Starting any business can be a daunting task, but starting a clothing brand comes with its own unique set of challenges. A lot can go wrong, from design and manufacturing mishaps to missteps in marketing and distribution. Even if you have a great product, your business can quickly become unprofitable if you’re not careful.
So how do you ensure that your clothing brand is successful? Here are three things you need to keep in mind.
Funding
Of course, you’ll need some money to get your business off the ground.
How much you’ll need will depend on a number of factors, including the type of clothing you want to sell, how many pieces you plan to produce, and whether you’re manufacturing domestically or overseas.
If you’re just starting out, it’s probably best to keep your costs as low as possible. You can always increase production later.
Still, you’ll need to find solid funding. There are different ways to do this.
One option is to take out a small business loan. Another is to bring on investors, although this will likely mean giving up some control over your company.
Crowdfunding is also an option worth considering. Platforms can help you raise money from a large number of people, many of whom may be interested in supporting your clothing brand because they believe in your vision.
Design and Manufacturing
Once you have the funding in place, you’ll need to start working on your designs. If you’re not a designer yourself, you’ll need to either partner with one or hire someone to work in-house.
It’s also important to think about how your clothes will be manufactured. Are you going to produce them domestically or overseas? There are pros and cons to both approaches.
Domestic manufacturing is typically more expensive, but it can offer better quality control and quicker turnaround times. Overseas manufacturing is usually less expensive, but it can be harder to manage quality control and you may have to wait longer for your finished products.
Marketing and Distribution
Once you have your designs and manufacturing figured out, it’s time to start thinking about marketing and distribution.
How are you going to get your clothes into the hands of your target customers? Are you going to sell them online, in brick-and-mortar stores, or both?
It’s important to have a plan for marketing and distribution before you start production. Otherwise, you risk ending up with a lot of inventory that you can’t sell.
It’s also a good idea to assemble a sales team at this point. Then a competent manager to run a sales meeting as often as possible to stay on top of things. For instance, if you choose the online route, the team can review social media analytics together to better understand what’s working (and not working) with customers.
Starting a clothing brand is no easy feat. But if you’re mindful of these needs and more, it’s definitely possible to create a successful and profitable clothing brand.