Your brand will make or break you in any economy. If you’re concerned that the economy is negatively affecting your business, then you’re not thinking in the forward manner that you should be. Consider a down economy the time when you should be more competitive. People are out there spending money, they just need to come to you to spend it. Taking business from your competition is job #1. Get excited and innovative to take advantage of a time when customers are only buying from those that they believe in.

Branding has a lot to do with trust. When customers are skeptical because of the economy, who do you think they’re going to spend their money with? Retailers that they know and trust. They don’t want to risk spending money on something that may not deliver. They are going to go with brands whose image they are familiar with. They want to know that what they are getting is a high enough quality that they won’t be throwing their money away.

Building trust with your customers should be first and foremost on your mind. Use every aspect of your retail business to build that trust. Your web site, your social media efforts, your mailings, even your store displays has an effect on people’s impression of you.

Start by thinking about how to build trust while reinforcing your image. A down economy doesn’t mean that you have to lower your prices. It makes people think that you are just trying too hard to get their money, and lowering prices, if not done carefully, can instill that seed of doubt that you want to avoid.

Everything about your store, catalog, or web site is a promise to the customers. If you have a lot of high quality images, then they perceive you as a high end retailer. If you skimp on something, they may perceive you and your brand as a lower quality outfit. At any step in the process of making a purchase, you could betray the trust that you’ve begun to establish. Be careful to pay attention to all the details of the shopping experience.

Inside your store, make sure that your displays are tidy and neat, your staff is courteous and respectful, and that your garment racks are fully stocked. If people see a garment rack that is lacking in sizes, they will not trust that you will have what they need when they find what they want, and may leave. Keep everything streamlined, from the moment someone enters the store to the moment they leave or need to make a return. Make check-out on your web site easy to manage. Make ordering from your catalog as easy as possible. With your customers’ trust, your business could flourish, despite fluctuations in the economy.

About the Author: John Garvey is on the staff of Only Garment Racks, a leading online source of garment racks including clothing racks. Find a high quality garment rack or clothing rack at http://www.onlygarmentracks.com.

Selecting the appropriate merchandise is essential. This part of the job is usually considered the most fun by boutique owners. However, it can also be the most painstaking and time consuming part of the job, too. The right merchandise will jump out at you, scream, “I’m unique”, and excite you to put it in your store.

Before you decide to carry something, there are a few questions to ask yourself. Ask yourself the following questions.

1) Does this item fit in with the rest of the merchandise?
2) Does this item fit in with my vision and goals for the store?
3) Would my customer base be excited to see this item?
4) Would my customers actually want to purchase this item?
5) Would I make enough profit off of this item to warrant carrying it?

Once you’ve decided to invest in an item or brand, remember that displaying it is as important as carrying it. If you don’t show it in the right light and in an interesting way, then it will go unnoticed and you have probably just wasted a lot of time, energy, and money getting it into the store.

Promoting new brands or lines of clothing can be a very effective tool. If you have a mailing list or an e-mail notification list, a social networking page, or any other way of communicating directly with your current customers, then do it. Let them know that you are now carrying the brand, or use the item as a focal point of the e-mail or mailer. Customers that like your style will likely see what you see in the item and be inclined to come in and shop. This is especially true if you offer a coupon or other incentive for coming in. Many people won’t shop unless they have a coupon or there is a promotion going on.

Once you get them into the store, think about how you position the items that you want to focus on. Position your garment racks to draw attention to certain items. A boutique garment rack is more interesting than a standard rack. It is usually more ornate, holds fewer items, and utilizes shelves, bars, pegs, and hooks to keep the display looking rich and interesting. Using garment racks like this can help you to draw attention to the areas that you want to focus on.

About the Author: John Garvey is on the staff of Only Garment Racks, a leading online source of garment racks including clothing racks. Find a high quality garment rack or clothing rack at http://www.onlygarmentracks.com.

Retail design plans are generally rigid and set in stone, so to speak. However, you can come up with a solid display arrangement that is flexible enough to accommodate promotions, inventory fluctuations, and seasonal changes if you do your planning. Figure out a way to achieve your goals by creating a basic list of key points to adhere to.

Let’s say that your retail store constantly has new designs coming in. Of course, you will want to promote them and feature them. You can work a staging area into your store design, where new items will always go before they get thrown in the mix. A good way to grab attention when something is new is to use it on your mannequins.

Mannequins allow you to display something as it will look after purchase. People love to see this cut and dry display because it takes a lot of the guesswork out of whether or not they’ll like it. If something catches their eye, you want to make sure that you have it displayed on a table or special clothing rack as soon as they come in the door. You don’t want to distract them with something else, immediately, because if they don’t like the other item as much, then they won’t look long before they just leave.

Use clothing racks that face the clothes outward if possible. Rolling clothing racks are great for rearranging things as needed to accommodate your inventory. If you’re low on inventory, you can easily roll a clothing rack into storage so that your store still looks fully stocked. Racks that turn the clothes outward make shopping a breeze. But, there is actually more to it than that.

People are willing to pay more for clothes that face outward. The reason is simple. They have been conditioned to believe that round racks are for deeply discounted and clearance items. If things are neatly arranged so that it’s not a lot of work to look through them, then they are automatically going to assume that they should have to pay more for that item.

Lights, signage, the amount of space between your clothing racks, and attention grabbing items should all be considered every time you change something in your store. After deciding which way to go to achieve the look you’re going for, always ask yourself if you are following the rule. Even if your store makes drastic changes, your customers will still identify your store with the things that they like about you if your design stays the same.

About the Author: John Garvey is on the staff of Only Garment Racks, a leading online source of clothing racks including garment racks. Find a high quality clothing rack or garment rack at http://www.onlygarmentracks.com.

However, hiring retail engineers may not be within the budget of most boutiques. Running a boutique can be time consuming and require experience on many different levels. So, you may need to hire someone to help you keep everything straight and consult you on the retail processes that you are encountering. You may find it worthwhile to contact a retail engineer firm that offers consulting.

Going through a professional service can help you to focus on key areas of production, branding, advertising, marketing, and product placement that you haven’t considered before. Essentially, they’ve already thought of all those little things that you may not have run into yet. It would be proactive to get some advice and maybe a checklist of things that need to be handled.

If your operation is small, you can learn how to handle different elements of the business on your own. Some things you will need to know up front, but others can be learned on an “as needed” basis. Start with the basics of your business. Categorize and keep track of your plans on the computer or in separate files so that you have accurate documentation of each area’s details.

For example, you may have a spreadsheet or document detailing your plans. Expenditures, effectiveness, reasoning and execution of plans for branding, product placement, advertising, promotion, store image, and target market may be a good place to start. By keeping files like this, you can always go in, review what your plan was, assess what is working and what is not, and make changes. Keeping track of your thoughts and goals will help you to stay focused on developing your brand image and executing the plans to make it successful.

Executing your plan will affect every aspect of your store. You will be branding yourself with every little decision that you make. Ask yourself if what you are about to do is conducive to achieving your goals before you make decisions. Your boutique’s artwork has an impact on people’s impression of you and ultimately their decision to buy. The brands that you carry say a lot about what people can expect to find in your boutique. Even a garment rack, hanger or lighting scheme can make a lasting impression. Garment racks of poor quality instantly give people the impression that you are cheap or that you don’t care about your image. Quite the opposite of what boutiques in particular are known for.

Be careful with each decision that you make. Keep track of everything and make every move a purposeful and well thought out one. Consider hiring a retail engineer consultant if you feel that you are not able to make knowledgeable decisions when it comes to effectively running your boutique.

About the Author: John Garvey is on the staff of Only Garment Racks, a leading online source of garment racks including clothing racks. Find a high quality garment rack or clothing rack at http://www.onlygarmentracks.com.

When customers were interviewed and asked about their reasons for avoiding department stores and shopping in boutiques, the biggest complaint across the board was the lack of customer service and product knowledge by the employees of the retail chains.

Boutiques offer an honest opinion to shoppers and are more interested in making the customer happy than just making a sale. Boutique owners know that customer loyalty goes a long way. Even if a customer doesn’t buy anything, their word of mouth advertising is invaluable.

Today’s shoppers are savvy and want to know details about the items that they are considering for purchase. Make sure that your employees are trained in product knowledge. You should probably make it a weekly trend to give your employees more and more information about your products.

Take it beyond giving them information provided by the manufacturer. Let your employees try your products so that they can give first-hand accounts to your customers. Boutique customers are looking for honest opinions and will often purchase something based on the quality of the information that they receive. This means, don’t leave out the cons when you’re giving a detailed account of a product. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try to sell it, but it simply means that your honesty will be rewarded.

For example, if a customer is looking at a sheer button down shirt. Your employee could go over and say something like, “That is a beautiful shirt. I have one like it and I love the fit. The fabric is really soft and I get a lot of compliments when I wear it. The only thing that I don’t like about it is that it needs to be hand washed or it wrinkles up. But, I love it enough to put forth the extra effort.” Customers want to be trusted to decide for themselves whether or not they should buy. Giving them all of the information that they need to do so will satisfy any doubts that they had and let them know that they can ask you questions and get honest answers.

Another thing that is special about boutiques is their attention to detail. Customers appreciate the joy that they get from their shopping experience. Unlike giant department stores, boutiques are generally set up so that there are little surprises around every corner. The clothing racks are not crowded or overfilled. The walking trip from garment rack to garment rack is filled with interesting items to keep their attention. Boutique garment racks are generally smaller and only hold a few items. This helps the customer to easily see what you have to offer while they enjoy the charm of the boutique.

Keeping your customers happy can be as easy as making your store a pleasant place to visit, being honest with your recommendations, and always providing superior customer service, whether a customer is spending money or not.

About the Author: John Garvey is on the staff of Only Garment Racks, a leading online source of clothing racks including garment racks. Find a high quality garment rack or clothing rack at http://www.onlygarmentracks.com.

1) Sometimes it’s hard to take an objective look at your own business, mainly because you have put so much of your personality and dreams into your work. Another reason is that small boutiques may gain a lot of their personality from areas that other, bigger, businesses would have cut due to overhead. Try to take a realistic look at your expenditures. You may even decide to hire a retail consultant or financial consultant to get unbiased opinions.

2) Reevaluate your business goals. Sometimes it’s hard to stay on track and be true to your initial vision. Make sure that you have a clear and concise business plan. Creating a motto can be helpful. As you make decisions, always ask yourself if the decision is consistent with the goal. If it’s not, ditch it and move on. Unnecessary changes or ones that are not conducive to a successful business can drain your wallet and reap little benefit.

3) Boutiques are in a position where they want to grow, but they don’t necessarily want to become a chain. Retaining your small business charm can be challenging as sales pick up. You can help your boutique business by marketing yourself as a small local business. You can win customers over by encouraging them to support their town’s small businesses as opposed to spending all of the town’s money in giant corporate stores that send their money elsewhere. Being active in the community is a great way to build a reputation without spending any money.

4) You can promote yourself for free by staying active on social networking sites. Offering special deals to your fans and followers will encourage them to spread the word about your business. Using the internet to gain customer loyalty is an easy way to market without spending a lot of money.

5) You can save money and make more money by rearranging your boutique. Coming up with a way to sell more merchandise without moving into a bigger space, is key. A shop fitter or interior designer may be able to help you come up with the best arrangement for your clothing racks. If you have only round clothing racks, they may be taking up more room than you have. Take a look at a garment rack that makes the best use of the space that you have. A clothing rack that allows you to display more garments in less space can make a world of difference.

About the Author: John Garvey is on the staff of Only Garment Racks, a leading online source of clothing racks including garment racks. Find a high quality garment rack or clothing rack at http://www.onlygarmentracks.com.

Boutique owners are under great pressure to offer these exclusive customers a unique product. They have to constantly update their offerings to keep the interest of these whimsical shoppers. Finding new and exciting products to offer can be a lot of fun, but it certainly isn’t the only aspect of the business. Boutique owners often find themselves becoming their own shop fitters, creating interesting and effective displays, one right after another.

The displays inside of a boutique need to work with the theme. You can use lighting to spotlight areas of interest in your boutique. Think outside the box. Use things that aren’t normally used for displays while you arrange your inventory. Your garment racks can help you here.

There are clothing racks designed specifically for boutiques. They don’t hold as many items at once, helping you keep that exclusive feel in your store. You don’t want it to look like there are many items available like the one you’re promoting, even if you have boxes full of inventory in storage. People are willing to pay more for items that they think will not always be available. They want to feel like they made a rare find. They want to be the one that discovered this unique item.

Arranging your boutique to encourage people to feel this way is essential. There is a difference in an exclusive offer and something looking sold out. No one wants to get excited about an item only to find that you don’t have their size. Make sure that the garment racks that you do have are fully stocked. This is why boutique racks are so effective. They don’t have a lot on them, but they do look full.

Customers will want to know more details about boutique offerings than they will about run-of-the-mill retail store brands. Make sure that you and your staff are well trained on product knowledge. This is the number one complaint when it comes to customer service. People want to know about the product they are investing in. Boutique shoppers are especially keen on details.

Keep your unique customers happy. Invest in a boutique garment rack. Your clothing racks can be a great asset when it comes to controlling how customers feel. Work on presentation, inventory, and customer service skills to make your boutique a success.

About the Author: John Garvey is on the staff of Only Garment Racks, a leading online source of garment racks including clothing racks. Find a high quality clothing rack or garment rack at http://www.onlygarmentracks.com.

If you are not in a position to hire your own visual merchandiser or visual merchandising team, then you will want to do some research before you attempt to do it yourself. You don’t want to neglect certain areas of need.

The first step is to go over your business plan. What is your theme? Does your store look like you envisioned it? Does it communicate to the customer the types of messages that you wanted it to? This is the first step because the look and feel of your store can make a huge impact on a customer’s decision to buy, enter your store, or return for repeat business. Keeping the visual displays in your store congruent with your vision is important for branding your image.

Work on window displays and keep them up to date with promotions and the seasons. A window display that changes often is eye catching and keeps customers interested. Make sure that your signage also conveys the message that you want. Large signs with big fonts communicate discount deals while smaller signs give you a more subtle approach and prepare customers for spending more money. You don’t want to lure in people looking for cheap deals and then surprise them with your pricey merchandise. It’s ineffective and can hurt your store’s image.

Even the arrangement of your clothing racks can have an impact on the visual feeling that your store portrays. Garment racks that are close together give the store a busier feel. A garment rack that is packed with merchandise makes people think that the items are cheaper, like clearance items. Leaving space between one clothing rack and the next gives people room to leisurely shop. Having space between the clothing on the rack subliminally prepares customers for a higher price tag.

Keep all of your displays arranged in alignment with your prices and the message that you want to portray. Visual merchandising is all about making the customer feel how you want them to feel. Identify your target market, figure out how they want to feel when they make a purchase, and go from there. If they want to feel unique, make sure that you don’t put out too many of one item. Make them feel like they are one of the only people that will buy this item. Take all of these tips and work them into your displays and you will be building the brand image that you want in no time.

About the Author: John Garvey is on the staff of Only Garment Racks, a leading online source of garment racks including clothing racks. Find a high quality clothing rack or garment rack at http://www.onlygarmentracks.com.

Annual merchandising refers to promotions and merchandising displays that you present annually. These would be cyclical promotions, for instance, at the change of the seasons. When a season change is approaching, you must prepare by ordering interesting products, figuring out which products will be the focus of your displays, and how you are going to promote them.

Promotions need to span every area of distribution that you have in your boutique. You may need to send out mailers, have in-store promotion signage, give special deals through your web site or e-mail list, and publish promotions in your newsletter or catalog.

Opportunity merchandising refers to promotions and merchandising displays that you produce during times of opportunity. Holidays, back to school time, sporting events, or local celebrations can be opportunities to have a promotion. Capitalize on events like these by keeping up with current events, especially in your area. You may offer discounts to students who bring in their football ticket stubs, or customers who bring in museum receipts. Other businesses in your area may be willing to let you display business cards or flyers in their establishment if you offer these kinds of promotions.

Clearance merchandising is different. Having a clearance sale is great to do when there isn’t much else going on. Make sure that you promote your clearance sale the same as you would any other type of promotion.

Merchandising clearance items may be a little tricky, because you don’t necessarily want the items that aren’t selling or that you don’t have much of to be the main focus of your store. You want people to come in and help you get rid of excess merchandise, but you also want to take that opportunity to grab their interest about the more expensive and current items on display. This is why sidewalk sales are so effective. They help you to promote your clearance sale, but also lure people inside of the store that normally may not shop with you.

Keep things interesting and always changing by rearranging your clothing racks and displays regularly. Choose an interesting garment rack that has many levels of display to keep things from getting boring. Many garment racks are designed with boutiques in mind. They help to individually display unique items and tap into the market of people who like boutiques because of their uniquely scarce offerings.

About the Author: John Garvey is on the staff of Only Garment Racks, a leading online source of clothing racks including garment racks. Find a high quality garment rack or clothing rack at http://www.onlygarmentracks.com.

Start with your expenditures and go from there. Create a list or spreadsheet to track your cost on your inventory. Sometimes boutique owners want to carry certain products, but they turn out to be more time consuming than profitable. Figure out which of your products are the most profitable and then think about why that may be.

Your most profitable products may reveal a trend or niche in the market that you can take advantage of. If people are coming to you for purses more than anything else, you might consider promoting and carrying more brands this year. If independent label clothing is your money maker, consider meeting with more designers. By doing this, you can take your business in a more profitable direction that you may not have originally considered.

When you bring in new products or product categories, you need to make sure that they have the impact that you want them to. Find new ways of displaying and promoting that will grab attention and make it known that you are going in this new direction. You don’t have to stray from your original vision of your store, but keep money in mind so that you don’t stretch yourself too thin and suffer financially.

Sometimes it’s easier to introduce new products if you rearrange the store. Get some interesting clothing racks or retail displays. Alternating between garment racks, shelving, hanging bars, and wall displays will help to break up the monotony of offering a lot of one type of item. Make sure that you have varying degrees of textures, heights and depths.

Because you are in a boutique, you are not very limited in the way that you display clothing and accessories. You can use mannequins as hat racks or trees to display gloves. The possibilities are really endless. Just be careful not to stray too far from your theme or overdo it in one area. You want your store to be shopper-friendly, not cluttered or cramped.

Use your clothing racks as a way to display signs and décor that doesn’t get in the way of the shopper. You want promotional signs and key pieces of décor to be visible, but you don’t want them to take too much attention away from your actual products. Using a garment rack or the top of a display to place a sign can be subtle, but it won’t go unnoticed if it’s at eye level.

About the Author: John Garvey is on the staff of Only Garment Racks, a leading online source of clothing racks including garment racks. Find a high quality garment rack or clothing rack at http://www.onlygarmentracks.com.