Wisteria & Willow’s Georgia Sandford shares online tips for bush businesses

In Issue 42, we met fashion designer Georgia Sandford, who left Melbourne to launch a lingerie label, Wisteria & Willow, in her home town of Deniliquin, New South Wales. As a child, Georgia dreamed of leaving the family property for a life in the big smoke. But then Covid hit and she found herself stuck in Melbourne, longing for the space and pace of country life. So she packed up her samples and headed home. 

Not only is she a trained designer, Georgia also has serious business acumen. And she argues that operating from regional Australia needn’t be a barrier for brand founders — just as long as your prepared to invest in online marketing. Here, she shares some of the strategies that have taken Wisteria & Willow lingerie to the farthest corners of the country. 

Despite launching in a rural town, you’ve been able to sell all over. Tell us how.

Honestly, thanks to technology, there aren’t many limitations. Learning how to run Meta ads [on social platforms such as Instagram and Facebook] has been crucial to reaching customers across Australia and internationally. By setting up targeted ad campaigns filtered by gender, relationship status, location, age and interests — the list is endless — I can tailor campaigns to my target market.

How did you learn the ins and outs of social media advertising? 

After studying fashion design, I completed a Graduate Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation, which included subjects focused on creating psychological and emotional triggers that lead to conversions [sales]. This helped me understand the basics of selling. I then completed two six-month business coaching courses, where I learned how to set up Meta campaigns and integrate email marketing.

What’s one thing people get wrong when it comes to online advertising? 

The cost involved for a small business. Those ads you see on Facebook can be expensive to run. For example, it might cost a few dollars just to get someone to visit your website — and a conversion might cost around $15. This is on top of product costs. So it’s crucial to set up retargeting ad campaigns and abandoned cart emails to maximise that investment.

What would you say to someone who wants to start advertising on Facebook but doesn’t have the training you have? Is it still worth a shot? 

There’s a lot to social media campaigns and setting up the layers I mentioned earlier is vital — otherwise, you’re essentially throwing money away. Marketing agencies are expensive so learning to do it myself was essential for me.

It’s absolutely possible to learn and there are many courses and online training options available. However, I’d advise caution when choosing. Some coaching courses focus on signing up as many students as possible and offer little personalised support. Instead, I recommend finding a smaller business or Meta coach who offers weekly meetings, troubleshooting on Zoom calls and step-by-step guidance. Let me know if you’re looking into a business coach or course – I’m happy to help you weed through the options. [Reach out to Georgia on Instagram @wisteriaandwillow_] 

How far in advance do you plan your marketing? 

Planning depends on your business model. If you want to wholesale your products, you need a well-developed marketing strategy for the next six to 12 months before you even approach large buyers. For direct-to-consumer businesses, quarterly planning works well initially. A yearly calendar is a great tool. Mark big sale periods like Black Friday, EOFY, Afterpay Day and Boxing Day on your calendar and build your campaigns around them.

How much time do you dedicate to marketing each week? 

Marketing is everything in business and it takes up a significant part of my week. The time I spend varies; some weeks, I focus on designing new collections, while others are about campaign planning. I dedicate a lot of time to creating email marketing campaigns, social media posts and ads. I check my Meta campaigns daily and ensure my email campaigns stay fresh without spamming my audience.

Can you tell us about some of the challenges you’ve faced running an online business from a rural area? 

Photoshoots are a challenge as they require having a photographer, white studio, hair stylist, makeup artist and models all in one place. I often travel to Melbourne because finding all these elements locally can be difficult.

There’s also the isolation. It’s challenging to run a business in a place where there aren’t other business owners in similar fields to bounce ideas off, or even just to talk to – people who understand what you mean when you say, ‘My ROAS went from 7.5 to 2.8 in a month’. I usually get blank faces. 

And the benefits of being in Deni? 

It’s the lifestyle. Rural life is calming, which helps balance the stress of running a business. There’s a tranquillity here that cities just don’t have. No traffic, no noise. 

Also, Australia Post in Deniliquin is fantastic. Surprisingly, shipping from here can be faster than Melbourne’s suburbs as they aren’t handling thousands of parcels every minute.