With so many to-dos, it can be easy to miss the important things that will make a huge difference in our businesses. That’s why we have asked the experts to share their top 5 tips that have helped them run successful fashion businesses. Like us, they’ve all gone through their ups and downs, but somehow have figured out what really moves the needle in their businesses.
Today, Maria Pesin, a Senior Apparel Industry Executive and owner of Vibe Consulting, will share her tips with us!
Thank you Maria 
The key here is the focus on being successful. There are many businesses out there, but the successful ones are few and far between. To be considered as a success the bottom line is you are making money. I don’t mean a little money, but enough to make a difference in your life. So whether your goals are modest maybe just enough income to pay the bills and be able to save and go on a vacation once in a while or all the way to making millions this has to be one of your bottom-line goals.
I speak to many entrepreneurs in this industry and they all seem to make the same mistakes. Based on these conversations I have come up with my 5 tips.
HAVE A BUSINESS PLAN
I strongly suggest you make a business plan before you make a sample. A business plan forces you to flesh out your idea by asking questions such as: Who is your customer? How do you plan to market your business?
HAVE A UNIQUE SELLING PROPOSITION
You need to make sure your company has a unique selling proposition or USP. There are a lot of brands out there. Why does the market need your product? What do you bring to the table that is special or unique?
HAVE A MARKETING PLAN
You must have a marketing plan. Branding is especially important these days. Stores who might want to buy your product want to know you have an engaged audience. Some stores won’t even buy your line unless you have at least 40,000 followers.
HAVE A SALES STRATEGY
Don’t be afraid of sales. Without sales, there is no business. Come up with your sales strategy even before you start making samples. If you don’t have any experience learn as much as you can about selling to ensure that you get your product sold. While you might be hiring salespeople no one will be as passionate as you are about your business.
BE PROFESSIONAL
Make sure all your ducks are in a row. Buyers want to work with professionals. So all your line lists, lookbooks, and marketing materials must be correct and polished. All your samples need to be correct. Deliver your merchandise on time and make sure your quality and fit are top-notch. Otherwise, stores will drop you faster than they found you.
I can assure you that these tips will increase your chances of success. Good luck with your business!
Maria Pesin is a senior apparel industry executive with an outstanding history of achievement and over 25 years of field experience. She has developed brands from the ground up and taken well-known names to new heights of excellence. Her proven leadership ability has led her to spearhead marketing operations and construct and implement business plans for New York apparel giants like Fleet Street and GIII Apparel Group building multi-million dollar brands. She has established herself as an expert in everything from merchandising and sales to product development and budgeting.
Maria launched Vibe Consulting 6 years ago. Vibe Consulting is a business consulting firm that specializes in helping companies start new divisions, turn around existing ones or bringing companies to the next level. Our specialties are sales and marketing, merchandising, organizational efficiencies, and managing Profit/Loss.
Website – https://vibeconsulting.co
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