Promoting your own boutique

This is taken from the Promotion section of the 2007 Edition of the How to Open a Boutique ebook. Please see Table of Contents >>> for all chapter details.

promotion image

Understanding that as a small boutique owner, you will not have the same large advertising budgets of larger retailers is probably the first step. Therefore, you will need to concentrate on doing local and inexpensive advertising – mostly directed to your own mailing list.

It is important you begin creating your mailing list from day one. If you use the retail management software I suggest in my book, you will already be doing this as you will be entering customer’s names, addresses, phone numbers, etc., into your system at the point of purchase, thereby creating your mailing list.

If you opt not to buy that software system, begin keeping a mailing list log book and ask customers for their information when they make a purchase and then each day enter it into your log book. I did my mailing list for nearly two years this way and it works great too!

Whatever retail software you are using, you will be able to generate reports that list your best customers, best selling lines, etc. You will also be able to run mailing labels for all of your mailing list or those that match a certain criteria, in just a few minutes.

Another good way to get your mailing list going in the beginning is to offer a raffle on the first few days you open your boutique. As people come in, tell them you are raffling off a $100 gift certificate to the store and have them fill out a little slip with name, address and phone number.

Everyone will want to win that so they will be happy to fill out the slip. From the slips, enter all the info into your computer or into your customer log.

What you will realize, after you have been in business just a short time, is that 80% of your business will come from just 20% of your mailing list. What this means is that you will establish certain “regular customers” that frequent your boutique and make up the bulk of your sales.

You will want to take care of these customers and treat them like gold. If you are in a mall, you may have more random customers, but if you are a local, specialty boutique, I will stick with the 80/20 rule.

I will now share with you a few ways in which to treat your customers in a very special way and keep them coming back in.

1 – Begin a Client Book. I had one for myself and I gave one to each of my employees on their first day of work. It consisted of a binder with alphabetical dividers and lots and lost of lined paper. As customers come into the store and we begin to know them, we fill out a page for them in the book.

I generally write what they purchased, what lines they like and if they want to be called when something in particular comes in. Then, in a few weeks I would call them regarding new merchandise or a sale we are having, etc.

Most customers are very flattered that you remembered them and will love you for it. As your business grows, your client book will become larger and larger. Flip through it every few days and call customers. This will be the #1 way you generate a happy and loyal customer following, and it will cost you nothing but a phone call.

2 – Discounts to Preferred Customers. This is something that I implemented in my store to let my best customers know how much I appreciated them. I had buttons/pins made that had the store logo on them and the word “Addict”.

I made a funny card to send to them and called them addicts of the store. The card told them to bring the button in any time and they would be entered into the computer system as preferred customers and receive 10% off for life.

We had a wonderful response. Customers thought it was a funny idea and brought the buttons in for their lifetime discount – and we got them into the store to shop!

I recommend you be creative and have fun. Have little parties to celebrate new lines, designers, sales, etc., and invite your top customers. Have some snacks, drinks and perhaps some live music for them, and let them play and shop in the store.

inside of limosine suggested as promotion idea

Maybe send a limousine to pick up a few of your best clients!

Whatever you decide to do, make sure you are taking care of your good customers, because they will most definitely be the one’s taking care of you!

Now, I have talked a lot about keeping your clients once you have a client list, but what about getting them in the first place? You need to generate as much hype for your store as inexpensively as possible. I recommend you do the following things...
download the How to Open a Boutique guide below to learn more!

Jewelry		Lingerie
Apparel		Handbag
Bridal		Wedding
Maternity		Kid’s Wear
Shoe		Sports Wear
Sneakers		Gifts
Children's clothing		Clothing store
or whatever type of retail store you can dream up

cards type

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