Running a business in the adult industry comes with its own unique set of challenges and rewards. As the stigma around sexual health and pleasure products fades, the market continues to grow rapidly. However, marketing restrictions, advertising hurdles, and finding the right team make this a complex field to navigate.
Carolyn Eagle, founder and CEO of Viola Media Inc, has built a thriving ecommerce empire in this space with her brands Betty’s Toy Box, Naughty North, and Pleasure Curve. Her focus on education, community, and customer service have been the pillars of her success.
Origins of Betty’s Toy Box
Carolyn got her start in digital marketplaces with a healthcare platform matching patients to doctors. After selling that business in 2014, she knew she wanted to stay in ecommerce but find a new niche.
Researching potential markets, Carolyn realized there was huge potential in adult products. However, most existing sites had a similar vibe – overly sexualized, intimidating, and not relatable for many potential customers. She saw a gap in the market for an approachable, inclusive brand in this space.
After testing out Shopify and product offerings, Betty’s Toy Box was born in 2016. The name and pinup aesthetic were designed to be playful and inviting for customers of all genders and backgrounds.
From the beginning, Betty’s Toy Box focused on high-quality products, reliable shipping, discretion for customers, and making education a priority. Live chat was implemented right away so real humans could provide advice and build trust.
Early Challenges and Learning Curves
In the early days, Carolyn faced a steep learning curve understanding all aspects of the adult industry and pleasure products. She made it a priority to educate herself and her team. They learned from customer questions, product reviews, and experts.
As a new brand, marketing was extremely difficult. Most traditional channels like Facebook ads have strong limitations around adult products. Betty’s Toy Box had to get creative, focusing on SEO, influencers, affiliate programs, guest blogging, and social media on more open platforms.
It took time to find marketing strategies that worked and build relationships with distributors and suppliers they could rely on. While growth was slow at first, by listening to customers and focusing on education, they gained traction.
Cultivating Community and Expertise
A huge factor in Betty’s Toy Box’s success has been the community they’ve built. Their social media, videos, product reviews, and blogs focus on sexual education, wellness, and building a judgment-free zone.
Customers often come to them for advice when confused or hesitant about products and intimacy issues. Carolyn realized human connections were vital in this industry. That’s why every platform has live chat, active social media, and an emphasis on inclusivity.
Over the years, Betty’s Toy Box has become a trusted resource for customers and industry experts. The team prides itself on its expertise across all matters relating to sexual health and adult products. They use this knowledge to educate customers and destigmatize intimacy aids.
Steady Growth and Expanding the Product Lines
After bootstrapping and reinvesting profits, Betty’s Toy Box saw steady growth year after year. Even during COVID-19, sales remained strong as customers had more alone time and felt comfortable trying new products.
Seeing the success, Carolyn was inspired to expand their offerings while sticking to their core values. In 2019, a second brand called Naughty North was launched to reach more demographics.
In 2023, Carolyn became the sole owner and launched Viola Media Inc. as the corporate umbrella. Exciting expansion plans are in the works like the new brand Pleasure Curve catering to plus-sized customers.
Despite the growth, they still focus on the pillars that got them here – inclusivity, discretion, customer relationships, and sex-positive education. These core values have helped them stand out in a crowded market.
Optimizing the Customer Experience
Customer experience is everything in e-commerce. Betty’s Toy Box has implemented several strategies to optimize satisfaction and retention.
- Live chat, active social media accounts, and prompt email support help customers feel heard. Their team troubleshoots issues, provides guidance, and gives personalized recommendations.
- User-generated content like customer reviews and ratings build social proof. Betty’s Toy Box proactively responds to feedback and makes changes when needed.
- Loyalty programs reward repeat customers. Perks like discounts and free gifts incentivize returning and promote word-of-mouth.
- Surveys collect insights directly from customers on what they want next. This input guides new products, content, and features.
- Fulfillment and shipping speed are also essential. Reliable distributors and fast processing ensures customers get purchases quickly and discreetly.
Mastering SEO as an Adult Brand
Ranking high in search engines is vital for e-commerce, but adult brands face limitations in running Google and Facebook ads. Betty’s Toy Box has mastered organic SEO through content, keywords, and backlinks.
Their blog publishes weekly educational articles on pleasure products, intimacy tips, and sexual wellness. These long-form posts target keywords people search for. Product pages are optimized for keywords through titles, descriptions, tags, and schema markup. This helps them rank for product searches.
Affiliate programs incentivize partners to link back to their site. These high-quality backlinks signal trust and authority to search engines. Social accounts like YouTube and Twitter provide more freedom to market products. These build brand awareness and traffic.
Email campaigns with targeted offers and new arrivals announcements further engage customers while growing their reach.
As restrictions ease, they are also testing paid ads on platforms like Reddit and TikTok with strong moderation.
Staying Compliant as an Adult Business
Running an adult e-commerce business comes with legal and financial considerations. Betty’s Toy Box partners with professionals to stay compliant.
- Business structure: Viola Media Inc. oversees all brands as a corporation for limited liability and tax benefits.
- Banking and payments: High-risk merchant accounts through companies like CCBill provide credit card processing ability.
- Taxes: Accountants well-versed in adult businesses ensure proper sales tax collection across different states and countries.
- Age verification: Methods like adult signature requirements at delivery prevent underage sales.
- Privacy: SSL encryption and data protection guarantees customer and payment information stays secure.
- Trademarks: Their distinctive brand names and logos are protected intellectual property.
- Testing and recalls: All products are vetted for safety with protocols in place for any defects or hazards.
Their diligent compliance gives customers peace of mind and maintains their reputation.
Leading with Purpose
For Carolyn Eagle, Betty’s Toy Box was never just about profits – it was about purpose. Her goal was to remove stigma, empower customers, and lead with integrity.
That mission-driven approach is what attracts team members and customers who share those values. Employees are hired based on their passion for sexual health advocacy.
Despite taboos and discrimination, Carolyn stays vocal in her beliefs. She aims to inspire other women entrepreneurs in this male-dominated industry.
By sticking to their principles, the brand has earned respect and trust. Consumer loyalty is much easier to gain when they know a business truly cares about their well-being.
Looking Ahead to the Future
As Betty’s Toy Box continues rapid expansion, Carolyn is most excited to launch more purpose-driven brands like Pleasure Curve. She wants to reach even more underserved demographics with products to enhance their lives.
Education will remain central. Their model of an approachable, inclusive retailer offering expert guidance has clearly resonated. Customers now expect that level of support.
No matter how large the company grows, Carolyn plans to stay independent and continue running things her way. The bigger they get, the louder their voice for advocacy becomes.
Her advice for aspiring entrepreneurs is to stay persistent through early struggles. Focus on really understanding your customers. Master your industry inside and out. And stay true to your vision through all the ups and downs.
With those principles, Carolyn has built something rare — a multi-million dollar business that also makes a positive social impact. The demand for pleasure products will only increase, and her brands are poised to keep leading the way.
