It's Who You Know
Talk about your firm at all times, and you might reach the ears (or head) of a famous client.
"You never know who you're talking to or who they
know," explains Genevieve Piturro, co-founder and president of
Bella
Luna Creations Inc., a women's hat and accessories
manufacturer in New York City. Piturro, 42, and co-founder Alice
Pagano, 49, a designer, managed to get one of their hats onto the
head of Grammy-winning recording artist Alicia Keys.
Promoting their firm at all times is the pair's philosophy.
In fact, they like to wear their hats and strike up conversations
with people about their pieces--a tactic that led to the Keys
connection. When Pagano shared a floor with other artists and
designers, she was talking to someone in the hall one day--someone
who happened to be friends with Keys. "I took the opportunity
to make freebies and gifts," says Piturro. "We made three
hats and delivered them to [Keys'] friend. When he came back
from her tour, he said she loved them--especially the black one
with the Swarovski trim."
The proof was in the photo that InStyle magazine
published in its February 2003 issue of Keys wearing the black
fedora during a performance. Though Piturro and Pagano hadn't
pitched InStyle, and actually weren't aware of the photo
until a friend pointed it out, now, says Piturro, "We're
telling everybody--because we couldn't tell anybody that we
made hats for her until we knew she was wearing them." Today,
they get the word out via press releases and include the photo of
Keys wearing their hat--a move they hope will grow their yearly
sales beyond the current $200,000 mark.
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