Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Offer a variety of curtains

Different customers will have different needs and style preferences. Making sure that you can meet any customer's taste will help you to gain repeat customers who will advertise your business through word of mouth. Make sure that you have sheer curtains, shower curtains, shags and swags. Offer curtains in different colors and fabrics, such as white or cream lace curtains to give your customers a wide selection of options.

I recommend: Half Price Drapes offers discount curtains and window treatments, including drapes, in numerous styles. They offer fast shipping and live chat help online. Smith + Noble has curtains and drapes that are customizable for your customer's specific needs. You can also order standard curtains and drapes. Window Toppers has a good selection of curtains, including kitchen curtains. For stylish curtains, check out The Curtain Shop. They have bathroom curtains and country style curtains, among others.

Consider curtains for commercial use

Commercial businesses, such as hotels, will need heavy-duty curtains. Stocking some of these will help you appeal to your commercial customers. If your space is limited, consider having a swatch of material and a picture to represent each curtain style so that your customers can visualize the curtain. Keep in mind that hotels or bed and baths will need bedroom curtains and shower curtains.

I recommend: Bedbathstore.com offers fire retardant curtains that meet the needs of most commercial establishments. They have numerous colors and designs to choose from. Linens-n-Things has stall liners and shower curtains for use in businesses.

Stock curtain accessories

Customers are more likely to purchase curtains from you if you can help them to complete their curtain design. In order to do this, you should have curtain accessories such as curtain rods, brackets, tie backs, clips and other accents in stock.

I recommend: Country Curtains has curtain rods, tie back and decorative accents that will add instant style to any curtain. Best Window Treatments offers custom-made curtain rods and other accessories. They have heavy-duty metal curtain rods, brackets and rings that will support heavy drapery.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  In some areas, curtains used by commercial establishments have to be fire retardant. Keep this in mind when you are ordering your curtains.
• •  Ask satisfied customers to take pictures of the curtains in their home. This will give your other customers ideas.