Interview with Vanessa Fernandez [vanessaf]

Vanessa Fernandez [vanessaf]

MARKETING

Up till now, what has been your professional career path?

My career path has been in fashion since I can remember. I began working in retail, however, found it wasn't for me. I began writing a blog online about fashion and doing a lot of self promotion through social media marketing and became very good at it. The concepts of marketing came easily to me and I worked as a marketing specialist for a company called Non Stop Marketing and Media. I then moved to be the Director of Marketing for a company called Insurance Brokers of Texas. I stopped working there to continue my degree in Marketing so I continued to write my blog and began working with a local magazine as the fashion editor where I was first published. I was also a social media marketing specialist for the magazine. After I stopped working for the magazine I started my own company called Evolv - I currently work as a wardrobe stylist, image consultant and fashion show producer for several different photographers, designers, boutiques and models. I still work as a fashion contributor to the Alamo City Times magazine and I am the creator and writer of The Designer Dish.

Please list web addresses where one can see something about you.

http://www.thedesignerdish.com/
http://www.evolvurstyle.com/
http://www.alamocitytimes.com/2009/09/16/trends-you-will-f (...)

A marketing strategy begins with an idea. How are yours born?

My ideas and strategies are born through research of the market and my consumers. I create new ways of doing business and new strategies by seeking what will make it better and trying new ideas and new ways to go about business.

In which market, products or services, are you currently working?

I am working in the fashion services

Did this product exist ten years ago? And the brand?

The fashion styling service in general did exist, however, my company did not.

What is the consumer or user like that you have to win over?

The consumer or user for my services are an assortment of people. I deal with high fashion runway models to normal everyday moms who need a style boost

What is the key to gaining consumer fidelity?

Really understanding what your consumer wants or needs. For me, through fashion my "consumers" are people who attend my fashion shows so I have to understand what they expect and surpass that to the point that they feel excited.

What type of communication are you utilizing?

As far as marketing I only use the internet. I do not run advertisements, I strictly provide services through social media marketing and search engine optimization so that I can get the most eyes on my work as I can. I like to know that my customers trust I can do well and in return continue to use me as a social media marketing specialist, writer or stylist.

What's your answer to the typical question: does marketing create nonexistent needs?

I would not say marketing creates a nonexistent need. Whether we choose to acknowledge a need, have any sort of recognition of a need or know we for sure have a need, the need exists on it's own. I would say that marketing provokes the need and provokes people to acknowledge their needs but at that point it turns into a want because people who actually NEED something, need in extreme cases.

In times of crisis sales of generic store brands rise. What should premium brands do or not do when faced with this?

In times of crisis premium brands need to understand the position they chose to put themselves in. In times of peace and stability, which is rarely, the generic store brands suffer as premium brands do well. It's business and competition you can't have one with out the other. I think it that situation premium brands should lower prices to meet real expectations but do not limit quality. That may create an internal issue, however, in time of crisis people knowing they can get a quality premium brand for a good price will keep them loyal to their premium brand throughout.

The consumer is king: have advertisers realised this yet?

Advertisers have not, marketeers have. Advertisers stance is to push the company as an entity. Marketeers in turn push the service or product to the consumer based on their needs and wants.

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