Business Showcase : The Peacock Bride, and the pros and cons of twitter versus instagram

By @SimonCocking

Describe the company – the elevator pitch …

The Peacock Bride is an online destination that stocks a range of fun and stylish hen party costumes, accessories, decorations and novelty goods.

How are you different?

The Peacock Bride is focused on building a strong brand that hen party planners will really connect with. In terms of product range we have strayed from the traditional hen party accessories that some deem to be tacky. We specialise in fun and stylish party wear and accessories and source goods from around the world.

Why will the company / product do well?

There has been a huge shift from the traditional hen party accessories on the market and there can’t be one size for all. There are very few websites who’s sole offering is hen party accessories. so the choice for consumers is very limited. Our goal is, through unique products and content, to inspire and cater to a host of different hens across the country. Our online operation means that goods are delivered directly to your desk.

Where are you based?

The company is based in Dublin but we operate between Dublin and London and serve the Europe market.

When was the company launched?

June 2015 but we had been gradually building a community on Instagram prior to launching with shaped the brand it is today.

What have been your biggest wins to date?

• The Peacock Bride has received widespread recognition online, on TV and in various publications across Ireland and the UK.
• A number of celebrates have been spotted wearing our merchandise.
• Our product range has more than quadrupled since launch in June last year

What type of people (market segment) are you trying to attract to your product?

Our target market is anyone who has a hen party to plan or to go to, essentially it’s brides, bridesmaids and hens. Females, typically between 22-38 but not limited to, who are interested in fashion and fun while looking good at the same time.

How do you use digital to sell your product? Specifically do you prefer instagram or twitter / and the pros and cons of both?

How do I sell on digital? I use various digital marketing techniques including

SEO – the site is entirely optimised for SEO. The strategy takes time, patience and knowledge to implement but is so important for Google rankings. Since starting back in Oct my referrals via organic search engines have more than tripled. Things that help including guest posting, backlinks and social media sharing.

Digital marketing – Facebook marketing is great for small businesses. It’s relatively cheap and highly targeted. For me I can hone in on people who have just got married or are between a certain age. It’s all trackable so I can see which traffic and sales have come via Facebook

Social media – teaming with similar brands to cross promote our products / brands is always good as you get across to an entirely new and relevant audience. Competitions are a great way to generate buzz and unique content. We haven’t so much focused on video content but will be incorporating this into our strategy in Spring.

Personally I prefer instagram.. I had been instagramming long before launching and it really helped shape the brand.

Instagram Pros 

Visual storytelling – a picture is worth a thousand words
Higher engagement than any other channel
build a lifestyle brand by incorporating imagery other than products
Fans come to expect posts at certain times and engaged fans will check your page even if your posts doesn’t show in their newsfeed

Twitter Pros

Instant insight into the mindset of your customer & the press
Great for relationship building
Engage customers and answer queries / resolve potential issues
Keep up to date with competitors & industry news
Great way to access people using relevant hashtags to your business
140 characters means communication is direct and to the point

Instagram Cons

Only one link allowed in the bio
Beautiful images take time to create / collate
It’s slowly becoming more and more saturated
90% of the user base is between x -x, if this isn’t your target market then it’s probably not the social network for you

Twitter Cons

Instant by nature so it’s easy to miss messages
140 characters can limit the ability to spread news / stories
Its viral nature makes it easier to create a PR mess in wrong hands

Tell us about your team?

Currently I manage all aspects of The Peacock Bride. This includes everything from product sourcing to website development, SEO to social media management, PR, partnerships, finance, brand development and everything in between.

What are you long term plans for your product / company?

Ultimately we want to be the number 1 online party wear destination in the hen party sector. Since launch we have added various product lines and will continue to introduce new lines every month so that we can cater to hens across the country.

What are your favourite tech gadgets?

Iphone + Go Pro

What do you use the GoPro for?

Go Pro – It’s nice and neat and I use it with the headstand so it allows me to capture longer footage on the go without worrying about dropping my phone! I use it on days when we’ve done photoshoots to capture behind the scenes footage that I might otherwise miss.

What tech gadgets do you wish you could use to help you?

Zutalabs Pocket printer – you can connect it with any device and it can print on any size paper.

How do people get in touch with you?

siobhanscanlon@thepeacockbride.com
Twitter / Instagram @siobhan_scan

If you would like to have your company featured in the Irish Tech News Business Showcase, get in contact with us at Simon@IrishTechNews.net or on Twitter: @SimonCocking