Driven by her love for fashion, Efsun Ibrahim started Sheiqha Turbans in July 2017, an online platform providing semi-instant turban headwear for ladies. Despite their efforts to raise awareness on the brand, Efsun noticed that her followers did not grow exponentially. This triggered her to contact our Centre where she was referred to Dale Aroozoo, one of our Business Advisors.
Lack of brand presence
Through consultation, Dale recommended Efsun to build Sheiqha’s brand presence on social media platforms such as Instagram through collaborating with other online retailers that provided products which could complement Sheiqha Turbans’ style.
“Cross-promoting always helps, especially for small businesses. It is one of the most cost-effective ways to increase your brand awareness,” shared Dale.
Gradually, Efsun started collaborating with Turkey-based retailers to feature Sheiqha Turbans on their social media as well as their physical store front. This allowed Efsun to reach out to potential buyers from across the globe. Efsun was also approached by local designer Fatimah Mohsin to create a couture semi-instant turban which could match the outfit of the brides that Fatimah Mohsin was styling.
“Over the course of two months, Sheiqha Turbans went from a mere 400 followers to more than 1,000. We didn’t think it would be possible but Dale’s recommendation proved to be effective,” shared Efsun.
Dale also recommended Efsun to leverage on video marketing to give tutorials on various ways of turban-styling.
“These days, consumers rely on short online tutorials for tips and how-tos. This is an opportunity for Sheiqha Tubans to build their credibility as well as their following,” shared Dale.
Today, Sheiqha Turbans owns a Youtube channel where they educate women from all walks of life on the different types of Sheiqha headwear and how they can style them for various occasions.
Plans moving forward
In early December 2017, Sheiqha Turbans participated in the Dubai Modest Fashion Week and managed to garner attention from local and international designers who expressed interest in collaborating with Sheiqha Turbans in the future. Further than that, Efsun now has requests from stockists in Turkey and Japan to acquire Efsun’s semi-instant turbans.