With 2022 well underway it’s time to stop thinking about that fashion brand you’ve been dreaming of launching and time to set a plan in action. Whether it is business support you are looking for or help with production I’d love to share some tips and ideas to help you launch into 2023 with your brand.
The Basics, as dull as they are, will be key to launching any business especially one as saturated as the fashion industry. Your foundations and strategy need to be solid and clear from the start, no winging it! That said it isn’t necessary to have comprehensive business plans, marketing strategies and growth targets in place from the get-go just a clear direction of the image and direction in which you would like to build your fledgling business - outlines in a living document that will grow and develop over time that consider:
What your offering is? Are you looking to serve a gap you’ve identified in the market, target specific underserved consumers or co-exist in a current market? Whatever your goal is a clear customer identity needs to be you first consideration.
Sales – are you developing a brand to offer at wholesale, in which case you need to think about a sales strategy, how will you find your customers. Maybe you’re thinking of retail, so careful consideration should be given to how you want to sell. i.e A physical shop, online or via social media.
Timeline to launch! Don’t leave everything to the last minute or try to think about it as things come up. A clear timeline will help you to consider everything that you need in the build up to a launch, your marketing but more importantly will help you maintain a schedule and focus. Many clients I’ve worked with are surprised by how long it takes to launch a fashion brand. (12-18 months by the way)
Finance – where will your investment come from? Whether you intend to launch with £100 or £100,000 you need to know what your budget looks like and what you need to spend it on. You don’t necessarily need a huge budget, but you do need to be realistic about what you have and what you can accomplish with it. A point to remember is to factor in everything, so many start-ups forget to cost in admin time and insurance.
Need help with developing the next stage of your business? Click here to see how I can help you move forward with your business whatever stage your at.