The hardest part of ever having a business is starting it in the first place.  So with the current economic uncertainty many are wondering is it the time to lay low or start laying the foundation for future success.

Here a few thoughts from the FBI President and Founder Frances Harder……

Now may be the right time to plan to invest in a new business, which could then reap the rewards for better times to come. A new business is, by definition, SMALL and as such has few responsibilities or overheads, except YOU the entrepreneur! So, if you are thinking about taking that leap of faith, you should take time to plan and to ensure you have the financial backing, experience, plus partners to ensure future success.

Take time to understand why some businesses survive and some don’t. One very important and vital part to a successful business in a slow economy is customer loyalty. It will be those with good relationships with buyers and with clientele who will get paid on time and enjoy returning customers. If people are not buying based on price and product, they are buying based on service…

We received a inquiry from a reader frustrated with her search for the right textiles and notions.

Yes its no secret finding materials in our industry can be a slightly underground process.  We know, its hard to know even where to begin…

Well reader…no fear.  Here are a few ways you can find the textile and notion resources you need:

1.  Attend Sourcing Events: Going to a trade show is a great way to meet and see the products of a variety of manufacturers at one time.  The next round of big sourcing shows start at the end of August with,  Sourcing at MAGIC or be sure to check out the LA Textile Show which starts at the end of September.

2.  Do an Online Search: You can search online for resources as well.  Infomat.com is an excellent online resource to help you find more production resources than you’ll know what to do with.

3.  Get a Guide: The Textile Association of Los Angeles publishes a quarterly guide of textile resources that sells for about $75 dollars.

And remember you can always visit textile showrooms year-round as a buyer.  Check out the floor directory for the California Market Center in downtown, LA for exact locations.

Happy Hunting…

Facebook has 100 million users log on each day. 100 million users that are on the web and given the right motivation would be happy and willing to share your message with their circle of friends.

So how do you get your hands on these folks?  It starts with the understanding that social media is authentic, its real…it’s not about ordinary run of the mill marketing or promotions.   Its about relationships.  And like relationships….it’s tricky.  Doing the right things could lead to eventual unconditional love…while one email too many could make you seem like a cyber stalker.

In his book, Facebook Marketing, Steven Holzner, lays out how businesses can use social media to make their companies grow. With words and images he explains how the old marketing rules don’t necessarily apply and what you can do to get in the game.

Check it out and don’t let the social media revoloution pass your business by.

Many successful apparel companies have never created or needed glossy full color lookbooks to sell their wares.  Often times as far as buyers are concerned if they like the product and the company has great samples and good line sheets–that typically does the trick.

However in this oh-so jumbled marketplace standing out from the crowd couldn’t hurt.  As long as you can afford it (pro look books at the entry level will be at least 5K).

With some stylish lifestyle photography you’ll be on the fast-track to building your brand and bringing your product to life in the eyes of potential buyers.  Also a well put-together lookbook can add to your professional image–making buyers less skeptical that you’re a fly-by-night new company that will be here today gone tomorrow.

Its a judgement call. If you feel like all your other selling ducks are in a row (good showroom, line sheets, color cards and website).  Save the 5-15K it takes to produce a nice lookbook and plan some extra sales trips. Or do the photoshoot only–use the shots on your website and put the printing costs back into your marketing budget.

Fashion showrooms and sales reps are paid as a result of the quantity they sell.  It’s no wonder they may be a little territorial.  Most showrooms require all the sales made in their assigned territory to come through them…regardless of how or when they were acquired.

For example…let’s say you’ve launched your line yourself…scored some great orders at MAGIC or another trade show and even used your frequent shopping habits at some local boutiques to help land your line on their shelves.  Even better you may know someone..who knows someone who can get your line in some major department stores.

Here’s the deal….When you sign on with a showroom or sales rep they’ll normally request that you hand over all information on sales that have happened in their territory.  And Yes…the commission as well.  Are you still listening?

For most of you who know the excruciating hustle of getting your own sales, handing them off may seem incredibly painful…not to mention terribly unfair.  However, this untimely transfer can in fact work to your advantage.

By handing some key accounts off to your showroom right from the start you can…..

1. Build Your Own Momentum– By already having some orders before you sign on with a showroom you’ve just given them a running start.  Sometimes showrooms end up dropping new lines rather quickly because they just can’t manage to get them off the ground.  They are leery about investing too much time in an untested line because they’re busy paying the bills with some proven staples (You can’t really blame them.)  However by handing off your existing contacts you could be giving your showroom just the motivation they need to keep hope alive.

2. Put Your New Team to Work on the Bottom Line–Your sales rep’s commissions shouldn’t be collected until the order is shipped and preferably the final payment has been collected.  So although you may have landed a fat order– unless the total cycle has been completed it would be premature to count it as money in the bank.  By handing accounts over to your showroom asap they may be able to warn you about stores with bad credit or reputations you may not want to produce for…. or they may be able to use their leverage in the industry to help ensure you collect on time.

3.  Show Your Retailers….How Good It Looks to Be Seamless–Your retailers need to see you and your showroom as a seamless entity.  As soon as your showroom comes into the picture they should be reaching out to your existing customers, soliciting re-orders, building trust, following up on delivery dates and putting their sales magic to work.  Customers hate confusion…do I talk to you? her? both?  Who do I call with a problem?  To reorder?  Set up the relationship between your showroom and customers immediately so they know they’ll be taken care of for whatever they need.

Don’t let your ego get away with you when it comes to handing off your accounts to your showroom.  While their may be instances where you may want to question this hand-off such as teritory or outreach issues– but for the most part you will probably just have to get with the program.  You’re simply handing off the job (and yes the commissions:( to someone else on your team.  If you’re going to do it…do it with a smile.  It can be a good thing…