Share FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinWhatsappTelegramEmail 374 [articletop] [penci_button link=”https://www.fashionghana.com/category/african-fashion-news/about-ghana/” icon=”fa fa-address-book” icon_position=”left” radius=”5px” size=”small” text_color=”#ecd29a” text_hover_color=”#ffffff” background=”#111111″ hover_bgcolor=”#000000″]Ghana[/penci_button] [penci_button link=”https://www.fashionghana.com/category/african-fashion-news/fashion-lifestyle/progressive-insights-advice/” icon=”fa fa-address-book” icon_position=”left” radius=”5px” size=”small” text_color=”#ecd29a” text_hover_color=”#ffffff” background=”#111111″ hover_bgcolor=”#000000″]Insights & Advice[/penci_button] Image source: Pexels.comThere are people who are passionate about fashion and would like to have a career in this industry. Thanks to the growth of ecommerce, it has become easier to run an online store that sells what you desire. More Articles You Would Love #OOTD: South Africa’s Moozlie Shakes The Internet With Her Latest Outstanding Macrame Look African Designers Are Finally Using African Seasons To Label Their Collection: Please End The Confusion Of course, the competition can be pretty fierce, especially if you are looking to target a broader audience and establish your brand as one of the authorities in the market. But this competition should not be something to get discouraged about. You can still develop a successful store and make money. Here are some essential things that you will need to focus on, especially if you still have very little or no experience with ecommerce. Step #1 – Pick a Product According to the article, published by Letstalkaboutmoney on how to sell apparel online, picking the product is the first thing you need to do. In this case, the product is a piece of clothing. Ideally, it should be something that you are familiar with or would be interested in. Picking a product like that would lead to having more motivation when it comes to writing content, such as product descriptions and marketing. Some entrepreneurs like to pick an array of different clothes and include as many different products as they can. The reality is that you will have a much harder time selling a lot of different clothes than you would a few. Sure, if you have a lot of funds to spend on marketing and believe that attracting a lot of customers is not a problem, then go for it. But as a rule of thumb, it is recommended to start small and scale the business. Step #2 – Decide the Business Model Image source: Pexels.com When you have a product in mind, the business model comes next. There are a few choices available. The first one is a regular brick and mortar store. However, it appears that this model is not getting as much attention nowadays. People are looking to shop on the internet because the experience is more convenient. That is not to say that you should disregard the option, but consider what the alternatives offer. The alternative to brick and mortar is print on demand. This option eliminates the need to take care of inventory, maintain staff, and deal with little clothing business details that can decide whether you fail or succeed. Meanwhile, print on demand allows you to be a middleman and focus on marketing and profits. Step #3 – Research Audience and Competition There should be a demand for your product. Take a bit of time to research the targeted demographic and determine the odds of creating a sustainable ecommerce project. Understanding the competition is also something every up and coming businessman ought to prioritize. Going in the niche that has a lot of other brands leaves you with very little space to maneuver in, so do not end up in a place where it becomes impossible to work. Take the time and thoroughly research the market. Step #4 – Develop Your Website Image source: Pexels.com The website itself should not be something too complicated, especially when you are only starting. Just make sure that it has all the necessary aspects, such as the search function, clear pages for products, social media icons, and high-quality images for the products. Optimizing for mobile use is also necessary since about half the internet traffic is smartphones and tablets (Statista, 2020). Step #5 – Create Clothing Options Creating clothing depends on your approach. You can either hire professional makers that create everything from scratch, come up with designs and use print on demand technology, or dropship. When you get in the groove of things, keep adding new clothing options. The store should expand naturally, and that will lead the business to scale itself. Step #6 – Focus on Search Engine Optimization Dedicate some of your resources to search engine optimization. Hiring someone who is a professional and can create a long-term strategy is one of the best options, though it will require funds. SEO allows you to attract organic traffic and establish authority. There is a fierce fight for the top pages on Google when trying to rank with particular keywords, meaning that you are better off avoiding this fight and focusing on niche keywords that are easier to rank. Step #7 – Leverage Social Media Image source: Pexels.com Social media is a powerful marketing tool that you can leverage. Start to attract followers by organizing contests and giveaways. Work with other brands and collaborate with influencers so that they give your brand a shoutout. The most popular social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, have hundreds of millions of active users every month. Not taking advantage of such a fact would be a waste. Share FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinWhatsappTelegramEmail Nana Tamakloe Founder of FashionGHANA.com and Accra Fashion Week. I'm grateful you visited, I hope you share, subscribe and share your comments or opinions below. More For You February by Serwaa Introduces ‘SƐWAA’ with Ahwenepa Nkasa Transitional Collection VIDEO: VLISCO Unveils the New Collection of “Satin Royal” for the festive Season... VIDEO: Nigeria’s Chidimma Vanessa Adetshina Robbed Off Miss Universe 2024 Title & Receives... After Pushing Out Chidimma, Miss SA’s European Queen Drops Out Of Miss Universe;... #BeautyOfTheWeek: Meet The Gorgeous Doctor & Pageant Queen Of Botswana, Dr. Thanolo C.... Farewell to a Trailblazer: Guinea-Bissau’s Dina Adão Passes Away, Leaving a Legacy On... VIDEOS: Watch Chidimma Vanessa Celebrate At Miss Universe 2024 Whilst Dancing To Ghanaian... Africans Have Proudly Accepted Trick Daddy’S Claim As A Non ‘African American’ –... Stunning Cassandre Jacques Exits Miss World Dominican Rupublic Amid Uproar Over Haitian Heritage... #MODELCRUSH: Senegal’s Rising Star Ndey Touty Sakho Checks All Beauty Boxes & Effortlessly...