Happy Birthday!

But not to me (not yet, anyway)!  Fellow Alexandria businesswoman Katie Wells, Founder and Event Stylist of Petite Social, celebrates the second birthday of her business starting today!

As part of the celebration, she teamed with so many wonderful locally owned businesses, Zoe included!  By entering the contest on the Petite Social website, you can be eligible to win one of two iPad minis!  All through following the social media sites for the businesses of your choice!

Styling and planning everything from business events to fashion shows to kids parties to bridal showers, Katie brings her gift for making everything just perfect.  What an honor to celebrate with her!

Christmas In July - Year Three

All that preparation paid off!  Year Three of Christmas in July at Zoe was a great success!  And have I mentioned that we have the best customers?  (And got to meet lots of new ones!)

The day in pictures:

Of course, I didn't sleep very well and was in the store early preparing for the big day.  We had just received these beautiful Contrarian Trench Coats late on Friday (which I think I love more than Burberry!) and I wanted them to be steamed and ready to go for our customers.

Tara brought me sunflowers to start the day off on a positive note!

Kathlin arrived promptly at 10:30 and the customers quickly followed!  There is nothing better than having the designer of a garment show you exactly how to wear it.  In this picture, Kathlin shows the customer how to wear the wrap dress as a tunic.

It is so much fun to see the same piece of clothing worn in two different ways!  Cori and Alexandra both look fabulous!

Kathlin has fans of all ages!  This future designer immediately began sketching styles to share with Kathlin when she heard that she and her Mom would get to visit the Trunk Show this weekend!

Our beautiful bride in her custom created Kathlin Argiro wedding gown!  Kathlin actually designed this custom sash as she worked on the fitting of the gown!  The black covering on the floor (to protect the dress) was one of the tablecloths used at the Warehouse Sale in February!  (It is sometimes good that I forget to take things home).

Everyone on Team Zoe was wearing Kathlin Argiro yesterday!  One of our customers was kind enough to snap this shot of us together just before Kathlin departed for the day.

Outside Zoe, musicians played under a tent on the patio, the Smurfs made an appearance, stories were read at many different locations throughout Union Street (in support of the chosen charity The Reading Connection), and of course Santa and Mrs. Claus were a huge draw!  This was our most fun and successful Christmas in July yet!

You're Either In or You're Out

This morning on my personal Twitter feed, I retweeted Pat Riley's quote "There are only two options regarding commitment, you're either in or you're out.  There's no such thing as life in-between."  Feel as you may about Pat Riley but his quote sums up my approach to life and to business.  Let me explain how I've applied that to tomorrow's Christmas in July event at Zoe Boutique!

If I'm going to do something, I'm going to do it full throttle or I'm just not going to do it.  Having learned a great deal from the last two Christmas in July events (can you believe this is my THIRD one at Zoe??), my decision for an event (a Black Saturday sale and a Kathlin Argiro Trunk Show) were easy.  I was so thrilled that Kathlin was willing to sign up for a second year AND allow me to select new wrap dress fabrics for the occasion!  Plus, we had a special treat - a bridal gown that Kathlin had custom designed and made for one of our customers!

The next step was to start publicizing the event.  The young lady who is in charge of social media has done an excellent job of trumpeting the event on Facebook and Twitter.  In fact, when I spoke with my brother over the weekend, he said "There is one thing I know."  I asked him "What's that?"  He said "Black Saturday is July 20th."  (He is an avid Zoe Facebook and Twitter follower!)

Then, it was time to reach out to the bloggers and fashion press.  I sat down one Sunday afternoon and wrote to every outlet that I knew of that I had a) met the blogger/editor or b) had great respect for their product.  The results paid off with numerous mentions this week!

Then it was time to target Zoe's most loyal customers - our email and mailing list!  My email guru, Jenn Barton, crafted the message to go out to Zoe's list.  And we mailed over 200 postcards, many with personal messages, to that same list.

We're having a great event tomorrow.  I can't wait - I am so excited I can hardly wind down tonight.  Because I'm ALL IN.  Check back on Sunday to find out the results!

The Scout Guide - Volume 2

With all of my recent travels, I had to miss the launch party for Volume 2 of The Scout Guide!  It was held at the Torpedo Factory (just down Union Street from Zoe) last Wednesday night. 

The Scout Guide has a new focus this year - all of Northern Virginia as opposed to Alexandria - Arlington - McLean.  And what an amazing and eclectic group of businesses Sarah (the new curator) has selected for the Guide!  I can't wait to visit some of these great places! 

It is hard to improve on perfection, so I elected to use the same photo we used for Zoe last year (wishing I could freeze my hair and make-up for perpetuity!) but we added a second page with product shots of some of our Zoe favorites!  I was so pleased with how it turned out!

If you aren't already, make sure to follow The Scout Guide Northern Virginia on Twitter - @TSGNorthernVA and check out their blog at http://nothernva.thescoutguide.com/blog. 

And make sure to let the businesses featured in the book know that you found them through The Scout Guide!

A Great Place to Buy Denim

As you know, sometimes Zoe is approached about media pieces that don't come to fruition.  That is why I am always afraid to write about anything until it is a SURE thing!  When I got a request from Washingtonian Magazine in early February, I was hopeful but tried to put it to the back of my mind.

One evening, I noticed another boutique that I follow in Georgetown was Tweeting about the article on denim in the March Washingtonian.  Since that was the article that I knew they were discussing with Zoe, I knew I needed to take a look.

Like any good magazine that wants to sell on the newstand first, they hadn't published any links to that month's articles.  So I knew I needed to see the real thing.  Jim and I were on our way to dinner and I asked if he would stop at a grocery store so that I could go in to look at the magazine.  To my delight, Zoe was included in the article (and yes, as with the incident in the airport a few months ago, I did buy the magazine). 

The story was about how to shop for denim and where to buy it.  I was really honored that Zoe was included in the article.

Our Red Engine jeans are not only my favorite denim but have a following at Zoe as well.  One thing people like about them is the great fit and the fact that they make jeans for different body types.  A link to the article can be found here - Nine DC Area Stores for Buying Jeans.  Even more surprising was the number of people who wrote to me or emailed me to say how excited they were that Zoe was included in the article. 

Speaking of Red Engines - I sadly missed my nephew's birthday party today in GA.  But I got some adorable pictures of him and his sister!

Many thanks to all of Zoe's customers for considering us a great place to buy denim!

Next Up:  Junior Friends Toast to Fashion - Year Two

Geo What?

For a variety of reasons, I've been in discussions regarding the transition of the management of Zoe's social media to an outside consulting organization.  Not only have they helped me appreciate the value of connecting through the most well-known of the platforms (Facebook, Twitter, blogging) but also the value of using additional platforms to reach an even more targeted audience.

One of the first things I did in our conversation was confuse social location services (things like FourSquare and Facebook Check-Ins) with Geo-Targeting (the strategy of targeting marketing/advertising to people based on their location).  The one thing I did get right was that it is all about location!

One of the questions that I asked of my consultants was information on the demographics of the users of each social media platform.  If the demographics of the people using the platform don't fit Zoe's customers, it probably doesn't make sense to spend time and effort on it.

I'd love it if social location services worked for the store.  I've had a FourSquare profile (one for the store, another for myself) for probably 9 months.  I ran a couple of "specials" on it for 2 - 3 weeks at a time but got no check-ins (and consequently no redemption of the deal) from it.  Personally, I have a lot of fun "checking in" on FourSquare and have gotten several deals (especially at restaurants and some stores) from doing so.  But I do not seem to fit the typical demographic using FourSquare.

In July, I had a visit from a rep from a company called ScoutMob.  They are a hybrid of a Daily Deal service and a social location service (their deals also appear on a participating company's FourSquare site).

Their business proposition was a good one.  They run the deal as the featured deal one day on their site although it remains available for 6 months.  I get to set the parameters of the deal and I only pay if someone redeems the deal via their SmartPhone.  They send someone out to interview me and take pictures.  Zoe's deal ran on September 11th.

On the first day of the deal, a user can "capture" it via a code that they can then provide in the store when they are ready to cash in the deal.  Of course, anyone can look it up (or pick it up via FourSquare or ScoutMob) at any time in the next 6 months.

We had a nice number of people "capture" the deal on the day it ran but none of them have shopped in the store yet.  We've also had a couple of people come into the store with the deal on their smart phone (one we could see as they were looking around, the other found it via FourSquare).  But no takers yet.  What I suspect is that Zoe's demographic and the users of this App don't necessarily match up.  But it is always worth a try especially when the risk is low.

And not to worry...no matter what decision I make about Zoe's social media, I'll always be writing Zoe's blog!

Next up:  Yes, I'm buying for Spring in September

Fashion's Night Out - The Recap

I've heard it said that you can tell how much fun you had by how long it takes you to recover from said event.  Considering it has been almost two weeks since Fashion's Night Out and I am just now recovered enough to blog about probably says more than all my words can express!

The morning of September 6th found me loading the car at home with chilled prosecco and sparkling lemonade, a change of clothes, and a whole lot of hope.  After a stop at the Old Town Safeway (and enduring the jokes "Where's the party?" after buying 6 bags of ice), I arrived at Zoe. And.....it started to rain.  I made several trips from car to store and back (with the help of a local neighborhood man who took pity on me), got the cooler packed with drinks and ice and took a deep breath.

As the morning went on, the rain got heavier and steadier.  Was this going to be a washout?  Would anyone come out in the rain?  Was I going to have a whole lot of prosecco all to myself?  I busied myself with making the swag bags and tried not to think about it.

Fortunately, the rain cleared by mid-afternoon and everything started to dry up.  As soon as the sun came out, people started to come out too!  I had a couple of people come during the afternoon hours who weren't going to be able to make it that evening.

At 4 pm, Tara and Zoie arrived to help me begin the set-up process.  These young ladies had volunteered to help with FNO at Zoe because they love fashion!  The first thing we did was prep the table for the arrival of the cake pops from Alexandria Cake Pop Company and prepare the glasses for the beverages.  Then we determined that the patio was dry enough to "Roll Out the Red Carpet" and set up the table to show off the raffle items and collect entries.  Between those tasks and changing into our "uniform" (the FNO T-shirt and dark pants/denim) for the evening, we stayed busy.

The cake pops were everything I had hoped for and more!  Tamara had recently purchased a machine that allowed her to print logos and words and she put it to work for my order!  We had agreed she would do cake pops in the shape of purses and she added to Zoe logo to some of them!

At 6 pm, people started arriving and it was non-stop busy!  We had photographers stop in from WJLA 7 News as well as the Alexandria Times.  Just like our Sidewalk Sale experience, we had quite a bit of time where we were having to ask people to wait for dressing rooms!  Alexandra arrived at around 5:45 and barely got her breath before she was managing the dressing room queues!  Sarabeth arrived at around 7:00 and keep the clothing orderly, replenished the sale rack and made sure everything got back to the proper place.  Janice and Karen arrived and immediately jumped behind the counter to help me wrap and bag the sales.  We ran through our 20 SWAG bags (gifts with purchase) before 8 pm!

While all this was going on inside, Sally and Jamie were snapping red carpet pictures outside and Tara and Zoie were registering everyone for the raffle prizes!

Tara and Zoie

Red Carpet Lovlies

We had a slight lull during the time of the Fashion Show (at 8 pm at the Torpedo Factory) but it picked right back up again at around 8:25.  Jenn of The Medestrian watched the Fashion Show for me and reported back that Zoe's model looked stunning in her Chan Luu top and Rebecca Taylor Skirt.

Zoe's clothing at the Fashion Show

I couldn't believe that we still had people walking in right at 10 pm.  Everyone we spoke with that evening had a wonderful time!  At the end of the evening, Tara and Zoie brought me a huge stack of cards from everyone who had connected with Zoe that evening (several inches tall!)  Since I was so tired, I decided to hold off on the drawing for the raffle items until the next morning.  I had no idea how sales were totaling (I knew we had been busy) and was delighted with that result too!  And the next morning when I saw how much our Facebook "Likes" had grown, I had another smile on my face!  Plus, everyone had a good time!  I couldn't ask for more!

The one question I know you've been asking yourself....did the Essie Nail Polish arrive in time to be included in the SWAG bags?  The answer would be NO!  UPS Driver Freddy did have a delivery for me on Thursday afternoon (a beautiful box of Chan Luu Fall Ready to Wear) but no nail polish.  It arrived on Friday.  So, Zoe fans, you can look forward to another event in the future where you will get a bottle of this lovely nail polish.

From the Lessons Learned column...have multiple corkscrews on hand.  We managed to break 2 during the evening.  That is one "Business Continuity" item I had not thought to include in my plan. 

Next up:  Why I Don't Make Decisions When I'm Tired

An Early Morning Fashion Show

In my Question and Answer post regarding the prep for Fashion's Night Out Alexandria, I had mentioned that Zoe had the opportunity to dress a model for a FOX 5 Morning News segment.  As a participating store, we were also given the opportunity to attend the taping but needed to arrive by 6:30 am in order to not disrupt the filming of the teasers and the segments.

I was up bright and early last Tuesday morning and even left the house prior to Jim's departure!  I stopped by Zoe and got the store ready for the day, grabbed a Venti Americano as I passed by Starbucks and arrived at The Torpedo Factory just prior to 6:30.  I could see the FOX 5 News truck already set up outside the building.

As people began arriving, imagine my delight when I discovered that one of the founders of Fashion's Night Out Alexandria (and the key speaker for the segments) was wearing some gorgeous red Katie Bartels earrings that she had purchased at Zoe during the Christmas in July weekend!  Zoe would be on TV in multiple ways!

This time around, there wasn't much for me to do except observe and enjoy!  Zoe's model looked stunning and the cobalt blue of her dress looked fantastic on TV.  Here is a picture of her taken at the store during the fitting the previous Friday.

After the segment aired at around 7:50, the models returned the clothing and I was back to work!  Here is a link to the segments (look for Zoe's outfit in the 7 am segment).

http://www.myfoxdc.com/story/19448348/kick-off-the-fall-shopping-season-with-fashions-night-out-in-alexandria

Continuing Prep for Fashion's Night Out

Today's blog comes to you in Question and Answer format:

1) So, how are those SWAG bags coming along?

Overall, they seem to be coming together nicely.  We have some fabulous items including a mini Inslee by Design calendar, the Haughty Cosmetics Lip Gloss, Scarves from Velvet (huge thanks to them for sending these to me!), and a postcard for a discount on a future purchase.  What hasn't gone well?  Getting the Essie Nail Polish.  Who would have thought this would be so painful??  Trying to find a distribution chain for nail polish that retails at $8 has been almost impossible.

I knew I was in trouble when I called the number that one of my clothing wholesale showrooms had provided to me as a possible resource.  Honestly, it was if I had called a convenience store.  When the woman who answered the phone asked me to spell my FIRST name and told me they would call me back in 15 minutes, I knew it was a lost cause. (And no, they did not call me back).

It is possible that I found a resource for the nail polish but I am not sure if it is going to arrive on time for FNO.  Finger(nail)s crossed!

2) How are you getting the word out?

All the usual suspects (Facebook, Twitter, local newspaper ad, email list) plus a new method - postcard mailing!  As I type, I have 1 postcard sitting on the cash wrap waiting to be handed out/mailed.  The other 199 are (hopefully) in the hands of people who will want to attend the most fun fashion event of Fall!

The thanks for these amazing postcards goes to my dear friend and talented graphic designer Cori.  I had sent her an email saying that I needed 3 postcards created (One for the FNO mailing and two for other purposes) - could she help?  I only had to describe what I was trying to do with each one and she sent me drafts that were perfect.  I did not change one thing!  Plus, she negotiated a fantastic rate with the printer and had them deliver to me at the store.

Oh, and did you know it almost impossible to find postcard stamps these days?  It took me raiding 3 post offices in the Alexandria area to get enough to do the mailing!

3) What are you wearing for FNO?

Of course, this is something that I've given a lot of thought.  It is going to be a long day for me - actually the same as Black Friday last year - 12+ hours.  I'll have several people helping me that evening and I thought it would be good if our guests could identify who is representing Zoe.  With that in mind, we are all wearing the FNO Alexandria T-shirt with black pants or black denim.  I had already bought a range of sizes to sell in the store so it is the perfect solution.

4) How else is Zoe being highlighted for FNO?

Zoe had her first radio experience (that we know of) on Monday when the morning team from FreshFM (94.7) told listeners that Zoe was an FNO participant and gave away a $100 gift card to the store.  I must confess that I did not hear the radio "shout out" because I was busy doing my normal "day off" things but I was told by others that Zoe made the show that day!

The previous Friday, stylist Kathryn Martin came by the store to pull several looks for the FNO Alexandria Fashion Show scheduled for 8 pm at the Torpedo Factory.  Those items will be dropped off for the model fitting by this upcoming Wednesday!

And, Zoe hits the TV airwaves again on Tuesday morning when FOX 5 broadcasts segments from The Torpedo Factory.  A complete outfit from Zoe will be shown and described on air.  Sarabeth and I got to work with the model yesterday to pick her look and she was stunning!  I have a picture but I'm not going to share it - you'll have to watch!  The segment on the Fashion portion of the the FNO event should take place at around 7:40 am.  I won't be on camera but will be there to observe.

We've also provided information and photos to bloggers and look forward to posts in the upcoming few days.

5) What else?  Why is the event at Zoe going to be so much fun?

We will have Prosecco, Sparkling Lemonade and Cake Pops.  My friend Sally of Sally Brewer Photography will be taking photos on Zoe's red carpet from 6 - 8 pm.  And, in addition to the SWAG bags (with purchase), we'll be doing a drawing at the end of the evening for some fabulous prizes including a $200 Zoe Boutique gift card, a Chan Luu bracelet, a Tru Tru classic tote, and a package of great fashion films!  Plus, you'll get a postcard for a future discount on all the great Fall Fashions you'll be seeing that night!

Next up:  The FOX 5 Segment experience

Continuing to Get the Word Out

I was never one of the kids in school who had the desire to raise my hand to answer questions.  I was always a quiet learner and participant.  You can imagine how hard it was for me when I had to deal with the fact that there was a class participation component to my grades when I was in graduate school.  I sometimes had to force myself to speak up in class!  I'm much more comfortable talking one on one or in small groups.

So contacting people who may not already have a relationship with Zoe can be challenging for me.  I feel like the little girl who is trying to will herself to raise her hand in class!  But since I function outside my comfort zone just about every day, what's one more thing to add to the mix??

One of the things I try to do is to always keep abreast of what is going on in Old Town.  Whether it be larger events, new businesses, or promotions, I like to know what is going on so I can share the information with my customers, consider the business impacts (positive and negative), and consider new ways that I can work with my fellow business owners.

A couple weeks ago, I was looking at the website for Virtue Feed & Grain, a restaurant that opened a couple of months after Zoe last year.  It is part of a family of restaurants located in Alexandria that are owned and managed by a well-known husband and wife team.  I noticed that they were having a Little Black Dress night on Wednesday nights!  Immediately I thought "Hey, I have a nice collection of Little Black Dresses coming in this Fall!  And since they are just down the street, I'd love to partner with them on this!"

They had a General Manager email address on the website and I sent an email introducing myself and sharing my idea for a) offering their customers showing me a receipt from LBD night a discount and b) coordinating some informal modeling this Fall when I have my full complement of black dresses in store.  They were very positive about the idea and immediately asked for my logo so that they could provide the offer as part of the information given to patrons when they hand them the check!  I was so delighted!

Sometimes, all you have to do is raise your hand...

Next up:  Market Trip

Christmas In July - Year 2

It is just amazing to me that I'm now experiencing certain events for the second time in Zoe's young life!  The Christmas in July event last year was one of the first organized group events that we had participated in after opening the store.

With each event I participate in, I learn so much about what to do (and what not to do).  One plus this year was that the event was focused on one day only (July 21st).  It can be hard to keep up the momentum for 3 days in a row like last year!

I realized that people really didn't see/care about the Christmas tree I had put up last year.  It was a lot of work and effort to do it (well, it was a lot of work and effort on Janice and Karen's part, since they put it up while I went to pick up my Mom at the airport).  So I decided to nix that this year.  I also felt that my sale strategy wasn't appealing enough last year - 20% off full priced items just wasn't a real draw during a transitional point in seasons.  And, I didn't have any additional events in store.  I relied on the overall event and my sale to draw people in.

This year, I asked NY based fashion designer Kathlin Argiro to host a trunk show and create fashion drawings for customers in the store.  Kathlin grew up in Alexandria and her wrap dresses have been a real hit with my customers.  I also carry her unique Dressong as well as samples of her formalwear for special order.  I also planned a "Black Friday in July" type event - on the Christmas in July day only, I would offer 10% off one item, 20% off two items, and so one up to 50% off five items!

Prior to event, Kathlin and I contacted our media and blogging connections to get the word out locally about her appearance at the store and the sale.  We were thrilled with all of the press (print and online) we received before and after the event!

The afternoon prior to the event, I redressed the mannequins with all of Kathlin's clothing (wrap dresses, formalwear, Dressong) and set up a whole rack of her items.  I also placed one of the sweater cubes in the area of the rack as a desk.

When Kathlin arrived on Saturday morning, she was pleased with the set-up and made a few modifications prior to opening.  We were anxious at first since the rain seemed to be keeping customers away!  Just as we were preparing to film a video of ways to tie the wrap dress as a tunic, customers started flowing in and kept us hopping for the next 4 hours!

During the quieter time we had in the morning, we both began peppering social media with pictures and video!  I love this picture of me with Kathlin (she is wearing one of her wrap dresses, I am wearing the Dressong as a top).

Alexandra, the young lady who works with me at Zoe on weekends, took a video of Kathlin creating a fashion sketch!

Zoe's customers were genuinely excited to meet Kathlin and were thrilled to be fitted/styled by her in her creations!  The wrap dresses and Dressongs flew off the shelves!  And we did have one customer purchase 4 items and take advantage of 40% off her order - even cooler?  She lives and works in Tunisia and visits Zoe whenever she is in the US.  She was flying off to Tunisia that evening!

Many friends and customers stopped in to visit Zoe and meet Kathlin!  It was a delightfully busy day!  The music on the patio outside was much quieter and more appropriate than the previous year, which added to a more enjoyable atmosphere overall!

We finally had the opportunity to film the wrap dress to tunic videos just before Kathlin had to leave for the day.  I'm so glad to have these to share with customers who purchase the wrap dress!

Front tie option
Back tie option


Christmas in July this year turned out to be a great day for Zoe!  


Next up:  Photography Fun with Sally

Pop-up Shop

Have you ever been to a Pop-up shop?  You may have and just not realized it!  Any store that opens in a spot temporarily (such as the calendar stores or the Halloween costume stores) qualifies as a pop-up shop.  Even the fireworks trailers in your local supermarket parking lot could probably count as a pop-up shop!

The nice thing about a pop-up shop is that it exists in a spot for a short and (typically) defined amount of time.  It can allow a seller to focus on selling a particular set of items, test a new market, or introduce a brand to a new set of consumers.  I could say that Zoe has done pop-up shops a few times - at the Country Day School market last Fall, at the Warehouse Sale in February, and at the Normandy Hotel in May!

Earlier this month, a representative from the Golden Triangle Business Improvement District (BID) stopped in to see me at the store and tell me more about the focus on retail development in the area.  This was especially interesting to me because a company that I once worked for was very actively involved in founding and initially providing leadership to the BID when it was founded in 1997!  I remember hearing about the strategies at a department meeting that year and thinking it was a great idea!

Having been a "lunchtime shopper" in this area, I know how many people are out and about during the week day!

On Monday, I'm going to meet the Retail Marketing Manager at lunchtime to walk the district and talk about potential opportunities for Zoe.  While I'm still working hard to introduce the store to the Northern Virginia locals (I still frequently get the "Are you new?" question!), the possibilities available for a short term pop-up shop are intriguing!  I'll be sure to update you on my meeting!

Next up:  Christmas in July - Year Two

The Scout Guide Has Arrived

Back in February, I wrote a post about my fun experience of being "model for a day" during the photo shoot for The Scout Guide.  I'm excited to report that the Alexandria/Arlington/McLean edition of the guide has formally arrived!

The mission of The Scout Guide is to highlight the flavor, passion, and character of small businesses, local artisans, and the communities they serve.  (From their website).  What started in Charlottesville, Virginia has now spread to locales all around the United States.  Each guide is curated by local experts who know and love their cities!

In addition to the beautifully bound and produced guide, the Scout Guide site includes a locally focused blog and online directory of each of the businesses included in the book.  The book is distributed at events, stores, restaurants, and hotels.  Zoe is so delighted to be included in The Scout Guide.

Next up:  The Girl Scouts

Prep for Boutiques Give Back

Zoe's first significant event as part of the Old Town Boutique District (OTBD) is the Annual Charity Day, called Boutiques Give Back on May 19th.  I was informed of the date at the time I was signing up for the OTBD and immediately started thinking about what charity I would promote and support that day.

Last year, although I was not yet a member of the OTBD, I participated in Charity Day on my own!  I didn't have the media coverage and promotion but instead relied on social media postings and a sign in the store.  At the end of the day, I was able to write a small check to my chosen charity, the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria.

I am fortunate to know a couple of the members of the Board of Directors from AWLA - one a former co-worker and the other a Zoe customer.  I had recently made a donation to their Spring Fundraiser/Silent Auction event called Mardi Growl!  And it just seemed like a logical step to work with them for Boutiques Give Back.

I started out by writing to AWLA's Development Director to introduce myself, explain the promotion, my passion for the League, and ask if they would be comfortable with a) Zoe partnering with them and b) cross-promoting the event.  He got back to me quickly with an affirmative "Yes" and asked for my logo.  I sent it on to him and told him that I would provide him with more information as I learned more by mid-April.

I knew I also wanted to give my customers something for their pets as an additional incentive to visit Zoe that day.  I decided to stop in to visit PetSage, a local holistic pet store where I buy dry food for my kitties (all of their other spoiling ended when I left my job 2 years ago but we do still spend the money for the good dry food).  The owner knows me because I occasionally have to buy the food over the phone and have her leave it outside for me to pick up on my way home from Zoe (our store hours are the same so I have a hard time getting there when they are open).  When I stopped in to ask her advice on what kind of treats to get, she offered to donate the treats to me!  That was a fantastic advantage!  I picked up the 70 bags of dog treats and 30 bags of catnip on Monday!

AWLA and I agreed that it might be fun to help promote the event and partnership with my story of why I chose AWLA.  That was an easy one to write!  Although some of you who are on my mailing list and follow the store Facebook page have read the story, I will put a link here for those who have not read it yet.

AWLA has been a fantastic partner!  They have featured Muffin and her story as the "Tail of the Day" on their front page with the Zoe logo prominently displayed as well!  They have been sending out information on the event in their mailings that include the store and logo.  They have posted stories on Facebook and Twitter and they brought some great giveaways and information for me to hand out between now and Saturday!  As of right now, they plan to have a representative on hand between 12:30 and 2:30 and may even have an adoptable dog with them too!

I hope to share a great report on the event with you in my next blog post!

And now, a gratuitous picture of my precious Muffin - Jim and I still miss her.

The Normandy Hotel Event

On Tuesday, May 1st, Zoe participated in a joint event with The Normandy Hotel and DC Magazine.  We have done some advertising with DC Magazine over the past several months as has The Normandy Hotel.  The DC Magazine sales and publicity team felt that it would be a great event to showcase the beauty of this intimate boutique hotel in Northwest DC along with Spring and Summer fashions from Zoe!

The first step was to get a good look at the venue so that I would know what would make sense as far as clothing and displays.  I took a trip to the hotel on Thursday morning, April 26th prior to Zoe opening for the day.  Although I have no issues with driving into DC, it is always something I dread, especially when I am confronted with rush hour traffic AND rain!  Fortunately, traffic was not unreasonable and I was able to park in the small hotel garage.

The hotel is in a residential area just north of Dupont Circle.  It has a beautiful lobby area, broken up into small rooms that remind one of a living room or a den.  The rooms are small but well appointed.  We determined that I would bring mannequins for 2 of the rooms and the hotel manager would provide one for one of the lobby area rooms used for the event.  I would also take my H-rack to show additional pieces of clothing.

Not wanting to try to cram everything into my car on Tuesday, I took the H-rack and a borrowed mannequin from Zoe's Aunt Karen to DC on Monday, the day before the event.  The hotel was kind enough to store these in a room for me.  I also met Zoe's DC Magazine sales rep at the store so that she could try on an outfit to wear to the event.

Tuesday came and I was busy selecting the clothing to take to the hotel.  Some items would be draped over the beds in the rooms that would be on display, some would go on the mannequins, and some would be displayed on the H-rack for perusal. Because I am always hyper-paranoid about being late for anything, I made plans to leave at 3 pm to give myself plenty of time to get ready for the event starting at 5.  Zoe's Aunt Janice came to take care of her while I was away.

I had no issues getting to the hotel and was once again able to park in the garage.  I took advantage of one of the luggage carts to unload my car and take everything upstairs.  My first stops were the rooms to be on display (on the 5th floor) to set up the mannequins and display the clothing on the beds.  I was very pleased with the look in the rooms.

I love this Rayon/Linen Blend Tracy Reese Dress!

Normandy Hotel Room with Velvet Maxi Dress on Bed

Then it was back downstairs to dress the final mannequin and set up the H-rack.  I found that the proportions of the mannequin that the hotel had provided were not in line with the items I wanted to show so I ended up hanging the item on the hanger over the mannequin.  It worked for what needed to be in place.  I finished with about 25 minutes to spare, much to my relief!

The Normandy had created lovely appetizers and had staff passing champagne and wine.  Just shortly after 5 pm, the guests started to arrive!

Yum - Delicious!

The guests were a mix of ages and professions with most being female.  Because it was a small gathering, I had the opportunity to speak with almost everyone there.  Some people initially thought that I was the designer of all of the clothing - I definitely could not take credit for that!

I did lead one of the tours to the rooms upstairs so that I could talk more about the clothing in those rooms and also have an opportunity to know some of the guests better.  The age range was from 20s - 60s, which is right in Zoe's sweet spot of customers.  I met PR people and a fashion blogger as well.  

I enjoyed meeting and talking with Simone Rathle of PR Firm simonesez.  

The evening passed quickly and I found that I had lots of business cards and follow-ups to do the next day!  The winner of Zoe's gift card (part of the Raffle for the evening) was delighted and had already selected something she liked from the sampling of items at the event.  Her fiance works in Alexandria so I'm sure she'll be shopping at Zoe soon!

I put the trusty luggage cart to use to gather everything together and take it all down to the garage in one trip.  Everyone was amazed that I was able to fit everything into my car!  Zoe's Aunt Janice met me at the store that evening to give me the keys and help me unload.  A long day but enjoyable and worthwhile.

Next up:  The "Trunk" Show

Just Call Me Publicity Girl

I've been called a lot of things in my lifetime.  Some endearing, some complimentary, and some quite rude (and not for a family blog).  If I add "publicity girl" to the list, I guess that is definitely one of the better ones.

Lots of interesting things happen at Zoe in any given week.  And one of my continuing main areas of focus in 2012 is to make sure people know Zoe is here and what we have to offer.  As I've mentioned in previous posts, I follow my designers through social media and it is always exciting to have them mentioned in a positive way in a well-read publication.

Through one of one these posts, I discovered that Chan Luu's Breast Cancer Wrap Bracelets had been mentioned in the Washington Flyer (the free magazine available at National and Dulles airports).  This article led to discussions between me and author and ended up with Zoe (and my sartorial resolutions for the coming year) being featured on the website version of the Flyer for January/February.  You can read the article here (and I'm open to anyone who wants to buy me that gorgeous hat!)

And an update on the Photo Shoot!  The Assistant Editor of the magazine did pick up the clothing on Saturday morning.  The stylist returned the items on Monday and said that the shoot went well and we should know soon which pictures will make the magazine.  I'm continuing to hope that Zoe made the cut!  At least two of the items she selected appeared to have been worn.

Despite the fun of my publicity girl days, sometimes you still wonder about the purpose of it all.  A long time ago boss of mine once walked in my office and said "Have you added value today, Gerock?"  Although I got a good laugh at the time, I've thought about that statement a lot over the years.  And sometimes I do ask myself "Did I do anything of value today?"  A recent blog post by an highly regarded legislative/political consultant helped me realize that we sometimes "add value" without even realizing it.  Imagine my delight at finding two of my loves merged in one blog post - Zoe and the current political landscape!  You can read his post here.

Next:  Should I have an opinion?

Blog Worthy

I have to admit that I am always so excited when someone writes about Zoe!  One of the things that the Art Institute students reminded me during their presentations in September is that many bloggers are looking for things to write about and welcome your contact.

I've found that lots of people read blogs (look at you, you are reading this one) as a source of news and information.  I personally have several that I follow, some related to fashion and others written by people who are friends or relatives.  None related to technology at the current time although I do follow some technology "Tweeters" and may read items that they suggest.

Blogging about Zoe was started in May when local Old Town Alexandria Patch blogger Tara Maglio wrote about Zoe in her blog "Young Life in an Old Town"  I wrote about that fun experience in this post.  Tara came back to visit me during the summer and wrote another lovely piece for The Patch.

Sometimes, people will blog about the store and I will not know it!  In fact, once I started looking at the Google Analytics for my website shopatzoe.com, I discovered that an out of town blogger had stopped by Zoe after we had closed on summer evening.  You can read her post here - I hope she will come back to visit sometime!

A lovely woman visited the store one Saturday afternoon.  She and her husband had written a blog at one time about small, independently owned businesses and she wanted to start one again.  She asked me for my story and I shared it with her.  She made the story about the store one of her first posts on her new blog.

DC Ladies is a popular blog with many contributors on a variety of topics of interest to women of all ages.  One of their fashion bloggers visited with me in store one morning and wrote a fun piece on Zoe and another new boutique in Alexandria, Bishop Boutique.  Karen's post can be read here.

Jessica Richardson of Alexandria Lifestyle has written several complimentary updates about Zoe.  Her blog is so pretty and easy to look at/read.  It is really becoming a "go to" spot for anyone who wants a native's perspective on Alexandria!  She focuses on discovering new and different places to shop and dine as well as interesting things to do.  Her several posts include:

First visit to Zoe
Trunk Show at Zoe
Friday Shopping Picks
For Last Minute Gifts - Shop Locally

And wait until I tell you more about The Scout Guide she is developing for Alexandria!

The students from the Art Institute introduced me to the popular Mom-focused blog WiredMomma!  Knowing that many of my customers are local mothers, this seemed like a good place for me to spend some advertising dollars.  When I contacted her about ad rates, she told me that she'd love to write a blog about the store.  I really enjoyed her write-up on Zoe.

Another Fashion Blogger with a gorgeous site is Jenn Barton's The Medestrian.  She included the beautiful Inslee by Design calendars that we carry in store in her list of Favorite Merry & Bright Things.

Most recently, Northern Virginia Magazine sent a blogger to meet with me in the store on a Saturday morning!  Most Saturdays when I open are fairly quiet but not this one!  I was very pleased with the blog and felt it did a nice job of conveying Zoe.

I'm looking forward to inviting these and other bloggers in when I start unpacking my spring shipments!

Speaking of blogs, thank you for reading this one.  Coming up - Looking Forward to 2012!

Final Results - Window Wonderland Contest

Many of you who read the blog on a regular basis knew that Zoe was entered in a Window Wonderland Contest here in Old Town Alexandria.  From Black Friday through December 5th, individuals could vote for their favorite window display.  The winner would receive a visit from the mayor, a big red bow to place on the outside of their building/space, and earned media.  And, of course, bragging rights.

Zoe mounted a forceful campaign which served as a reminder to me why I quickly got out of politics (my first career out of college).  I can do it when I have to but it definitely isn't enjoyable or within my comfort zone!  Once all of the dust had settled, Zoe had finished a very respectable third place with 494 votes.  The store had received some social media attention by hovering in the top three for the last three days of voting.  A significant accomplishment for a new business!

Janice and Karen were in this morning to watch Zoe while I went offsite to a meeting.  They are already planning for next year's window!  I can't wait to see it!

Thanks again to EVERYONE who voted for Zoe.  And the Happiest of Holidays to you!

Next up:  My Trek to George Mason

Have I Got A Deal For You!

Did you know that there are over 550 "Deal" sites in operation today?  Groupon and Living Social may be some of the most well-known/popular but there are many others that have copied these industry leaders.

Confession time - I subscribe to 4 different "deal" sites.  One (The Capital Deal) I subscribed to in order to get the free Papa John's pizza.  I subscribed to Specialicious because they tried to sell me on deals for the store and I wanted to get a better idea of their offerings and product.  I've been a Groupon subscriber (both in this area and San Diego) for quite a while (and it is the only one from which I have purchased deals).  And I subscribe to the local Old Town Alexandria Patch deals (which are fairly infrequent at this point).

In thinking about my Groupon usage, I think I've only let one expire without having the opportunity to use it.  I've used the others I've purchased, either for things that I already knew I wanted or something I wanted to try.  However, with the exception of one, I've not returned to the restaurant or service provider after using the Groupon.  It wasn't that any of it was a bad experience - I guess I got what I wanted for it but wasn't left wanting more.  Am I typical?

I have thought a great deal about the value of offering a deal for the store.  Do you make money?  Do you actually gain repeat customers?  Are you really reaching your target market(s)?  Is a good method for getting your name out there?  How do people perceive businesses that offer deals?

I was recently approached by someone whom I know about offering a deal on a niche site here in the Alexandria/Arlington area.  I do like their target market and their approach to the deal process.  She was able to provide me with concrete numbers on subscribers, open rates, and purchase rates.  She was able to show me the contract language up front.  She has signed up others in my same category who I admire and who already have successful businesses.  And she is someone I trust.

So, pending the final contract review, I think I'm going to take the plunge into the "Daily Deal" world!  I'd love to hear your experiences and thoughts.

    

Analytics

You can't escape it - numbers have a level of importance in every business.  And not just sales and profits and expenses but also your online presence and engagement with potential customers.

For example, I write this blog for a few simple reasons - 1) It is a way for me to share the process of creating and running the store with friends and other interested parties, 2) It provides me with a method for documenting all of the key events (and helps remind me how far I've come!), 3) It provides a reference for anyone who might want to know more about the experiences of a normal person trying to build and run a boutique, and 4) It provides a real look at the person behind the business.

I will never know who reads it and, unless they comment or email me directly, what they think of it.  But I do enjoy looking at the statistics for the blog to see what topics are being read, where my readership is located, and how they arrived at the site.  (Don't worry, I don't know who any of you are!)  This week, I seem to have a strong readership in The Netherlands (Juice, were you carrying a Zoe bag when you visited Amsterdam?)

Google provides not only the map shown above but a detailed breakdown of the browsers used and even the operating systems/device types used to read the blog.

The blog is one thing because it is fun and interesting and if people enjoy it or find it useful, that is wonderful.  But I decided this week that I needed to start tracking the visitors and their engagement with Zoe's webpage (shopatzoe.com), especially with the knowledge that I am planning to add eCommerce to Zoe's site next year.  I contacted Web Developer Phil and had him apply the Google Analytics code to Zoe's website.  And timing was perfect as I had just sent out a Constant Contact email that included a link to Zoe's site.

While it has only been up and running for a few days, I'm already finding the statistics fascinating.  Please note I do control myself and only check it once a day!  It is really interesting to see what city the user is located in while looking at the site, what browser and operating systems are used, which service providers they are using and even the screen resolution if they access it via mobile device!  It is also very helpful to see "where" they came from (the referring sites vs. an organic search).  I know there is much more to learn from the information!

Next: Halloween at Zoe!