Works Cited

http://tnbear.tn.gov/ECommerce/NameAvailability.aspx

http://www.smithcountychamber.org/

http://www.onlygarmentracks.com/ecommerce/categories/onlygarmentracks/specials.html
 
http://www.style.com

"Green Marketing and the Luxury Consumer - The Luxry Market Is Going Green -- Luxury Brands Can't Afford to Ignore It." Market Research Reports - Business Market Research Reports & Industry Analysis. Web. 5 Oct. 2011. http://www.marketresearch.com/Unity-Marketing-Inc-v642/Green-Luxiry-Consumer-Going-Brands-1804325/.

Hameide, Aled. Fashion Branding Unraveled. Fairchild Books & Visuals, 2012.

http://www.showcase.com/?src=ppcg_State_TENNESSEE_CommLEASETN&mkwid=sN5CARL7S_pcrid_3651229328#&&/wEXAQURV29ya2Zsb3dIaXN0b3J5SUQFJGNhMWU2NDg1LTUzYWUtNGVmYi1hNTI5LWViN2U5ZjU2ODE3MzOXh94jvUO1WMz3O7Weq8m8b0j6

"Wiki," Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 30 Sept. 2011. http://en.wikiperdia.org/wiki/wiki.

http://www.subastralinc.com/

http://www.pinterest.com

Brand Promotion: Grand Opening

Marketing ones brand according to demo- and psychographics is the best way to attract and draw in your target segment. The method that I would use to spread the word about Modish would be to hold an Open House a week after the grand opening. The tradition of Open Houses around Carthage is the most personal and fun way to welcome customers and offer them a great shopping experience from the get-go. At the front doors of the shop, which would be wide open all day for passersby to peek in, I would create a window display bound to catch the eye of every onlooker, full of seasonal colors, unique accessories, and earthy decor. As consumers enter the doors, I will have an employee passing out a coupon, which would discount ones entire purchase anywhere from ten to thirty percent. This card would also include a small message about how any purchase at Modish is a green and environmentally healthy purchase. Therefore, they browse the boutique, find something they must have, purchase it at a discount, and buzz begins to generate among friends, colleagues, etc., about the unique experience that is my brand!

Advertising

In the area that my boutique will be located, newspaper advertising will be the top promotion tool to generate buzz about the shop. There is only one local newspaper to advertise in, the Carthage Courier, but I will also buy ads in the Tennessean and use social networking sites, like Facebook and Twitter to also promote. My target market will view one, if not all, of these publications, so they are the best methods of media to promote my business (and the cheapest!). The advertisements for Modish Boutique will include photos of the garments on body forms with full accessory presentations and will also include a short write up about our green efforts and the quality and care of the clothing. In order to continuously catch the eye of readers and keep up with seasonal trends, the ads will change month to month and promote our most popular and trendy items at that time. Some of the ads may also include photos of me and the employees, because a great way to promote products is to showcase the team and endorse the principles behind ones business.
The cost of advertising for the Tennessean is $335.

Equipment

When running a small boutique in the format that Modish will be run, spending budget money on tools, equipment, and decor makes a world of difference in the way the brand is presented and viewed by consumers.
To begin with, the company will need to invest in a computer system and cash wrap utilities, clothing hangers, ten clothing racks, two antique armoires for accessories and presentation purposes, one display table for the front door, and a few shelves for storage and presentation purposes. Mirrors and benches for the fitting rooms will also be needed along with six mannequin forms and three jewelry fixtures. Artwork, DIY projects, and nature itself will be added for character and seasonal decor, so I would like to keep spending on decorations as minimal as possible.

Walnut Wooden Hangers - 1 Full box/Jacket hangers = $149.75/50 per box

1 Full box/Pant hangers = $127.75/100 per box

 

Two Arched Rolling Clothing Racks - $229.00 a piece.

8 Curved Rolling Racks - $156.00 a piece

6 Mannequin Forms/Female - $159.00 a piece

2 Antique Armoires - Salvaged/Antiqued

Wooden Tables/Display Fixtures to be distressed - $269.00

3 Iron benches with cover - $145.00 a piece

3 Wrought Iron Jewelry Fixtures - $85.00 a piece

5 Full Body Mirrors - $30.00 a piece

Legalities

As a sole proprietorship, I will create and control all business aspects of Modish Boutique, including creating daily, weekly, and quaterly goals, assmebling a management team, payroll, and weekly schedules.  I will also own all the assets of the business and the profits generated by it. Since sole proprietors assume complete responsibility for all of the business liabilities, I am one in the same with my business in the eyes of the law. Furthermore, the idea of the brand and boutique's identity is personal to me, therefore, I see no reason to expand beyond a sole proprietorship. This small-business way of working will only add to the better customer service and loyalty.

There is a $15 non-refundable processing fee for the Business License Application, and the brand name Modish is available. One must also pay different fees associated with the various licenses, registrations, or permits needed for the particular business. These fees, though, are only applicable after license application is feasible.


More legalities of owning and operating a small business include leasing and the rates assosiated with the property I choose to develop the brand. There are a few retail spaces available near the area of Main Street of Carthage in which I want to set up my boutique. The building that seems best, though, is 1,320 square foot at a sale price of $60,000.

First Ad

                                                  

Physical Format: Modish Boutique




Hotel Walton, Carthage, TN.

Modish Boutique, the one and only, will be located on the square of Carthage, Tennessee, the heart of Smith County and my home town. This city is not known for much and is relatively small in size, so I feel the need to bring my unique and fashion savvy brand to the area. There are no malls, shopping centers, or really even clothing stores near the area, so the women and young ladies of this town deserve a new and interesting place to spend their dollars on quality and tasteful clothing. The shop will be located between the historic town hotel, Hotel Walton, and an antique shop and also be surrounded by several law offices and art shops. This location will be great for business due to the slow traffic passing by on the busy street and the usual passersby of the surrounding businesses. Across the street from my boutique is the beautiful and historic courthouse, which will also play a great role in generating business. I feel as though the location of my business is a perfect match with the style and ambiance of the inside of my shop because downtown Carthage is more upper to middle class and has a down-to-earth vibe.

Some of the colors and textures that
can be found inside Modish Boutique

I will create the unique atmosphere, the down-to-earth décor, and the fashionable displays conveyed throughout the small shop. Our décor will include antique pieces of furniture and distressed wooden racks and shelving. Our customers will also notice several plant and flower arrangements, which create an earthy, calm, and positive ambiance. We will also hang wall decorations, including eccentric paintings, interesting and fashionable photos, and creative wall hangings to make the shop feel cozy and welcoming. Our displays will be even more appealing to the fashionable eye than our décor. We will use fashion news from the media, such as television, runways, and particularly magazines to create outfits to advertise to the consumers. The displays will convey the Zeitgeist, and our body forms will change with the latest trends and styles of each season.

Social Responsibility, cont.

Another important social responsibility the Modish brand respects would be charity. The brand will hold charitable events, such as seasonal clothing drives, to bring awareness to the brand's image and also to help the local community. As customers bring in their new or gently-used clothing to donate, the company will give them a discount card to use directly on the brand. This keeps customers aware of how helping out the community can get them discounts on great new clothing! Pay it Forward!

Social Responsibility

As a mostly green and eco-friendly company, the type of garments and accessories that make up Modish must convey fashionable, up-to-date, and modern elements of style while representing a green and  environmentally healthy attitude. The clothing that will be sold range from sophisticated dresses and hip outfits, to Bohemian inspired garments along with basic pieces such as jeans, tanks, and tee’s.

The accessories, shoes, and jewelry found in the shop will be made of all-natural materials with little to no harmful dying processes.

Other aspects of the brand that will be ever-green include packaging (bags and wrapping materials) and receipts and gift certificates, all of which will be made of recycled materials.

The Clientele

My primary consumers will be females between the ages of sixteen and thirty years old. She is of middle to upper class and is not only a fashionable and trendy young lady, but she is aware of the chemical processes, wasteful procedures, and other harmful influences that some of the textile industries methods have on our precious environment. Most of my customers are of Caucasian ethnicity, due to the location and style of the boutique. The segment of my customers lives in or around the Carthage, Tennessee, area, which is my mostly-rural home town. My customers may also come from surrounding counties due to the lack of shopping centers and clothing shops in the areas.

                       

My younger customers are high school or college students who have a fancy for fashion and just want to dress in chic and quality garments. The customers in the middle and older segment of my target age group are either single or married with families and are knowledgeable of the eco friendly background of my shop. These women are not only interested in the fashion and trends found inside the brand, but they are also interested in the motives behind the environmental efforts of the company and the personality that the atmosphere gives the brand identity.

Even though my target market is dominantly middle- to upper-class females, the location of the boutique will bring in lower class customers as well, especially those who are fashion friendly and want to be perceived as higher class citizens. The typical age range of my customers will be between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five. As I stated earlier, my brand is based around “green”, or environmentally friendly principles, so my customers will have somewhat of an awareness of this. She will notice the quality and care of the garments and products as well as the trendy and up-to-date styles that the brand offers. She will be familiar with current styles and trends, influenced mostly by fashion magazines like Vogue, Marie Claire, and Harper’s Bazaar.

What is Modish?

Modish is the name of my eco friendly clothing and accessory brand. I selected this name because “modish”, or popular and fashionable, is the best adjective to describe the garments, identity, atmosphere, and other aspects of the brand. Not only will one immediately notice the chill and earthy feel of the brand, but all of the clothing sold is environmentally friendly as far as textiles, construction, and dying are concerned. Any woman who researches the brand will discover the trendy and environmentally aware shopper inside of themselves. The boutique in which the brand will be sold will be rather small but quaint, like several other boutiques found on the square of many urban areas and cities, and the atmosphere inside will be a one-of-a-kind experience for the customers.
 I searched for the domain "www.modishfashionboutique.com", and it was available for $9.99, thanks to the holiday sales! Renewal costs for the name include $7.49 per year. I also searched the U.S. Patent and Trademarks website and found that my brand name is available, and the initial cost just for an application for a trademark is $275.

Brand logo