Auntie Caryl’s Art & Herbs was a new enterprise being introduced by Caryl Henry Alexander, an artist, arts educator, and herbalist with a passion for creating art from found objects, facilitating community arts projects, and harnessing the power of medicinal plants.
THE CHALLENGE:
At the height of the pandemic in 2020, people in business and creative communities were having to reinvent themselves in unprecedented ways.The artist Caryl Henry Alexander, despite having built her professional foundation on deeply personal relationships and immersive, in-person gatherings, made the bold decision to explore new possibilities. A side of her that had been cultivated since childhood–gardening, farming, and herbalism–came to the fore. She launched the most commercial venture she’d ever offered: Auntie Caryl’s Art & Herbs. The first offering was the 2020 Winter Wellness Kit.
Caryl’s presence online had grown organically over the years, as an artist’s portfolio website and a separate blog site. She was also big on social media. Now, she wanted a single site that could accomplish many things. It needed to first showcase the fullness of her long career and significant impact as an artist and arts educator. Secondly, it had to reflect a new offering: a lifetime of knowledge about the healing power of plants. A new website needed to showcase her career, introduce new product-based offerings to her existing network, and attract a new clientele – people seeking knowledge and nature-based products for healing. So, The Allyson Group partnered with her to address these challenges and create a stronger and more web-based presence.
THE SOLUTION:
We worked with the client in a very high-touch and collaborative process. The process started with a series of interviews to understand her goals, key audiences, and products. These conversations helped her articulate and distinguish the many facets of her professional life.
Then, we got to work. We then reorganized the site completely. We rewrote the website copy. We made the site a much more visual experience, using mobile-friendly carousels to showcase her best artwork. We chose website typography more aligned with the distinctive look and feel of her art. Then, we added pages to introduce Auntie Caryl’s Art & Herbs. These pages promoted the new offer with high-quality product images and product details. Special care went into the “About page” because it needed to tell her story in a way that reflects the passion, commitment, and originality that is expressed through her work. We also integrated a blog with her first 6 posts.
The new website reflects the passion, commitment, and originality that is expressed through the work of Auntie Caryl’s work
SERVICES
Stakeholder interviews
Competitive research
Brand consultation
Content writing
Website Design
On-Page SEO
THE OUTCOME:
Caryl’s website now reflects her unique aesthetic, articulates her vision, and aligns with her goals. Through our process, we provided her with more clarity and helped her prepare her business for the post-pandemic era. We also helped her streamline the sales process by developing a clear process for placing orders, simplifying the customer experience.
“The Allyson Group is my go-to organization when I need expert content that represents my business’s creative goals. Karen James Cody listens, understands my unique goals, and turns this data into a very successful branding process. I highly recommend their services.
C. H. Alexander, Founder of Auntie Caryl’s