Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Joni Johnson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Joni thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?
Clairvaux is actually my daughter’s middle name.
I really wanted something french for the name. I had this tag line: Parisian chic Meets California Cool. I was stumped on what name would encapsulate that.
All my kids are named after Saints and St. Bernard was a french saint. As soon I saw it in that light, I knew it was it.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Joni Johnson and I’ve been working in retail since I was 17. I just loved getting to work with people, great products and helping people look their best. In college, I worked as a sales associate for Abercrombie and Fitch and loved the fast-paced environment. From merchandising, music, down to the smell, they were building the biggest brand of the late 90’s. Looking back, I see how much I took away now owning my own store. After college, I moved to Kansas City and worked at a newly opened local boutique. I was their fourth employee and experienced a lot of growth with them. Starting as a sales associate, I worked towards becoming their retail director and spent my final years as the head women’s buyer. Growing my career alongside their business, I had a unique experience of managing lots of facets of retail and enjoyed working across all aspects of the business.
Fast forward 15 years, I was approached by a past client who asked if I had thought about creating my own concept. At the time, I was flattered but didn’t know if that was something that I wanted or that the city needed. It wasn’t until I was working as a freelance stylist, personal shopping for clients and pulling merchandise from stores all over the city that I saw a hole in the market. There were so many amazing designers who didn’t have any representation I knew that I had a unique point of view and that I could add to the fashion landscape. I developed my business plan and went back to my now business partner, and two weeks later in February of 2020 I was in NYC buying for my own concept, Clairvaux.”
Starting the business during the pandemic brought about the realization of how big the void was in the fashion market.
Never in our wildest dreams did I think we would be opening a store in the middle of a pandemic. There were so many unknowns but we knew we needed to push through and open with so many other great stores closing during that time. Despite the obstacles and apprehension, we blazed on knowing we were building toward a brighter future. We opened by appointment only to follow COVID-19 protocol and sold 60% of our inventory the first week! After 18 months, we had outgrown our first location and needed a bigger office space to accommodate our receiving and buying departments, as well as our newly launched E-commerce site. I found another amazing location and knew it was the perfect opportunity to expand.
Empowering women of all ages to live well, dress well is what drives the Clairvaux experience.
Most of our clients are between 30-70. With clients ranging from high school age to some in their 90’s, we always try to have something for everyone, at every price point. We identify the Clairvaux aesthetic as Parisian chic meets California cool, meaning we have great classic staples that define the style of Parisian women and fun trend pieces that define the creative California lifestyle. No matter where your style falls, you will always find something—we believe great style at any age is so needed in our culture. Every season we break down the biggest trends per age group to address all of our clients. We love showing women how to stay relevant and buy fewer better pieces. It’s good for the planet, your wallet, and your individual style.
What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?
When it comes to growing a clientele you need to have what we call a “selling ceremony”. A guideline of how to connect to clients, serve them in a meaningful way and how to follow up. If you miss any of those guidlines you will not effectively grow a loyal fan base.
We first focus is an authentic connection. When a client or customer comes in don’t just start selling right away, make them feel comfortable and connect relationally. When someone feels welcomed and a relational ease they are more likely to open up and tell you what they are looking for.
Once you know what they are looking for, help them find the products that meet their needs. Do the hard work for them and make their shopping experience easy and enjoyable. Offer suggestions and be honest. I’d rather tell a client the honest truth and lose a sale but gain trust. Never underestimate the power of a life long client. Trust is the foundation of that.
Lastly find a way to follow up. When someone is checking out make sure to get the information needed to send a thank you note or a text to make sure they are enjoying their product. It’s these small efforts to get information that can generate an excellent shopping experience and separate you from your competitors.
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
First and Foremost: How to win Friends and Influence People. I make everyone of my staff read this book. There is so much from a sales & leadership perspective. The tools in that book work across all levels of leadership and get people working as a team. When everyone is bought into the vision there is a collective culture that can be felt from the top down to the customer. People want to be a part of an organization with the core values set out in that book .
Contact Info:
- Website: www.shopclairvaux.com
- Instagram: shop_clairvaux
- Facebook: Clairvaux
- Linkedin: Clairvaux