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Posted by Uncle Sha
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You’ve been to college or have the fashion skills and you now want to establish yourself as a fashion designer, so how do you get started?
1) Set up your brand to ensure that you and your designs are recognisable. Establish a good label on your items.
2) Design a few small items that you can give away or sell cheaply. These will be your introductions to your brand.
3) Set yourself up a website with good photos of your designs. This is your shop window.
4) Set yourself up a store on etsy and eBay. Set up a regular advert on CraigsList. Mention your website in both stores and the ad. This is to give you good links and get you internet exposure.
5) Get yourself a market stall or mall kart to sell more. Attend regularly to establish your brand image. This gets you know locally.
6) Get yourself a good brochure designed. Use a photography student if need be - they get good exposure, a reference and a portfolio and you get no cost photos.
7) Offer small items to big charities etc. This gets you exposure.
8) Offer talks to local large clubs and set up a small table with your brochures and small items for sale. This is called “back of the room” sales.
9) Set up adverts offering bespoke tailoring. Connect with wedding planners and similar to offer couture.
10) Get a business plan together and explain what sponsorship and sponsor remuneration you are seeking within the plan.
11) Keep making small items to introduce your brand and range. Send some off to potential sponsors with your brochure and an Introductory letter and your business plan.
12) Contact big companies and ask if they want to sponsor a fashion show. Offer a fashion show to charities. Send them your brochure. Offer charity auction your small items to auction.
13) Keep expanding your range as you can afford.
14) Contact small boutiques and offer to supply their shops.
15) If this is in your area then offer uniforms to businesses, clubs and sports clubs. Do an internet search and tender for this work.
Put the above into a marketing plan, make your own personal adjustments and work on it weekly and daily. Good luck.
Copyright 2010 Biz Guru Ltd
Lee Lister writes as The Biz Guru, for a number of web sites where she provides advice and assistance for the business entrepreneur. She is a published author - her books Entrepreneur’s Apprentice and How Much Does It Cost To Start A Business? as well as detailed information on how to start many low cost businesses, can be found on http://www.StartMyNewBusiness.com
With over 20 year’s management and business consultancy experience with businesses large and small as well as being a serial entrepreneur, she now helps others set up, develop and market their businesses. If you would like more help and assistance in setting up your new marketing strategy as well as some great marketing services then visit: http://www.MarketingGuerrillas.com
This article may be freely distributed if this resource box stays attached.
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19th Feb 2010
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Category: Entrepreneur
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