Try these expert tips for building your brand! In today's digital, fast-paced, phone-driven world, social media is king when it comes to advertising, creating buzz around your products and building a brand. Whether it's your newest batch of autumn accessories or a single pair of winter boots you think people will love to wear, parts of your inventory can be seen through social media channels. Whether your store hasn't opened its doors or you're a boutique-owning fashion veteran hoping to entice new customers, we've got 5 tips to boost your brand awareness through social media channels. 1. Send products to Instagram or YouTube influencers If you don't have a lot of followers yet on your social media channels, having influencers try out, review and endorse your product is a...

Try These New Patterns to Freshen Your Look! Plaids, polka dots and stripes every which way — some patterns are always in style but don't excite and delight trendy shoppers. We've chosen our three favorite , not-so-boring patterns we're seeing on the runway this year and giving you some styling pointers. Nature-Inspired It's more than just florals and tropical palms. A trend you'll see in tail-end of 2018 is nature-inspired patterns -- think mushrooms, 3D prints that look like the forest floor, leaf skeletons and limb-like fractals. You'll see them in every tone imaginable, not just colors you'd find in nature. Because these looks can often be surprising and unique, we recommend styling them with neutral colors, simple silhouettes and under layers, like chambray or even a tan trench...

Radio Spots & Snail Mail Radio isn't dead yet — and we all know snail mail isn't either. Getting the news out into the world about your upcoming deals, promotions, new locations, etc. via radio and mail is a simple, cost-effective way of marketing your brand to new and existing customers. Peruse these tips on creating your very own radio and mail campaigns. Radio is still relevant Marketing your store can benefit from a 30- or 60-second radio spot because you know you're getting to local customers — and a return on your investment. A Nielsen Catalina Solutions radio effectiveness study found that each dollar of ad spend generated an average sales return of $6 from the listeners in the 28 days after...

Choose the Right Package for Your Boutique!   Calling all boutique owners! Here at Wholesale Fashion Square, we have some exciting news to announce! A new way to buy our wholesale products has arrived. Now, our customers can buy our same great selection of heavily-discounted clothes for their boutiques, but in smaller, three-item bundles. These smaller bundles offer boutique owners the opportunity to buy items in groups of three instead of the regular groups of six, giving our customers even more flexibility in the way they handle purchases for their stores and run their businesses. We want our customers to be able to buy our quality pieces with as little risk as possible. These new bundles will not only let owners try out...

Store Branding Developing your brand is key in winning and maintaining repeat customers. It's how a customer can see an Instagram post or logo and instantly recognize that it's your store. Keep scrolling for 5 simple ways to start and grow your online shop's brand. 1. What even is branding? Whether you notice it or not, the products you buy all have a unique brand. The paper towels, bread and even your basic white socks all were created by branding or marketing professionals who planned every aspect of the products they launched. To dive a little deeper, branding includes a person's viewpoint of a service, company, products, etc. Brands change. Brands are tarnished or admired. Creating a unique, defined brand will mean your customers...

Instagram Selling Yes, you read that right! If you plan to sell your goods online as well as in a brick-and-mortar store — and don't want to build a whole website dedicated to online transactions — using Instagram is the way to go. Intrigued? Start selling your products on Instagram in just 3 easy steps. 1. Set up an Instagram business account The first rule of Instagram e-commerce is to not use your personal account to post products! Using your personal account is a major no-no because it instantly drains your credibility and trust with potential shoppers. After you make a new account for your business with a memorable and relevant name, navigate to your profile and click the gear icon in the top right...

Photography Best Practices It's no secret that consumers are shopping online. In fact, during an April 2017 survey, 40 percent of internet users in the United States stated that they purchased items online at several times per month, and 20 percent said they bought items or services online on a weekly basis, according to Statista.com. Whether you have an online-only boutique or just like to tantalize your customers with new products through your Instagram and Facebook feeds, fantastic product photography is an easy way to show off your inventory and win shoppers. Do you plan to hire a freelance photographer? Or would you like to try your hand at snapping shots? No matter what you choose, you can share or use these 5...

New Ruffle Trend Ruffles aren't just for 4-year-olds anymore — they're making an appearance all over the runways and sidewalks this summer. You'll see frills, ruffles and princess-worthy tulle fabrics abound. Keep reading for 4 easy ways to rock ruffles. 1. Sprinkle in Some (or A lot of) Frills If you're looking for a pared-down way to wear ruffles, opt for ruffles that run alongside the bottom of skirts, dresses, bell sleeves of a blouse or on an off-the-shoulder top. The flowy silhouette of these garments won't draw too much attention to the super-feminine detail. Want to stand out? Go with a top made of layered ruffles, rock ruffles in a transparent fabric or attend a friend's wedding in an all-ruffle dress....

The Soft Open Your clothing store is full of trendy and timeless products. Your t-shirts are crisply folded. Your front window display is perfection. Your “Grand Opening” sign is positioned just so. Your freshly trained employees are ready with their customer-welcoming smiles. But before you unlock those doors and fire up the cash registers, we recommend performing a soft open of your store. So What Is a Soft Open? A soft open is an unofficial opening of a store. This is carried out a few weeks to a month earlier than the planned grand opening date. Typically, a smaller population visit the establishment and the environment is more controlled in order to test the flow of the store. Why Do a Soft Open? You may...

Planning Your Boutique: The Business Side From planning your short-ish-term goals to setting up a new merchant account so that you may accept plastic, there's even more than meets the eye when it comes to starting your own business. In a past blog post, we shared a few basic topics you should be thinking about when planning your boutique. Already checked those off your to-do list? Let's move on to the next phase. Start turning your dreams into a reality by creating your business plan today. Do Your Research — and Paperwork Before you register your business and get a tax ID, you'll need to do a little research to find out where your business will be categorized. Check out the Small Business...