Fashion brands spend millions attracting new customers, yet many fail after the first sale. The secret to lasting success lies not in flashy marketing campaigns but in what happens next. Customer lifetime value has become the difference between brands that survive and those that thrive. Cohan Leon Daley, a fashion CRO and board advisor with 25 years of luxury brand experience, has mastered this critical business element.
Shifting Focus Beyond First Purchase
Here’s where most fashion brands slip up. They celebrate when someone clicks “buy now,” then immediately start chasing the next customer. Daley has seen this mistake play out time and time again across luxury labels. “Most brands treat conversion as if it’s the finish line. It’s not. It’s the starting line,” he says. After 25 years working with everyone from small boutiques to global powerhouses, he knows the real money shows up later. The math is simple when you look at it. Getting that first customer costs serious money in marketing and advertising. “You’ve already paid to acquire that customer. So now every additional sale is profit,” he explains. The challenge is turning that first purchase into repeat business. And that means understanding what drew them in and what will keep them coming back.
Plenty of brands collect customer data just for the sake of it. But Daley worked with a luxury retailer that actually put it to use, and the results turned heads. “We were able to increase the purchase rate by 40% just by tailoring post-purchase messaging based on the purchase category and the spend level,” he recalls. It wasn’t about blasting out more emails or sending a generic thank-you note. The brand studied purchase patterns and spending habits, then crafted messages that mattered to each customer. When you know what someone bought last time and how much they spent, you can make a smart guess at what they’ll want next.
Create A Real Value Leap With Loyalty In Mind
Most loyalty programs are just discount schemes in disguise. Buy ten, get one free. Spend a certain amount, save ten percent. Daley believes that approach misses the point. “Loyalty isn’t about the discounts. It’s about recognition. It’s about experience,” he says.
The smartest brands take a different approach. They offer VIP access, early previews, personal styling, or even AR experiences that regular shoppers cannot get. These are not just perks. They are signals that say, you matter here. “Greater loyalty programs reward not just the purchase, but the engagement,” Daley notes. When customers feel like insiders rather than just shoppers, everything changes.
The most successful brands do more than sell products. They create spaces where people want to linger, connect, and belong. “When your customer feels like they’re part of a brand universe, when they’re engaged with you, when you’re customer centric, they’re not just shopping, they’re belonging. And belonging drives behavior,” Daley explains. That sense of belonging is powerful. It reshapes how people see a brand. Instead of jumping to whoever has the best sale, they stay because they feel connected. They become the ones recommending you to friends and returning without needing a discount code.
Elevate With Tech-Infused Touchpoints
Trying to sell luxury fashion with basic product photos is like trying to sell a sports car through a newspaper ad. Customers expect more, especially when they are spending serious money. “You can’t sell luxury with flat products, with 2D images and archaic black and white visuals,” Daley says. Brands investing in 3D visuals, virtual try-ons, and interactive features are reaping the rewards. “Brands that leverage this tech have seen conversion lifts of up to 70% and returns drop by as much as 40%,” he reports. These tools give customers confidence in their choices and dramatically cut down on costly returns.
But technology on its own is not the answer. It only works when paired with an understanding of why people buy fashion in the first place. “Fashion is emotional. Let your digital experience feel just as luxurious as your product,” Daley advises. That means your website should carry the same energy as walking into an upscale boutique. It should feel personal, immersive, and tailored to the customer. The goal is not to squeeze every last dollar from a shopper. “Maximizing lifetime value isn’t about extracting more from each client. It’s about giving them every reason to stay,” Daley concludes. “Make it personal, make it immersive, and above all, make it worth staying for.”
Connect with Cohan Leon Daley on LinkedIn to explore more insights on fashion brand growth.
