We were lucky to catch up with Shantel Davis recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Shantel thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. One of the most important things we can do as business owners is ensure that our customers feel appreciated. What’s something you’ve done or seen a business owner do to help a customer feel valued?

The way that I show that I appreciate my customers is that whenever they completed their orders with me, I will write them a thank you letter thanking them for shopping with me. I heard about thank you cards that looks like business cards. Now instead of a letter I will send them a thank you card saying thanks for supporting my small business. Along with that I will include my business card to pass on to their friends, colleagues and family. I find when I add the business card and a thank you card along with their order that will move them to shop with me again and again. I always try to let them know about my big and special sales that’s coming up. Another way that I show that I appreciate my customers I always post them wearing my designs and I will post their reviews about my shop.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Shantel Davis, I from Miami Florida. I am a Fashion Designer, Dressmaker, Seamstress, Tailor and I also do Alterations and Repairs. I learned how to sew at the age of 13 when I took Home Economics yes I gotta say is as soon as I even touched a needle with my bare hands I immediately fell in love with sewing. When I was age 11 I took Art that’s when I decided to draw the latest clothing trends on paper. I have a lot of portfolios that is loaded with my sketches. When I was in High School I continued to draw my ideal fashion trends. At the age of 17 I sewn my very first costume without a pattern for a Talent Show that I was a part of. Everyone fell in love with it. I also sewn a strapless dress along with a scarf without a pattern. So Sewing basically runs in my family. My Grandma was a Seamstress until she passed away in 1993. My Mom was a Seamstress until she retired from it. My Aunt was a Seamstress until she retired as well. My Siblings and my Niece were Seamstresses until they gave it up. So currently I am the only one in the Family that kept it up and keeping it alive. So a little history My Mom used to sew clothing for my older siblings. She use to cut and sew meaning sewing without using a pattern. She used to just look at a style in a book or magazine and have it memorized and just cut and sew. So yes she would just look at the picture of a style and just make the clothes because back in the day clothes were so expensive. Still today clothes, fabrics and patterns are still expensive.

I offer Alterations and Repair services so if they need a garment taken in or made bigger I would do that and I charge accordingly. For instance if a customer tells me that they have gained so much weight and they can’t fit into their favorite clothing, I usually tell them I can add more material or fabric to the sides to make it bigger to their current size. The results are that they appreciate it very much because they can wear their favorite clothing without question. The best part is that when customers appreciates my work. I also love when customers are deeply honest with me. Also when customers order from me they will have the freedom to choose their own style so that they can feel happier and confident with what they are wearing. I have heard people telling me that they have problems finding the right garment to their liking. Some say that the garments that they sell in retail stores are either too revealing, too risqué or too immodest. So that’s when the problem solver comes in, I tell the customers when they order from me I will be sure to make their dream outfit to their liking. To me size does matter! So when they order from me I will make their dream outfit in their size according to their measurements. So they don’t need to feel stressed out trying to find their perfect outfit because I can make their dream outfit come true.

I also have done In-person and Virtual Fashion Shows to showcase my work to the audience, not only to show off what I do but to make sales and finding the right customers. I have made sales from Fashion Shows that I do. I also commend all the Models that I have worked with. I always appreciate their hard work promoting and marketing my designs. I also do Photo Shoots with Models wearing my latest collections. So I try to use different avenues in advertising my work to get more exposure. So the world knows that I am a Fashion Designer and Seamstress. During the Pandemic I have done Virtual Fashion Shows meaning I will mail my clothing to my Models and they will record themselves modeling my clothing and I will put all of their at-home videos and make them into one. So basically they will make their home or their favorite area their own runway. Speaking of Models I have worked with 222 Models and I am so proud of them.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

I just keep posting my designs everyday, I also keep promoting and advertising my newest designs and upcoming special sales. I also do Lives on Facebook and Instagram talking about my upcoming projects, special sales and my latest designs to get the audience interested. Showmanship is everything. So I don’t just talk about my latest and newest designs I also show off my latest designs that I did. So basically it’s like a Show and Tell that I do. But according to my Fashion Coach by the name of Marion Ninkyi who is the CEO and Owner of Hanna Mari Creates reminds me that I don’t want to just talk about my designs and showing them off. I want to Show, Tell and Sell. She is also a Seamstress and Fashion Designer. I am in the Business to make money not lose money. So I just keep promoting and advertising my work even when I don’t get responses from the audience. So the advice that I want to give to those who are trying to build a social media presence or to small business owners is Keep Posting, Keep Promoting and Advertising even when others don’t respond. Jehovah God will bring the right person your way, and it shows because it’s been working for me.

We’d love to hear your thoughts about selling platforms like Amazon/Etsy vs selling on your own site.

I sell on Etsy, Mercari, Poshmark, Offerup, Curtsy and Depop. I want the online shoppers to see my handmade fashion designs. I tell myself there are still some people out there that appreciates and likes handmade clothing so basically it’s like trying to catch a fish by using the right bait. I sell my work on many websites until I get a sale. It turns out that I have been getting many sales each year. I also got sales from Consignment Shops where I consigned my handmade clothing. I also sold my clothing from Flea Markets. I also sell my clothing as Vendor at the Zoomarama. Zoomarama is an online expo shop, where you can shop from home. I was a Vendor at Zoomarama 9 and 10. On January 27th I will be a Vendor again for Zoomarama 11. So at Zoomaramas I have made many sales. Zoomarama really works for me because it allows customers to get to know me and what I do. So again through Zoomarama as a Vendor I have made sales. Speaking of the Zoomarama Candace Mack is the Hostess of the Events. She allows Vendors from all around the world to promote and sell their products.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.colorsarebeautiful86.etsy.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colorsarebeautiful_llc
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/colorsarebeautifulllc
• Youtube: youtube.com/@colorsarebeautifulllc

Image Credits
Enrique Valentin @methodical_productions Marisa Pearcy @floridagirlshop Brian Delfin @photosbydelfin