Community is a word we hear circulating often and in this panel at the SOKO MKRT stage at the 30th ESSENCE Festival of Culture, moderator Arielle Brown and KIN Apparel founder Philomina Kane discussed the importance of it. Kane’s online presence is what propelled her to where her business is now.
She gave useful tips that she utilized to build her growing brand to the audience. KIN Apparel launched in 2020 after Kane worked at a company as the Head of Marketing for three years. From presenting herself authentically to utilizing free marketing strategies, learn more about her journey from a few followers to a full business.
Post, Post, Post
No matter how self-conscious you might be about posting, using it to your advantage is imperative to growing a community. Before even launching your business, establishing a repertoire with your following no matter how big or small is a game changer in the way you see your business being supported. Think of it as an investment of time, a consistent online presence will impact your business in a myriad of ways.
Kane suggests using hashtags in all your posts as she was cast in Shark Tank because the show was looking through Instagram for Black-owned businesses. “Hashtags go a long way. I’m always hashtagging ‘Black women-owned business’, ‘black-owned business.’’” She added: “They want Black businesses on that show. So that’s why I’m always telling people, please be on social media, because people are always looking. And that’s how you build social currency.”
Community First, Business Second
“The company with the most votes gets the money right? So, imagine you already have a community of supporters. You just go to them and ask for support saying, ‘I need y’all to go vote for me,’ and that was how I was able to win like half of those grants,” Kane explained, “I always say community first, business second because it just makes everything easier.” Building your community online is one of the first steps in the direction of success. KIN Apparel has won $250,000 in grant money with the support of its community.
Utilize Free Publicity
While on Shark Tank in 2021, Kane was able to get tons of free publicity through the show by posting clips on Instagram. She downloaded those videos and used them as ads on her Instagram which in turn built another base of supporters and also showcased her brand and furthered her demographic across the U.S. More Black women became familiar her name, her business, and what she stood for. This tactic can be used in other scenarios such as a friend or supporter posts your products, then in turn you should repost that to ensure your supporter sees your appreciation and you get more content to post out of that interaction.