Black Girl PR

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a multidisciplinary artist and entrepreneur, focused on four core modalities, music, jewelry and apparel, Diaspora arts education and spiritual wellness programming.

For what projects/services did your company hire Black Girl PR, and what were your goals?

I work with Black Girl PR on the integration of my various artistic modalities, shops, and educational services. Our goals are focused on e-commerce and brand narrative.

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

Nantale has always offered a wealth of advice and support for my business, so it was extremely easy to turn to her when she introduced Black Girl PR. She has truly mentored and directed my attention and her alliance has empowered my own business acumen.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

She has been essential to the release of my new swimwear line, and her advisory has helped me to envision the large scope of my business. She impressed upon me the use of the best e-commerce technologies, especially on the value that comes with my Shopify platform and social media sales integration tools.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Thus far, I have only worked with Nantale directly! I look forward to the expansion of her team! She is a master of delegation and really helped me to form the mindset to develop more than a small business model, but a global impact plan.

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

I have seen a 60% increase in traffic and monetization of my art work since working with Nantale, most specifically with my swimwear collection. I think my artist ideas elevated into business strategies.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Nantale is constantly forwarding info my way and educating me beyond the perimeters of our scheduled meetings. Very understanding of my process, development and timelines, they have helped me to stay motivated through even the mundane aspects of my business.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Black Girl PR recognizes the diversity of missions and marketing styles that black businesswomen deserve. There is no one size fits all plan and Nantale gives consistent feedback and followup. I never feel like I can't turn to her and that is why I proudly choose this company.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

I have no complaints.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of Readings By Simone. I created a platform that speaks about spirituality and how people can use various spiritual tools to enhance their personal and professional life. I am a spiritualist, a medium, and an intuitive reader.

What challenge were you trying to address with Black Girl PR?

I needed to focus on my presence on the various social media platforms that I have. At the time, I was also looking to build out my website, and I needed guidance to decide on my branding and messaging direction. I saw that Black Girl PR was focused on small businesses owned by black women so I was enthusiastic about working with her, and I tried to align myself with them and see what would happen.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Black Girl PR helps me with my Instagram page. They give me guidance on what my wording should look like. They have also given me a whitepaper on the website’s design, but I haven’t used it yet.

What is the team composition?

I work directly with the owner.

How did you come to work with Black Girl PR?

We tend to follow the same individuals on Instagram, and from that, we got in contact last year during the COVID-19 pandemic when everyone was using Instagram Live. We would always end up in the audience watching the same live stream and communicating and asking questions. When I did my own Instagram Live, she would ask questions, and then I started following her work. 

I have a show every Sunday called Sacred Conversations, and I interviewed her about the work that she's doing helping black women who own small businesses present themselves digitally. 

How much have you invested with them?

I’ve spent under $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in October 2020, and we continue working together on and off.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Black Girl PR was able to direct me on how I should present myself on social media and how I should interact with my followers. As a result, I have seen an increase in the number of followers. When I started using their services, I was at the 700–800 followers mark, and two months later, I surpassed 1,000 followers.

This increase is based on me running the page, not Black Girl PR. As a one-woman show, I’m sure if I had more time to put into it, I would have more gains, but the number of followers significantly increased even based on how much I was doing. I also saw an increase in bookings, as well.

How did Black Girl PR perform from a project management standpoint?

We mainly communicate via Zoom, emails, and a phone call in between. Black Girl PR is always punctual and always on time. If there is a delay in deliveries or a scheduled call, we always get advance notice on that. She has a system set up where I can just go into her website or on her Instagram page and set up my appointment with her, so I don't have to reach out to her and wait for her to call back.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m pleased with how she can write in my voice. She is able to interpret my thoughts around what I want my brand to look like and put that into words — most people can’t do that which is a gift.

She's very patient and very knowledgeable about what she does. I’ve even turned back and referred some of my clients to her. They've thanked me for connecting them because she has also helped lift their business. She's a teacher. I didn’t know a lot about social media and how this digital world works, but she explained it in a clear, concise, and thorough manner — I really appreciate that.

When I tell her what I visualize for my brand, she is able to put that into simple words. I can go on for several minutes talking, and she can turn that into a five-line paragraph, which is essential because people don't spend too long reading online — that is something I connect with.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Although there are always ways to improve, there is honestly nothing they should change. Since we only connect every few months and do whatever needs to be done, I can’t say there is anything they could do differently. 

Any advice for potential customers?

Be prepared and know what you want. Start to write down your thoughts on your brand because many people think they know their company or organization, but when they’re asked questions, they don’t know. 

Be prepared for when it's time to speak with her. First, you need the information on what it is you want to convey. Then, at some point, she gives you a survey, so be prepared to write your information down. It's best to be prepared and know your brand, what you stand for, and where you see it now or in the future.