Start & Run an Adult Boutique

Оглавление

Karen Bedinger. Start & Run an Adult Boutique

START & RUN AN ADULT BOUTIQUE

Foreword

1. The Journey to an Adult Boutique: Materialization of an Idea

2. The Mainstream Prevalence of Adult Products

3. Finding the Perfect Model of an Adult Boutique

4. Honesty, Perseverance, and Hard Work

Introduction

1. Things to Consider Before You Begin

1. Do You Have the Motivation?

2. Can You Manage Criticism?

3. Will You Do the Research?

4. Are You Prepared Financially?

PART I. STARTING YOUR BUSINESS AND SETTLING IN

2. Research the Market and Find a Suitable Location

1. The Different Types of Adult Boutiques

1.1 Adult video stores

1.2 Adult bookstores or adult superstores

1.3Women- and couple-friendly (WCF) adult stores

2. Location and Market Research

2.1 Visit your potential competition

2.2 Ask potential customers

2.3 Talk to owners of other adult boutiques

2.4 Consider the indirect competition

2.5 Zoning regulations

2.6 Negotiating a commercial lease

2.7 Moving an established business

3. The Pros and Cons of Buying an Established Business Versus Creating a New Business

3.1 Pros of buying an established business

3.2 Cons of buying an established business

3.3 Pros of creating a business

3.4 Cons of creating a business

4. Be Proud of the Type of Store and Location That You Choose

3. Develop a Business Plan

1. The Business Plan

1.1 Executive summary

1.2 The mission statement

1.3 History and background

1.4 Description of your business

1.5 Company values

1.6 Operations and employees

1.7 Market research

1.8 Sales and marketing strategy

1.9 Financial plan

1.10 Forecasts and projections

2. Revisiting Your Business Plan

3. Get a Professional’s Opinion on the Business

4. Consider the Costs of Starting a Business

1. Finance Your Business

1.1 Equity financing

1.2 Debt financing

1.3 Obtain financing

2. Start-up and Operational Costs

3. The Importance of Paying Vendors and Suppliers

4. Calculate Your Profits

5. Taking the Appropriate Steps

1. Business Name

2. Domain Name

3. Fictitious Business Name

4. Incorporation

4.1 Sole proprietorship

4.2 Partnership

4.2a Partnership agreement

4.3 US limited liability company (LLC)

4.4 US corporation

4.5 US S corporation

4.6 Incorporating in Canada

5. Business License and Seller’s Permit

6. Employer Identification Number or Business Number

7. Sales Tax and Filing Tax Returns

8. Business Bank Account

9. Liability Insurance

10. Trademark or Servicemark Registration

6. Setting up Your Retail Store

1. Store Renovations

2. Store Signage

3. Payment Methods, Equipment, Services, and Supplies

3.1 Payment methods

3.1a Cash

3.1b Checks

3.1c Credit cards

3.1d ATM or debit cards

3.2 Electronic office equipment

3.3 Furniture and fixtures

3.4 Service connections

3.5 Office and cleaning supplies

4. Merchandise Packaging

5. Inventory

6. Wholesalers: Manufacturers and Distributors

7. Setting Prices

8. Dress Your Window

9. In-Store Merchandise Displays

7. Marketing and Advertising Your Business

1. Marketing Your Business

1.1 Marketing plan mission statement

1.2 Store name

1.3 Logo

1.4 Store brand

1.5 Business cards

2. Advertise

2.1 Before you open … advertise!

2.2 Advertising through the community and charity events

2.3 Trade shows

2.4 Client referrals and development

2.5 Create a website

3. Place Your Advertising

4. Include a Call to Action

5. Track Your Advertising

8. Store Policies

1. No Photos

2. Returns

3. Age Restrictions

4. Group Restrictions

5. Employee or Merchandise Abuse

6. Dressing Rooms

7. Shoplifting

8. Accepted Payment Methods

9. Employee Policies

10. Robbery

9. Hiring Employees

1. Delegating Responsibilities

2. Hiring Professionals

3. Employee Taxes and Deductions

4. Hiring Suitable Employees

4.1 How to find the right employees

4.2 Interviewing potential employees

4.3 References

5. Employee Incentives

6. Training Your Employees

7. Seasonal Workers

8. Keeping Good Employees

PART II. MAINTAINING YOUR BUSINESS

10. Customer Service and Sales Techniques

1. Customer Service

1.1 Greet and engage

1.2 Observe the customer’s body language

1.3 Communicate effectively

1.4 Discuss intimate adult issues

1.5 Recommend products to customers

1.6 Create an ambiance of beauty and comfort

1.7 Assist the customer with clothing

1.8 Battery-test the products

1.9 Be open-minded and respectful

1.10 Deal with obnoxious customers

2. Sales Techniques

2.1 Increase the sale amount

2.2 Assume the sale

2.3 Overcome objections

11. Maintaining a Top Notch Business

1. Maintain Momentum Toward Your Goals

2. Stay Aware of Market Trends

3. Listen to Your Customers’ Wishes, Advice, or Complaints

4. Keep Prices Realistic

5. Continue to Advertise

6. Avoid Financial Mistakes

7. Balance Your Professional Life and Your Personal Life

8. Remember to be Empathic with Customers

9. Remember to be Discreet

10. Keep on Top of the Little Stuff

11. Remember to Have Fun!

PART III. MERCHANDISE

12. Adult Toys

1. Materials

1.1 Latex

1.2 Glass

1.3 Jelly

1.4 Hard plastic

1.5 Artificial skin

1.6 Medical grade silicone

2. Adult Toys for Females

2.1 Dildos

2.2 Vibrators, G-spot stimulators, and rabbits

2.3 Clitoral stimulators

2.4 Vibrating remote control panties

2.5 Nipple stimulators

2.6 Electric tongue

2.7 Fukuoko or fingertip massager

2.8 Dual penetrators

2.9 Strap-ons

2.10 Anal toys

2.11 Ben Wa balls

3. Adult Toys for Males

3.1 Prostate stimulators

3.2 Masturbators

3.2a Virtual sex toys

3.3 Sex dolls

3.4 Pumps

3.5 Prosthetics

3.6 Cock rings and lassos

4. Bondage Toys

4.1 Silk ropes

4.2 Door cuffs

4.3 Handcuffs

4.4 SportSheets

4.5 Whips, crops, and paddles

13. Clothing and Shoes

1. Lingerie

1.1 Bras

1.1a Underwire

1.1b Padded and push-up bras

1.1c Shelf bras

1.1d Open front

1.1e Strapless bras and dress tape

1.1f Non-underwire bras

1.2 Panties

1.2a Thong

1.2b G-string

1.2c Boy shorts

1.2d Open-crotch panties

1.2e Novelty undies

1.3 Babydolls

1.4 Teddies

1.5 Hosiery, garter belts, and body suits

1.5a Pantyhose

1.5b Stockings

1.5c Garter belts

1.5d Body stockings

2. Pasties and Breast Petals

2.1 Pasties

2.2 Breast petals

3. Corsets and Bustiers

3.1 Corsets

3.2 Bustiers

4. Club Wear and Minidresses

5. Sexy Costumes

6. Swimsuits

7. Shoes

14. Accessories, Novelty Items, and Adult Movies

1. Accessories

1.1 Wigs

1.2 Body jewelry

2. Novelty Items

2.1 Gift bags

2.2 Games

2.3 Books and Magazines

2.4 Decorations

2.5 Gift cards

3. Adult Movies

3.1 Movies for couples

3.2 Sexual instruction DVDs

3.3 Ordering adult movies

15. Bath and Body: Lotions, Lubricants, and Condoms

1. Body Lotions, Creams, and Gels

1.1 Body dust

1.2 Massage lotions

1.2a True massage lotion

1.2b Warming massage lotions that can be used as lubricants

1.2c Edible warming oil

1.2d Glow-in-the-dark massage lotion

1.2e Body cream

1.3 Desensitizing gels

1.4 China Shrink Cream

2. Body Paints

3. Herbal Supplements, Enhancers, and Pheromones

4. Sexual Lubricants

4.1 Oil-based lubricants

4.2 Silicone-based lubricants

4.3 Water-based lubricants

4.4 All-natural lubricants

4.5 Flavored lubricants

5. Shaving Lotion

6. Condoms

6.1 Latex condoms

6.2 Polyurethane condoms

6.3 Lambskin condoms

6.4 Female condoms

Resource Guide. Lingerie Vendors

Swimwear

Wigs

Shoes

Adult Toys and Novelties

Adult Video Vendors

Jewelry

Adult Greeting Cards

Mannequins

Retail Fixtures and Supplies

Retail Packaging

Vendor Shows Specializing in the Adult Business

Industry literature

Acknowledgments

About the Author

Other Titles in the Start & Run Series

Notice to Readers

Self-Counsel Press thanks you for purchasing this ebook

Contents

Отрывок из книги

For as long as I can remember, I have always wanted to own my own business; it sounded fun and rewarding. Besides, working for someone else never made me happy. However, as great as it sounded to be a business owner, I knew it would not be easy. Thus, before I completely dedicated myself to owning a business, I weighed the pros and cons.

The pros seemed great; after all, that was why I was interested in owning my own business. First of all, I liked the idea of having the freedom to decide for myself how, when, and where I needed to accomplish my work. Working for someone and having him or her tell me how to do things all the time was irritating and distracted me from my goals. If I owned my own business, I would know how the company was performing and be able to have an effect on its future.

.....

In our opinion, the ideal store would be like this: The store would be located on a main street of a town or city. It would have a beautiful exterior and the windows would display tasteful products like pretty lingerie on fancy mannequins, and part of the inside of the store would be visible from the outside so that people would not be afraid that if they entered they would never return to the outside world again! Since window browsers could see part of the inside of the store, we thought that upscale lingerie and other pretty accessories should be displayed in the front of the store, and more racy toys and items should be kept in the back of the store. It would be sparkling clean, comfortable, and well lit; prices on products would be well displayed; and the staff would be professional and helpful.

It seemed a good idea to make a one-stop-shop for all the intimate adult merchandise a person could want. A store with a broad selection of lingerie that included everything from the traditional to the more upscale and racy, along with adult toys, novelties, party supplies, and DVDs. It would be a fun and practical place to go shopping. After all, why did the video stores have to be separate from the shops with other merchandise and why did they have to be so displeasing to the eye? So far, there were many upscale lingerie stores (including two mega national chain stores) nearby, but they did not carry adult toys or DVDs. Lingerie stores were only for adults, so it seemed like a natural continuation of the merchandise to include these other items as well. By partitioning the store so that lingerie was separate from the adult items, one could still attract customers that were only interested in the more conservative or conventional items.

.....