now, fashion companies use social media platforms like Instagram to post
pictures of their lines, Twitter to communicate with their customers, Facebook to
post exciting announcements, YouTube to broadcast their campaign videos, and
Pinterest to illustrate their brand story! All these ways of using social media have
dramatically contributed to the continuing rise of e-commerce. Hubspot reports that
consumers are 71% more likely to make a purchase based on social media
referrals and Investpsoft indicates that 4 in 10 social media users have purchased
an item online or in-store after sharing it on Twitter, Facebook or Pinterest.
No wonder online shopping reached a total of $296B last year in 2013! This is why
we wrote this e-book - to show you just how important social media is to the
success of your fashion business and how you can easily get started!
- page 2 -

4. What Social Media Platforms Should
You Know About?
Social Networking
Social Bookmarking
Photo Sharing
Social News
Video Sharing

5. Why Is Social Media
Important?
❏ 1 in 4 people worldwide use Social Media (eMarketer)
❏ 65% of Americans are on Social Media (Pew Internet)
❏ There are over 1.15 billion people on Facebook (Social
Bakers)
❏ 71% of people in the US are on Facebook (Pew Internet)
❏ More than half a billion people globally are on Twitter
(Telegraph)
❏ Approximately 46% of online users count on social media
when making a purchase decision (PR Web)
❏ Social media produces almost double the marketing leads
of trade shows, telemarketing, direct mail, or PPC
(Hubspot)
- page 4 -

6. ❏ Low barrier of entry
❏ No lead-time in content production!
❏ Delivers results!
❏ 43% of marketers saw an increase in sales due to Social
Media (The Social Skinny)
❏ 91% of marketers saw an increase in website traffic due to
Social Media (The Social Skinny)
❏ It’s where your audience statistically reside!
❏ There are 1.15 billion active users on Facebook (Social
Bakers)
❏ 61% of Americans use Social Media. (Media Bistro)
❏ Approximately 46% of online users count on social media
when making a purchase decision (PR Web)
❏ The big guys are doing it
Here is our list of
The Top 40 Fashion Companies
Dominating Social Media in 2014...
- page 5 -
Why should your
fashion company use
social media?

7. What is Social Media?
Easy Definition: It’s an
interactive form of
information giving, where
the content creator & the
readers socially interact
with each other.
- page 6 -

8. - page 7 -

9. How Do I Use Social Media?
1. Think of it as a part of a machine, not as a separate component.
2. Talking and creating relationships on Social Media is just like talking and creating
relationships in real life. Therefore, you need to integrate Social Media with your
business goals by planning ahead while being cognizant to keep your audience at
the center of your approach.
- page 8 -
The 6 Steps to Use Social Media Effectively
1. Research
It is important to know what your social media could look like. Research what other
companies are doing & tweak it for yours!
2. Plan
Don’t just jump into social media. It is your planning that will allow you to truly grow
your social media audience & realize their value.
3. Strategize
Your strategy is essential to your success. Once you have a plan, create a strategy
on how you’ll achieve that.
4. Create
After you have your done your research, planned & strategized, you are now ready to
to create your content.
5. Measure & Analyze
After you start creating content, you can now measure & analyze its effectiveness,
which will allow you to keep improving your social media activities.
6. Improve & Iterate
This is the time to make the adjustments necessary to make your social media
strategy more successful.

10. Examples of Good/Bad Posts
- page 9 -
What: Promoting products is OK…..
How: So long as you do it tastefully & creatively, like this example that
looks like a sea of shoes from Victoria’s Secret.
Why: This illustrates your product selection and entices people to shop
without having to say, SHOP. Observe the use of a catchy & short
headline, an original hashtag, and a short URL that directs users to their
site.
What: Promoting products is not OK…..
How: When you use an unappealing & boring picture with a dry headline.
Why: This doesn’t illustrate your products in the best light. Notice the boring
headline and the lack of a link. How are customers supposed to find these pair
of shorts? They just missed an opportunity for sales!
on
GOOD
POST
BAD
POST

11. Examples of Good/Bad Posts
- page 10 -
What: Tweeting products is best when you provide a nice image
How: Go for more lifestyle-driven shots & make sure you use
Twitter to upload it rather than a feed from Instagram.
Why: Uploading the photo right onto Twitter allows for it to be
seen on the Twitter feed. Couple that with a hashtag & url to
direct your followers to your site.
What: It’s perfectly fine to update your followers on what’s
going on in your headquarters…..
How: But don’t be so vague.
Why: In order to be retweeted, people must be clear on
what you’re talking about. This lacks clarity. Perhaps if they
uploaded the photo directly to Twitter instead of relying on
the Instagram share feed, we’d be able to see what they
mean.
on
GOOD
POST
BAD
POST

12. Examples of Good/Bad Posts
- page 11 -
What: Posting product shots on Tumblr is OK...
How: So long as the image is high-res & photographed
beautifully.
Why: Images & GIFS get the most engagement on Tumblr. These
photos are also displayed at larger dimensions than those of
Instagram. That’s why high-res shots are important on Tumblr.
What: Posting something that is too abstract without a
proper caption that explains it is not a good idea.
How: Instead, post only clear photos or have a caption that
explains the image.
Why: This lets people know & understand what your
content is, leading them to possibly have an emotional
connection with it. Once they do, they will most likely share
or like your post.
on
GOOD
POST
BAD
POST

13. Examples of Good/Bad Posts
- page 12 -
What: Product posts are definitely OK on Instagram….
How: The great way to do it is to add an artistic element, like the
background on this image. Add a caption that explains what the
image is, along with the appropriate hashtags.
Why: The more appealing your photo looks, the more people will
engage with it. Your hashtags allow for your photos to be
discovered more easily.
What: Sharing the activities within your company is
great…..
How: But don’t be boring about it. Share fun
happenings, not like this dry sign that doesn’t explain
what the comfort zone is.
Why: This doesn’t entertain or engage people at all
and those are the elements needed in social media or
in any media.
on
GOOD
POST
BAD
POST

14. Examples of Good/Bad Posts
- page 13 -
What: Posting products on Pinterest is more than OK...
How: Especially when you use a high-res photo & add creative
elements, like this cool backdrop.
Why: This adds a level of luxury & sophistication, making the picture
look much more appealing. Couple it with a short & catchy caption &
hashtag. Don’t forget to link it to the page where people can
purchase the product.
What: Images of products that aren’t clearly recognizable &
lack a descriptive caption may not be the best way to post
on Pinterest….
How: Instead, photograph it in its entirety. The point is to
entice people to click and buy, after all.
Why: Having clear images allows users to see how your
products are supposed to look.
on
GOOD
POST
BAD
POST

15. Audience Size (AS) - Non Interested Audience (NIA) = Potential Customers (PC)
(AS) - (NIA) = (PC) // Example: 30,000 (AS) - 9,000 (NIA) = 21,000 (PC)
We use proven tactics to increase your Audience Size in each important social media
platform and email campaigns.
Rate at which (PC) turn into Actual Paid Customer
(APC) = Conversion Rate (CR)
Conversion Rate is a variable that is increased/decreased by many different factors,
which we help you constantly improve on.
(PC) x (CR) = Total Actual Paid Customer (TAPC)
Example: 21,000 (PC) X 4% (CR) = 840 (TAPC)
Social Media Return on Investment
- page 14 -
(TAPC) X $ Avg Sale Price ($ASP) = Total New Sales (TNS)
Example: 840 (TAPC) X $132 ($ASP) = $110,880 (TNS)
FAB Counsel’s Formula To Success in Social Media

16. How is social media changing?
Social Media is ever evolving and has a constant flow of new platforms, rules and features,
and opportunities. So no matter where it goes, you must be equipped to quickly move &
shift your marketing direction to remain effectively leveraging its features for the growth of
your company. To help you get started, here’s where we think social media is headed:
● The days of free marketing on social media are counted. Facebook just recently
announced that only 1%-2% of people who liked your business page will be able to
see your posts organically. Prior to that, 16% of users were reached. This forces
companies to buy more sponsored posts (Facebook ads). But Facebook isn’t the
only social media platform offering paid advertising. Twitter is now selling
sponsored tweets and Instagram recently launched sponsored posts. Therefore,
your reaction should be to figure out what you need to do as a company to face
these changes. It was really only a matter of time before these guys figured out
how to make money - they are businesses, after all!
● Social media allows brands to tell their story about who they are and what they
stand for. But what that also means is the requirement for transparency &
authenticity. If a company talks about social philanthropy as one of their main
missions, then their fans should be able to see posts about them that illustrate that
specific mission.
● Posting consistently on social media is great! But we also know that being able to
launch fun interactive campaigns on a regular basis is drives a huge amount of
engagement & fan growth. Be creative here as there a ton of other things to do
than just contests and giveaways. The main goal is to entertain your users to the
point that they want to interact with you & share your campaign with their friends.
There’s a lot of talk about the future of social media. But regardless of how things turn out,
the most important things to remember are to stay flexible & open. Be prepared to change
course & to try out new platforms - you never know what works until you try!
- page 15 -

17. Who are we? FAB Counsel.
- page 16 -
FAB Counsel, which stands for Fashion and
Business Counsel, specializes in helping fashion,
culture, and lifestyle companies launch, grow,
and innovate! We know and realize the
importance of originality, brand authenticity,
and technology in today’s fast-paced world.
That’s why we blend our knowledge in branding,
retail, PR, and social media marketing to bring
your business INNOVATIVE solutions and REAL
quantifiable results.
Aside from working with clients, FAB Counsel
also functions as a resource for fashion, culture,
and lifestyle entrepreneurs. We provide helpful
articles, newsletters, videos, webinars,
seminars, and online courses that talk about
business development, marketing, PR, and
social media. Through our array of offerings, we’
re accomplishing our mission of helping creative
companies kick ass!
About Us

18. Who are we? FAB Counsel.
- page 17 -
(Click On Services To See Details)
Our Services

19. Who have we worked with?
- page 18 -

20. - page 19 -
We Hope This E-Book Helps
Your Fashion Company Dominate in Social Media!
Our expert team is standing by ready to take your
business to the next level...
The pictures, trademarks, products, and trademarked names are used throughout this book to describe various proprietary entities that are owned by
third parties. No endorsement of information contained in this book is given by the different owners of the used products and trademarks, and no
endorsement is implied by the use of any products, pictures, or trademarks in this book.
How to Use Social Media For Fashion Companies - 2014 Edition. Copyright © 2104 by FAB Counsel. All rights reserved. No part of this text may be
reproduced without the written consent and approval from FAB Counsel. Feel free to share this Ebook.