Small Business Brief

Retail

Sharing Your Taste: A Quick Guide to Opening a Shoe Store


If you’re passionate about shoes and you want to take that passion and turn it into output, a sneaker store might be the right choice for you. What better way to grow your own brand and bring your favorite shoes to the people in your community?

Opening a shoe store isn’t a decision you should take lightly. As with any business, it takes blood, sweat, and tears to bring it to life and see it succeed. But with the right planning and an iron will, you just might be able to make it in the sneaker industry.

But how do you go about opening a shoe store? Keep reading to find out!

Learn Your Why

Are you in it for the money? Are you looking to take pretty product pictures and grow a following on social media? Or do you want to build a business that can deliver a product you love and believe in for the people in your community?

No matter what your reason for opening a shoe store, you need to have a solid grasp of it in order to cultivate a good business plan. You are the roots of your brand. If you want your brand to be likable and believable, and you want people to come to you instead of your competitors, you need to know why you started in the first place.

Know Your Demographic

Next, you need to understand your customers. Who are you trying to sell shoes to? Your demographic is going to make a difference in every aspect of your business.

You can determine who your demographic is based on where you plan to open your shoe store, who you want to market to, and who you want to brand for. Once you’ve narrowed down your customer base, you can start making decisions about what you stock.

The demographic for Balenciaga Sneakers is going to be much different than the demographic for Dr. Comfort, so you want to make sure you know your demographic like the back of your hand.

Pick a Location

Now you need to decide where you’re going to set up shop. You want to make sure that your location is where your demographic likes to hang out. Your shop needs to be clearly visible, pleasing to the eye, and welcoming to people from the outside.

While not all great locations can offer parking nearby, it’s a huge plus and will give your shop an advantage over others without the same parking.

Again, your demographic will determine the way you decorate and how you market yourself.

Set Up Social Media

No matter what kind of shoes you’re selling or where, you need to have social media up and running as soon as possible. In today’s digital age, social media is the way into your customer’s everyday lives.

All kinds of brands are personalizing themselves through sites like Twitter and Instagram. And it’s doing wonders for their sales.

Your shoe store is no different. Hire a photographer to take care of the product shots for you and start posting online as soon as you can.

Opening a Shoe Store Takes Grit

Opening any business is a difficult venture, but opening a shoe store takes a special kind of person. In order to get the best sneakers from the best brands, you need to form connections and meet brand standards that can feel next to impossible. But with enough work, your dream of opening a shoe store can become a reality.

For more information about starting your own business, check out this article next.



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