Betty’s Promos Plus is Orlando’s home for Greek Paraphernalia, HBCU Apparel & Accessories, and Masonic Regalia. Since 1988, they have specialized in apparel and accessories for Divine 9 organizations, such as Alpha Kappa Alpha, Delta Sigma Theta, Zeta Phi Beta, Sigma Gamma Rho, Alpha Phi Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi, Omega Psi Phi, Phi Beta Sigma, and Iota Phi Theta. They opened their retail store in 2013 and have continued expanding their product selection ever since. Customers love them for their wide selection of exclusive Greek Paraphernalia, license plates & license plate frames, crossing gifts, and more! Further, Betty’s Promos Plus has expanded its selection to include apparel and accessories for Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs) such as Florida A&M University and Bethune-Cookman University. See below for a profile on their business and the importance of celebrating and honoring Black History Month in our Central Florida community!
Tell us about yourself! What inspired you to start your business, and when did you launch it?
Since 1988, Betty’s Promos Plus has been your one-stop shop for Greek Paraphernalia, Greek Apparel, and custom Greek embroidery. Betty Watkins founded Betty’s Import Emporium after she attended her first Alpha Kappa Alpha Boule as a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha; she believed she could provide better quality Greekwear than the available options. We opened our retail store, began e-commerce sales, and rebranded as Betty’s Promos Plus in 2013, intending to grow and expand our selection of Greek Paraphernalia and offer it to a nationwide audience. Since then, we have focused on providing a wide selection of Greek Paraphernalia and a top-notch shopping experience, both online and in-store. Customers love that we are able to provide excellent customer service and an experience where they can easily find everything they need at reasonable prices.
What’s your favorite item to make from your selection of products, and why?
Our goal at Betty’s Promos Plus is to create products that allow our customers to express their pride in their organization. Our favorite product to make is the one that allows our customers to stand out as an individual while also fitting in with the fraternity brothers or sorority sisters. We want to ensure that customers can find exclusive, unique products that are functional while also reflecting their organizational pride.
As a Black small business owner, how does Black History Month resonate with you? How has your heritage and history influenced your journey as an entrepreneur, and what impact do you hope to make within your community?
Black History Month is important to Betty’s Promos Plus because our customers are Black history. Our customers chose to become members of these Divine 9 organizations and, as such, are leaders on campus and in their communities. Our customers who have attended and graduated from HBCUs have embraced the legacy of past Civil Rights leaders who established and matriculated through these universities and have been pivotal to advocating for Black Americans in the workplace and beyond. Our customers who are members of Masonic organizations are committed to charitable works, community involvement, and supporting philanthropic traditions. Black History Month is not just a celebration of our Black-Owned business; it is a celebration of every member of a Divine Nine Organization, every person who has attended an HBCU, and every person who uplifts the Black community in whatever way they see fit.
Betty’s Promos Plus is family-owned and family-operated. Our owner, Sonya Watkins, and founder, Betty Watkins, are both members of the Delta Omicron Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.; our Head of Marketing, Jaret Watkins, is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. While membership in these organizations certainly influenced the founding of Betty’s Promos Plus, it has also provided the opportunities to continue to serve the communities that we are a part of. Betty’s Promos Plus impacts the community by sponsoring various events hosted by NPHC organizations, such as the NPHC Alumni Step Show and the Orlando Greek Picnic, all of which help support the goals of these organizations to uplift the community and provide opportunities for members of these organizations to gather, fellowship, lead others within the Orlando community and beyond.
Where can people find you?
Customers can best place orders through our official website, where they can enjoy free shipping on orders over $100. They can also opt into our Checkout+ experience, which offers free returns and exchanges on the products they love. We also offer similar secure checkout experiences on Facebook and the Shop App. Our orders ship quickly, typically within 3-5 days after placing the order. However, customers can choose rush processing, which guarantees their order will ship within 72 hours, so they don’t have to wait weeks for their order to ship, which is the typical experience when ordering from other vendors.