Whether it’s through her business account, Chloe Jane Creative where she gives sneak peeks of some of the work she’s been doing for brands large and small; or through her popular personal account, Love Chloe Jane, — which at time of writing had amassed a following of 14,600 Instagram users — Chloe loves connecting with people on the platform. And she has become extremely good at it — so good that she’s been asked to share her best tips with other small businesses from the Onkaparinga region.
Raised in McLaren Vale but now Morphett Vale-based, Chloe is proudly part of the City of Onkaparinga’s ON Business Partner Program, which through grants, advice, education and networking opportunities aims to help local small businesses thrive. She received a start-up grant through the program’s small grants initiative and was a stallholder at its Meet the Creatives event last September.
Bringing together locals working in creative industries, from graphic designers and branding experts to digital marketers, Meet the Creatives was an opportunity for creatives to not only showcase their wares to potential clients, but to network.
Chloe was thrilled with how much business she picked up and the connections she made at the event: “There’s nothing better than word of mouth — this was word of mouth on steroids!”
Meet the Creatives was part of the ON Business Partner Program’s series of regular ‘discovery sessions’ which are designed to support and upskill local businesses. Topics locked in for 2019 include grant writing, doing business with council, budgeting and forecasting, and Chloe’s Instagram for business workshop.
Chloe says the content for her 21 March workshop will be quite broad. For some it will be an introduction to using the platform and the world of hashtags, for others, a refresher and a chance to scrutinise the effectiveness of their current Instagram use. It will also delve into more technical aspects such as analysing insights.
“There’ll be a real focus on the idea that Instagram is for connecting people, not collecting people,” she says. “Building a rapport — an organic rapport — with people is priceless. It’s so cheesy but it’s true.”
At age 19 Chloe started her first business, Chloe Jane Candle Co. Through strategic use of digital marketing she grew a strong following for her handmade candles, selling them via 25 stockists throughout Australia. In 2016, aged 24, she embarked on a creative writing degree and began using her strengths in the digital marketing and communications space to support other businesses as a freelancer, working around a café job. In 2018 she quit waiting tables to focus on her passion full time, launching Chloe Jane Creative.
“I woke up and decided I want to do it every day.”
Chloe Jane Creative specialises in helping businesses leverage social media to grow, as well as offering copywriting and photography services. Many of her clients are based in the Onkaparinga and across the Fleurieu, with some as far-flung as London. She has worked with huge brands including Spendless Shoes.
“When I saw my work in their stores it was a pretty special moment.”
She also loves helping smaller clients, both online and bricks-and-mortar businesses. Current clients offer a wide range of services from renting out giant teepees for events, to selling beautiful false eyelashes and children’s clothes.
“I’m a ‘variety is the spice of life’ type person,” Chloe says.
Registering for the ON Business Partner Program is free and easy to do; just sign up online and upload your business profile to start receiving updates and event notifications, and become eligible for the small grants initiative and other member benefits.
Instagram for Business with Chloe Jane Creative:
Thursday 21 March Woodcroft Morphett Vale
Neighbourhood Centre, 175 Bains Road,
Morphett Vale. Register at eventbrite.com.au