By Nancy Rabern
At a recent BMA (Business Marketing Association) luncheon on social media, I met Emily Williams, Director of Marketing for Okabashi. I could barely pronounce the name of the company and was immediately intrigued. I later met with Emily to learn more about their innovative use of social media to promote their unique line of shoes.
Turns out that Okabashi is a well-known brand of open toed, primarily flip flop style shoes. Okabashi’s are sold in Whole Foods, CVS, Walgreen’s and Rite Aid stores and 15% of their product is created from recycled Okabashi shoes! Oka B’s (Okabashi’s sister brand) is sold in boutiques, spas, and resorts.
Okabashi is a wonderful example of a brand utilizing new social media to increase awareness and sales. Initially, Emily’s thought was that Facebook would not be a high brand building location for Okabashi. She has been pleasantly surprised. Their goal for the Okabashi Facebook page is to make the posting very personal and engaging. Since starting a Facebook page, Okabashi has:
- Gained over 1,700 fans in over 3 months
- Has over 100 interactions per week
- Received 200 page views per day
They have learned that:
- 83% of their audience is female
- 63% are 35 and older
- Their top cities are Atlanta, NY, Chicago, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and Miami
Okabashi has seen an increase in retail sales by over 30% in 2009 coinciding with their commitment to social advertising. They focus their social media on individual and web site sales, while their actual sales team spends their time selling to retailers carrying the Okabashi brands. Williams has learned that Facebook is almost a prerequisite for brands nowadays. It’s not just about sales – it’s about creating a sense of community and loyalty that consumers can get behind in order to do worth-of-mouth sales — translation: free marketing!
As I was leaving my meeting with Emily she encouraged me to pick out a pair of Okabashi flip-flops. Honestly, I’m more of a fashion-before-comfort kind of girl. Boy, was I made a believer! Since putting these shoes on my feet, I now work my daily outfits around wearing my Okabashi flip-flops! They are by far the most comfortable shoes I have ever owned.
