Enterprise talks to Malcolm Bell, co-founder of Zaggora, about the brand's loyal following.

When Zaggora co-founder Dessi Bell couldn't find a product to help her get into shape for her wedding, she decided to make her own. A few years of research later, Zaggora's signature ThermoFit fabric technology was born.

Zaggora is a revolutionary fitness and lifestyle brand specialising in technology-enhanced products. "The brand was born when Dessi was preparing for our wedding," says Malcolm. "She went on a health kick but failed to find effective and affordable products that fitted in with her lifestyle, and went in pursuit of a solution."

When Dessi had perfected the formula for 'HotPants' she launched Zaggora in July 2011 in partnership with Malcolm and a university friend. "HotPants became our most iconic style and we have sold more than half a million pairs in 133 countries in just two years."

Establishing a fan base through the power of social media

Bloggers have been a big part of the Zaggora story from the beginning. The company has grown significantly by harnessing the power of social media and its ability to generate word of mouth. It established that commitment from the beginning, when it found 500 women on Twitter to trial HotPants for two weeks who then shared their results on the brand's Facebook page. These invaluable peer-to-peer recommendations helped to grow the Zaggora community.

Zaggora has more than half a million 'likes' on Facebook and constantly engages with them and its 30,000 followers on Twitter, asking their opinion on everything from colour palettes and design, to giving suggestions for new products. As such, Zaggora is a company truly driven by its consumers. As Malcolm says: "Comments inspire lots of our most popular products and improvements. We're still asking fans and customers online what they want to see next. Our social media following is so strong because we built it on genuine conversations with fans. We've always had a two-way dialogue, and that won't change."

Award winning

The brand has 12,000 consumer ambassadors that have tested, reviewed and recommended Zaggora products together with some celebrity fans. Awards include E-Commerce Strategy of the Year and nominations for many others, such as the Retail Week Technology Awards. "We've got our fans and followers to thank for helping us create such an awesome community and making the Zaggora experience what it is", adds Malcolm. Looking to the future, plans for growth include adding distribution channels through synergies with wholesalers and retailers both online and offline, as well as expanding the product range.

So what tips does Malcolm have for anyone launching a new brand? "Know first of all what you want to sell and to who you are selling. Then, you have to build a brand and values that are distinctive where the point of difference is clear – with a strong promise and value proposition to customers that you truly fulfil and exceed."

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