All businesses need fresh ideas from time to time and these bite-sized tips can be applied whether you have just started-up, or are running an established business. Marketing is very much about experimenting to find out what works, because every business is different, with different target markets to serve, and different strengths and limitations. One thing I have learnt from running Accessories Palace and Prince & Princess Petwear is that a good marketing strategy is the magic ingredient that will give you an edge over your rivals, and catapult your business to the success you dream of.
01 Unconventional Advertising
‘Traditional’ advertising methods like an internet site , marketing literature, Google Local, and medium , all have their place. However, you ought to believe more creative ways to publicise your business too. Consider putting mysterious QR code stickers everywhere your local area to pique people’s interest. Consider publicity stunts like flash mobs at wedding fairs. Anything that gets people talking will help to boost awareness of your brand and business.
02 Pricing Strategy
Although you should never compete on price, your pricing strategy is an important tool that will help you to achieve your marketing and financial goals. Pitching your prices too high will give the impression that your bridal dress hong kong boutique is of a premium quality, but this may exclude customers that are on a smaller budget. Finding the right bridal ranges at the right price point is just the start. Remember, too that RRP’s are only recommendations, and that designers and sales reps cannot legally force you to sell at a particular price. If your target market are willing to pay more or less that is the price you should go with.
03 Get Local Publicity
Get to understand the journalists who work on your local newspaper or magazine, and offer them newsworthy stories (such as your grand opening, having the 1000th customer in your shop, or your charity fundraising). Once you’ve got built up an honest relationship with a publication you’ll even offer to write down a daily wedding column for them. National magazines and trade publications are usually a touch harder to urge featured certain free as they believe advertising revenue, but if your story is unusual enough it’s going to only take a call to the features editor.
04 Joint Ventures, Alliances, and Co-operatives
Form an alliance with other local business proprietors and offer to place their poster or business cards in your shop in exchange for doing the same for you. Approach businesses that you think particularly serve your target market (although obviously not competitors), as well as those that have waiting rooms or queues. By teaming up with another business you could offer a package deal or exchange website links. Think about what other products and services brides need; flowers, wedding cars, a venue, a cake, bridesmaid’s gifts, a hairstylist, a photographer, a pamper day… and consider developing a venture with these.
05 Demonstrate Your Skills
If you’re a marriage expert, a dressmaker, stylist, or tiara maker, you’ll use your skills to offer talks at shows and events. this may help position you as an expert in your field and establish trust, which can increase your customer base. this may even be of interest to your local newspaper and generate some free publicity for your business.
06 Organise an area Wedding Show
You could organise your own catwalk show in your local plaza . Get other industry-related businesses involved and make it an enormous event for prospective brides (and grooms.) Tell your local newspaper about the event beforehand to realize publicity, and also get them to hide the story on the day for a follow up within the paper.
07 Develop a Marketing Plan
A marketing plan may be a document which will assist you to develop a clearly defined strategy, and help everyone in your business understand the role they need to play. it’s arguably the foremost important document concerning your business. To formulate your plan, ask yourself Where is that the business now? Where can we want it to be? How will we get there? Who is responsible? attempt to set time-specific, measurable goals, as these will assist you achieve your aims more easily and supply performance indicators along the way. Remember that a marketing plan isn’t set in stone; you ought to adjust it whenever external and internal changes occur.
08 Discover Your Top Sellers
Identify your best selling and most profitable lines and ensure that they are placed in a prominent position where customers can quickly and easily find them. Online businesses should place these pieces on the homepage, at the top of collection pages, and in a recommended section. By selling more bridal wear that offer a high return you can significantly increase your profits. Moreover, customers will appreciate being able to find the items they are looking for without too much effort. Inevitably, this means you will always have slower moving pieces, but you can turn them over more quickly if you have a regular sample sale or find another channel for them such as an e-marketplace. Beware of overbuying – buying new designs when you have still got old stock left on display. Get rid of dogs first, and regularly review what is selling and what is not.
09 Be a Specialist Bridal Boutique
Avoid trying to be all things to all brides (and their mothers, grooms, bridesmaids…) You’ll have a lot more success if you find a niche. You could specialise in, for example, bigger brides, mature brides, overseas weddings, alternative (historical, non-traditional colours, or themed) weddings, or traveller brides (as Thelma Nadine at Nico does.) Catering for mothers of the bride, bridesmaids, and prom girls could make the bridal wear side of your business less effective, particularly if yours is a small boutique. Having too many price points is also a recipe for failure. Decide whether you are a high, mid, or low range boutique and choose your bridal ranges accordingly.
10 Bespoke Design Service
Tap into a highly lucrative market and offer brides something more unique and private than the quality offering on the shelf. By offering customers an in-house design service, ready to “> you’ll generate tons of business and you’ll be able to charge a premium price for your bespoke bridal wear. If you collaborate with a designer and dressmaker (if you don’t have those skills yourself) you’ll provide customers with unique pieces, as per their specifications. Most bridal gowns need some modification, so albeit you’re only ready to offer an adjustment service, you’ll establish a foothold over retail-only competitors and make yourself a way more appealing choice for prospective brides once they are choosing where to shop for their dress.
11 Show Your Support
Supporting charity events is great PR for any business. Sponsoring an occasion can give your bridal boutique an enormous boost, especially if you get your brand and business details printed within the event guide or mentioned within the media. Other ways to support charity (and raise awareness of your business) include: donating your products or services to charity auctions; donating a percentage of your profits to charity; organising and hosting an area fundraiser event; and volunteering some time and expertise to assist an honest cause.
