Having a niche is important for the success of any business. When people shop online, they are often driven by a process of exploration in that they’re looking for information related to products or otherwise. Even if people are just window shopping, people are stumbling upon your T-shirt business from a variety of channels that include blog articles, search engine results, social media posts or advertisements. To align with what shoppers are seeking out, it’s important to know your niche. Do you sell custom T-shirts related to music or art? Are you looking to make a fashion statement? What does your brand do differently than the countless other T-shirt companies out there?
As humans, we are hardwired to seek out meaning in our lives. So if you’re putting in the effort to build a T-shirt business, it makes sense to focus on what you enjoy, even if it’s a side hustle. When you love what you do, work won’t feel like work — and you’ll find the creative inspiration you need to do things like launch a blog, maintain a social media account, write compelling copy, capture interesting product photography and everything else that you need for your business to be successful.
Most likely, you’ll be conducting research throughout the lifespan of your business. Your goal is to make sure that you always have a clear perspective on what your customers want and need. You’ll also benefit from an understanding of peer and competitor companies. Example research tools include online surveys, message boards, social media hashtags on Twitter or Instagram, online communities and published consumer research. You can also see what products are trending on Etsy and pay close attention to trends in the media.
Topmood.com is an open-source, self-hosted eCommerce solution that can help you create, manage, and design an online shop. The official topmood Add-Ons Marketplace has modules and templates that you can use to customize your online store, increase traffic, and build customer loyalty. Easily boost marketing efforts with SEO optimization, email marketing, and coupons. While topmood is free, the costs associated with running your own shop online, such as domain name, hosting provider, payment solutions, and any additional function a full-fledged store needs, must also be considered.
