Successful digital and physical experiences, customer acquisition strategies, partnerships and influencer marketing, and new ways to break into retail were at the core of an informative panel for our Elaine Gold Launch Pad designers this past Friday.

Held at Samsung 837, it was moderated by Carly-Ann Fergus, Director of XRC Labs and featured panelists John Jones, SVP Design Strategy of Fjord, Kith Marketing Director Rachel Zimmerman, Barneys New York SVP of Communications and Marketing Tomm Miller, and Tony King, CEO of King & Partners.

“What ties good experiences together is consistency,” King told the designers. “Make sure your brand has the correct tone of voice, your emails feel right, and that every single touch point that falls into the whole experience and is correct with your band.”

The panel discussion was an opportunity for the designers to learn about different methods to engage customers.

During the discussion, the speakers also advised the designers to plan ahead, follow their instincts, and to have  an eagle eye.

“There’s always a plan B, C, and D, and those are the ones that have been most successful for me,” said Miller.

Towards the end, Fergus opened up the panel discussion to the designers with a Q&A. Business expansion topped the designers’ talking points.

“Think about the customer, who they’re talking to, what they’re reading, and who they can influence,” Jones advised. “There’s no substitute for talking to people and watching the way they work.”