If you’re a start up or are still considering how to make money from the clothes you’re making, it’s a good idea to do some research first before you start spending any money. Consider what your financial goals are, your personal goals and vision and also who your target customer is. Here are a few options for ways you could sell your clothing line.
A Stall at an Art or Craft Fair
Selling your clothes at a fair can be very rewarding and will give you a valuable insight into who your target customer is. It’s really important that you interact with the customers so try not to be too shy and swallow the nerves. Find out a bit about them; where they usually shop for clothes, why are they drawn to yours etc. The number one rule to remember before you jump into action is to make sure the fair you sign up for is relevant to your line.
Sell to a Boutique
Firstly, consider what type of shop you want to sell to and make sure it matches up to your vision and target customer. With boutique shops the buyer is often also the owner so it’s really important to be friendly and give a good impression. Try to build a relationship with the buyer/owner because they could prove to be a valuable contact and it could help you a lot in the future. Don’t be scared to ask them for advice or feedback about your line, any information is vital for your business to grow.
Retail Store
This is a good way to get started if you’ve already got a foothold in the fashion industry. Before you invest in your own retail space you need to know if there is a market for your clothing line and how the target customer is responding. The overheads are very high and it could be a financial risk so you need to be 100 per cent sure it’s the right decision first.
If you’re a completely new designer and have yet to sell your products this might not be the right course of action for you. However, there are other similar options, such as renting a temporary kiosk in the mall, which involve a lot less risk. Not all malls offer this choice but a good place to start is with Westfield who has 32 centers nationwide and provides Westfield specialty leasing.
Online Store
The great thing about creating an online store is that it’s not as financially scary as renting a retail store and there’s a lot more flexibility to change and develop as your business grows. If you’re not completely tech savvy it’s a good idea to get a store that’s part of a big brand site like eBay because a lot of the complicated stuff is already set up for you such as processing payments. Then if your business takes off you could branch out to your own website and by this point you will probably have gained a lot more knowledge about how it all works.
You can build a great business using any of these strategies, think of them as rungs on a ladder and with each step you’re building brand awareness and growing your customer base. As long as you don’t lose sight of your business and personal goals you’ll be on the road to success before you know it.
