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The Wrap Life Inspires Customers to Wear Their Confidence
BY: Instagram Business Team
San Francisco, CA
To celebrate Black History Month, @instagramforbusiness is spotlighting Black founders preserving and celebrating aspects of Black culture through their products and experiences. Here is one story from Nnenna Stella, the founder of the online shop @thewraplife.
In 2013, Nnenna Stella, a self-proclaimed lover of online shopping, was searching for a digital shop selling a curated collection of quality headwraps. But when she couldn’t find one, Stella saw an opportunity.
“I got gutsy and decided I’d create it, assuming there were other women like myself who wanted the ease and joy of shopping for beautiful prints and fabrics for styling head wraps,” Stella recalls. She began learning how to sew and by 2014, The Wrap Life went live.
Since then, Stella has built a community that feels seen by her branding—inspiring self-expression through headwraps. For Stella, this means creating consistent content that shows her audience how to style their premium fabrics in numerous ways. The best part of marketing her business on Instagram is seeing how customers are making The Wrap Life their own. “It’s rewarding to see how they use our products to be more colorful and expressive,” she adds.
Read on to learn how Stella built her business with Instagram.
How did you get the word out about your products in the early days of your brand?
We started with Instagram in its early days. Our imagery and message on Instagram allowed us to amass a large following, giving credibility to our brand and story. It also created a virtual community of women who discovered a new way to learn and express themselves.
We noticed your feed features tutorials that inspire customers to wear your wraps in many ways. How did you land on that strategy? What feedback do you get from your audience?
I understood that wrapping fabric might intimidate or be a barrier to purchasing. I wanted to create a space where customers could learn, be inspired and gain the confidence to style head wraps.
When working with creators on Instagram who model and promote your designs, what best practices do you follow?
- Choose creators who align with your brand’s mission and values.
- Create a detailed list of standard operating procedures. This will help ensure you’re getting the kind of content you’re proud to share with your audience. It’ll also ensure your messaging is concise and consistent.
- Consider working with creators who have a small audience. I find that the authenticity of microinfluencers can be closer to the heart.
You’re a small business with more than a quarter-million followers. How has your approach evolved from your early days to now?
We aim to have more structure in how we organize and present content. This means that when we have a product photoshoot, we’re also thinking about the kind of content we can capture for social media and advertising.
What advice do you have for small business owners just getting their start marketing their products on social media?
Try your best to find your voice. It’s easy to be inspired by the things everyone else is duplicating or sharing. Many of us on social media are craving authentic content from honest people.
What’s one way you’re expanding The Wrap Life this year?
We’re expanding by starting anew. We’re rebuilding our team—ensuring that those who join us share our values. We’re also diving into creating new products and being more mindful about inclusion.
Looking for more inspiration from entrepreneurs who are creating products and experiences that center their communities? Check out our interview with the @cutfruitcollective to learn the creative ways they are supporting Asian American and Pacific Islander communities in celebration of the Lunar New Year.
BY: Instagram Business Team
San Francisco, CA