Owning and running a women’s clothes boutique can be a profitable and rewarding business, especially for those who love style, shopping and helping women find their fashion sense. But how can a small boutique complete with the big box stores? It’s easier than you think.
- Customer Service. In an age of call centers half way around the world, providing top notch customer service can be a number one selling point of your business. There are a myriad of ways to provide excellent service, that don’t have to cost an arm and a leg: Offer refreshments to your shoppers; train employees to be professional, courteous and how to go out of their way to assist clients; hold customer appreciate specials; be willing to go the extra mile in resolving any disputes. Great customer service will be remembered long after the purchase is made.
- Specialize in Unique. While you may sell all kinds of women’s fashions, become known as a shop that has a continuing changing line of truly unique specialties. The harder to find the better. Don’t just carry formal gowns, go out of the way to find formal dresses in interesting colors and cuts. Make sure all your merchandise is out of the ordinary, and certainly nothing that one could find in a regular department store.
- Store Events. While the larger stores have the financial power to advertise and conduct store-wide events, a boutique has the ability to host specialized and private events, adding to the high quality message of your store. Champagne shopping, Girlfriend Events, monthly fashion shows all add up to creating customer loyalty and increased presence.
- Tailoring. Offer a service to make sure every piece fits picture perfect, as well as giving women a place to bring their favorite pieces for repair. If you can’t afford to have a tailor on staff, find a great local tailor and outsource.
- Personal Shoppers. One way larger stores compete is offering the services of a personal shopper. This consultant spends time getting to know the shopper’s needs and style, and then does the leg work of perusing the racks to find potential fashions to present to the client to pick and choose from. Start a Personal Shopper service, and be ready to spend time getting to know your client’s taste. This service is another way for you, the owner to enjoy the reason you opened the boutique in the first place, the help women find their fashion sense. And you will build loyalty and make more money as well!
- Market You. Use yourself and your own personality to become an icon at your shop. Make sure to dress up every day in clothing from your own racks. Make friends with everyone who walks through your doors. Be flamboyant in your own way. People love hanging around celebrities. Make yourself into the star of your own boutique!
