Two North East businesses that met via Twitter are now harnessing the power of the web to help each other out, and itβs all based around their shared passion for fashion β and Stockton-on-Tees.
Stockton-based gemstone jewellery maker, Marianne Robson, and retail marketing expert Graham Soult, who runs Gateshead-based CannySites.com, are running an online competition via Grahamβs Fashion & Style Directory website.
Marianne is supplying one of her unique handmade necklaces as the prize, while Graham is leading the marketing push.
Stockton connection
Thereβs a wider Stockton-on-Tees connection, too. While Marianneβs shop, Made by Marianne, is located on Stocktonβs High Street, Graham has been a longstanding champion of Stocktonβs charms.
A judge in the Stockton Town Centre Business Awards back in 2011, he has subsequently provided support to many of the townβs independent retailers, and runs the Twitter account @stocktonshops, helping to raise awareness of what he sees as the townβs increasingly strong retail offer.
βPeople still like to be able to come into an actual shop, to see and feel my jewelleryβ, explains Marianne, βBut selling online, via both my website and the Etsy marketplace, is becoming increasingly important.
βAnd itβs not only about selling online β I find social media is a really valuable way of letting people know that my shop is here on Stockton High Street, and encouraging them to pay it a visit!
βHowever many online followers youβve got thereβs always a need to reach more potential customers, and Grahamβs Fashion & Style Directory has built a great following in a short time among women who love fashion and jewellery.
βIt is a pleasure to be able to offer a prize for a competition on the site, and in turn benefit from the extra exposure that it will bring my business.β
Hidden gem
βMade by Marianne is, quite literally, one of Stocktonβs hidden gemsβ, says Graham. βAnd like many independent retailers these days, Marianneβs business is based on combining a physical shop on the high street with an online store that serves shoppers all over the world.
βMy Fashion & Style Directory site has a reputation not only for showcasing interesting shops and products to fashion lovers across the UK, but also for giving its readers some great competitions to enter.
βThe competition to win Marianneβs beautiful necklace, handmade from pearls and quartz especially for the giveaway, is a fantastic way to drive even more traffic to the Fashion & Style Directory, and encourage the siteβs visitors to keep coming back.
βAt the same time, itβs a pleasure to be able to showcase Marianneβs unique creations, and hopefully help her β and the wider delights of Stockton-on-Teesβ fantastic independent retail offer β reach a bigger audience.β
How to enter
Entry to Graham and Marianneβs competition is via Twitter or Facebook, and runs until 16 March 2015. For all the details, visit www.fashionandstyledirectory.co.uk.