We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ashley Wilson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Ashley, appreciate you joining us today. Do you manage your own social media?

I manage my own social media. I do this because I am able to interact personally with people. This also sets the tone for me to invite them to events, markets or future events. Within the social media aspect I am able to reach more people in and out of the state. Social media also allows me to use the tools of editing, photo art, websites, music and anything else that in my opinion draws someone into viewing your particular page.
A lesson well learned is make sure you listen to the people coming in the booth or speaking with you via social media. Don’t just look at what they are wearing that day or what they pick up at your table or store. Talk to them. Ask them about there day, maybe what brought them out to the market or store. Also give them time to see everything before over stimulating them with a tag line or more information for them to process before really getting to know the environment they just walked into. Also share with your small business community and allow that caring for another person’s talents, trade and skill set to be seen. I always say this but I am a firm believer in sharing is caring. Side note always have a business card or dot card available to stay connected with clients, vendors and future interests for your business.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Ashley Rae Wilson. I am from Burlington, Vermont. I started making jewelry in high school shop class and then college for fun. I was a division one Track and Field athlete at Northeastern University (full scholarship) I sang the national anthem in high school and college. When I went into my MIddler year of college I work with Autistic children at the May Institue there I took my jewelry making and brought it into the class room. It was something that helped with fine motor skills and was not too overstimulating. Fast forwarding to Graduationg college and meeting my Husband we moved to Texas in 2017. I was a nanny and behavioral intervention is for a while. I am still a nanny but on my spare time I love creating jewelry made of beads, chrystals and anything I can get my hands on. It grounds me and is truly an enjoyable experience. Especially seeing people walk into my booth or comment on my Facebook page. “I love your stuff” or “can you make this?”
I started out make small book marks with metal and beads and charms. Then I started making trees of life and small headbands. It then grew to pins, hair clips, clip on earrings, rings, crowns, baby teether or (self stimulate teethers), necklaces, beaded bracelets for teether and suncatchers! Everything is stainless steel, hypoallergenic and if there is something you want to change about it and I can do that please don’t hesitate to ask. I would rather someone wear or gift what I made to their liking. My greatest pleasure is seeing smiles or someone’s face because they found something they like or that they had never seen before. I enjoy making crafts and putting different ideas together from customers. It makes me happy to be a small piece of someone else’s happiness. My business name is A.RAE Designs. Ashley Rae. I make all types of jewelry that is about peace and love.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

What helped build my business was me listening to people who came to the markets. Answering questions and being honest about what I can and cannot do for them. But also providing them with links, ideas or other vendors if needed. Sharing and listening is something that just comes naturally to me. I spend a lot of time with new customers, old and just vendors. It’s important to me to make a living yes but more important to make those connections with people and make people feel good. It’s why I do all my on markets and rarely leave my booth. I’m a very personable person that likes to get to know the person each and ever time. Word of mouth also helps and like I said prior sharing other people’s business that I support. It is a very easy thing to help others and truly mean it. I am a firm believer that there is a space, place and spot for us all. Customer satisfaction has helped me. People sharing my post via social media or sharing my links or business cards.

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

I keep intouch with clients via phone calls, text, social media, emails and one on one. I like to check in with people especially my vendor friends to see what’s going on with them and what markets they are going to or looking forward to applying to. I like the one on one because it allows me to focus my time and energy into that one individual without any distractions. I am also okay with larger setting or group chats to answer anyone’s questions or help connect them with something or show them images or ideas we have spoken about. I have a very good following of clients, custom orders, customers but I do still have a growing flow of new people who heard from someone to saw a social media post that often wonder into my booth. Sometimes I even get a message via direct messenger or to my email saying they have a business card from a friend or event I did.

Contact Info:

• Facebook: A.RAE Designs
• Other: A.Rae Designs Facebook254.392.2010

  Ashleyraenu@gmail.com