Digital Marketing Strategies And Performance Of Fashion Industry In Nairobi City County, Kenya

ABSTRACT

The fashion industry faces a number of challenges which include lack of policy coherence and institutional alignment, low level of value addition and a disconnect between the apparel sector and the rest of the value chain segments, supply side constraints with regards to quality and price of fabrics, with focus on afro-centric cloth and garments, weak business environment, high cost of production and built-in systemic inefficiencies, lack of market readiness, high cost and difficulties to access credit and finance, predominance of SMEs operating in the informal. This has led to poor performance of the firms. This study therefore sought to establish how digital marketing strategies can improve the performance of the fashion industry in Kenya. The objectives of this study were to determine the influence of mobile telephony marketing strategy, website marketing, social media marketing and email marketing strategies on the performance of the fashion industry in Kenya. The study was anchored on Innovation diffusion theory, Porter’s theory and the Technology Acceptance Model. The study used descriptive research design. The target population of this study comprised the proprietors of the women-owned SMEs in Nairobi City County who total to 241. Stratified random sampling was used to select the sample size of 73. Primary data was collected using a semi structured questionnaire administered to staff by the researcher and research assistants themselves given the setting and education level of the respondents. Data collected was analysed through descriptive and inferential statistics by the use of SPSS Version 23.0. The finding established that the study had a coefficient of correlation R of 0.928 an indication of strong positive correlation between the variables and coefficient of adjusted determination. The study concludes that m-commerce had a positive significant influence on performance of fashion industries in Nairobi. This show that the both variables moves consequently hence an increase on sales on m-commerce influences financial performance. The study states a good investment on proper database of the company influences better performance of the company. Website marketing positively influenced performance of fashion industries. This implies that both variables move in tandem. Social media significantly influenced performance of fashion industries. This show that an increase in social media marketing lead to an increase in performance of fashion industries. Therefore, social media accounts have improved of clients with staffs influencing a positive influence on performance. Email marketing significantly influenced performance of the fashion industries. The study established that an increase in email marketing influenced an increase in performance. The study recommends that fashion industries ought to have an effective database of the entire phone contacts of their clients, fashion industries ought to get in touch with clients through phone contacts and mobile communication between firm employees and clients ought to be always effective and reliable. Fashion industries firm accounts ought to be always updated; fashion industries ought to account in all the common social media platforms and firm products ought to be advertised on the social media walls platforms. Fashion industries ought to interact with clients on the social media platforms and orders ought to be placed by clients through chats and posts. The study findings are expected to assist the fashion industry players to employ digital marketing strategies to improve their performance in the ever competitive and globalized sector.