Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Carmen Cooper. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Carmen, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today The first dollar your business earns is always special and we’d love to hear how your brand made its first dollar of revenue.
One of the most asked questions I get a lot is how did Vanity Kloset earn their first few clients! Here is the story of how it all came about. It all goes back to 2016 when I was working as an executive assistant supporting a CEO for an Oil & Gas company. Even though the pay was decent, I didn’t feel fulfilled in my role. I wanted to leave corporate America but was afraid of failure. It crippled me badly, so I remained complacent. I used to shop at local boutiques and noticed how high the prices were. I would always say to myself, if I ever own a boutique my pieces will be more attainable to the everyday woman, more affordable! This thought entered my mind for months, then one day I decided to start an online boutique, like literally that day! I already had a name in mind “Vanity”, after securing the name, I impulsively created a website and began googling vendors. I also created a business IG page. After a few weeks of consistently posting vendor pictures to IG more people followed the page, showed interest, and began asking questions. I continued to post on Facebook & IG multiple times daily, and before you knew it an online order came in! At the time bandage dresses were a hit, and that’s how my brand made its first dollar of revenue! I was so thankful and excited to make a few sales. I felt accomplished because it was all me, working for me!
Carmen, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My name is Carmen Cooper, and I am the owner & Creative Director at Vanity Kloset Boutique. I am a wife to the greatest man I could ask for, mother to two beautiful children, and two spoiled Frenchie’s! I love to cook and include my children in the kitchen (they know how to prepare & season almost everything at this point)! My favorite drink is a glass of Chardonnay, and I’m a firm believer of treating people the way I want to be treated.
I started my boutique online and launched my website in 2016. I had a passion to create a one-of-a-kind shopping experience. I knew I wanted to create fashion that was obtainable and affordable. I believe everyone deserves to feel beautiful and enjoy an intimate boutique shopping experience. That is what I sought to create, and when we proudly opened our doors in 2019 that is what Vanity Kloset became! Our customers are a mix of the sophisticated urbanite and the modern suburban woman, looking for the perfect piece to wear to an event or staple pieces to keep her wardrobe current. We have created so many meaningful relationships with our clients, they are like family to us! We have so much gratitude and remain thankful for the ongoing support we have received since 2016 until now at Vanity Kloset!
How did you build your audience on social media?
We built our social media by actively engaging with our clients and being approachable. When we started our IG page our goal was to seek relationships not just followers. We focus on creating unique content that aligns with our brand and captures our audience’s attention. For example, we offer special discounts and exclusive behind-the-scenes content. Another way to build your social media is to monitor your posts insights and find out what content and which platforms are delivering the best results. Are pictures more popular with your customers, or do they prefer video content? Most social media platforms offer built-in analytics to access your post-performance and don’t forget to participate in social media ads there’s no harm in paying for advertising or marketing to provide a boost in engagement!
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
What helped us build our reputation in such a competitive market is we learned early on to keep our promises. As a business owner, when you make a promise to a client, you need to stand by your word. For example, if you say you ship within 24 hours, you should ship within 24 hours. When a client makes a purchase, they trust that they will receive the product they purchased in a timely fashion. If you’re not keeping this most important promise, your reputation will suffer. Always aim to do more than expected. For example, if a customer lets you know that their service was unsatisfactory, offer to make it right before they have to tell you. It’s no secret that great customer service is the best marketing tool for your reputation.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.vanitykloset.com
- Instagram: @vanitykloset
- Facebook: Vanitykloset
- Other: TIK TOK @vanitykloset
Image Credits
Credit: Etalvia Cashin (Model for Brand) Credit: Store Staff celebrating 50k on IG (we are now at 75k on IG) (Jayla O’Neal, Bailey Billings , & Azyah Bush