A cohesive and memorable brand can be the difference between your small business flourishing or floundering. No one understands that better than Taylah Rose who launched her business, Made by Taylah Rose, in 2014 when she was just 15.

When Taylah was invited to a birthday party and had no money for a gift, she got creative and made some hair bows. One handmade gift led to a thriving small business that today sends hair accessories to customers all over Australia and the world.

Along the way, Taylah has learned a lot about marketing, patience and self-belief.

1. Consistent and authentic branding builds trust and increases sales

Right from the start, Taylah used design and marketing partner Vista to build a brand that has amassed a legion of loyal customers via her website, social media and market stalls.

Taylah has worked with Vista to create a full suite of branded materials that help her stand out including bow cards, business cards and banners. She regularly participates in markets and says her branded materials are key to increasing her visibility and showcasing her products.

“At markets, I put out 100 business cards and by the end of the day, they’re all gone. I recently upgraded to a really big vinyl banner and it looks amazing. I have my floral branding on everything and a description of my business and products on a pull-up banner. There are a lot of scrunchie businesses at markets but mine have a wide elastic that’s perfect for normal to thick hair. When people see my banners, they go, ‘Oh that’s the scrunchie business that I know and love’.”

Taylah’s instantly recognisable floral branding has helped Made By Taylah Rose earn enough revenue to become Taylah’s full time job.

“I only introduced my current branding in January 2020 but I wish I had done it sooner. When you have a custom, memorable brand it makes you look more professional and people are more likely to shop with you. 99 Designs by Vista has an amazing group of designers that can help small business owners create a cohesive branding suite.”

Made By Taylah Rose thank you cards

2. Let your customers know how much they’re valued

“One of my customers has placed 25 orders in a year. At the start, I wasn’t getting a lot of return customers but that started to change when I worked with Vista to introduce thank you cards with coupon codes and branded freebies.”

Along with producing quality products, it’s those little surprises that make Taylah’s customers feel special while bringing them joy. “For my 50K Instagram sale, I designed holographic scrunchie stickers and popped them in the boxes. I got such great feedback from customers who were so excited to receive something extra.”

Taylah is always looking for ways to enhance the unboxing experience for her customers. Recently, she introduced two large boxes for bulk orders – one in pastel colours and one in her signature black and white. Her next task is to redesign her thank you cards so she can handwrite each customer’s name for a personal touch.

3. Show up regularly on socials to build a community around your brand

Back in 2014, Instagram was key to getting Made By Taylah Rose out into the world. Taylah slowly grew her followers to 10,000, a number that has grown to 55,000 in the last two years after she started creating reels and launched her YouTube channel. Going all in with her marketing saw Taylah’s sales go up 50 per cent in a year.

“Instagram has been a big contributor to why I’ve grown so big. A lot my followers have been there from the start and I don’t currently pay for ads, it’s all organic growth. At the moment, reels and YouTube shorts are growing my following so that’s what I’m focussing on. Honestly, I’m not a confident person. If you watch my first YouTube videos, you can tell how nervous I am. But with time, it gets easier and it becomes a great confidence builder.”

Taylah uses social media to share behind-the-scenes footage, tutorials, product reviews and small business tips. She also regularly reviews her analytics to see what content is resonating with her audience and how that content is converting to sales. Digital marketing can be very time-consuming but scheduling posts, repurposing content and creating quick custom social media templates removes a lot of the time and hassle.

4. You have to really love what you do and accept that growth takes time

“It sounds obvious but you really need to love what you’re doing, especially if it’s handmade. I love making my scrunchies and bows. I can sit and make them for hours and it doesn’t feel like work.”

Taylah also credits her patience and self-belief for ensuring that she stuck at it.

“Growing a business is hard work. It really is about being patient and just believing you can succeed. Keep going, keep posting, keep sharing your items with the world. If you believe in your products and believe that you will eventually get there, you will.”

This article is brought to you by Kochie’s Business Builders in partnership with Vista.

Feature image: Supplied.