How to open a boutique

A “boutique” is defined as a small retail shop offering specialized products and services, often selling gifts, apparel and/or accessories. In the last few years, as the number of people interested in starting their own business has increased, so has the number of boutiques across the United States. Boutiques can be found in malls,  strip centers and free standing buildings. A boutique offers customers a chance to find unique merchandise, coupled with superior customer service.

Are you in search of a guide that can help you through this process?. You have come to the right place!  We are here to help you through the entire process.

The most important thing is your individuality and your creativity.  You need to decide the variety of merchandise you want to carry, if you want to specialize or have a variety of goods, and the prices that will attract your customer.

STEP # 1

You Need a Business Plan. Click here for Business Plan Information

STEP # 2

Start with deciding what variety of merchandise you are going to sell in the boutique. Are you planning on only selling apparel?  What about accessories such as purses, shoes and jewelry.   In order for a boutique to be successful, it needs to fill a niche in the community where it is being opened. You need to take a moment and look around the area where you are planning to open your boutique. What kinds of shops already exist there? What is missing? You need to create your individual niche will fill that space, and, you will need to be able to provide the best customer service and prices for the merchandise you choose to sell.  Now that you have decided what direction you will take, try to specialize in particular types of clothing. This will attract customers with unique needs in the long run.

STEP # 3

Once you are sure as to what you are going to specialize in, the next step in how to open a small boutique would be to chart out your boutique business plan. Business Plan Information for Small Boutiques

The plan should detail the source where you are going to get your apparels, when will you place orders, how much are you going to start with, the location details, mitigation and contingency plans to face the risks involved in business, the number of employees you are planning to have, theft prevention tactics that you will implement, techniques to handle cash rolling.

The name that you choose for your boutique is another important selection that you will have to make. Make sure that you include the name in the plan that you are making. Let the name be attractive and innovative. Guide to Choosing a Business Name

The plan that you chart out should also include the expected costs involved and the avenues via which you are going to finance your small boutique.

STEP # 4

If you decide on opening a small boutique, understand that you can choose from a couple of three options

• You can wither open a new boutique • You can buy an established bouquet. • You can purchase a franchisee

Guide to Choosing a Location for your Business

When deciding where to locate your boutique you will want to consider several things. First of all you will need to decide if you want your boutique in a mall or a shopping center. A mall guarantees a certain amount of traffic because of the location, but also requires that you work within the rules of the mall including hours of operation, pricing and possibly shop design. A shopping center gives you more flexibility but requires more work in advertising to drive business to your store. If you want to be in a mall you will need to contact the mall in question and get from them leasing information and mall requirements. The same is true in the case of a shopping center, but you will be inquiring of the Landlord for lease information. It takes approximately 30-90 days to prepare a shop for opening so you will want to negotiate for at least 30 days of free rent from either option.

STEP # 6

Once you reach this step in how to open a small boutique, its high time, you become innovative and emerge out with tactics on effective selling and hosting creative events to increase sales.

With the aid of the steps above, just go ahead an enjoy opening your small boutique.