With young and female entrepreneurship on the rise, it’s no surprise that digitally savvy millennials are excelling in the eCommerce space. Millennials are turning their side hustles into full-time endeavors using social media platforms and web integrations to acquire customers and build communities.
Meet Suhina Kohli Bahl, the 25-year old creative brain behind Dubai’s new online fashion brand Curador, an exciting new fashion label set to tap into the Middle East’s tech retail potential with the launch of an e-commerce website this month. Here, she listed her experience and observation into a usable recommendation to help millennial entrepreneurs like her.
Be clear, show your personality and speak out your purpose
It is not easy, that’s not a secret. Launching a new product is frightening; how can one stand out and be heard? Most young entrepreneurs struggle to be noticed.
The key is to be clear and be bold in declaring who you are, what your product is and how your product solves a problem in a fresh, dynamic way. Sometimes an entrepreneur is too close to see themselves. You must step back and know who you are and what you are offering, even if what you are offering is a gentle, kind, calm option. As a person, I am an explorer who loves to experiment with my style. I always look for something new, something that excites me, and these must reflect on the brand. At Curador, expect a range of fresh, edgy and unique designs in all my collection.
Be visible: Get seen everywhere
Here is where we, millennials, have the ultimate advantage. Being seen everywhere now is less about being seen in person than being found online in as many modalities as possible. The more extensive your digital footprint, the higher the chances of you being discovered. Naturally, your home base is your website, but then you want to use social networks to intersect your different buyer segments at multiple decision points in their buyers’ journeys.
In fashion e-commerce, content development such as regular photo shoot and video shoots are the new product demo, which no longer needs to believe and in person at a stand-up booth in the mall. Google says that almost 50% of internet users will look for videos related to a product or service before visiting a store.
In addition to videos, blog posts and articles that offer helpful tips work well, as does your backstory.
PROMOTE! PROMOTE! PROMOTE!
Marketing and PR are very important. Marketing experts create an environment for the brand to get noticed by journalists, podcasters and television bookers. In each case, they will want to see who you are and what you have to offer. Use these requests to inspire your content. Otherwise, it can feel overwhelming. Remember, an article that appeals to one show’s audience is likely something another audience would enjoy as well.
Content can also be repurposed to extend your reach without your having to come up with new material continually. An article can be chunked into tweets and summarized into short-form videos or a slide deck. Every podcast, TV show, blog, newspaper and magazine needs content. Furthermore, a series of articles can become a white paper and, with perhaps a few more images, graphics and not too many words, evolve into a short e-book.
Once you have a podcast or interview, you can have it transcribed, which can then become articles, blog posts or newsletter features and be syndicated out to various properties across your network. It will feel like an intense process at first, but it is remarkable how quickly it becomes second nature.
COLLABORATION IS KEY
People can help you. You must ask for help. The road to entrepreneurship is rarely uninhabited, no matter which industry you are in. Those who have experienced some success already experience similar original content pressures. They can help you, and you can help them via a technique that has gained traction for many years now: collaboration, or “collabs,” as they are known in vernacular.
At Curador, my aim is to turn collabs into an art form, it could be designer collaboration where we mix our designs to reach a different segment and can be both beneficial for our brands but know that it is not all a bed of roses, however, as sometimes you will realize that collaboration doesn’t always lead immediately and automatically to huge exposure or great results. So, make sure to work with the right companies and developing strong working relationships.
TELL YOUR STORY WELL AND RIGHT
Your buyers buy more than your product; they buy the complete package — your why, your history and your principles. With Curador, we have created a brand pillar: Create, Curate, Carry. I would like to take people on a fashion journey around the world with style and fashion. Curador by SKB is always searching for something new and fresh to offer our customers. Expect never before seen designs inspired by our world travels. All of these kinds of details contribute to the folklore of a brand. The story defends your price, illustrates the value and makes you stand out as an aspirational brand.
Millennials who are determined to succeed can do so. It takes conviction, courage and consistent messaging with bold imagery and stories that explain, entertain and compel buyers to take action.
Launching of Curador by SKB Online Store this Month
By introducing an online store, the brand aims to reach a wider audience – particularly capturing the attention of a tech-savvy millennial market.Curador by SKB will allow its international customer base to order at the click of a button, with those residing in Dubai able to collect items at the store of their choice or opt for the convenience of home delivery. An in-store e-reservation service will be introduced this month, following the opening of a catalog showroom at Tiffany Tower in Jumeirah Lake Towers (JLT) last August 2018.
This web-based portal will enable customers to acquire the brand’s contemporary, ready-to-wear style offerings, which are known for adopting some of the finest sartorial customs from around the globe.
The online store, named Curador by SKB, will offer the full range of brand fashion items.
