Does your boutique business feel like it’s stuck in last season? Maybe your online boutique got off to a totally promising start, but now it’s hit a lull. Hey, it happens. It’s normal. But that doesn’t mean this slump has to be your new normal.
You probably had a detailed, well thought out plan for how you’d get your boutique off the ground in the beginning, but building it up to new heights is a whole different game. It’s time to find some new customers, give your marketing efforts some love, and hit some new sales records.
If you’ve already been in business for a while, here’s how to help your boutique business grow:
(Just getting started? Check out this post for tips on starting your boutique business!)
1. Try new marketing strategies
If you’re looking to grow your boutique, you can’t just rely on word of mouth – no matter how wide your circle is or how strong your customer base is. Experiment with using marketing strategies you haven’t tapped yet.
Make sure you’re remarketing to existing customers by emailing your list consistently. Offer referral promos to existing customers who invite a friend to shop with you. No matter what you’ve been trying so far, mix things up a bit! Every business is different and the only way to figure out what works for you is to try things out. (Looking for more ideas? See our top 6 marketing tips here!)
2. Collaborate with other business owners
Find fellow local businesses or businesses that sell products or services that complement yours. Then, collaborate with them on a promotion! Promote your products in an advertising campaign, bundle a set of your products, or even offer to sell their products on your online store for a small cut of the profits. You can also consider running a joint social media giveaway to introduce your shop to another small business’s following. Building relationships can go a long way – community over competition!
3. Launch a loyalty program
Let customers earn rewards just by shopping at your store. Knowing that they can earn points and discounts simply by shopping will make them more likely to come back and more likely to purchase more items. No need to make it complicated – the more straightforward, the better!
4. Consider getting a small business loan
They say you have to spend money to make money – but if you don’t have any money, that advice can be a real downer. If you’ve got big ideas on how you could help your boutique business grow but require some extra cash to implement them, consider getting a small business loan. You might even qualify for a Coronavirus relief loan, some of which are totally forgivable. Just make sure you have a plan in place for how you’d invest that money.
5. Hold a huge sale
Out with the old and in with the new. Get rid of excess inventory by hosting a massive warehouse sale. It’ll help you attract new customers and make existing customers even more loyal. Even if you break even on a few pieces, that traction and excitement can be well worth it down the road. Just make sure you emphasize that the sale’s only running for a very limited time to create urgency.
6. Ask for customer feedback
If business is a little slow right now, now is a great time to collect customer feedback and implement it. After all, your past customers are the ones who really know what it’s like to buy from you! They can offer you some valuable insight, from what inspired them to buy from you in the first place to how the shopping experience could be improved. Offer some sort of incentive for their feedback, like a free gift with their next purchase or a discount code.
7. Invite customers to join you in supporting a cause
Customers like to do business with companies that share their values. Consider running a campaign where a portion of all proceeds will be donated to a cause you (and your ideal customer) care about. If you’ve been feeling less than inspired about running your boutique lately, this could help you attach a new sense of meaning and purpose to what you’re doing. Just make sure it’s a cause you genuinely feel connected to and want to support.
8. Improve your social presence
Along with your website, your social media presence is basically your virtual storefront. It communicates a lot about your brand and your business – and for some potential customers, it’s the very first interaction they’ll ever have with your boutique. If you’ve been neglecting social for a while, give it a little extra love. Post new product photos along with valuable content your followers might enjoy and consider partnering with influencers with an engaged, similar following.
9. Connect with your customer
Customers want to support brands that they have a personal relationship with. Whenever your customer interacts with your brand, make sure it’s a positive experience. Offer them content they’ll care about, via email and social media. Encourage them to share their own photos of your products, then reshare it. And make sure you’re investing time and effort into providing excellent customer service. It’s a lot easier (and cheaper) to retain a customer than it is to find a new one – providing an excellent customer experience will help keep them around.
10. Offer new products
Boutique customers tend to expect frequent new arrivals. Try introducing new items, or even entirely new categories of items. It’ll help you figure out what exactly your ideal customer is most interested in purchasing.
Supplied members have the freedom to try all sorts of wholesale boutique items out, with no minimum orders, free shipping, and free returns. That way, you can place a small order of items & then place a much larger one later if it turns out your customers love it! And with new products added to the website every single week, it’s easy to continue offering exciting new products to your customers.
We totally believe you have what it takes to succeed in your online boutique business – and the Supplied team is here to support you in doing that! That’s why we offer free shipping, up to 75% off of wholesale prices, and no minimum orders on over 100,000+ wholesale boutique items. Become a Supplied member (it’s free!) and start ordering now. Create Your Free Wholesale Account Today
