DTC Podcast

Drew Arciuolo, VP Marketing at VKTRY Gear, discusses how he scaled organic content to 8 million views a day on TikTok, Reels, and Shorts. He shares insights on the power of organic-first marketing, the role of influencers in their strategy, and the effectiveness of Advantage Plus AI tools. They also explore the growing sporting accessory space and challenges of selling on Amazon.

To Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Attention Shopify merchants! Acquire new shoppers across the open internet, retarget previous visitors, boost sales, and retain your best customers with Criteo. Visit https://criteo.com/dtc to get started.* In this All Killer No Filler podcast, Will, Pilothouse's Retention Team manager, shares valuable insights on the state of email marketing, and how popular to contrary belief, you can't just hammer your email list with endless offers and promo without seeing diminishing returns on opens, engagement, and sales. Will advises a general content strategy to mix into your email marketing calendar that aims to engage, delight, entertain, and educate. We walk through a few examples of the kinds of content you can make as well as when these emails work best in a customer's lifecycle. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 02:35 Understanding your audience and positioning 07:50 Crafting engaging content for conversions 13:50 Utilizing ChatGPT for content automation 19:30 Captivating audiences with actionable tips Hashtags: #EmailMarketing #EngagingContent #ContentAutomation #AudienceConnection #EmailTips Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Advertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertise Work with Pilothouse - https://dtcnews.link/pilothouse Follow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletter Watch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video

To Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Today’s podcast guest, VP Product Marketing at Meta, Goksu Nebol Perlman has been on the other side of the equation. Her unique role at Meta has given her end to end, creation to launch control over most of the ad tools and features we’ve all come to love over the years. Today we go deep on Goksu’s crowning acheivement: Advantage+ shopping campaigns, which are Meta’s Generative AI Ad building tools which they rolled out earlier this year to pretty universal acclaim… Listen to this podcast for a clear roadmap of how to fully leverage Meta’s AI in this year’s first EVER AI powered Q4 How Avantage+ shopping campaigns are designed to help you uncover blind spots in both your audience and your creative We’ve been saying it for years, and Meta Agrees that Creative is the New Targeting… So we’ll uncover the best ways to increase your creative velocity with AI and ASC. Timestamps: 0:00 Introduction 3:45 Advantage Shopping Campaigns (ASC) Explained 14:55 AI's Role in Uncovering Blind Spots and New Opportunities 22:15 How ASC Handles Timely Messaging and Campaigns 29:30 Final Tips for Marketers Embracing AI Hashtags: #AIinMarketing #AdvantageShoppingCampaigns #DigitalMarketing #PerformanceFive #HolidaySeason #MarketingStrategies #AIpoweredTools #CreativityInMarketing #DigitalAdvertising #Meta #DTCpodcast#aiinmarketing #AdvantageShoppingCampaigns #DigitalMarketing #PerformanceFive #HolidaySeason #MarketingStrategies #AIpoweredTools #CreativityInMarketing #DigitalAdvertising #Meta #DTCpodcast Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Advertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertise Work with Pilothouse - https://dtcnews.link/pilothouse Follow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletter Watch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video

To Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Attention Shopify merchants! Acquire new shoppers across the open internet, retarget previous visitors, boost sales, and retain your best customers with Criteo. Visit https://criteo.com/dtc to get started.* Hello and welcome to DTC Podcast, I’m Eric Dyck. Today we’re touring the Chocolate Factory with Joseph Siegel, Director Retention at Mr. Beast’s confectionary company Feastables. This podcast is a smorgasbord of outside the box ideas for engaging your audience in delightful and innovative ways. We chat through Joseph’s most successful and most stressful campaign executions, from an interactive briefcase email, to a repeat clicker request that netted over 2 million clicks in a single campaign. When you’re Mr. Beast’s email guy the pressure to delight is real, but Joseph’s up for the task… On with the show! Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction to Feastables' Email Marketing Innovations 04:30 The Power of Interactive Emails and Gamification 09:00 Building a Community-Driven Brand 13:00 Crafting High-End Video Content for Maximum Engagement 18:00 Future Plans: Omni-Channel Expansion and New Promotions Hashtags: #EmailMarketing #InteractiveCampaigns #Gamification #CommunityBuilding #OmniChannelMarketing #DTCpodcast #Feastables #digitalmarketing Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Advertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertise Work with Pilothouse - https://dtcnews.link/pilothouse Follow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletter Watch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video

To Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Attention Shopify merchants! Acquire new shoppers across the open internet, retarget previous visitors, boost sales, and retain your best customers with Criteo. Visit https://criteo.com/dtc to get started.* It's All Killer No Filler and today we're going deep on Meta Ads testing with Taylor from Pilothouse. Taylor's unique position of Socials Technical Director allows him to conduct high volume, statistically significant hold out tests that seek to build on our book of best practices for scaling Meta Ads. On today's testing list: Cost Cap vs. Bid Cap (Bid Cap edges out Cost Cap) Highest Volume vs Cost Cap (Toss up, but better volume with HV, and better efficiency with CC) Catalog Ads with Custom Frames (Custom Frames raised ROAS 20%+) Get after it with this knowledge in hand! Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction 04:30 - Bid Cap vs. Cost Cap: Performance Analysis 13:20 - Custom Frames for Catalog Ads: Impact and Results 19:30 - Testing Callouts in Custom Frames for DPA Campaigns 22:10 - Results of Custom Frame DPA Campaigns: ROAS and CTR Gains Hashtags: #FacebookAds #FacebookMarketing #FacebookAdvertising #ROAS #DTCPodcast Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Advertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertise Work with Pilothouse - https://dtcnews.link/pilothouse Follow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletter Watch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video

To Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Attention Shopify merchants! Acquire new shoppers across the open internet, retarget previous visitors, boost sales, and retain your best customers with Criteo. Visit www.criteo.com/dtc to get started.* Hello, and welcome to the DTC podcast. Today we're having a coffee with Liz Ahern, CMO at Chamberlain Coffee, about her journey from 7 years at Redbull to leading growth at Emma Chamberlain's Coffee company as they move aggressively into the canned coffee market, a $15B global market with growth estimates of $20B by 2029. Listen in and learn about Chamberlain's aggressive moves in retail, the best ways to leverage a celebrity founder and the static ads that consistently win out for Liz and Pilothouse. We cover Liz's Out Of Home activations and their impact on retail....not to mention the best lessons Liz learned at the best-in-beverage brand Redbull, as well as at Harvard...(and mine at the Harvard of the North)... I have a new tool that uses AI to adjust my eyes so it looks like I'm looking at the Camera, called Veed. I'll send you the logins and maybe you can run all these intros through it to help make them more authentic on YouTube. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction to Chamberlain Coffee and Liz's background 07:30 Leveraging market-level sales data for insights 13:00 Testing creative styles: Static images vs. UGC and highly produced videos 18:40 Embracing experiential marketing and driving trial 25:30 The majority of customers coming through Emma Chamberlain's influence Hashtags: #ChamberlainCoffee #RetailStrategy #D2CPodcast #CreativeContent #emotionalconnections Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Advertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertise Work with Pilothouse - https://dtcnews.link/pilothouse Follow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletter Watch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video

To Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Join Eric Dyck, host of the DCT Podcast, in an insightful conversation with Avery and Spencer from Pilothouse as they delve into the fascinating world of TikTok. In this episode, they explore the key aspects of TikTok's user psychology and how it impacts advertising strategies on the platform. They discuss the unique behaviors of TikTok users, the platform's user interface, and the effective use of sound, carousels, duets, and replies in TikTok ads. The conversation begins by highlighting the distinct nature of TikTok as an entertainment app and the importance of understanding the platform's culture. Avery emphasizes the need for authenticity and entertainment value in TikTok content, stressing that users are looking for a good time and genuine engagement. Spencer introduces the concept of "sound always on" and its significance in TikTok advertising. He explains how advertisers can leverage this feature to capture users' attention and convey their message effectively. They discuss the power of the first few seconds in a TikTok ad and the importance of creating engaging hooks that spark curiosity. The podcast then explores the rising popularity of carousels on TikTok. Spencer explains how carousels provide a new and exciting way to present content and engage viewers. They discuss various creative ideas for using carousels, such as showcasing customer reviews, behind-the-scenes footage, and interactive elements that lead to surprises or rewards. The conversation moves on to the effectiveness of duets and replies in TikTok advertising. Avery and Spencer highlight the social proof aspect of duets and how they can enhance the perceived value of an ad. They share examples of successful campaigns that utilized duets and stitches to amplify engagement and drive results. Finally, the podcast concludes with a discussion on the current state of TikTok as an advertising platform. Spencer notes that while costs may vary for different advertisers, TikTok has become more stable and consistent over time. They express excitement for the upcoming Q4 and the opportunities it brings for advertisers on TikTok. Join Eric, Avery, and Spencer in this captivating episode as they uncover the psychology, engagement strategies, and advertising potential of TikTok, providing valuable insights for marketers seeking to make an impact on the platform. Timestamps: 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:06:40 - Leveraging the capsule wardrobe trend for successful jewelry ads 00:13:00 - Utilizing sound always on for engaging TikTok ads 00:16:00 - Captivating audiences with the power of carousels 00:20:40 - Harnessing the value of duets and replies for effective TikTok advertising Hashtags: #TikTokAdvertising #DigitalMarketing #SocialMediaAdvertising #TikTokTips #DTCPodcast Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Advertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertise Work with Pilothouse - https://dtcnews.link/pilothouse Follow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletter Watch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video

To Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Hello, and welcome to DTC Podcast. Today we're catching up with DTC C-Suite Mastermind Alum, and now former CMO of Greater than Bryan Alston, who helped scale Greater Than from a relatively unknown electrolyte beverage to an 8-figure success and staple of the new mother community...All of this with packaging that until now had been geared toward athletes... This podcast catches us up on Bryan's journey, including his move to become a CEO at a new stealth startup...You'll hear... All about the rebrand, including some screen shares of the change (see YouTube) How Bryan used AI to lower creative costs by about 40% How to use Data Analysis to uncover game-changing patterns that might not look like they make any sense at all.. and whether or not he still thinks that iOS 14.5 was a good thing. On with the show! Timestamps: 00:00:00 Introduction 00:07:00 Communicating long-term value beyond short-term benefits 00:13:50 Leveraging user-generated content (UGC) for credibility and customer trust 00:21:00 The role of AI in marketing and its limitations 00:27:50 Future plans for Greater Than and Bryan's next endeavors Hashtags: #ecommerce #marketing #branding #rebranding #customerretention #usergeneratedcontent #AIinmarketing #futureofmarketing #entrepreneurship Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Advertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertise Work with Pilothouse - https://dtcnews.link/pilothouse Follow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletter Watch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video

To Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Revive Your Email List with Smart Content Marketing (Not Just Sales Emails) Is your engagement down? Are top end metrics going down? You’re not over messaging, but people just aren’t interested in your emails? We have a solution. in this week's AKNF podcast. How to create the perfect edutainment / entertainment email. How to figure out the right mix of edutainment and merchandise focused emails. Will be discussing how to effectively build value in email campaigns to increase site traffic. How do you build an audience of loyal openers and clickers that actually care about reading your emails? The most common mistake people make with email content, is not creating engaging and interesting content that actually builds loyalty in a list. We’re all used to getting cliché “GET X% OFF”, “LOOK AT THIS NEW PRODUCT”, “ARE YOU INTERESTED IN BUYING X” style emails. What actually builds brand loyalty and keeps people opening and clicking is a radically different approach to email content strategy. ACTIONABLE ADVICE: Take a deep look at your audience. You need to understand their pain points and interests. Identify your core buyer, and the interests that go along with their profile. Following that, you need to be aware of the position your brand holds in their eyes. They trust you enough to buy your products or subscribe to your email list, so clearly they regard your expertise in some way. Lean into this, and figure out how you can leverage your expertise. Figure out a unique way that works for your business and audience to create an ongoing series of content-first focused emails. Don’t overthink merchandising and CTA’s, don’t hunt aggressively for the conversion, just provide some genuine value, or entertainment to your audience. To avoid bombing AOV and keep the emails generating money, make sure to sneak in product / service promotions. Shoehorn in your products in a way that's logical and subtle. For example, with a recipe email, you recommend your cookware to make the dish. Now for the real killer part, for each value providing email, create two versions. One version that has all / or the majority of value in the email, and one version that is gate kept behind a CTA. For example, with a recipe, you have the actual ingredients in the email itself in one version, and another version of the email with just a teaser about the recipe, but no actual details of it. CTA linking to site with the actual details. Split test these against each other and see what performs better. Do this a few times, and learn and adjust. Figure out what the exact tipping point is for your audience. How much up-front value do you need to give in your emails to get a click and keep engagement. This gives you two benefits: A more engaged list that sees the value in your emails Provides you a keen understanding of how much value to provide in your pre-click vs. post-click experience. Do this consistently, and keep adapting emails and adjusting the content to hone in on a series of emails that resonates with your audience. Build up the health of your list. Once you have a consistent format, stagger it with your normal merchandise focused emails. If you notice list health is extremely strong, top end metrics are good, run more of the merchandise focused emails. If you notice your list health declining, top end metrics going down, run more of the value focused emails to win back your list. Hashtags: #CustomerRetention #WinBackCampaigns #EmailMarketing #CustomerEngagement #DTCPodcast Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Advertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertise Work with Pilothouse - https://dtcnews.link/pilothouse Follow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletter Watch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video

To Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Hello and welcome to DTC Podcast, I'm Eric Dyck. Today we're compartmentalizing with Caleb Ulffers, founder of Haven Athletic, makers of innovative gym bags, uniquely designed to keep gear organized, accessible and protected, making a haven for your gymgoing habit to free your mind on getting shredded. The podcast covers Caleb's journey making, manufacturing, and marketing this this totally unique product which has become something of a status symbol among the gym-going elite. We go deep on pricing strategy for prestige products like Haven and the power of sales (especially when you rarely do them), we talk UGC, CGC and GNC... This is a fun one, I hope you enjoy. Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction 05:30 - Importance of customer experience and community building 12:10 - Authenticity and building genuine connections with customers 27:30 - The role of influencers and content creators in marketing 35:20 - Leveraging the power of "building in public" Hashtags: #ecommerce #entrepreneurship #brandbuilding #influencermarketing #transparency Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Advertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertise Work with Pilothouse - https://dtcnews.link/pilothouse Follow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletter Watch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video