As the founder and owner of my own clothing brand, I'll explain some of the more successful strategies I've applied.
1. Examine other clothing brands in your niche market
Firstly, and most importantly, have a look at what other clothing brands are doing in your niche market. Pay particular attention to their product range. What type of t-shirts/apparel do they have? Are they slim fit, loose fit, oversized fit or tall fit? What type of cut are they? Are they V necks, crew necks, tank tops and so on? Of equal importance is the type of printing that's used for their logo. Do they use screen printing, heat transfer or digital printing? The type of fabric used should also be considered. Do they use heavy cottons, light cottons or have they moved to an Eco Friendly organic cotton? In addition, follow up on their customer feedbacks and reviews via their web page, their Facebook pages or twitter. Once all this information has been examined and explored it then poses the question, will i be able to produce a product that will beat their prices or at the very least be competitive, while sustaining a good profit margin?
2. Customer Service
Whether you have an on line or retail store, customer service is crucial to your survival. Assist your customers in a prompt, timely and professional manner with their questions and queries. In regards to an on line store, respond to your customers email enquiries within the time frame specified on your web page. If you say you'll get back to emails within 24hrs then ensure you do just that! Allocate time every day to get back to all customer emails. It's the number one thing any business can do. Stand out with your customer service. Customer satisfaction is imperative to your clothing brands success. If done correctly your customers are more likely to be happy with your brand and come back again, and they'll bring their friends and family next time.
3. Sell your clothing brand image.
Have something unique. If you squeeze out the same thing that everybody else is making, people are going to go with the existing brand instead of you. Produce something different than what is out there on the market. Bring something fresh to the table.
4. Learn how to market
As with any business, knowing how to market is critical for success.Having a good website for your brand will make it easier for customers to shop for your products, but advertising is what drives them to the site in the first place. For more in depth tips on marketing please view my article "internet and business on line marketing".
5. Preserve
Like any start up business clothes lines take a lot of hard work and dedication. You'll meet some challenges along the way, but if you believe in yourself and your brand, you'll succeed. Owning and running a successful clothing line isn't easy, in fact it's tough work that can pay off if you give it your all and enjoy what you do.
