Website design By BotEap.comIn the 10 years I’ve been in the custom clothing and hat business, I don’t remember how many people called for help starting their hat line. They all thought they had a great idea. Most of them had little or no money. And none of them had a clue what it takes to succeed at one of America’s most competitive companies. The first question these people always asked was “How much to make my own custom designed hats?” And always, I told them, as gently as I could, there are many other questions that you should ask first, and cost is perhaps the last of them. I have always given these people my honest opinions while doing my best to encourage them. This article summarizes all the advice I have given over the years. Subsequent articles will address each of the following steps individually in greater detail.

Website design By BotEap.com# 1: know your customer

Website design By BotEap.comPerhaps the most important thing to do before starting any business! You must answer the following questions about your customers:

Website design By BotEap.com1. Who could be your customers?

Website design By BotEap.com2. How old are they?

Website design By BotEap.com3. How many of them are there?

Website design By BotEap.com4. Where do they buy?

Website design By BotEap.com5. How often do you shop?

Website design By BotEap.com6. How much do you usually spend when you buy hats or caps?

Website design By BotEap.com7. What is popular with these people right now?

Website design By BotEap.comThe answers to these questions determine the niche in which to sell your caps, what designs are appropriate, how many of your hats you can sell, and at what price.

Website design By BotEap.com# 2: know your competition

Website design By BotEap.comThe second most important thing to do before starting any business! You must answer the following questions about your competition:

Website design By BotEap.com1. Who can be your competition?

Website design By BotEap.com2. What types of hats and designs are you offering right now?

Website design By BotEap.com3. How much do you charge for these products?

Website design By BotEap.com4. Where do they sell their hats?

Website design By BotEap.com5. How do you market your hats?

Website design By BotEap.comThe answers to these questions determine what designs to offer, how much to charge, what distribution channel to consider, and potential marketing venues to consider when launching your own hat clothing line.

Website design By BotEap.com# 3: know your marketing plan

Website design By BotEap.comSo what’s the best hat design of the decade if you can’t get your wares out? Launching a hat clothing line is all about marketing. Let me give you a very simple example. I have a client, a real client whose name I cannot mention. These guys have some great design ideas. So they teamed up with a poker player and hired a public relations person who is related to the entertainment industry. These 2 people generated a lot of interest in their products! Before you know it, some celebrities were wearing their designs and the rest is history. So brainstorm, get creative, put your name there! Who knows? You could be the next ROXY, Quicksilver or even NIKE!

Website design By BotEap.com# 4: know your upfront cost

Website design By BotEap.comSo you’ve discovered who your target customers are, who your competencies are, what hat designs you want to launch, and you’ve created the most creative marketing campaign. Now is the time to answer some questions related to costs:

Website design By BotEap.com1. Staffing and office rental

Website design By BotEap.com2. Costs of the marketing campaign

Website design By BotEap.com3. Travel extensions

Website design By BotEap.com4. Trade show extensions

Website design By BotEap.com5. Production ratio costs:

Website design By BotEap.com(i) How much does sampling of your designs cost?

Website design By BotEap.com(ii) Who should you turn to for prototype designs?

Website design By BotEap.com(iii) Production costs (highly dependent on how many hats you want to produce for release. To get a reasonable price, you need to order at least hundreds per design. 25 hats is NOT a bulk quantity).

Website design By BotEap.com# 5: Financing

Website design By BotEap.comYou have a plan to market your hat clothing line; you know how much it will cost you; now you need to know how to finance your business. Possible sources of money:

Website design By BotEap.com1. Your savings

Website design By BotEap.com2. Your friends and family

Website design By BotEap.com3. Mortgage your current assets, like your home

Website design By BotEap.com4. Find outside investors (although this can be difficult to start a hat clothing line, but you never know)

Website design By BotEap.com5. Bank loans (SBA loans are available to entrepreneurs in many cases)

Website design By BotEap.com# 6: know your release date

Website design By BotEap.comIn fashion, timing is everything. Are you launching your hat clothing line for the holiday season? For the back to school season? For the 4th of July? Most of the overseas production takes 72-90 days via ocean freight. Let’s say you are producing your hats in China. Did you know that the Chinese close for up to 15 days during the Chinese New Year, which occurs on different dates, although mainly in January and February, depending on the year?

Website design By BotEap.com# 7: write your plan

Website design By BotEap.comYou have all the pieces of the puzzle; writing them increases your chances of success. Your plan will keep you focused and give you the big picture as well as the details to consider. And if you are trying to secure financing, a business plan is not only crucial, but absolutely necessary!

Website design By BotEap.comThis is a simplified summary of the essential steps you need to take before starting a hat wearing line. Get creative with your designs; be thorough with your research; Be meticulous with your planning. And good luck! Please be sure to check out my other articles for specific details on each of the points above. You can also check my websites for additional information.