How Do You Create Brand Awareness?

In Part Four of Fashion Business Basics, Imran Amed explains how to build brand
awareness in the early years of a business.

KEY LEARNINGS: As a creative director, you will be overseeing multiple parts of the
marketing mix. In a fashion brand, the person designing and developing the product is
often also responsible for the advertising campaigns and the brand communication.

Know Your Customer: A designer should keep a specific target customer in mind as
they develop the collection. Think about their lifestyle, budget and what is important to
them. Understanding all of these things will help you communicate with your customer
and create awareness about your brand.

Brand Story: A brand story is what people will talk about when they think of your brand.
It summarises why your brand exists and what are the unique characteristics of your
product that makes it distinct from everything else in the market.

Marketing Mix, The Four Ps: The marketing mix is a set of tools that allow you to craft
a clear marketing direction and tell your story.

 Product is the tangible physical product or service you provide. The fashion industry has
all sorts of different products. You might be known for footwear, evening dresses or active
wear. Be specific about what you are selling.

 Price effectively positions you in the market. This determines who your competitors are
and also the different materials and quality of materials that you will use for your products.

 Place is where you distribute and sell your products to customers. You want to make sure
that your product is available where your target customer shops and at a place that is
consistent with the positioning of your product.

 Promotion includes everything from traditional marketing with advertising and PR, to new
media marketing on social media. Today it is absolutely essential to have a website and a
digital presence.

Advertising: Advertising can help you reach a large audience, control and increase brand
awareness and secure press coverage. However paid media comes at a high cost and it will
probably be a long time before you can afford it. The real potential for moving your brand
forward in terms of image and what you control is online.

Public Relations: When you have things to share, new products coming out or
announcements to make, working well with different types of publications is going to be a
key part of building your brand. Therefore you should build a good relationship with the
press, especially the ones that have taken interest in your product and what you are doing.

Social Media: Social media is a powerful and affordable way to build awareness about
your brand. Only engage in those platforms that address your target customer. Be aware
that it takes time and resources to manage and provide content on social accounts, so it is
probably the right choice to begin with only one or two social media channels. The fashion
community really engages first on Instagram and then on Facebook.
 How Do You Finance Your Fashion
Business?
explains the different options available to emerging designers to finance their businesses.

KEY LEARNINGS: Each season as your sales increase and your business grows, your
upfront costs will increase and the money you earned from previous sales will not be
sufficient to finance the growth. You will need some kind of financing to bridge the gap.
There are generally three different sources of available financing for a fashion start-up.

Equity: Equity investors provide cash to invest in your business. When you take on an
investment from an equity investor, they become part owners of your business, which
inevitably means that you will have to share some decision-making with that investor. The
best equity investors can offer you smart money, which is money that comes with
expertise; contacts and other types of advice that can help you build your business. You
will have to report to a board for key decisions and regularly report on how your business
is progressing.

Debt: Debt financing usually comes in the form of a loan. You are required to pay back the
money you have borrowed plus interest in a defined schedule of payments. Taking on debt
will mean that you will have additional cash outflow that your business will have to support
each month and that can be an additional burden for a business to bear in the early stages.
The big advantage with a loan is that you are not giving away any equity of your business
and you maintain full control. Debt providers will not actively get involved in your
business; they are mostly concerned with getting back the money they have lent you with
interest.

Other Income: This can come from a variety of sources, including awards and
competitions and providing advice or services to other companies. The benefit is that the
this kind of funding is non-interest bearing and you are not giving away any equity in your
business. However, these other commitments can be a distraction from your core business,
as they require your time and energy.
50 Small Business Ideas 
Fashion Business Ideas
So, how do you turn your love-affair for fashion into a successful business? Here’s 50
small business ideas to inspire fashionistas.

Start a Shoe Line

If there’s one thing we can’t get enough off, it’s shopping for shoes! As the world can’t get
enough of shoe shopping you could certainly do a lot worse than starting your own shoe
manufacturing business.

Write a Fashion-Related Book

Take a leaf out of Sophia Amoruso’s book #GirlBoss about her inspirational story of her
achievements as the CEO of a thriving online fashion retailer from humble beginnings
selling on eBay by writing your own fashion-related book.

Start Selling Clothes On eBay

Or, like Amoruso, why not initiate a fashion venture by selling clothes and other fashion
items on eBay? Second-hand vintage clothes can go down well on eBay. Start by sorting
out your own wardrobe and selling what you don’t want on eBay. Or choose one of
the best apps to sell clothes online.

Make Fabulous Belts

Being a unisex item, belts will always be in high demand. Get your foot into the fashion
industry by manufacturing and marketing belts.

Create Unique T-Shirts

Got an idea for a fabulously unique t-shirt? Get your t-short motives and logos professional
designed and start selling them by using t-shirt creator tools like RedBubble.

Start Making Handbags!

Like shoes, women (and a growing number of men for that matter) can’t get too many
handbags. Capitalize on the huge handbag market by making and marketing ultra-trendy
and unique handbags.

Deal in Watches
Watches are a fashion accessory we’ll always need. Another great idea to get your foot
into the world of fashion is to start dealing in watches. Trawl the second-hand shops for
cheap unwanted watches, get them restored and sell them for a tidy profit!

Be a Personal Stylist
Being a personal stylist and offering fashion and style advice would be a rewarding career
and would certainly satisfy any ambition to work in fashion.
Start Your Own Clothing Line
If you love fashion why not take the plunge by starting your own clothing line? It might be
competitive but if you’ve got a creative designer side why not showcase your talent by
making your own quirky fashion line?

Become a Fashion Columnist

Got something to say about the latest trends and news emerging from the world of
fashion? Put it into writing by becoming a fashion columnist.

Scout for the Next Supermodel

The next supermodel is out there somewhere and why shouldn’t you be the person to find
her (or him!). Starting your own model scouting business can be a great way to get into
fashion.

Start Your Own Fashion Blog

Why not write about the latest trends, tips and news in the constantly evolving world of
fashion by starting your own blog?

Launch a Fashion Magazine

Fancy yourself as the next editor of Vogue? Become a competitor of the likes of Vogue
and Elle by launching your own fashion magazine.

Focus on Maternity Wear

It could be argued that, when it comes to maternity wear, it simply isn’t trendy enough!
Plug this hole in the market by starting your own highly fashionable line of maternity wear.

Make Your Own Perfume

Perfume making workshops are becoming increasingly popular. Once you’ve mastered the
art of perfume making, why not start your own perfume selling business?

Be a Fashion Designer
Fancy yourself as the next Stella McCartney? Designing your own clothes and rubbing shoulders
with the fashion elite has to be one of the most glamorous jobs in existence!

Begin Your Own Wedding Gown Rental Business

Renting wedding gowns are in hot demand. Start a rewarding and lucrative business renting
wedding gowns to brides.

Organise Fashion Events

If you’ve got great organizational skills, why not put them to good use by running your own
rewarding fashion event running business?
Start a Lingerie Production Business
Love lingerie? Enjoy a thriving business by making and selling your own lingerie!

Rent Designer Clothes

Take a leaf out of Rent the Runway, a New York start-up that rents expensive designer clothes to
fashionistas, and start your own designer attire rental business.

Design Sunglasses
No celebrity would be seen without wearing a pair of designer shades. If you’ve got a penchant for
high-fashion sunglasses, why not start to make your own?

Become a Fashion Marketer

Follow in the footsteps of the online fashion community Polyvore and start your own business
venture specialising in marketing for fashion retailers.

Make Badges
From rebellious teenagers to corporate memorabilia, badges will always have their place in society.
Capitalize on the demand for badges by opening your own badge-making business.

Become a Fashion YouTuber

YouTube provides a host of opportunities for people to make a profitable income.
Showcase your fashion-related talents by posting videos on YouTube, from makeup
tutorials to making dresses.

Make Your Own Wristbands

From entrances to festivals to corporate events, customized wristbands are always going
to be needed. Take advantage of the demand by starting your own wristband
customization business.

Start a Shoe Repair Business

There’s nothing quite as infuriating as breaking the heel on your favourite pair of shoes!
Starting a shoe repair business might be the perfect way to get your foot into fashion (no
pun intended!).

Make and Sell Your Own Jewellery

The world simply can’t get enough jewellery makers! Making jewellery is not as difficult as
you may think and offers a rewarding and potentially successful business venture.
Upcycle Fashion Items
Upcycling is hugely fashionable. Whet your creative appetite by upcycling fashion items
into wonderful new creations.

Open a Fashion Flea Market Stall

Many successful entrepreneurs began their business from a flea stall. Enjoy the benefits of
a low-cost selling platform by opening your own fashion stall at the local flea market.

Run Fashion Expos

Another fashion related business would be to organize and run fashion expos, perfect for
fashionistas with great organizational skills.

Start a Casual Wear Line

We all crave to wear casuals from time to time. Hence there’s a huge market for casual
wear. Why not tap into it by starting your own jeans, t-shirts, shorts and other casuals line?

Make Baby Clothes

Baby clothes make us coo with adoration. Again, this constantly in demand strand of the
fashion market is crying out for creative designers to bring us more adorable baby clothes.

Start a Fashion Podcast

Launching a podcast can be both profitable and rewarding. Why not utilize your love for
fashion by running your own fashion-focused podcast?

Host Fashion Talks on the Radio and Television

There’s nothing quite like a natter about the latest fashion fads. Get your name known as
an organizer of compelling fashion talks on radio and television.

Start an Online Boutique

Ecommerce websites aren’t difficult to set up and are much cheaper to run than bricks and
mortar stores. If you have an eye for fashion, sell some goods on your own online store.

Sell Suits
People are always going to need suits, so why not specialise in selling corporate suits and
shirts?

Become a Fashion Consultant

Fashion consultants which give advice to models, executives, politicians and celebrities
are in hot demand, offering a fulfilling and lucrative way into the world of fashion.
Embark on a Clothing Franchise Opportunity
There’s a whole host of retail clothing business franchise opportunities to explore, offering
business openings fashionistas can walk into and start earning money from straight away.

Open a Fashion PR Business

Models, designers, manufacturers and retailers… what do they all have in common? They
need quality and effective public relations. Make your mark on the world of fashion by
opening your own PR for fashion firm.

Design Innovative Fashion Tech

It might be a fashion app or some kind of state-of-art technology for fashion shows. If
you’re a whiz at tech, concentrate on creating some fashion tech, fashionistas simple can’t
ignore.

Start Your Own Sports Clothes Brand

Sports clothes are always going to be in hot demand. If you love fashion and sports,
combine the two by designing and manufacturing your own sports clothes line.

Sell Costumes
Costumes and dressing up is great fun! Start a thriving business by making and selling
costumes.

Mend Clothes
We’ve all been there, torn a designer dress, jammed the zip on our favourtie pair of jeans.
Be a ‘fashion life saver’ by opening your own mending clothes business.

Make Soccer Shirts!

A relatively low-cost fashion business venture would be to become involved in making
customized soccer shirts for local, national or even international soccer teams.

Set Up an Accessories Store

If designing the likes of scarves and belts is your thing, jump on the sought-after accessory
bandwagon and set up your own accessories store.

Open a Fashion Design School

Fashion schools are in all the major cities around the world. Students are wanting to enrol
on fashion courses, so why not meet the demand by starting your own fashion school?

Launch Fashion Awards

There’s nothing the world of fashion loves more than an ultra-glamorous fashion show! Be
the name behind the most exciting fashions shows by organizing your own.
Become a Milliner
Hats will never go out of fashion. Get your creative juices flowing by designing and selling
hats.

Start Your Own Web Design Company for Retailers

Ecommerce sites are highly competitive. If you have web design skills, why not hone your
talents into a specific niche by offering web design services to retailers?

Set Up Your Own Boutique

Rent out a physical store and fill it with all kinds of weird and wonderful accessories and
fashion items and enjoy selling your creations and having fashion banter with your
customers.
How to Write and Execute a Business
Plan in 29 Actionable Steps
As a business owner/manager, you use your business plan every day. 

You rely on the big-picture milestones you’ve set to guide the course of your
company’s growth.

Your team leaders use the specific, short-term targets in this plan to set short-term
goals.  When you court investors, you showcase your business plan as the strategic
center of your entire operation.

If you want to know how to write a business plan, you may want to start a new
company.

However, you can also use this free business plan template to reposition your
existing business, set annual goals, or simply reevaluate your priorities.
When your company experiences unexpected success or failure, revisit and revise
your business plan.

Avoid feast/famine cycles by regularly reading and updating your business plan.
You could easily waste time and energy by creating a plan, ignoring it, and building
another from scratch.

Instead, make the most of the effort you’re about to make.

Schedule short sessions to revisit and revise your business plan. Not only do you
keep it relevant and avoid costly rewrites – you’ll have it at your disposal during
times of change.

With solid preparation and regular maintenance, you can create a plan to
guide your company through the years—and decades—to come!

Your Free Business Plan Template

You’ll invest a massive amount of non-writing work into your business plan: data
collection, report analysis, market research, product testing, etc. Of course, you also
have to write it down!

Before you start, consider the adjustments you may want to make to this business
plan outline.

Of course, you can alter the structure as you go. However, it’s better to have a firm
idea of where you’re headed than getting lost in the weeds.
For that reason, I’ve shaped this plan to include large (mostly-mandatory) sections
and smaller, adjustable steps.

With all the thinking you have to do, why reinvent the wheel?

(I’ve also included links to business plan samples at the end of each section, so you
can see what works for other companies.)

Section 1: What People Need to Know

about Your Company
Some people will only read your abstract. Others will dig deeper and examine this
first section. Save the deep details and complicated equations for Section 2. Here,
simply present the most-relevant hard facts – across the entire spectrum of your
operations.

1) Description
In this section, you’ll describe the current state of your business. If you’re launching
a new venture, describe the company you plan to start. Keep it brief.

All people want to know, at this stage, is slightly more than you shared in your
Executive Summary (see section 6). Tell them what you sell, how, and to whom.

If it helps, write this section next-to-last – before your ES and after everything else.

The following steps in this section will provide more detail about your company. In
this first step, simply provide basic information. Share your location, target market,
geographical location, incorporation status, and historical data.

2) Mission Statement
Present a short mission statement to all appropriate stakeholders: investors,
executives, employees, etc. You want everyone associated with your business to
share one, coherent perspective when talking with the public. Keep it brief and
memorable – and stay on message!
3) Product/Service
Introduce your product/service, its functionality/options, and what makes it unique.
List other products/platforms with which it integrates (or plays well with…). Expand
on this information in Section 4.
4) Target Market
You’ll expand on this step in Section 4. For now, simply describe your ideal
customer and a few of their key characteristics. Include a few of your most-
compelling statistics about your ability to serve this population segment.

5) Management
Briefly introduce your management team (and relevant management support
companies). You’ll say more about them in Section 3 – for now, just drop a few big
names, qualifications, and titles.

6) Financial Summary
Briefly describe your assets, expenses, liabilities, etc. You’ll share the fine points
and detailed figures in Section 2.

Just let your readers know how much you have, owe, and plan to make.

If any positive or negative facts stand out (such as large profits or major setbacks),
explain these with a sentence or two. For example, if you show record earnings on
an annual report, be prepared to explain the situation.

Remind readers you’ll go into greater detail in the next section – and be sure to
keep your promises by highlighting these areas in the text.

7) Goals
Present your broad, long-term plans. For now, discuss the “what,” and only a little of
the “how.” Give people a sense of what you’ll accomplish after completing this plan.
Share a little of your vision and describe the value you plan to bring to the
marketplace.

8) Objectives
Break down your long-term goals into objectives. Show, step-by-step, how you’ll
take this product/service from its inception all the way to consumer purchasing –
and beyond. Remember to list your plans for improving consumer loyalty and
boosting employee retention.
Section 2: More Detailed Information
about Your Business
Provide detailed facts, figures, and statistics to back up your claims in the
Descriptions section.

Go into greater detail about where you’ve been, where you are, and where you plan
to go.

This section provides the hard numbers investors and other key stakeholders will
look for in your business plan.

9) Financial Details
Flesh out your financial summary from the Description section. Provide charts, lists,
and spreadsheets that show the full range of your operations. For example, a
prospective investor might want to know your logistical and manufacturing sectors
are strong and your sales show promise. In this case, having a shallow marketing
budget could be a plus. This person might expect your product/service to sell well
after you used their capital to reach a broader audience.

10) Opportunities and Threats

List the market analyses that led you to believe this venture is sound. Describe your
competition, their levels of market share, and how you plan to enter this niche.
Explain any risks (from inclement weather to production delays and supplier
bottlenecks) that might hurt your chances of success.

11) Start-Up/Implementation Plan

If you’re starting a new business, describe the funds needed at various stages of the
enterprise.

Describe how you plan to use existing funds and early-term test results to show
viability and attract more capital.

If you run an existing business, explain how you will pay for the new ventures you’re
proposing – and still maintain everyday operations.

In cases of transition/change, be sure to provide realistic time-frames for the

ramping down of certain operations and the establishment of others.
Section 3: Structure and Systems
In this section, share your formula for success.

Typically, many companies operate in the same niche; what makes you better than
the rest? How will you conduct business efficiently and outperform your
competition?
12) Corporate Structure
Specify whether you’ve created (or plan to file for) an LLC, S-Corp, C-Corp, etc.
Explain how your choice of corporate structures gives you the most advantages in
the marketplace (and how it minimizes liability/exposure).

13) Management Team

If you operate a sole proprietorship (such as a single-member LLC), present your
management team. If you run the business yourself, introduce anyone else with
influence on your decisions (spouses, relatives, close friends, etc.)

14) Management Support Team

Share a little about the law and accountancy firms you employ. Introduce your
insurance company and briefly describe your level of protection. If applicable,
present a few words about your mentor(s), and how they will help you in this
endeavor.

Section 4: Marketing Plan

15) Unique Selling Proposition (USP)
According to Theodore Levitt, Harvard Business School professor:

Differentiation is one of the most

important strategic and tactical
activities in which companies must
constantly engage.
When you share your Unique Selling Proposition, remember no business can
function without one. Investors will want to know precisely how you will bring new
value to the market.

Explain exactly how your company stands apart from your competitors’ offerings.

 What do you do differently?

 Do you operate more efficiently, offer better solutions, or market in a way
that increases your margins?

16) Product/Service Details

Building on the last step, describe how your product/service will rise above all the
rest.

 What do you offer consumers that they haven’t seen before?

 A new offering?
 An existing product in a new format?

In short, how will your ideal customer benefit from this product/service?

17) Pricing/Sales Strategy
Tell your audience how you plan to price your product/service.

 Do you provide an existing offering at a lower price?

 Or, do you present an existing solution at a higher price point – and add
value in the form of brand cache?

18) Distribution Plan

Describe your plan for entering the market.

 Do you intend to provide your goods to low-cost vendors and compete on

volume?
 Are you prepared to charge boutique prices for your services and compete
on quality?

Be specific.

Let readers know exactly what (brick-and-mortar and/or online) retailers will sell
your products and the level of connection you’ve established with them.
If you plan to sell products/services yourself (and not through conventional
channels), explain this distribution plan in great detail.

19) Promotional/Advertising Strategy

Explain the nuances of your ad budget for experienced investors and industry
experts. Even though some readers may not understand the complexities of this
section, provide enough market data (and complex online marketing statistics) for
the people they consult to give you a green light.

Step 5: Financial Plan

20) Bookkeeping
Introduce the person(s) responsible for keeping records at your company.

Explain how you store this data, who has permission to view it, and who can
authorize payments.

Explain all other internal controls, such as consumer data privacy measures and
employee information storage.

Unless you run a sole proprietorship, set up your accounts so two people must sign
each check/authorize each major purchase.

21) Financing Sources

List your past, current, and prospective sources of capital. Take care to understand
all the available startup/investment options; investors will want to see you’ve done a
thorough search. Reveal all financing sources you’re currently using – and plan to
use.

Specify how you plan to acquire more funding, how much you expect to need, and
when you anticipate these cash infusions.

If you’re running a startup company, pay close attention to the amounts you
need at critical phases to avoid pausing your operations (or even going out-
of-business).

If you (or anyone else, such as a family member or friend) makes a personal
contribution to the company, be sure to list the repayment terms.

Don’t risk valuable relationships by miscommunication about personal loans.

Most of all, be realistic.

Many startups (and established businesses, too) make the critical mistake of
underestimating the expenses required to get a product/service to market. Include
living expenses for the owners of a startup, as well as a substantial emergency fund
for unforeseen expenses.

Section 6: Executive Summary (Up-

Front)
22) Sum it All Up
As they say, “The last shall be first.”

Penn State University says business plan writers should write this section after
completing all other steps. Although you should place this section at the top of your
first page (just under your letterhead), you have to write it last.
23) Keep it Clear and Simple
Academics write the Abstract section of their research papers at the end of the
process, when they know all the results.

For example, the University of Toronto urges medical researchers to keep these

briefs concise, self-contained, and accurate. Some people will read only this section
and skim the rest. Take care to present all the relevant facts – and nothing else.

The executive summary section of your business plan functions just like an
academic summary.

Spell out acronyms and define industry terms (even those you think everyone must
know). Include only the most important facts and statistics.
24) Stick to the Facts
Remember, in your executive summary (which may be all some executives have
time to read), every word counts. Include as many actionable facts as possible.
Relegate all discussion and complex explanations to other sections.

25) Study a Full Example

Read this sample business plan to understand the components of a good
presentation.
Section 7: Put Your Business Plan
into Practice
As your business grows, you can rely on Toggl Track to provide the tools you need.
Our time-tracking software integrates into over 100 popular productivity tools, such
as Slack, Gmail, Trello, and Google Calendar.
Use the free templates in the next three “steps” to manage various aspects of
your operations.

(No, you don’t need to buy something, provide your email address, or sign up for
anything. We just want to help.)

26) Balance Sheet Template

Compare assets and liabilities and determine your company’s short- and long-term
health. Compile Current and Fixed Assets, Current and Long-Term Liabilities, and
Shareholder Equity. Print this sheet out in Excel for quick, periodical balance sheet
calculations.

27) Smart Goals Template

Use this convenient tool to create Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and
Time-Bound goals. With this printable PDF, you can set budgets, determine daily
production goals, and set project time targets.

28) Project Charter Template

Open this file in Excel or Google Sheets. Describe and share a venture’s costs,
objectives, scope, potential risks, and timetable. Use this document to makes
pitches and gain project authorization. After approval, keep this framework handy to
stay focused and avoid mission drift.
29) Enjoy Our Free Support
With Toggl’s free and premium time-tracking services, you can quickly track your
team’s time-use data, generate reports, and create payrolls.

As you push forward and make your business plan a reality, we’ll help you step up
into increasingly powerful data-tracking and report-generation tools.

Do the work, make your business plan a reality, and rely on us for real-time, cross-
platform solutions that take the time out of time-tracking!