DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built

“Influencers have proven organically to be able to create content that engages with people” @TaylorLagace  #DTCPOD“We're trying to find as many veins as possible to bleed dry, and  once one starts going, we want to lean into that as much as possible.” @TaylorLagace #DTCPOD“People tend to allow human decision making into the matter a little bit too much.” @TaylorLagace #DTCPOD“The only way you lose the only way you miss the opportunity is if you do not put the creative into the account and let Facebook try to allow it to win and optimize.” @TaylorLagace #DTCPOD“You have to think about how you can make this more of a postal experience for the influencer.” @TaylorLagace #DTCPODWe Speak About:[01:10] Taylor introduces himself and Kynship[02:49] Going from zero to a million in four months with Anima House[07:16] The importance of content[09:02] What expectations to set for budget and creators[12:00] How to launch creative and save money[15:00] When to swap out creative[18:54] Finding and establishing creator product fit[21:39] Limiting the human decision making in creator marketing[24:41] The 500 influencer outreach strategy[26:00] How to optimize the influencer creative content[28:25] Advice for how to manage creative[31:38] What’s next for Kynship and where to find the brand, and Taylor Lagace onlineHow to go from 0 to $1M in 4 months with the use of creatorsTaylor Lagace, Co-founder and Co-CEO of Kynship, joins the POD to give some insight on the marketing agency’s growth, content creative strategies for brands, and influencer marketing. Kynship is an influencer marketing agency that has created tremendous growth for brands.Taylor recognized that a no strings attached approach to influencer marketing is one of many effective creator strategies can save brands money but also attract growthThe approach consists of reaching out to a large number of influencers per month with no expectation of receiving product promotion and beginning organic growth from there. Taylor recommends budgeting 2% of your annual revenue towards product seating over the course of the year.Content is king, creative is everything Kynship stands out as an advertising and marketing agency that specializes in influencer strategiesThe brand fosters growth for businesses by implementing the power of influencers and allowing facebook to optimize creative contentTaylor recognizes the power of creative and treats it as part of the business model that should be reviewed and edited monthly.  The business additionally optimizes the influencer strategy for brands by pinpointing the creators generating the most attention and continuing to implement them as part of the marketing plan.Taylor recommends looking back at every three months and analyze who the top performers were out of all the influencers that ended up posting free of costStay tuned as Taylor discusses how Kynship uses influencer seeding and why having a human factor in creator marketing may lead to higher profitsIf you’d like to learn more about Trend and our influencer marketing platform for influencers and brands visit trend.io. You can also follow us for tips on growing your following and running successful campaigns on Instagram and LinkedIn.Mentioned Links:Kynship website: https://kynship.co/Taylor Lagace twitter: https://twitter.com/TaylorLagace

“DataMilk analyzes your user’s behavior and then it launches UX changes automatically and then tests them to see how conversion goes.” @jayde3sai #DTCPOD“Figure out what is the right discount for your brand that is relevant to your margin.” @jayde3sai #DTCPODWe Speak About:[00:20] What does DataMilk do for your brand [03:21] Top DTC holiday campaigns Steal these DTC finds for deals and profitsIn today’s episode of DTC Finds, we’re looking at a great Twitter thread discussing how 437 DTC brands ran BFCM last year and DataMilk, a tool that can help you ship UX changes fast.We’ll also dive into some great strategies for boosting sales around the holidays, or any occasion.Stay tuned as we dive into some awesome conversion and user friendly strategies and creative techniques to get consumers ready for the holidays.If you’d like to learn more about Trend and our influencer marketing platform for influencers and brands visit trend.io. You can also follow us for tips on growing your following and running successful campaigns on Instagram and LinkedIn.Mentioned Links:Check out DataMilk: https://www.datamilk.ai/Insights from DTC brands from last BFCM: https://twitter.com/AaronOrendorff/status/1445075914887290884

“You need one single unified environment to manage your businesses” @jbernard23 #DTCPOD“There's such a connectivity between how a digital commerce grows, and you really need to have all of that data in one environment.” @jbernard23 #DTCPOD“The digital commerce landscape has changed in terms of consumer expectations for speed and shipping costs.” @jbernard23 #DTCPOD“There's a great opportunity, I think, for innovation still with meeting that need for discoverability and experience for consumers.” @jbernard23 #DTCPOD“Everything can be measured. That's the beauty of digital.” @jbernard23 #DTCPODWe Speak About:[00:59] Julie introduces herself and Tradeswell [02:47] Marketing and how it relates to other departments of the business[05:40] Recording data and what to do with it [08:33] Key differences in how consumers buy[12:43] importance of embracing technology[16:24] The present and future role of AI [20:07] Businesses sizes and technology [22:07] internal business strategies to implement before technology[24:51] Key learnings working with brands post-pandemic [28:12] What’s next for Tradeswell and where to find the brand, and Julie BernardHow Tradeswell helps brands create profit through data Julie Bernard, Chief Marketing Officer of Tradeswell, joins the POD to give some insight on the business’s actionable insights, customer experience, and marketing data & technology  Tradeswell is a company that helps brands unify data, leverage AI-generated insights and accelerate essential decisions to empower growth across the digital commerce landscape.Julie realizes that to empower growth across the digital commerce landscape, the data and business operations function better when unified.A unique approach is taken by creating a quantitative trading platform that implements real-time algorithms and insights, to uncover and execute the optimal actions companies need to growJulie recognizes that technology can help small businesses operate at the same level of sophistication as their larger business counterparts.Understanding you data, and drawing insights from it, is key to growthTradeswell stands out as a platform that simplifies the process for a brand to visualize the whole picture of their ecommerce business, while leveraging machine learning to receive insights and cross-channel operations.The company understands that the technologies that are out there are more cost effective, accessible, and sophisticated than ever, and the brand works to help others make informed decisions Julie takes the approach of integrating authentical actionable insights and team empowerment to achieve success within the business The brand further acknowledges that just because it can be measured through data, does not mean that it shouldJulie recommends to to draw some conclusions and have insights on the data that you do have rather than being on a perpetual pursuit of perfectionStay tuned as Julie discusses AI and post-pandemic business learnings. If you’d like to learn more about Trend and our influencer marketing platform for influencers and brands visit trend.io. You can also follow us for tips on growing your following and running successful campaigns on Instagram and LinkedIn.Mentioned Links:Tradeswell Website: https://www.tradeswell.com/Julie Bernard’s Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/jbernard23

“Returns don't necessarily mean that someone didn't like your product, it might be that it just wasn't the right product for them.” @jayde3sai #DTCPOD“Having a really good process in place for potential exchanges or even outlining that policy is something all stores should be thinking about.” @jayde3sai #DTCPODWe Speak About:[01:52] SMS templates you need to steal[03:55] A product that will help you turn returns into exchanges to save revenueCheck out these DTC finds for SMS and returnsIn today’s episode of DTC finds, we’re looking at some great SMS templates and an awesome tool to use for saving lost revenue from returns.Everyone knows that having a strong playbook for marketing is important for success. Instead of just trying SMS without a proven playbook, we’ll share a resource with you that can help take your SMS to the next level.We’ll also share with you a must-use resource for returns and talk through return strategy as a way to grow your business.Stay tuned as we dive into awesome SMS strategies and useful tool for maintaining revenue and customers.If you’d like to learn more about Trend and our influencer marketing platform for influencers and brands visit trend.io. You can also follow us for tips on growing your following and running successful campaigns on Instagram and LinkedIn.Mentioned Links:SMS strategies: https://sms-templates.com/A product to help with your returns strategy: https://www.loopreturns.com/

“I'm thinking very consciously about the impact that I'm having.” @trevorcarlson1 #DTCPOD“The biggest mistake people can make is assume that their target customer speaks the same way that they do and that they already know everything that they're trying to tell them.” @trevorcarlson1 #DTCPOD“You're not going to marry somebody on the first date, so why would you expect somebody to buy from you when they don't know who you are.” @trevorcarlson1 #DTCPOD“You need a large amount of creative to test, and you never really know what's going to work until you test it.” @trevorcarlson1 #DTCPOD“No matter what anybody tells you, you don't know what is going to work, we've had some really stupid things work.” @trevorcarlson1 #DTCPODWe Speak About:[01:04] Trevor introduces himself and Fresh Fuel Marketing[03:13] Sale strategies for each part of the funnell [09:32] Hotjar recording and dynamic landing pages[14:12] Strategic educational content[15:54] What type of business to prioritize [17:44] Webinars and Facebook live [21:30] Building a loyal customer base  [23:29] Getting creative with your creative[27:02] How often should creative be modified [29:50] Advice to other brands [31:22] Where to find Fresh Fuel Marketing and Trevor Carlson onlineHow Fresh Fuel Marketing takes marketing strategies to a whole new levelTrevor Carlson, CEO of Fresh Fuel Marketing, joins the POD to give some insight on the marketing agency’s customer retention and ad strategy Fresh Fuel Marketing is a full-service digital marketing agency specializing in the food and beverage industry.Trevor came into the space due to his personal values of making a positive impact, and his meaningfulness added value to the agencies goalsThe agency takes an approach with helping brands grow by first making sure the business’s website is in order. Trevor recognizes that customers won’t buy a product they’re not informed about and educating them should be a top priority.Being creative and enjoying the process are key steps to creating a better adsFresh Fuel marketing stands out as an as a marketing agency but not only helping brand attract customs but also keep them coming backThe brand views content related advertising as a top priority and follows a successful step-by-step process when it comes to engaging with customers through websites . Trevor believes you must educate your consumer before you can lead them in the direction of an offer, and this approach has helped their brands grow The agency takes their marketing a step further by recognizing that each brand’s end goal is not to receive a purchase from the customer but instead create a relationship.Trevor recommends having fun when creating the content and writing the ads, because the more fun that you have creating the landing page, the more enjoyable experienceStay tuned as Trevor discusses how Fresh Fuel Marketing not only fosters profit but also customer loyalty.If you’d like to learn more about Trend and our influencer marketing platform for influencers and brands visit trend.io. You can also follow us for tips on growing your following and running successful campaigns on Instagram and LinkedIn.Mentioned Links:Fresh Fuel Marketing website: https://freshfuelmarketing.com/Trevor Carlson’s Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/trevorcarlson1

“Mentioning free shipping and returns is something that can help to ease buyer concerns.” @jayde3sai #DTCPOD“Put together a link strategy for sending pre-filled carts via text using Shopify permalinks.” @jayde3sai #DTCPODWe Speak About:[00:46] Season Three email strategy to ease buyer concern[02:58] Shopify’s SMS link strategyTry this email from Season Three and this SMS link strategy from ShopifyIn today’s episode of fantastic emails and texts, we’re looking at content from Season Three and a great SMS tip if you have Shopify.Season Three is a brand that creates contemporary apparel influenced by art culture and an outdoor ethos, while our Shopify tip comes from Brian Dickey at Postscript.Season Three sends out a great informative email, while this Shopify tip is awesome for an SMS strategy that utilizes url links.Stay tuned as we dive into an awesome email from Season Three and an easy access SMS strategy for Shopify stores. If you’d like to learn more about Trend and our influencer marketing platform for influencers and brands visit trend.io. You can also follow us for tips on growing your following and running successful campaigns on Instagram and LinkedIn.Mentioned Links:Great email from Season Three: https://reallygoodemails.com/emails/free-shipping-and-returns-on-the-anselHow to send pre-filled carts via text with Shopify: https://twitter.com/BryanDickey_/status/1437910490374680581

“Understanding your point of differentiation is key.” @HectorIanG  #DTCPOD“If you're going to be serving in a large market, hundreds of thousands people are going to be eating your product or drinking your product so you want to make sure that it's as safe as it could possibly be.” @HectorIanG #DTCPOD“You have to be putting a product out there and engaging and thinking about what it takes to take it to the next level at the same time .” @HectorIanG #DTCPOD“Food items act differently in different environments and situations, so you need to be mindful of those variables.” @HectorIanG #DTCPOD“You can go far in a business with one product if you really focus on on delivering an amazing experience” @HectorIanG #DTCPODWe Speak About:[01:01] Hector introduces himself and JOI [02:21] How JOI became a business opportunity[05:05] What to be aware of when working with CPG[07:26] The transition from tabletop to manufacturing at scale [11:19] Elements to consider when scaling [14:13] Characteristics to look for in fulfillment partnership  [18:38] Defining internal and external fulfillment  [22:08] Balancing the bundles [25:12] How to continue innovating the product line[28:41] Challenges faced as a CEO and advice to other CEO’s[31:35] What’s next for JOI and where to find Hector onlineHow to go from your kitchen to manufacturing at scaleHector Gutierrez, CEO of JOI, joins the POD to give some insight on manufacturing and operations for JOI.JOI is a brand that specializes in plant milk concentrates.Hector recognized that there was a growing demand for clean, healthy, and sustainable eating, and he helped to develop a label that accommodated this need.A common approach taken when creating products for consumption is to start in the kitchen, and Hector discusses there successful strategy from taking the brand from tabletop to mass selling.Hector recognizes that products are bound to change when the environment in which they are created changes, and accommodating for this the best you can is an essential factor for sustainable growth.Growing your product requires talking to customersJOI stands out as an eCommerce brand company for its versatile, clean, and sustainable plant-based products.The brand has experienced continuous sustained growth by listening to their customers and being open to change as demand grows.Hector takes a strategic approach to achieving successful growth considering what can be done by the brand before deciding what needs to be done by a fulfillment partner. The brand has fostered further growth by innovating the product line and understanding how to accommodate all the factors of nation wide shipping.Hector recommends taking the time to look at every aspect of the brand to determine if you are going in the right direction.Stay tuned as Hector discusses how JOI went from tabletop to mass selling, and the operational procedures that got him there.If you’d like to learn more about Trend and our influencer marketing platform for influencers and brands visit trend.io. You can also follow us for tips on growing your following and running successful campaigns on Instagram and LinkedIn.Mentioned Links:JOI’s website: https://addjoi.com/Hector Gutierrez’s twitter: https://twitter.com/HectorIanG

“If you have complimentary products, you can use your email to act as a cross sell.” @jayde3sai #DTCPOD“The other thing that this text does really well is outline all of the different products that are going to be included” @jayde3sai #DTCPODWe Speak About:[00:30] Casper’s cross-selling email strategy [02:48] Kopari’s SMS outlineGrab this email from Casper and this SMS outline strategy from KopariIn today’s episode of fantastic emails and texts, we’re looking at content from Casper and and KopariCasper is a global brand that creates sleep essentials, while Kopari develops coconut based skincare productsCasper sends out a great outline email that promotes cross-selling, while Kopari has an awesome SMS that advertises their products with UGC.Stay tuned as we dive into an awesome email from Casper and a visual SMS strategy from KopariIf you’d like to learn more about Trend and our influencer marketing platform for influencers and brands visit trend.io. You can also follow us for tips on growing your following and running successful campaigns on Instagram and LinkedIn.Mentioned Links:Casper email example: https://twitter.com/KAEBEEBUI/status/1438852815363923971Where to find Kopari’s SMS with UGC: https://fantastictexts.com/beauty/

“We were tapping into a market that was really underserved, which was products with clean formulations” @thats_a_moret #DTCPOD“The only difference between an entrepreneur and everybody else is they had the guts to go out and do it.” @thats_a_moret #DTCPOD“After the first six months, you're going to learn so much and you're going to want to change everything.” @thats_a_moret #DTCPODWhen you're trying to grow and scale a company, you have to make decisions on the fly and learn how to get really good at that.” @thats_a_moret #DTCPOD“The more friction, the less likely we are to convert people to customers” @thats_a_moret #DTCPODWe Speak About:[01:04] Sarah introduces herself and Curie [02:43] How Curie became a business opportunity[06:34] The business growth journey [11:10] The importance of networking and embracing change [15:51] An essential skill set for running a business  [19:30] Questions to ask customers[23:53] Differentiating the product line[26:58] adding to the customer experience[29:59] Innovation, partnerships, and QR codes[33:26] What’s next for Curie and where to find Sarah Moret onlineHow Curie targeted an underserved need and created a business opportunity  Sarah Moret, Co-founder and CEO of Curie, joins the POD to give some insight on the  business’s growth, marketing strategy, and how the brand got started. Curie is a brand that develops natural and effective body care products Sarah recognized that when it comes to hygiene and deodorant, there is an increasing desire among customers for clean and effective ingredients. To fill this gap, Sarah created a brand that catered toward this efficacy A unique approach was taken to achieve organic growth by using social media as the primary source of advertising, and networking to as many people as possible to create word of mouth brand awareness Sarah recognizes that the beginning stages of starting a business should be heavily open to change as you learn more about your customers Customer feedback is crucial to driving growthCurie stands out as an eCommerce bodycare company for its effective and safe products. The brand has experienced growth and retention by prioritizing customer feedback to improve their products and differentiating themselves from the competition. Sarah takes a unique approach to achieving successful growth being open to change within any aspect of the business as she learns more about her customers The brand has fostered further growth by making quick decisions and not wasting time when it comes to solving a problem.Sarah recommends reaching out to loyal customs for input on how to better your business. Stay tuned as Sarah discusses how Curie stays ahead of its competitors and creative marketing strategiesIf you’d like to learn more about Trend and our influencer marketing platform for influencers and brands visit trend.io. You can also follow us for tips on growing your following and running successful campaigns on Instagram and LinkedIn.Mentioned Links:Curie’s website: https://curiebod.com/Sarah Moret’s twitter: https://twitter.com/thats_a_moret

“If your product has a lot of complicated ingredients or might be a product that's used within a specific niche, you want to try and make sure that you're not using jargon in your copy.” @jayde3sai #DTCPOD“If you have a product that can either improve someone's life or improve someone's situation, showing before and after pictures could be really useful.” @jayde3sai #DTCPODWe Speak About:[01:03] Kettle & Fire’s educational email[03:39] Snow’s before and after SMS strategy Try this email from Kettle & Fire and this SMS image strategy from SnowIn today’s episode of fantastic emails and texts, we’re looking at content from Kettle & Fire and SnowSnow is a brand that creates revolutionary products for oral care, while Kettle & Fire develops  bone broth made with bones from organically raised chickens or cattleKettle & Fire sends out a great educational email to inform customers of the benefits of bone broth, while Snow has an awesome SMS that shows how their products can improve your lifeStay tuned as we dive into an awesome email from Kettle & Fire and a visual SMS strategy  from Snow If you’d like to learn more about Trend and our influencer marketing platform for influencers and brands visit trend.io. You can also follow us for tips on growing your following and running successful campaigns on Instagram and LinkedIn.Mentioned Links:See Kettle & Fire’s educational email: https://twitter.com/debgotwired/status/1431998137225203719Where to find Snow’s SMS from the episode: https://fantastictexts.com/DTC POD episode with Kettle & Fire: https://trend.io/blog/kettle-and-fire-marketing-growth-strategy