Starting a clothing business is often easier said than done but that hasn’t stopped thousands of successful entrepreneurs from doing just that. What is the secret to their success? They pick successful, visible niches into which they bring their unique vision and execution to not only survive but thrive in what are typically overcrowded markets. One niche that is growing extremely fast is plus size wholesale clothing. In this article, we’re going to help you understand this niche as well as what you need to do to leverage your strengths to take your plus-size clothing business to the next level.
Niche
You need to learn all about your niche including what makes it special, how it is typically marketed, why you should be your customer’s first choice, and when you are going to execute what in your business strategy. Plus size wholesale clothing is similar to but very different from more traditional styling because the variety is both greater and the needs of the customer base more idiosyncratic. Decide on your approach here and let it filter down into processes as you build out your store.
Product
After you determine your market segment you need to fill your inventory with appropriate product. You can go broadly or specialized depending on the needs of your firm. It is important to note that the approaches for a general versus a more specialized store differ greatly including what you should stock and how much. If you are going for the widest audience possible, it might help to determine what are considered staples and how you want to position your store in that space.
Marketing
Once you have your segmentation and product mix determined, you need to figure out what marketing channels you are going to utilize to help you drive sales as well as build out email marketing lists. As we outlined, your approach, broad or specialized, will really determine the tone here as well as what outlets are viable for you. You will also want to consider that customer service, while it may seem a distinct entity, is actually a very important part of your marketing strategy. Your social media and marketing channels will be utilized by customers for customer service inquiries so be sure to be both prepared and have a plan in place for that.
Seasonality
Part of determining your product strategy and marketing also revolves around the concept of seasonality or that some items will be more popular during certain months than others. Of course, with the Internet, the world is a much flatter place but it is also incredibly local if the overwhelming number of your customers are in a specific region. What to offer and when will largely be determined by this customer composition. Naturally, this comes with sales and the data from that, but you can
set the course in the beginning with your marketing and niche selection. The advice here is both simple and complex. At its simplest, you sell shorts in the summer, and sweaters in the winter, and at its most complex, you have to know what is going to be in demand and how intense that is going to be.
Plan for Change
Do not stick to a plan that isn’t working and do not go down a path that has not been vetted. Establish metrics, track sales, and quantify your markets as you make adjustments to all aspects of your business. Do not ever stay in one place and be vigilant for opportunities for market gain or improvement as they present themselves.
