@Kathy Ireland is rocking the Twitterverse
Many of you know (but maybe a few of you don’t) that Kathy Ireland is the owner of Kathy Ireland World Wide and that KIWW is, according to Newsweek, a 1.4 billion dollar a year company which produces over 15,000 items sold to home furnishings consumers around the world through over 17 different manufacturer licensees.
I knew Kathy was a huge and well respected name in the home furnishings industry and was very successful but it was not until our communication began on Twitter that I knew the woman behind the brand. And, now, I know the brand AND a bit more about the woman and so do 11,000+ other people who are following Kathy on twitter @KathyIreland.
Do I know Kathy through a face to face meeting? No. Did Kathy ask me or in any way compensate me for writing this post? No. (She, did, however, arrange -as a thank you for a tip I gave her for her business re: internet marketing -to treat me to a lovely dinner during my recent vacation in Maui!) Do I have a pending proposal before Kathy? No. Just wanted to set the record straight. Is it possible we COULD end up working together in the future? Anything is possible, yes, and if that were to happen I would be deeply HONORED. HONORED? Yes. That’s a strong word to use but this post will explain to you why I believe that Kathy Ireland deserves it.
Here is what I know to be true about Kathy from watching her tweets over a period of weeks now:
1. She tweets herself and does not pay someone to tweet for her. This is unusual for a major celebrity and shows me that she is willing to commit her most precious resource-time-to let people know who the woman is behind the brand. I admire this. As someone who tweets for a living on behalf of my clients, I know how much time it takes to be involved in authentic conversations. It shows me she understands the real power of Twitter-to build relationships by giving of herself in a loving, genuine and heartfelt way with many people from all over the world whom she does not know face to face.
2. She is constantly reaching out to offer people hope and encouragement with their daily parenting (or other) challenges. This proves, to me, that she is genuine in living her brand as a Christian who is “providing real solutions for busy Moms.”
3. She supports Feed The Children and many other charities and non-profits and is using Twitter and her celebrity status to help raise money for them-successfully.
4. She speaks out about issues that are, for some, uncomfortable or unpopular. She is not afraid to take a stand and/or educate her followers/readers re: what she believes in. Even when people tell her not to do this, she still does. Kathy has a rare quality-courage. She could lose an endorsement or a licensee and she knows it, but she goes ahead because she knows how many parents and their children could be helped with the correct information. Is there a better definition of a leader? She is fearless on Twitter and I admire her for that alone.
5. I know, from Twitter, that Kathy had to evacuate her family during the recent Santa Barbara fires, she has four children, she spends “bubble time” with them each day-no phones, no radio, no internet-no external stimuli whatsoever-just she and her kids with total focus on their needs.
6. I know Kathy is very good friends with Elizabeth Taylor and that @DameElizabeth-as she is known on Twitter-adores Kathy in return.
7. Kathy frequently asks her followers what THEY think about business decisions she is considering. For instance, recently, she asked her followers if they thought she should launch a new home magazine . She got huge feedback. Follow her and go back in her “tweetstream” and you will see the conversations and what the “twitterverse” thought of that idea. She understands the power of Twitter to “source the answers you are seeking from the crowd.” This is known, in the online world, as “crowdsourcing.”
For instance, imagine you are going to High Point or Vegas and you have 1500 opted in consumers “following” you on Twitter. Why not ask them before you go something like this on Twitter: “Hey, we’re going to High Point to buy furniture for you, what would you like to see us carry?” ( And, furniture retailers like @iposit and @HighStyleClt are using Twitter to hire people, too.)
8. Kathy understands that, through Twitter, when people admire and know WHO YOU REALLY ARE and WHAT YOU REALLY STAND FOR-OVER TIME, they begin to trust you and that this precious gift of trust is worth it’s weight in gold.
Let me ask you this:
At the end of the day, do you think that the people that are opting in to follow Kathy on twitter and ask her help and advice might just be a little more likely to walk into your store or go online and find out where they can buy a piece of Kathy’s home furnishings line? Do you think, if you are a manufacturer who licenses one of Kathy’s designs, that you might want to be on Twitter and talk with her to get the cross pollination that would develop as each of your “follower” groups witnesses the conversation between the two of you and jumps in with their own thoughts? If you are a furniture retailer carrying one of Kathy’s lines, do you think you might want to go on Twitter and talk with Kathy about how well her lines are selling, what consumers love or, even, what consumers are asking for? How valuable do you think this might be to you?
I imagine Kathy knows the answer.
Trust takes time. Building relationships takes time. Twitter accelerates the process over the entire world-in real time-allowing you to converse with potential customers in both your local trading areas or, if you are an ecommerce player, across the entire world. The choice is yours.
Susan Pantaleo commented:
Now I get it! Thank you Leslie for providing a Twitter explanation that I can finally understand. I'm on board and look forward to many happy connections.
peter sedgy commented:
Kathy is great but her managers are real jerks. I love3 her unkle jason.
no name commented:
Kathy represented herself to Wickes furniture stores in LA, approx 2-3 months before their closeing of stores and they went out of business, she then went to Rooms To Go, which also ran Wickes retail stores, I would like to know how she feels about this, because there is a rumor that Rooms To Go will be in LA some time in 2010 and is she then also going to be with RTG.
Urban Lifestyle Decor commented:
Wow, what a great story highlighting the true and authentic connections that come from Twitter. From your gift dinner in Maui to having the real woman {behind the celebrity brand} Kathy Ireland, not only tweeting as herself, but asking her twitter followers/end-consumers about the product feedback reactions to her furniture collections, amazing. Thanks Leslie for being one of my first followers and for reaching out to support thousands of others ~ in real ways, and for becoming a mentor to me in this fabulous-crazy furniture industry. Oh, and love this term ~ crowdsourcing.
@JuliaRosien commented:
I'm a Kathy & Leslie follower and this is a great example of how social media can connect and unite us all.
Leslie, you are doing an amazing job on Twitter and teaching others every day how to walk the fine balance between personal and professional.
Thanks for sharing your story about Kathy with the world - and for sharing yourself on Twitter.
leslie carothers commented:
Thanks very much to all of you who are commenting on this post! I appreciate it and I am sure Kathy might, too. If you are not on twitter yet, pls. follow @KathyIreland there and myself @tkpleslie so you can join in the conversations!
Many ppl. don't understand Twitter yet so for those of you who are already on it and commenting- thank you very much. It is a wonderful example of social media and how REAL communities are really formed on Twitter-even though we have all never met in person!
Victor Pedraz commented:
I had the privelege of meeting Kathy and the organization in Las Vegas a few years back when I was running the Las Vegas Design Center. She and the clan rocked my boat. I was then , through coincidence, on a plane with her from New York to Los Angeles and had more time to get acquainted. She is bright, articulate, informed and generous. She is the absolute 'real thing' when it comes to branding in our industry. She had just finished a speech at the UN when we flew together. I guess I now have to get my Twitter act together somehow!
MaryAnnB commented:
I never imagined Kathy Ireland is so hands on in the success of her business. I always heard she was a nice person. Now I realize from your story in Furniture Today, that Kathy Ireland is also a very smart person. Kathy seems deeply involved in developing relationships with people AND designing home products. I support what you said about trust and relationships...In our business two keys to success. Thank you for sharing your insight on Kathy Ireland and I look forward to learning more about her success story and am glad that Kathy Ireland Home is different from Martha Stewart's furniture...and that's to quote Martha, 'a good thing'. Ireland is more in the public than ever. This weekend I saw her on Hour of Power, The Wall Street Journal Report and woke up to your story. Much needed attention for our industry.
Karen Maunu commented:
I didn't know Kathy before Twitter. I had heard of her, but had no idea what her company was all about. Now knowing what a compassionate person she is, hearing about the quality she puts in her products, I will definitely keep an eye out for her products. She is a success, but she is a real person and not just a brand.
robyn adams commented:
Kathy Ireland is the only "name" in furniture that matters. Her recent move from Standard to Vaughan shows her commitment to quality and excellence. Have bought in the past and will continue purchasing ki products. Irv Blumkin of Nebraska Furniture Mart says in a sea of sameness,"Kathy is the real deal". Got it.
Bruce Barone commented:
A few weeks ago, Kathy did just what you said with me:
"Kathy frequently asks her followers what THEY think."
I had mentioned on Twitter that we (Susan & I-and our cat, Nadine!) have two of her lamps in our bedroom and she inquired as to our feelings for them.
I was amazed. And moved. Marketing IS dialogue. And dialogue is what builds trust.
Ambervisions commented:
I am a Kathy follower and have found her to be a genuine and kind person! I appreciate her responses and have been touched by her kindness! THank you Kathy!
LindaD commented:
I found this story about Google on Kathy. I am one of her loyal followers and love the fact that she is asking our opinion about what we want from her. She asked us once what finish we want for a bedroom that she is designing. My daughter said that she prefers black and we are now looking forward to when it comes out. I know that Kathy is finding solutions for my family, but it is great to know that I am actually a part of helping her finding them.
Jo Ellen commented:
I’ve never been a supporter of celebrity brands but after reading this article I realize I haven’t given Kathy a fair deal. Seeing now that she is truly hands on with her company, designs and products I am revisiting my thoughts. Having been in the furniture business for many years, I must say I am now excited about the future of our business. I will definitely visit the Kathy Ireland showrooms at the next market and take a stronger look at the rest of her product lines.
Donald Stone commented:
God has sent us a angel and it is Kathy Ireland, she reaches out in so many different ways and Twitter is a new tool that Kathy has embraced to extend her message and desire in finding solutions for families exspecially busy moms! Kathy has touched so many and I am a firm believer in everything she stands for and designs. I have several of her wonderful products and enjoy being able to talk right to Kathy when tweeting with a compliment or concern. Kathy is the real deal and cares! I aplaud Kathy for sharing herself with the World and giving so much joy in the home in so many different ways. I will always be a big fan of Kathy and her designs, I addore her Spa candle Collection I purchase online and I just started using her new skincare for Men and women and my skin hasn't looked this good in years and people are asking what I have been doing and why I look so refreshed. Kathy is amazing and when tweeting with her and reading what other people are tweeting. Keep up the great work Kathy! God bless you and all of your follower's !
thunderclap52 commented:
kathy is the real deal. thank you for sharing your experience and take on her. i know the information that she's giving in her new book is a wake up call for moms and dads too. I have her rugs and a bedroom set from her line. I have not gone wrong yet. Keep "Tweeting" Kathy
thunderclap52 commented:
kathy is the real deal. thank you for sharing your experience and take on her. i know the information that she's giving in her new book is a wake up call for moms and dads too. I have her rugs and a bedroom set from her line. I have not gone wrong yet. Keep "Tweeting" Kathy
Black Dragon commented:
I am a kathy follower recomended from a friend of mine because of her belfies and stance on Pro life... I am not looking to buy furniture anytime soon but i have found her candles to be great and I am thankful to support her becuase of what she is able to do with her succes she cleary spreads the love...
