selling your line

I’m Sewing Everything Myself. Can I Make Real Money? #AskJane LIVE Fashion Business Coaching

August 27, 2021 by Jane Hamill 4 Comments

I’m Sewing Everything Myself. Can I Make Real Money?

#AskJane LIVE Fashion Business Coaching Episode

Canadian fashion designer Stephainie from Stephanie Davis Designs

Today’s episode is a LIVE coaching session with a badass Canadian fashion designer, Stephanie of Stephanie Davis Designs. She sent me a really great question and I thought it would help everyone to cover it on the show.

Stephanie was feeling a bit worried after listening to the “6 Things New Fashion Designers Need to Know Before They Start a Business” and hearing “if you’re sewing, you’re not selling”, so she sent us a DM on Instagram.

So I invited her to do one-on-one session — an #AskJane LIVE coaching episode. Today I talk to Stephanie about…

What her DREAM business would look like
Determining Stephanie’s highest margin items
Determining her best sellers in terms of dollar value (not units)
Outsourcing more so she can spend more time on sales – plus keep her body healthy
What 3 tweaks she’s going to make this month to start making more money

Have a listen…

You can also listen on iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Spotify, or on Soundcloud

Want to Work Together?

If you want to launch a profitable clothing line, we have a program for new designers, called Launch a Line. It’s a step-by-step course that gives you the blueprint to a successful launch so you don’t make the same mistakes I did when you start. You get unlimited access to the course for 3 full years plus a great community of like-minded entrepreneurs.
If you’re currently selling online and want more consistent traffic and sales, you can join The Content Club. You’ll get expert training, LIVE marketing Hotseat reviews, Study Hall, a private Facebook community, and accountability to grow your online business.

Quotes from the podcast:

“I was listening to an episode of your podcast as I was ironing and doing quality control on some things that I had sent out to a seamstress because I do really much of the sewing myself. And I’m really, I’m trying to give some of that away, but it’s really hard for me because I’m a really good seamstress. You’re saying that for most people, it’s probably not a great plan to be doing the production yourself in terms of making money.
“And so I’m, I’m ironing and I’m looking at things and I’m nitpicking the little aspects that are not quite, uh, what I would do in my extreme perfectionism. I’m listening to you saying…not making money. I had to immediately leave you a voicemail. Like what the hell was it? How dare you.”
I would love to a see myself making, like actual money. I don’t need to make piles and piles of money, but a real salary, because the problem is with the way that things are for me at this point is, you know, there are some weeks where you get piles of orders and you’re like, right on, I’m doing great. This is amazing. But then the next week, you know, crickets, you got nothing coming in. And then another week later, like you’ve got some stuff happening. And so it’s sort of, it’s, it’s sort of, there’s an ebb and flow and it’s not constant.

Mentioned in the podcast:

Stephanie’s company Stephanie Davis Designs
“6 Things New Clothing Designers Need to Know Before They Start a Business”
The Epic Fails That Almost Put Me Out of Business
Stephanie’s company Stephanie Davis Designs

Let me know if you want to tell me your story and be on the podcast!

Remember…Perfect is good, but DONE is better!

Jane

More about Stephanie’s brand:

Choose your own Fashion Adventure with Stephanie Davis Designs

If you’re anything like me, finding clothing right off the rack just doesn’t cut it. I’m the girl that wants those pants in that fabric. I want this top with short sleeves, and that top with long sleeves. And for the love of god, I want a skirt that fits my butt without being all baggy at the waist! Sound familiar? Well, it can be done. My Signature Collection is 100% made to order, that means YOU pick the fabric and the customizations to make it your very own. No more awkward sleeve lengths, no more gaping waistbands, no more wishing those purple pants were black, or those black pants were purple. Best of all, no extra charges for the common adjustments that transform a regular garment into your favourite go-to!

Stephanie Davis Designs | Fun Fashion that FITS

What Do I Talk About On My Blog?

July 29, 2021 by Jane Hamill Leave a Comment

Last week I discussed whether or not you need a blog for your business. If you haven’t listened yet, I suggest you take a listen first: https://fashionbrainacademy.com/needablog/.

“Blogging helps you to insert  relevant, search engine optimized (SEO) keywords on your blog so that your website can be easily indexed by the search engines. This ‘blogging’, when kept relevant to the products you are selling, will lead to more traffic to your eCommerce business and likely more customers as well”. – Shift4Shop

Here’s 3 easy & effective strategies for driving HEAPS of traffic to your e-commerce site.

One pillar post per month (over 1000 words about an “evergreen” topic of your industry) surrounded by supporting bite-sized posts
Buckets of content about anything related to your e-commerce
The simplest formulaic approach EVER…Weekly Q&A

Click “play” now to listen for more on how to strategize your business’ blog.

You can also listen on iTunes, Stitcher Radio or on Spotify

1) One Pillar post per month surrounded by supporting bite-sized posts.

One example of a Pillar post is an article that’s still working for me and is in the top 10 of my podcasts: “12 Different Ways to Sell Your Fashion Line.”

A pillar post is one that goes deep and is well-researched. It has links, images, and products. Surrounded by post you want several articles that can link back to your pillar post.

One business model I highly recommend following is Boom by Cindy Joseph. In particular they have a great example, “5 Beauty Products You Probably Don’t Need.” It’s a title that interrupts the customer and makes them think “I’m doing something wrong” without making them feel like they’re not knowledgeable about beauty products. Of course, it’s still an eCommerce site, so they link their products you should buy from Boom. Smart marketing!

2) Buckets of content.

Again, Boom by Cindy Joseph is an excellent example of using free and paid traffic to get their content in front of eyes and leading people down the path to buying. This is an advanced example of content. Below are some examples of topics:

Another advanced example is from Au Lit Fine Linens.

They have 10 different “topics” of content, all relating to their products in one way or another.

Here’s their list…

Q&A
Tips
Beautiful Beds
Company News
New Products
Fabrics
Colour Therapy
Gift Guides
Trends
Sleep Health

For a small business doing a DIY blog, I’m going to give you 4 simple examples of what you could do to start.

Behind the scenes
Featured product
Q & A
Tips – 5 ways to… a roundup post (Roundup posts are posts that essentially just collect all in one place — content or opinions from experts in your niche. i.e. “7 fashion bloggers weigh in on what to DITCH this season and what to keep.”

This strategy of creating and collecting loads of content on your blog is truly effective for SEO and for building an audience who will stick with you.

3) The simplest formulaic approach EVER…Weekly Q&A.

You could do a Q&A, Ask the Expert, Ask Jane… but it has to be about your product or niche.

A perfect example is Marie Forleo. She does a great job and started Marie TV by simply answering a question by a reader.

To start out, ask your friends and family, your customers and social media followers. You pick a micro question or topic and answer it. whether it’s a video or a blog post.

I go really deep into this format in my membership, The Content Club.

It gives people more of an inside look of “you” and your brand/business. With celebrities and businesses accessible via social media in this day and age, audiences pay big bucks to get the inside scoop and to be first to “be in the know.” Use that to your advantage.

Another GREAT example of Q&A is Harper Wilde.

They go in-depth to answer questions about a myriad of things. The point is it’s fun to read and has personality. Allow your Q&A to read similarly.

This is not complicated or hard. It’s just simple SERVICE to the customers + featuring products on the blog. That’s it!

Q&A + products

So…which strategy is right for you?

Whichever format you pick is FINE. Just make sure to first do some SEO research for your industry, so you’re driving your intended audience to your site, and letting search engines sort you into the right categories.

Pro Tips –

What doesn’t work: what I’ve noticed is “Inspiring Women” posts don’t tend to lead to sales
Roundup posts are best for shareability and SEO
The easiest method to execute and stay consistent: Q&A / Ask Jane / Ask the Expert type content

How to Work with Jane:

If you want to work further and dive deeper into this, consider joining The Content Club for expert training, LIVE marketing Hotseat reviews, community, and accountability to grow your online business.

If you want to launch a clothing or accessories line and you’re just starting out, consider joining my new designer program called “Launch A Line.” It’s a step-by-step online course for those who have ever dreamed of starting a clothing line. It’s your ultimate shortcut to understand and master the business side of launching a successful business. Click here to check it out.

Let me know in the comments which of these strategies you’re going to try first.

Remember…I’m rooting for you and your business.

Jane

How I Started & Grew My Subscription Box with Gwen Beloti

April 16, 2021 by Jane Hamill Leave a Comment

Gwen Beloti

You’re in for a treat today. Gwen Beloti is my special guest and we’re going to talk about subscription boxes.

Gwen owns a jewelry business based in New York and I’ll tell you, she is one of the kindest, smartest, and most talented people you’ll meet. Gwen started out designing a clothing line and slowly added jewelry because she was doing direct to consumer markets and shows.

Her love of accessories started at a young age when she struggled with her weight and found it harder to buy clothes she liked. Accessories became her creative outlet – they were easy to buy and always fit.

Turns out, her accessory line started doing really well at the shows, she produced more, and then decided to introduce a quarterly subscription box.

When Covid hit, she was still doing both apparel and accessories. With managing clothing production and sampling, it was too much. Her jewelry line was doing SO well, she decided to just focus on that.

What we talk about today…

How Gwen came up with the idea of doing jewelry subscription boxes
The surveys she sends her customers and the surprising results
What has better margins, the apparel or jewelry?
The lead time to designing and planning her subscription boxes
The results of her first launch and how she handled it
Gwen’s specific answers to questions submitted by our members in The Club
The struggle to decide if she needed 2 different websites
What Gwen does do increase retention of members and reduce churn

Have a listen…

Mentioned in this episode:

The Gwen Beloti website
Gwen’s jewelry subscription box, Golden Stories (get 15% OFF your first box + a special gift with code: JHGIFT15
Shopify – Gwen’s online store platform
Female Founder Collective
Soona Studios virtual photography services
Jane’s membership for marketing and sales for product entrepreneurs

Thanks so much for listening.

Jane

What’s Working for E-Commerce? Six Product Sellers Share Their Secrets

May 25, 2017 by Jane Hamill 6 Comments

What’s Working for E-Commerce? Six Entrepreneurs Share Their Ninja Secrets for Getting Online Sales

Do you ever wish you could be a fly in the wall in the office of another entrepreneur and pick their brain about what’s actually WORKING in their business? Lucky for us, I asked 6 of my favorite e-commerce entrepreneurs for their best e-commerce selling advice.

Today you’re going to hear from 6 online product sellers as they share their BEST advice about what’s working NOW to get sales.

Q: What’s the ONE thing that’s working for you to get more online sales from your e-commerce site?

1. Networking, Facebook and a Discount: Eric Olsson from Olaf Olsson

“As a newbie the most luck I’ve currently had with online sales has been networking with family and friends. Since so many people I knew were asking about my ties I created a family and friends discount code for my Shopify site.

Between talking directly to people and letting people know about the site on Facebook I generated about $3K in online sales.

These initial sales also really helped me get a hand on fulfilling orders with a more forgiving audience. 🙂 I’m still really trying to figure out strategies around PPC, how to monetize social media, how to get influencers to review my products, etc.”

Olaf Olsson is a boutique maker of curated, small batch neckwear and men’s accessories based in Northampton, Massachusetts. They focus is on making the world’s most interesting, limited edition neckwear and accessories that add stories and texture to what you’re wearing.

2. Consistency and Copywriting: Erika Ehrat from Rare Dirndl

“OOOOoooo… It’s a tie between these two.

a) Consistency, consistency, consistency! I had a graphic design teacher in college that probably said this every dang day and I find that his words of wisdom are so relevant to just about everything from emails, social media, to design and customer service. My customers and followers know what to expect from me because I’m consistent. I commit to doing WHAT I CAN (and not over doing it) and doing it well and consistently.

b) Being lighthearted and funny with my web copy and my message. In the beginning the voice of my business (emails, product descriptions, social, etc.) was very proper English and “professional”. However, when I started to relax, get REAL with the customer, and take myself less seriously (I mean I sell dirndls for Pete’s sake!) I started selling more.

I don’t think it was just because more people knew about me (although it helped!) but being more relatable, less stuffy, and easier to like seemed to make people trust me more and thus trust that I wouldn’t send them an inferior product. Also, I always make sure that my photos, my execution, and customer service are always very professional and as high-quality as I can get.”

Rare Dirndl makes and sell dirndls and dirndl accessories that women want to wear whether they have a German event to go to or not. Note from Erika: “If I feel confident in the audience, then I say that my dirndls are “SO BADASS that women want to wear them for yada yada…”

3. Email Marketing: Tom from Mimobee

“Okay, here goes: What’s working for us right now is email marketing. We’ve slacked off in the past, but now are focusing on that with promising results. Why? Your existing customers are a goldmine where you can apply the 80/20 rule and really build lifetime value for each customer.

Mimobee is a kids brand focused on premium contemporary basics made in sunny southern California.

4. Deliver Amazing Customer Service: Marisa Cerveris from SteelCore

“What’s working right now can be described as ‘Customer Experience and Accessibility’. I’ve been trying, across all platforms and sales channels, to be quickly accessible to my customers (or potential customers). No matter whether they have landed on any of my social media platforms, blog, website, or Amazon store, when they reach out… I’m there. And for every package I have a message embedded in my shipping list that is general, and then I handwrite and additional personal note to make the customer feel really special and highly valued.

Backstory… Recently I had a new customer on Amazon email me because her package had not arrived in her mailbox even though the carrier had sent a delivery message. I got the email from Amazon at 11 PM, and I answered it! The next day I initiated a claim with the carrier and again sent an email. I also told her not to worry, that I would be sure she got her order even if the first shipment was truly lost.

We began an email dialog, and by the time the customer found her order had been delivered to a neighbor’s apartment, she was a loyal fan. She has ordered three more times this month!

Conclusion… People want to feel special and taken care of. If it’s feasible to do so, connect with them. And who knows… you may make a friend along the way :)”

Steel Core makes yoga, Pilates, dance and streetwear. It’s organic, ethically produced, made in USA. Designer and founder, Marisa Cerveris, is a former professional ballerina with the New York City Ballet.

5. Having a Community: Marcy Budwick from Kaiya Designs

“Creating a community and a sense of urgency has really propelled my brand. I’m having great success with my Facebook Group. I find that people want to connect with the person creating their style. Be transparent and open and love your customer. Creating that connection has been priceless. In a world of mass production, creating really great items in very limited quantities – even if once a quarter – will truly drive sales. People like unique and or one-of-a-kinds…they’re even willing to pay more for them.

Kaiya Designs make stylish, effortless and most importantly comfortable clothes for busy moms.

6. Blogging, Newsletters, and Email Drips: Jackie Ayres from Dyetology

“Consistency of the Trifecta!! The Trifecta being: blogging, newsletters, and email drips. Doing all these things consistently is paying off. As a result, I am getting traction in my business and building my audience.

Dyetology offers statement-making, unique hand-dyed accessories.

Huge thanks to all the makers / entrepreneurs…

…who shared their advice in this post. Tell me this, which tip stands out to you? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!

Jane

P.S. If you’re ready to get serious about selling more from your online store, check out this podcast and check out my class here.

3 Steps to Getting and Keeping More Customers for Your Clothing or Accessories Line

April 27, 2012 by Jane Hamill Leave a Comment

Before we get down to the nitty gritty of getting and keeping more customers, I think it’s worthwhile to look at the reasons why you DON’T have enough. Let’s start with the 3 reasons you don’t have all the customers you really want…

1) One reason you don’t have all the customers you want is you’re not really sure who you should be targeting. It doesn’t matter whether you’ve been in business 5 months or 5 years. I work with entrepreneurs of all kinds and this issue crops up for so many of us – we’re not clear who we should be targeting.

The truth is (and I’ve been through it myself more than once) that if YOU aren’t sure who you should be targeting, you won’t know where to find them, and you won’t know what marketing message to write to them.

If YOU’RE confused, trust me, THEY are too. And they will not buy from you if they don’t really “get” that your product is for them. Customers will think, I’m confused, well maybe I’m not, oh I think I am. And a confused customer just walks away, often not even understanding why they didn’t buy.

2) Another reason you don’t have all the customers you need is you are not standing outin the marketplace. If someone lands on your webpage, for instance, is it really clear what you sell and how they can buy it? Is there a compelling reason customers should buy from you and not from them? It doesn’t matter whether you sell business to business or direct to consumer. There is so much SAME-ness out there. You simply must be willing to take a risk, have a point of view, and have something unique about your product that distinguishes you from the pack.

3) The third reason you don’t have packs of customers at your door is that you don’t spend enough time on your marketing. I’m talking about marketing to your current customers – so you can keep them happy. And I’m also thinking about new customers and how you’re going to get them interested in what you do. It would be nice if customers just found you, right? But that’s not the way it works and you need to go after them — once you’ve defined who it is you need to go after (back to #1). And if your excuse is “I don’t have the time for all the marketing!” then consider this: you have to make time because no customers = no business.

Here’s what you should do now…

Step One: Get clear on who your ideal customer is

Make a cheat sheet listing who your best customers are, what they’re like, and where you found them. Now STUDY it. Look for commonalities and focus in on who really responds to your product by laying their money down. You need to know who your ideal customer is because you must ONLY put effort into building a following of people that are interested in your product.

Step Two: Be sure you stand out in the marketplace

Take a look at your business with a fresh eye. Is what you do truly compelling for the market? Is there anything you’ve wanted to design or offer but were too afraid to take a risk? My suggestion is to try something new and fresh with 10 – 15% of your product line. The benefit is twofold: a) You’ll surprise and possibly delight your customers with something unexpected, and b) It will give you room to get creative and go a little wild. How freeing would that be?

Step Three: Begin marketing on a consistent basis

Be honest about how much you are doing to market your business and if you’re working off a plan. Or is what you call a “plan” just catch-as-catch-can marketing? And how is that going?

What would happen if you had a marketing plan in place and knew what you should do – specifically – every week, every month, every quarter? What difference would that make in your business? Your stress level? Your life? Your bank account?

If you’re not sure how to do these steps on your own, and you want help focusing and staying accountable, maybe it’s time to get some help. There’s a Buddhist Proverb that states, “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.”

If you’re ready, we can work on these steps together. You can contact me at brain@fashionbrainacademy or 773.551.2111.

When your sales rep is not getting orders for your fashion line (VIDEO)

March 13, 2012 by Jane Hamill Leave a Comment

My Sales Rep is Not Getting Orders for My Line. What Should I Do?

Q: “What should I do when my Showroom rep has shown my line at 4 shows and not taken a single order? Meanwhile, I’m pitching it to retailers myself and taking orders. What’s wrong?”

A: Something is definitely wrong. Watch the video…

While getting a sales rep seems like the answer to any fashion designer’s prayers, things don’t always work out that way. I should say, the rarely work out that way.

This is why I recommend that EVERY designer learns how to sell their product themselves. You must get comfortable selling your line and it is a learn-able skill – like playing piano, or learning tennis. I’m not saying it’s easy – at least not in the beginning. But it is necessary.

Sell more of your clothing or accessories line by making it all about THEM and not YOU

February 15, 2012 by Jane Hamill Leave a Comment

Pretty much every designer I meet wants to sell more. Have you ever heard an entrepreneur say this?

“I’m all set. I have all the customers I need”

One of the biggest mistakes I see, and I’ve committed this deadly sales sin myself, is when we talk about our product and how great it is and how AWESOME it will be for you – if you weren’t too dense to understand it.

You see, “my product is made of 100% organic cotton, and I drape each section myself with my revolutionary 3D process, and it takes me 3 hours per piece, and you can’t find this type of thing anywhere else”… What’s missing in this scenario is why the customer would want to buy it. Because I can pretty much guarantee that a mild interest in your design process is NOT going to be enough to get a customer to pull out her gold card.

So here’s a video clip to help you understand why you must put yourself in HER shoes – the customer. When you make it about them and not about you things get a whole lot easier. The sales process is easier, you don’t feel like you’re begging for the sale, and the customer actually has a chance to get eager to buy.

I’ll be covering the full topic of “How to Sell Your Product Without Being Sales-y” during a free online workshop next week. Get the details here. Meanwhile, watch the video and let me know what you think by leaving a comment below.

It’s your turn now! What’s your one takeaway from the video?

Leave a comment below and show me you’re alive!

What if retailers are not responding to my emails? (Ask Jane)

January 16, 2012 by Jane Hamill Leave a Comment

I get asked a lot about selling your line and strategies to maximize sales. I’m running this video again to remind you that SELLING your product is a big job. It’s not something you can just do “when you get to it”, “after the line is perfect”, or some such reason.

Many of you don’t want to hear it, but in many ways, selling and marketing your line IS the job. It’s not just about designing – not even close. And if you really want to JUST design, then get a job as a designer.

If you want to own your own business, you have to do more and do it well. When I had my line I spent about 15% of my time on the actual collection and the other 85% on other stuff.

If I were to start over again, I’d still spend 15% on the line and I’d bump marketing and selling my line up to about 75% of my time. The other 10% would probably go to professional development, aka learning new stuff that would make me money, aka taking classes to learn new skills.

Every other task would go to someone else – delegated to someone more anal retentive and nit-picky than I am. I’ve definitely learned to do what I do best and outsource the rest. Yes, even if it costs money which of course it does.

I’ve also come to believe that follow-up is key in any sales process. People are BUSY these days. They need to be reminded. Anyway, watch the video below and tell me if you see pieces of yourself (so to speak) in the designer who asked the question.

You don’t want to lose a sale, do you?

If you want specific strategies about selling your line to boutiques, I recommend my online, on-demand Sales Bootcamp, “How to Sell Your Line to Boutiques”. It’s good and it will help you sell more. Find it at www.fashiopnbrainacademy.com/bootcamp.