Arundhuti RoySo you wish to start up a new clothing line of your own? Starting a clothing line is definitely not a cake walk but it isn’t impossible either. It involves a lot of research about the market and never-ending enthusiasm. You need to have a burning desire that’ll keep you going. Executing your dream involves baby steps.
Here are the steps to keep in mind while planning to start your own clothing line.
1. WHAT’S YOUR NICHE?
First thing first, you have to decide the USP of your product or design. What makes it unique? What’s the one thing that is exclusive in it that makes it special? You have to come up with ideas that are rare and nobody has ever come up with earlier. You need to understand that in order to shine you need to stand out from the crowd, differentiate your product from your competitors’.
2. DEEP DIGGING?
“Knowledge is power”- We all know that a person having a better knowledge can always control all the situations. You need to have a piece of detailed knowledge of your area of specialization. Putting your blood and sweat into the research is uttermost important. Be an information bank. Discuss the ideas with experts and seek advice, agglomeration of knowledge will widen your horizon of knowledge.
3. ORGANISING:
For any business to become a successful one, organizing is important. Organizing means structuring and coordinating the activities. Unless the resources and information are organized, the business can’t start off smoothly.
4. SKETCHING:
Putting your thoughts and ideas in a paper is better than relying completely on your memory. Begin with a good croquis. Sketch the designs.
5. A PROTOTYPE:
A Prototype is basically a sample prepared before actually executing. In order to attract investors, an appealing prototype is a prerequisite. Initially, emphasis must be given to offering good quality at an affordable price, it’ll help in gaining an audience.
6. MANUFACTURING-THE CRUX:
Finding a manufacturer within your budget, that is, a manufacturer that manufactures your product as per your blueprint and at a minimum rate is the main part. This is the part of the story where you can save your money by acting a bit smart and finding a compatible manufacturer for your product.
7. SOURCING:
This is all about having the right inventory and fabric at the right time in the right place. In simple words, it means keeping an eye on the inventory.
8. A PHYSICAL OR A VIRTUAL EXISTENCE:
For a newbie, physical stores might be a slightly expensive option as it involves various costs such as rent and maintenance costs. A virtual store is equally effective. The best part is it doesn’t have a geographical limit or additional costs. Using the right technology and software can help you ace in the virtual platform.
9. A WEBSITE:
A minimal investment in creating a website yields endless benefits. The potential customers can be reached easily irrespective of geographical distance. It helps in gaining new customers. In this generation of social media and internet, an online presence is definitely a boon for expansion of the business by capturing more and more potential customers both online and offline.
10. MARKETING STRATEGY:
Marketing is a very vital part of your clothing line and you must plan it with a complete roadmap and strategy. As you are not a very technical person and would like to focus on your core business, then you can outsource website development to digital marketing and SEO job to an experienced and trusted company like 9Start. Such a company can take care of your online growth as per your brand positioning.
Like any other business, a clothing line needs a lot of hard work. Of course, you may face challenges along the way and follow these 10 steps, the path to success will definitely be easier.
