The online fashion market is no longer dominated by one or two kinds of trends and it is quiet challenging for brands to differentiate themselves from their competitors. The sole factor that drives the brands' performance in today's hyper competitive market is digital marketing. With over nine years of experience in the business of luxury fashion & retail and more than three years of experience as a C-level leader for two luxury apparel brands, Neeti Gadodia supports brands with marketing & branding to unlock their full market potential.

Neeti holds formal education in fashion design as well as digital marketing & communication and has played an instrumental role in transforming the vision and strategy for various brands. She has led operations, driven profit centers and developed various product categories with focus on target clients, in order to maximize revenue pipeline and bottom-line growth for two luxury apparel brands ­ Monisha Jaising and MXS. Currently she holds the position of Chief Marketing Officer at 6Degree, an exclusive marketplace showcasing the work and creativity of budding and up-coming designer brands from India.

The Women Entrepreneur team spoke to Neeti about her rather long list of professional achievements. She also gives us a glimpse of her perspective on the ever evolving digital marketing industry and the process of building lasting brands.

Give us an overview of 6degree. What are the various role and responsibilities that you currently shoulder as the CMO of the company?

6Degree is a progressive multidimensional company that partners with fashion and lifestyle brands to grow their revenue exponentially. It was founded in 2015 to provide a scaling platform for brands by supporting them with marketing, branding and supply-chain operations by investing in technology, talent and alliances that enable brands to unlock their full market potential.

My responsibilities at 6Degree include identifying and on-boarding new clients, increasing cross-department collaboration, and uncovering new tools to collect customer insights and measure results. With each of these responsibilities also comes the excitement of improving brand performance, providing a personalized shopping experience, and connecting with consumers.

Take us through your early education and priory industry experience that you bring to the table.

I hold a Bachelor's in Commerce Degree from Narsee Monjee College of Commerce and Economics, Diploma in Apparel Manufacture and Design from SNDT University, and Post-Graduation in Digital Marketing & Communication from MICA University. My professional journey has majorly been with one of India's top legacy luxury fashion brands; Monisha Jaising. I started as Communications Manager for the brand in 2014, followed by Head Designer for the brand's Resort wear line, Brand Manager in 2016, and then CEO from 2017-2020.

I envisaged and launched a luxury ready to wear clothing brand 'MXS' in 2018. The brand is a partnership between Monisha Jaising and Shweta Bachchan Nanda. I have played an instrumental role in transforming the vision and strategy for the two brands significantly.

How has the digital marketing industry evolved over the past few years? What are the most impactful trends developing in the industry currently?

Digital marketing sector is evolving very fast. Tools and strategies that were leading two years ago are not any-more. Online platforms take different shapes with each shift, and requires brands to adjust their marketing. New technologies are sprouting everywhere making digital marketing a must-have for all businesses. I wanted to be a part of this ever evolving field as soon as it was possible and continue to stay relevant.

“When you are not staying up to date on the latest products, trends, and offerings, your clients are at risk of going elsewhere”

The unpredictable conditions of 2020 has forced brands to branch out and create more human-centric ways of reaching their buyers. Live-streams will be-come increasingly common, purpose-driven brands that champion sustainability will rise to the top, and UGC (User Generated Content) will remain an integral part of every good marketing strategy. There will be increasing number of consumers searching via voice-activated tools like Alexa. We can expect the rise of visual search and over the next year, visuals will become increasingly important in the SEO game. Retail Customer Experience estimates that by the end of 2021, early adopters that redesign their websites to support visual and voice search will increase their digital commerce revenue by 30 percent.

What approach you follow while working with a brand. How do you keep updated withchanges occurring in digital marketing field?

We work with over 50 brands, each of them has a unique identity and target audience. We emphasize to our clients; amplify the customer's voice inside the enterprise. Secondly, with every client we have a culture of evidence-based decision making which helps us achieve the client's business goals.

When you are not staying up to date on the latest products, trends, and offerings, your clients are at risk of going elsewhere. To keep me updated I follow, CMO PODCAST, a unique look at the thought process and motivation of the CMO; LINKEDIN for excellent insights and trends, MOZ has unbelievable content for any level of SEO; GOOGLE DISCOVER brings you a roundup of all of the content indexed by Google on the internet; HUBSPOT, a great way to stay up to date on the digital landscape; THE DIGITAL MARKETING PODCAST; EMARKETER; and REDDIT.

What is your opinion on the women representation in the top leadership roles in digital marketing industry? What would you advice women aspiring to be foray into the field of marketing?

The C-suite landscape has changed for women because, a group of incredible women deliberately made their way forward. Without being overly aggressive, stand up for yourself and proactively create your own opportunities. Develop your voice and own it ­ don't hesitate to bring innovative ideas forward. If you fail, it's not the end, but rather a stepping stone along your journey. You must believe in yourself first before others can.

I advise women to take initiative, risks, and always challenge yourself to do better. This proves your capabilities and will uncover abilities you may never know you had. With the right passion and work ethic, you will continuously grow.

Neeti Gadodia, CMO, 6degree

Neeti holds 8+ years of experience in the business of luxury fashion and retail. 3+ years of experience as a C-level leader for two luxury apparel brands.