If you want to expand your business worldwide (or if you are having trouble finding the right bra), it’s time to meet Retha Queenan.
She is a dynamic entrepreneur located in the U.K. Not only is she a mother and wife, but she is also an established veterinarian.
When she had a difficult time finding bras that fit her correctly, especially for her wedding, she created AA Lingerie, a business that offers numerous bra styles “hand-picked to delight small busted women of all ages, tastes and budgets.”
Today, Retha’s business is expanding rapidly on a worldwide basis. And I recently caught up with her to share her success secrets with the StartupNation audience.
Here’s what she had to say:
Why did you decide to start AA Lingerie, especially with your busy schedule as a mother and veterinarian?
I’ve always dreamt about starting my own enterprise. AA Lingerie represented a crusade in response to my own frustration at the lack of bras available on the High Street for my own 32AA frame!
Fellow AA cup-wearers will vouch for the lack of bras available to the likes of us, with the exception of the occasional white, plain, triangular starter-bra found in only the largest of Lingerie departments.
Even my wedding photos bear testament to the fact that I was unable to find one single bra in my size in the entire year preceding my wedding, and I was compelled to go bra-less on the day in my figure-hugging, sheer silk gown!
Why is your business unique?
We stock the widest range of AA cup bras (from 28AA to 42AA), as well as some A and AAA cups, hand-picked to delight small busted women of all ages, tastes and budgets.
And we carry a multitude of labels sourced world wide. We offer immediate delivery worldwide and a no-quibble returns policy.
What kind of media attention have you received in the U.K.?
We’ve been featured on the fashion pages of a large number of women’s magazines, including COSMOPOLITAN, Prima, Woman, Women’s Weekly and many more.
We’ve also had coverage on two of the biggest national breakfast TV shows on GMTV and ITV. We’ve enjoyed coverage in our local press, an e-business trade publication and on a variety of women’s interest and fashion websites, including Caryn Franklin’s “How to Look Good.”
We’ve enjoyed a full-page feature in the “Brain for Business” section of “The South African,” a British publication for the South African expat community.
How did you get this publicity?
All this publicity was achieved though press releases and personal phone calls to fashion and feature editors of the various publications.
With your success in the U.K., do you plan to reach out to more U.S. customers in the near future?
Without a shadow of a doubt. Already, almost 30% of our customers are U.S.-based, despite the fact that we have not carried out any marketing initiatives specifically targeting the U.S.
Many of our U.S. customers return frequently for further purchases from www.aalingerie.com, and a large number of them direct their friends to our web-shop. So it does seem as if there is a definite demand for what we offer in the U.S.!
In response to this, we have already added a facility to our website to allow our American (and indeed worldwide) customers to transact with us in U.S. dollars, in addition to our usual £ Sterling currency option.
We intend to duplicate some elements of our fulfilment service in the U.S. shortly, to facilitate the best possible offering to U.S. customers. For example, we’ll introduce a U.S. returns address for garment exchanges and returns and a U.S. customer-service telephone number.
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For more insights and tips on expanding your business from Retha, check back tomorrow.
In the meantime, feel free to contact Retha directly at www.aalingerie.com. You can also send me your comments and questions below or at www.rembrandtwrites.com. Here, you’ll find free tips and information to help you boost sales via strategic public relations and online copywriting!
