ADVICE PLEASE: I'm a seamstress - opening business

I'm a seamstress and I have decided that to subsidize my husband's income that I want to begin a business from my home. However, I don't know how best to build my business. Any ideas? I was thinking of making flyers and hanging them about but is that enough?

Platinum Member Joined: Jan 01 2006 Posts: 48155

Facebook. word of mouth. flyers in playgroups and at community council.

where do you live? you can start by advertising here Smile

hang up flyers in local shuls and give out business cards in local frum clothing stores. Do you have a community bulletin boars?

Gold Member Joined: May 09 2010 Posts: 2124

Does your community have any email groups (ie: yahoo groups) or other listservs that allow people to send out emails to a large number of people? A Facebook group or the like? maybe a flyer at your local mikvah?

if you're making ads specifically for frum locations (like stores, shuls, etc.), and you're able to do things like building up simcha dresses, adjusting hemlines, adding kickpleats, etc., I'd make a point of letting people know! so many people are looking for someone to help them tznius-ify clothing!
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http://crunchyandkosher.blogspot.com/

Hey!
Where are you located?
You can start with me!
I practically support my seamstress!

You can also go to your local fabric stores and give them cards and your info. Same with clothing stores. People buying fabrics and clothing many times need the help of a seamstress.
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If you're gonna be blue, be bright blue!

Platinum Member Joined: Jun 30 2009 Posts: 8231

Such great ideas! Thank you so much!

I can do basically anything but prefer doing formal wear. My favorite is wedding dresses, but not everyone is a kallah. Wink

I'm in Crown Heights. I just advertised on Facebook by responding to a few questions about pricing for simple hem lines and slit-adjustments. I got some pretty positive responses. I have a huge wedding party of 9 who came in with dresses they ordered online. Such poorly constructed dresses! Because the wedding is in three weeks I'm going to have to build two dresses from scratch. I'll be busy for those three weeks but after, I hope I can use the pictures to create a website and start linking people to it. I also just started a blog that I hope to discuss topics of interest to frum ladies regarding clothing shopping and alterations.

Thank you again for all your suggestions! Each one is a great one!

Let me know if you're in need of a seamstress in Brooklyn. Smile

Diamond Member Joined: Mar 11 2010 Posts: 3085

Gold Member Joined: Jun 20 2004 Posts: 1264

Contact the gmachs and the shops that sell wedding gowns. Tell them you are available for alterations. Make a website - with thing you do and advice for designing wedding gowns. Advertise in wedding & jewish magazines if you have $ for that. Speak to Devorah Benjamin and other involved in wedding planning.

When I got married I rented a gown for like $500 or $600 from a lady who made gowns and then altered it for each kallah's fit and shape. The one I ended up wearing was a size too big originally and then was custom fit for me. You could do something like that. The fee included cleaning and head piece rental

Gold Member Joined: Sep 07 2011 Posts: 1008

groissamamma- did u try the new fabric store on cedar bridge? I liked the alterations they did for me....
also, I once used a polish lady for a maternity gown; she did a great job but I can't' find her name or number any more- pity....

Silver Member Joined: May 01 2012 Posts: 629

advertise on luach.com

Diamond Member Joined: Mar 11 2010 Posts: 3085

Look for fancy consignment stores and gemachim and offer your services to them.

My mom was a seamstress and she did work for a nice consignment store in the neighborhood. If a customer needed alterations on something they wanted, the consignment store ladies would tell them that they had a seamstress who could alter it. They would pin the clothes and leave instructions and once a week, my mom would drop by to pick up new work/drop off stuff she had finished. She would tell the store how much each job cost and they would pass the cost onto their customers and pay her directly. It was a good arrangement for the store, since they got more sales if they could tell a customer they had someone who could alter whatever outfit they were interested in buying and the customer didn't have to run all over the place doing it themselves.
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facebook fan page with a like and share contest.

Gold Member Joined: Jul 14 2009 Posts: 2094

my mil is very into getting your name out there by doing your service for practically nothing. 1 job is a foot in the door for another. if you want to do weddings, find a (pretty well known) kalla or sister of the bride & do her gown for cost & she can spread the word ("wow, your gown is AMAZING!" "thank you, xyz made it"......). do you want to be known for alterations? make a crazy "sale" to attract attn to you (like all pants hems for free for 2 days only....) hatlacha raba!

lots of people in crown heights are on facebook, you can spread the word by having a raffle for a free dress made or altered. have pictures of dresses you have made or altered so people can see your work.