Niche Selection & Validation Kit

Part A: Personal Alignment Check

Your niche must align with what you know, what you love, and what the market will pay for. Answer honestly.

1. What area of fashion do you have genuine expertise or deep interest in?

2. What specific problem do you want to solve for your customer?

3. Who is the person you are most excited to serve? (Be specific — not "women 25-45")

4. What frustration have you personally experienced in this area?

5. Could you talk about this niche passionately for 30 minutes without notes?

Part B: Market Opportunity Check

Passion without demand is a hobby. Complete this section with real research.

1. Search Google Trends for your niche keyword. Is interest rising, stable, or declining?

2. How many Instagram hashtag results exist for your niche keyword?

3. Name 3 brands already serving this niche:

4. What is the average price point in this niche?

5. What gap have you spotted that none of the current brands fill?

Part C: Viability Scorecard

Score each factor from 1 (low) to 5 (high). A total of 30+ means strong viability.

Competitive Positioning Summary

What do all 5 competitors have in common?

What is the biggest unmet need you see across the market?

How will your brand be different? (Write one clear sentence.)

Customer Avatar

Her name:

Age:

Location:

Occupation:

Annual income range:

Relationship status:

Values (list 3-5):

Demographics & Lifestyle

What does a typical weekday look like for her?

What does her weekend look like?

What brands does she already shop from? (list 5)

Frustrations & Pain Points

What are her top 3 frustrations when shopping for clothes?

1.

2.

3.

What does she wish existed but cannot find?

What has she tried before that disappointed her?

Buying Behaviour

How often does she buy new clothes?

Average spend per purchase:

Does she prefer online, in-store, or both?

What triggers a purchase? (occasion, emotion, need, impulse)

What stops her from buying? (price, trust, fit, returns policy)

Where Does She Hang Out?

Validation Post Tracker

Validation Signals Checklist

After 2-4 weeks of posting, check off which signals you have received:

• At least 3 posts with save rates above 5%
• Received unsolicited DMs asking "when can I buy this?"
• One or more posts shared by others to their Stories
• Comments asking about price, sizing, or availability
• Email sign-ups from a link-in-bio or waitlist page
• Friends or followers tagging someone else ("you need this!")
• Poll results showing 60%+ interest in a specific product
• Engagement rate on product content higher than lifestyle content

Validation Summary

Which product or concept generated the most saves/DMs?

What price point did people respond to most positively?

Based on this data, is your niche validated? (Yes / Needs Adjustment / No)

If "Needs Adjustment," what will you change?

Pre-Order Campaign Details

Product(s) for pre-order:

Pre-order price (usually 10-20% below retail):

Full retail price after launch:

Pre-order window (start date to end date):

Estimated delivery date:

Minimum orders needed to proceed with production:

Maximum orders you can fulfil:

Pre-Order Promotion Plan

Pre-Order Checklist

• Product photography complete (minimum 3 images per product)
• Product description written with sizing information
• Payment system set up (Shopify, Stripe, PayPal)
• Clear terms: delivery timeline, refund policy, what happens if minimum not met
• Email confirmation template ready
• Social media announcement content created
• Email to existing list drafted
• FAQ page or section prepared
• Thank-you / order confirmation page set up
• Spreadsheet to track orders and fulfilment ready

Pre-Order Results Tracker