boutique

 

As a child, I can remember my favourite game was playing shop. I even had my own till and plastic money to give out to my customers – my parents and my teddy bear collection. Since then, I have always played with the idea of launching my own store. My own fashion boutique, to be precise So far I haven’t taken the leap, but I have done all the research. And so, I thought that today, I would share it with you. Just in case you’re also harbouring a secret dream of launching your own fashion store.

 

Be selective about the venue

 

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So you’re just starting out, which means you most probably have a smallish budget to work with. That’s okay; it’s not the end of the world. Even if you can’t afford a venue right in the middle of the high street, it doesn’t matter. You can always move as and when your boutique becomes the next big thing. But regardless of where your store is located, it pays to be selective. You want a venue that’s a good size has the potential to be smart and stylish and is well lit and ventilated. There’s nothing worse than a dark, stuffy store.

 

Find your niche

 

Every day hundreds of new stores open across the UK; this means that if you want yours to stand out, it needs to be unique. It can’t just mimic your favourite clothing stores, it needs to be aimed at a certain audience and have a unique look and feel to it. This means taking the time to find stockists that can offer you something different. What you want are one of a kind pieces that can’t be bought anywhere else. After all, everyone knows that the secret to business success is being unique.

 

Don’t be afraid to outsource

 

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As a small business on a tight budget, outsourcing should be your best friend. Any tasks that you don’t have the time to deal with yourself should be outsourced. Don’t make the mistake of trying to do too much; else your business will suffer. Take your stock, for instance, if you don’t have time to keep track of it by hand, using clothing erp software could be useful. Or, take your social media, for instance. Social media is a vital form of marketing, but it’s something that takes time and thought, so shouldn’t be rushed. If you don’t have time to deal with it yourself, outsource it to a social media specialist.

 

Find ways to outdo the competition

 

Last but not least, take the time to learn how to outdo your competition. As a small business, there are always going to be companies that are bigger than you. However, just because they’re bigger, it doesn’t mean that they’re better. You need to find ways to outdo the competition and make your store the go-to place.

 

Starting any business is going to be hard work, but if you stick at it, you can make a success of it. It will be difficult at first, but if you take note of the advice above, you can make it easier for yourself.