Kardume Beach Wear

As a little girl, Daniele Franco Maturana loved the beach and sea. But most of all, she dreamt of becoming a mermaid. She made that a reality in 2016 when she launched Kardume Beach Wear, a Rio de Janeiro-based brand specializing in hand-made mermaid fins.

“Parents often send me an audio [message] when their daughter has seen other girls using it,” says Daniele, explaining that word-of-mouth and WhatsApp messages drive most of her brand’s awareness.

To capitalize on this momentum and make the app her primary point of customer contact, Daniele downloaded the WhatsApp Business app in May 2019.

Daniele has sold more than 2,000 multi-colored mermaid fins to customers across Brazil – and as far away as the United States, China and Thailand – and says WhatsApp gives Kardume Beach Wear “more structure and automation.” Today, 70 percent of all orders are placed via the app, and Daniele believes it is directly responsible for a 10 percent increase in overall revenue.

But, as a small business owner, “It is important that you are not bugged all the time,” says Daniele of the importance of the app’s away messages feature that allows her to automatically respond to customers after hours. Also, the WhatsApp Business app’s catalog feature means Kardume Beach Wear “shows a variety of products and makes it easier to share photos.”

Simone Frutuoso, a children’s party entertainer, purchased Kardume fins for one of her costumes. “I really liked Kardume’s service,” she says. “Everything – audio, invoices, receipts and shipping details – was shared via WhatsApp.”

“It’s great to receive photos and audio telling me how much little girls love it,” says Daniele. And with the WhatsApp Business app helping more customers experience the mermaid magic, Daniele can do what she loves most: helping others realize their own underwater childhood dreams.