How To Open A Boutique

By Author: Roberto
Total Articles: 1
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A boutique is "a small store that sells stylish clothing, jewellery, or other usually luxury goods". The word is French for "shop".

Boutiques are successful because they’re more than just stores: They’re style educators. Many consumers don’t have the time or know-how to style themselves. Fashion is fickle, and they’re scared to try a new trend — until boutiques show them how. They walk in the store to be inspired, to shop with friends, and to feel good about themselves in their clothes. Or they tune in to a live video for style tips from the comfort of their couch.

When you inspire customers, they don’t just buy your product or service — they buy the experience. They buy memories.

Social media is integral to the customer experience. Don’t build sales channels; build an online community.

Boutiques connect like-minded customers over a mutual interest in fashion using live video and Facebook groups. They incentivize customers to share their selfies with contests or discounts. Referral codes are powerful ways to encourage friend recommendations, which 92% percent of consumers believe ...
... over all forms of advertising. All of this builds community.

Great boutiques don’t just stock the bestselling clothes, they try unique brands their customers might like to discover. Don’t be afraid to take risks, try cutting-edge trends, and fail. Many boutiques even bring back “failures” when their customers are ready for the trend. When a celebrity sports a wide-brimmed hat, they may become popular in Los Angeles right away but take a year to reach the Midwest.

Bottom line: Learn what your customers want and you can’t go wrong.
You don’t have to do it all — do what makes sense for your audience. If you aren’t sure what that is, ask them. Some boutiques have success with Facebook notifications or Instagram updates, while others know their customers prefer texts. Put yourself in their shoes. Rose Bruno is the founder of chachaboutique (chachaboutique.be), a cutting-edge boutique store with nearly 170,000 members in their Facebook group. Each day, she asks her team, “Would you be annoyed getting these notifications?” If the answer is yes, they adjust.