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Planning: Goal Setting For Fashion Brands
Goals Setting For Your Clothing Business
I know planning for the New Year in your business often feels like a mixed bag of all the emotions, you're excited about all the possibilities, but you're also thinking about everything that didn't "go as planned" from last year.
It's even possible that you have the motivation to create a business plan step by step, but are not sure how to do it effectively or what it will take to follow.
Or, if you're like a lot of my fashion business clients, trying to plan a year often feels too stuffy and formal, numbers-oriented and uncreative, so you try and avoid it.
But there's power in a plan", as I said to one client who runs an online store that sells high-end, handmade bags and accessories.
Her reply …
"Sure, but I have a problem sticking to a plan without changing my mind 10 times or simply just losing interest in it."
ARGH!!!!… I get it.
We all love the idea of goal setting.
For creative entrepreneurs, turning inspiration into action is often a challenge.
Planning is not something you can avoid if you want to build a revenue-generating business.
A clothing brand business plan gives you direction and creates space for creativity and inspiration.
I want to give you my stress-free, how-to-set goals insights so you can achieve your goals.
I'm sharing my four fail-proof tips for how to plan a year for your clothing brand!
How To Plan And Set Goals For Your Clothing Business
Tip #1: Set Good, Better, And Best Goals
This simple strategy is the cornerstone of how big clothing brands operate. I started recommending this approach to my clients, and it's helpful to frame up your results.
Remember that feeling when you miss a goal, you get down on yourself? It can throw your productivity and passion off track, which might even be one of the reasons you loathe planning in the first place.
So, head into the new year with confidence you want to set a Good, Better, and Best goal for your annual revenue for 2024.
List all three, but map out the "Best" scenario when planning for the year ahead. Then, if you fall short on some of your goals, you'll still hit the "Good" or "Better" bracket!
Wondering how to put this into action for your business?
Let's do some easy math:
Let's say your monthly sales goal is $10,000, with a total annual sales revenue of $120,000.
That's your BEST Goal.
Your sales goals might have a $1,000 difference between them or $10,000 – the number or increments between Good/Better/Best isn't essential. It's all about what feels good for you.
So, if you hit $8000 in a specific month, you can still feel good; you've hit your Good level goal! And maybe $9000 is Better!
Better goal setting is one of the ways I love supporting my FashionVIP clients because we spend time mapping out business goals and the strategies to bring those plans to life.
Sometimes it can feel overwhelming to take action on your big goals, but this a great approach to building goals into your business (even if you hate crunching numbers)!
How To Plan And Set Goals For Your Clothing Business
Tip #2: Map Out Your Marketing
After you've created your product plan, your marketing is key to a successful brand.
Marketing is not only how you attract people to your business but how you nurture them and turn them into customers.
Yet, so many people approach marketing as an 'in the moment social post,' an afterthought to buying all their inventory, or worst yet, trying something new all the time to see what works!
Persuasive marketing begins with a plan that maps out when, how, and where you will show up in your business weekly.
How would you like to show up in 2024?
Think about the platforms you want to amplify and those you'd like to avoid (and ps. that's OK, too, it's your business, your choice).
Think about how you want to share your content.
Don't try to do all the things, every platform, all at once.
Now, start to plan out your content monthly (making it a goal to work up to 90 days)!
Yes, it's possible.
You can first think about seasonal promotions and the holidays (Valentines, Easter, Back-to-school, National Dashiki Day). Then fill in your special events or promotions from there.
Need a way to jump-start how you connect with customers?
Longing for more support connecting your topics to your product to your planned promotions?
Grab the Creative Content Bank and nurture your audience so they turn into customers HERE!
The Creative Content Bank is the no-fail bundle you need to create irresistible, compelling content your audience is waiting to consume.
How To Plan And Set Goals For Your Clothing Business
Tip #3: Time Block Your Schedule
This tip will save you so much time in the New Year. It's all about time blocking.
One of the tactics I've been using since 2020 has been time block my calendar to map out when I will create my content, have client calls, to my admin, etc.
As you plan out your 2024 clothing brand business plan, think about the times and days of the week when you might best be in the flow to do specific tasks. I'm not going to lie; this has taken me a couple of tries. For example, I've shifted my client days around a few times, so I can support my clients and problem-solve with them when my energy is high!
I recommend starting with one or two recurring tasks and going from there.
For example, maybe you feel relaxed and creative writing emails to your list on Wednesdays, or perhaps you know you like to start Monday mornings with inventory review or bill paying; you decide.
Start small and grow from there.
Want instant access to my proven goal-setting toolkit?
Sign up at the link below so you can grab that now.
PLUS you’ll be notified about my LIVE Goal Setting Training for Clothing Brands when that goes LIVE.
You’ll know exactly how to set the RIGHT goals for your business and achieve them!
If you’re interested in joining me for that go ahead and grab the toolkit now so I can send you the details when registration opens up!
How To Plan And Set Goals For Your Clothing Business
Tip #4 Go With The Flow And Stay Flexible
Okay, so you've got your goals and marketing all figured out, but here's the real deal—keep things flexible. The business world is like a rollercoaster; it can twist and turn in unexpected ways. Life happens, opportunities pop up, and things might not always go as planned.
Don't treat your plan like it's written in stone. Think of it more like a roadmap that you can tweak and twist as you go. Be ready for spontaneous moves, and don't be afraid to adjust your goals or marketing game based on what's happening right now in the crazy world of trends and markets.
Being flexible not only helps you tackle surprise hurdles but also makes your business super adaptable and quick on its feet.
Just remember, a powerful plan isn't about following it word for word. It's about being smart and changing things up when the time calls for it. Embrace change, stay light on your feet, and think of your plan as a living, breathing guide that grows and evolves with your awesome business.
CONCLUSION
So, what's your plan? What is going to be different in the next 12 months? What Good/Better/Best Goals will you celebrate at the end of next year?
A plan can save you time and energy and help you focus on your business.
Having a plan will support you in staying on track with your goals.
Having a plan does not need to make you fearful of failing.
A clear plan allows you to take clear action.
ps - Taking action is my superpower, and it's one of the reasons entrepreneurs work with me through my 1:1 FashionVIP Program.
This FashionVIP Program is the jump start you need to create an actionable plan (one that is full of proven strategies and time-savings) and the necessary momentum to take consistent steps to grow your clothing and accessory business.
Spots are limited, with only a few available every month. Learn more about the FashionVIP Program and apply HERE!
ABOUT ME 👇🏼
Trudi Roach specializes in helping small and emerging fashion and accessory brands scale successfully - even without any prior business or fashion industry experience.
A former fashion executive and merchandiser (aka the real Business of Fashion) she led product development for multi-million-dollar fashion brands, crafting a strategy with the Marketing, Sales, and Finance teams. Trudi learned how to run a business, from top to bottom the hard way, through hands-on experience creating products, working with vendors, and launching products, from test quantities to million-dollar programs … every month!
As a fashion brand consultant, Trudi can help you get there too.
