Sellers Hubspot

Tips and tools to help you get the most out of selling your clothing and developing your brand

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM It’s happened! We’re finally reppin’ for GlobalBoutique on Instagram, and can’t wait to see your snaps. Head over to the @GlobalBoutique Instagram page and get following. We’ll be posting behind-the-scenes snaps, exclusive discount codes and of course, re-gramming our fave Marketplace boutiques! Be sure to tag @GlobalBoutique when uploading your Boutique or Wardrobe related Insta-pics – we can’t wait to see what you’ve been snapping.	Get ready for the end of season sale Make sure you’re stocked up and ready to reduce for the most anticipated event in the retail calendar. With your customers happy from your stellar service over Christmas, you know they’ll be coming back to see what bargains you’ve got in the sales.	Customer Service Tips Wrap it! Why not offer a complimentary gift-wrapping service? Adding that extra bit of ribbon or sparkle will be very much appreciated by your customers purchasing their last minute gifts. Knowing that you’ll go the extra mile is a great way to reward your loyal customers, and a sure-fire way to gain new ones, too. Throw in a freebie We know some of you clever lot already send out sweets with your orders (who doesn’t love a free packet of Haribo?!), but why not make it festive in the run-up
All about the promos Reward your loyal customers with special promotions in the run-up to Christmas. This could involve anything from a discount code, to free shipping and even freebies with orders placed over a certain amount. Be sure to shout about these promos from the rooftops – use the announcements section on Marketplace, or write up a blog post and push this across your social media channels. Your customers will love you for it!	Fabulouse Chill Chair for the Kids Dont expect to work when these hanging chill chairs are around - they are just too comfortable	Customer Relationships Tis the season to put a massive smile on your customers face and make sure they keep coming back for more! Check out our top tips for making the most of the Christmas season, gaining loyal customers and increased sales to boot.
Post your Best Products NOW Party season is fast approaching so if you haven’t already got those party pieces listed, get them live now! We’ve got loads partywear editorial content planned in over the coming weeks, plus a big partywear promotion which will get lots of support across the site, on emails and via our social networks. This is where you guys come in – we need you to get all your party essentials live on the site so we can give them a huge push and help with your Seasonal sales.	How to become a successful trader So you’ve started selling on Marketplace and your initial small suitcase of vintage or mini collection of dresses is now taking up half of your bedroom. You’re toying with the idea of applying for boutique status but you’re worried about taking the plunge. Our advice? Do not fear! Some of our biggest boutiques started their Marketplace journey as basic sellers and have grown to become burgeoning businesses in their own right.	Should I trademark my brand? If for some reason you never get round to registering your brand then you might be trading on borrowed time, and find in the future you would be allowed to open a boutique in London for instance as someone else has registered the name and owns the rights for the UK. If unsuccessful in registering I would throw yourself on the mercy of a good IP solicitor, as it’s likely they will know how to overcome any objections from the IPO office. Many businesses continue to trade after rejection
Keep updating posts Remember to feed off the buzz of your launch and also of the status of being a brand new boutique on Marketplace. Also be sure to start a boutique blog, we feature the most recent posts on our community page and highlight a new post every couple of days – lookbook shots, editorials and behind the scenes snaps are perfect post fodder and are great for giving customers an insight into your brand.	Promote Yourself We always stress to new upgrades that you very much get out what you put in, so big up your new boutique in every way possible. Shout from the rooftops about your launch via your boutique Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts, follow and like other Marketplace boutiques to see what they’re up to, get yourself out there and hopefully you’ll get a follow or a like back here and there.	Moral of the Trading Story "The moral of the story here is: if at first you don’t succeed, try again! We might say no at first but don’t be afraid to ask us why you didn’t make the boutique cut. We’re more than happy to give you some extra pointers if we feel you have potential." Trent from Kirra Boutique, Gold Coast
Take the next step - with out help Interested in taking the next step up from your basic seller account? Apply for a boutique and if we think you’re ready we’ll get you on the site ASAP. Alternatively, if you’ve just launched as a new boutique on Marketplace, why not drop your account manager a message for any further tips on how to get things going.	Feedback The best way to gain great feedback is to offer great customer service. This covers everything from your shipping and response speed, to your messaging style and dealing with any issues that arise. We know your business means a lot to you and it can sometimes be hard to take a step back and put your business hat on, but you must always, always, adopt the kill them with kindness approach.	7 STEPS TO PROTECTING YOUR BRAND The best thing to do is undertake some thorough research to see if anyone else is using the same name or very similar name to the one you have begun to use. A useful search engine to begin this task is start.biz but don’t rely on this as your only check. If you plan to target marketing in other countries then I would expand the scope of your search beyond our shores.
1. Get Your Business Name Right Getting it right with business names The key thing to understand is registering a domain name and setting up social media accounts, either using your own personal or business name is extremely important, but legally a waste of time if the business name you are using is already filed as a limited company or registered as a trademark with the IPO (Intellectual Property Office) especially if it registered in class 25, which is for fashion items such as shoes, clothing and headwear.	What is a Trademark? A trademark is part of a category of rights called ‘Intellectual Property’ and is designed, once you have successfully registered your mark, that you will have the sole right to exploit the name or motif in the UK or for the whole of the EU if seeking wider protection. There are some costs involved with registration, and it is possible to register your mark yourself but it is worth seeking some advice about it before you start.	Why trademark? Once you start building up your business, your brand will become recognisable in your area of trade, this is known as establishing ‘good will’. Many businesses don’t register their mark for various reasons, apathy being one of them. However, if you fail to register it, even if you’ve set up a company, your brand is still not secure. Another business could apply for trade mark registration at any time, and then you would have to challenge the registration which costs a great deal of money and it
Tricks of Trademarking When you fill in the registration forms which you can download from the IPO website if you register your name, graphic representation (the look) or and a logo do it in black and white, this means your mark will be legally protected reproduced in any colour.