Ten Smart Tips for a Happy Business.

10. Sell product you would purchase. If you only shop at high end stores, why would you want to sell something you don't even think if good enough to purchase for yourself? Quality is rarely every valued on a personal level. What Society says goes, and standards are high. So don't complain if you aren't getting business because even you don't like what you sell.

9. Research your competition. Don't dig into someone's idea, but find out what like creators are selling their goods for. Overpriced means no sales and now loyal customer base. Offer fair prices. This also applied to trend. As much as some of us hate trends, they are what sells, like it or not. Your mall, club, or store is competing with every other business on the grid for traffic and sales. Look around at what competition is doing event wise, prices, and buildings alike. It can help you boost your image and sales.


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8. Don't color and sell templates. If you use templates to create you product, consider the fact that so does half of the grid. Using templates is a wonderful resource of learning, so use it as one. Don't use it as a fast means of making profit in-world because you'll stall out and make no money. Too many people sell the same template-color-or-made clothing that you do, so step it up a notch and make the template your own. Use resources to create something new out of something over used!

7. Fancy clothes, okay. Fancy everything, not so much. Don't overdo it. Keep your store clean, simple, and fun to be in. Bold colors, clean lines and an easy layout will draw people in to look around your store better than some wild and annoying build. Keep your signs crisp and easy to read. The more rubbish you put on a policy sign, the less likely people will read it or even notice it. Bold is good, simple is better.

6. Take suggestions and advice from your customers, not your friends. Chances are if you make a new build and it looks like baby vomit and blocks, your friend will tell you they like it. A customer or stranger is more likely to tell you how unappealing it is. While some customers are jerks and like to be rude to content owners, most people are intimidated by owners of stores they frequent.

5. Don't use float text, especially if you have a shop at a mall. Yes, people notice it, but it's not good for people to notice your annoying float text through someone else's wall. It's tacky, period.

4. If you aren't a great SL photographer, get someone else to make your vendors. How you present your clothing is how you make money. If the vendors are too cluttered and bright people won't be willing to look at what you are selling. Keep it clean but noticeable. You can always have style in a sleek refined way without compromising your personal image for your shop.

3. Stay organized! Plan before hand! If you own a group, don't change ten times. Research all of your options first, so you know what you can and cannot afford, or what can accommodate your customer base. Keep all of your note cards, information, and group notices formatted and clean. DON'T USE CAPS LOCK. It's cheap, not attention drawing.

2. Don't spam! If you have a group, send only what is important such as store issues like closures and remodels, or of course new releases, sales, events. Forgot to attach a LM? That's fine, send one off. Don't write a novel about your typo, or how you hate yourself, or how your dog shit in your shoe. Too personal with hundreds of people you don't know really isn't good for business. If someone doesn't like you and they let you know, don't send out notices crying to your group. If it's personal, keep it personal. Also, don't leave a scripted prim at your landing point to drop ten things on new comers. If somebody is interested in your store and they want to come back, they will go out of their way to landmark your shop or get one. If they want info on the shop, again, they will find it. Spamming potential customers only makes them leave, and never return.

1. Enjoy what you do. If owning a business become a chore and not a hobby, close up shop and call it a day. If you don't enjoy what you make then you aren't making it for the love of bringing new things to the society of Second Life. Building because you feel obligated means it's about money you are less likely to keep a loyal customer base if you aren't putting passionate effort into your product.