DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built

“There's no ideal or perfect founder background. It's a collection of different experiences that ultimately bubble into a skill set that arms you to be strong in certain categories” @matt.mullenax #DTCPOD“We preach efficiency across everything that we do from supply chain to marketing to hiring.” @matt.mullenax #DTCPOD“We're trying to better serve the consumer who's been historically underserved for quite some time.” @matt.mullenax #DTCPOD“People are digging into the why behind brands, identifying the personality of brands and the personas who make up these brands. What exists behind the scenes people seem to be a lot more interested in and it gives us more runway” @irleslie #DTCPOD“You have to find some time to do the things that will keep you going for the long run.” @matt.mullenax #DTCPODWe Speak About:[00:48] Matt introduces himself and Huron[06:38] How the brand developed and differentiated to cater to its target audience  [09:18] Past experience that has driven brand strategy [12:36] Product positioning for an underserved market[15:12] Curating a marketing strategy through brand persona [17:14] The importance of risk mitigation [18:48] How positive feedback turned brand testing into brand growth [20:19] The fundraising strategy   [22:59] Advice to DTC founders [25:35] Where to find Huron and Matt Mullenax onlineBringing a DTC brand to an underserved marketMatt Mullenax, co-founder and CEO of Huron, joins the POD to give some insight about his skincare company’s growth and marketing strategies.Huron is a hair and skincare business catered towards men in a direct-to-consumer market. Matt saw the beauty industry as a market underserved towards men, and developed products to better serve their needs. He developed his products by forming a strong persona around his brand that derived from his own personal struggle with discovering effective skin and hair care products.Huron’s differentiation and eCommerce product strategyHuron stands out as a high quality and affordable skin and hair care brand catered towards men. It is an eCommerce company paving its way in the beauty industry.Matt noticed a disconnect between men and the beauty industry and created a brand to fill that gap. From packaging to effective formulas, the products are designed to meet the needs of a growing consumer. Matt talks about how creating a brand persona is a leading factor in Huron’s marketing strategy, and offers advice to other DTC businneses on how to build a successful company. Stay tuned as Matt discusses Huron’s marketing strategy and growth through the growing men’s skincare market. 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:Huron’s website: https://usehuron.com/Huron’s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/usehuron/Matt Mullenax’s email: matt@usehuron.com  Matt Mullenax’s instagram:instagram.com/matt.mullenax/  

“User-generated video has become even more popular thanks to TikTok and Instagram Reels.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD“When you use video, you’re able to tell a better story than you would be able to with images.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD“Video editing tools for beginners has really improved over the past few years making UGV an inexpensive form of content to produce.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD“Social monitoring can be a great starting point for finding user-generated video that already exists.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD“The emotional approach is going to get people to buy regardless of whatever the price, convenience or product is.” @jadesai #DTCPODWe Speak About:[00:20] Why user-generated video?[01:25] Stats on performance of UGV [02:00] User-generated video might be better than user-generated images[03:05] UGVs growth with consumers[03:20] Platforms and tools that support user-generated video[04:25] How to generate UGV[05:10] Who to use in user-generated video[05:30] UGV contests[06:05] Working with creators for user-generated videoUser-generated video might be the secret to unlocking better performance If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a video is worth a million words.Today’s best DTC brands are using video to convert even more customers and complement the customer journey.Thanks to advances in software, it’s easier than ever for customers and creators to make high-quality videos (and edit them too!). That gives brands who use video a big advantage when it comes to selling customers.Video how-tos, product unboxing, and more are all expected from consumers today.Stay tuned as we discuss the benefits of using video, what types of videos to produce, and where to get content.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:More on UGV: https://trend.io/blog/user-generated-video-content

“That's the beauty of Pinterest. You don't have to spend a lot. It's a very, very low spend   platform.” @lynnpowered #DTCPOD“Out of all the social platforms there are, Pinterest is the one that has the most empathy and the most positivity.” @lynnpowered #DTCPOD“There's lots of things you can do with no money, unpaid social being an obvious one and creating your own content.” @lynnpowered #DTCPOD“And then partnerships. That's the other thing you can do, which costs nothing. We have partnered with a bunch of like minded brands, other clean beauty brands, other luxury brands, other female founded brands.” @lynnpowered #DTCPOD“We're all about sustainability. We make products that are good for you and good for the environment.” @lynnpowered #DTCPODWe Speak About:[01:11] Lynn introduces herself and MASAMI[02:55] How the brand got started [06:31] Utilizing Pinterest to build brand awareness[09:08] Navigating Pinterest as a developing social commerce tool[11:49] Digital marketing techniques to promote product purchase[13:54] How the brand progressed to paid advertising  [16:11] Content creation mechanisms to foster brand growth[19:55] The benefits of promoting brand through Pinterest[24:23] Additional social media strategies to build the brand[27:00] How partnerships can add value to a brand[28:50] How MASAMI used Pinterest to help promote giveaways [30:31] Future of MASAMI and its growth[31:05] Where to find MASAMI onlineHow MASAMI built a brand awareness channel with PinterestLynn Power, co-founder and CEO of MASAMI, joins the POD to share a little bit about the haircare’s marketing strategies and utilizing Pinterest to foster brand awareness.MASAMI is a premium hair care line with a unique ingredient and clean formulation, promoting brand recognition through partnerships and social media platfroms.  However, the co-founder and CEO saw Pinterest as an underused advertising source, and used this platform to create brand awareness and test different types of content forms.Tapping into user-generated content and product content to growMASAMI stands out in the beauty industry by promoting sustainable and clean beauty products. While differentiating through a unique ingredient, Mekabu, MASAMI promotes this quality through their many channels.MASAMI has tapped into the online media platforms as their main source of brand promotion; However, Lynn took this a step further by using Pinterest as a social commerce tool. Pinterest offers a different perspective for brand recognition, and this community provides insight into MASAMI’s products while merging with other media platforms to create a purchase point.    Lynn recommends partnerships as another advertising technique that can add value to your brand. This is a technique MASAMI uses to support other start up businesses and add value to its own.Stay tuned as Lynn discusses how MASAMI uses social media platforms in a unique way to advertise their brand and gain a following. 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:MASAMI’s website: https://www.loveMASAMI.com/MASAMI’s Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/loveMASAMIhair/Mamai’s Instagram: https://instagram.com/loveMASAMIhair/

“When you're building your loyalty program, make sure and focus your efforts on understanding what drives loyalty for your customers.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD“When you're thinking about your rewards and loyalty program, tie it back to business objectives.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD“Points might be more effective for targeting spending habits and engagement, while discounts might be a good way to get people to purchase a new product.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD“You need to educate customers on your brand story or leverage inner purchase engagement to drive repeat purchases” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD“The emotional approach is going to get people to buy regardless of whatever the price, convenience or product is.” @jadesai #DTCPODWe Speak About:[00:50] How loyalty programs help to compete in big markets[01:55] The importance of tailoring  loyalty programs to the customer [03:42] Factors to consider when building a loyalty program[05:31] The three different types of loyalty programs[06:39] The transactional approach and the brands that benefit [07:35] The benefits of a functional approach and what brands it is tailored towards [08:58] The perks of an emotional approach and what goals it accomplishes Loyalty programs provide a competitive edge that cater to specific brand goals Today, there are hundreds of DTC brands competing in product types. Not to mention most brands have to also compete with retailers and Amazon.So how do you foster brand recognition and preference?    One way to successfully attract and retain customers is through loyalty programs. There are three major types of loyalty programs, all catered towards different business objectives. Getting customers to repurchase and prefer your brand is extremely important for a business. Loyalty programs foster these activities and provide brand growth. Stay tuned as we discuss how to build a loyalty program, the types of approaches, and which approach is right for you. 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:More on loyalty programs: https://www.yotpo.com/direct-to-consumer-loyalty-playbook/

“A consumer's attention is a finite resource. Make sure you do the most with the time you have with them.” @alliareed #DTCPOD“Reddit is a wonderful tool for research, for tapping into that community and getting a finger on feedback for a product.” @alliareed #DTCPODI didn't spend any money on marketing or advertising of any kind for the first three years. So it was 100% organic growth.” @alliareed #DTCPOD“On Instagram, I shared the science that I was discovering behind the research, and it was something that you couldn't really get anywhere else because there weren't a lot of people manufacturing cosmetics live.” @alliareed #DTCPOD“I think there is a unique challenge in selling direct to consumer skincare in that if you're selling fashion, you can like how it looks. Skincare isn’t something you can necessarily convey digitally. ” @alliareed #DTCPODWe Speak About:[00:53] Alli introduces herself and Stratia [03:21] How Stratia became an unanticipated entrepreneurship opportunity[04:14] Previous work experience that helped shape the marketing strategy for Stratia[06:57] Utilizing Reddit as a foundation for building the brand [10:37] How the brand stays an active part of the consumer community [12:05] How the marketing mix has altered as the brand has progressed[14:16] The social media platforms that enabled early product growth [15:38] Growth strategies on Instagram that differentiated the brand[18:30] The unique approach for promoting through TikTok [20:19] Challenges faced with differentiating the brand through social media[22:30] How to avoid common mistakes when building a business [24:04] Industry networking for Stratia Skincare[25:30] What’s next for Stratia and where to find Stratia Skincare, and Alli Reed onlineHow Reddit helped launched Stratia skincare from hobby into full-time jobAlli Reed, Owner of Stratia Skincare, joins the POD to give some insight on the direct-to-consumer business’s growth, marketing strategy, and how the brand got started. Stratia Skincare is a cosmetic brand focused on being affordable and effective that started off on Reddit and exponentially grew.Alli had no expectations of the product developing into a large entrepreneurship opportunity; However, the product grew a natural following and boomed from there. No marketing or advertising expenses were involved for the first three years of production. Brand growth was fostered by positive reviews and word of mouth. Product growth transitioned the marketing mix and sales coming from reddit have extended to other platforms. As the business has grown it has now saturated credit markets.Alli recognizes that Stratia is an authentic cosmetic company that will continue to grow, as direct- to-consumer companies are gaining more attention due to COVID-19 increasing online shopping.Sometimes in DTC, it pays to market differentlyStratia Skincare stands out as an eCommerce cosmetic company that delivers simple, effective, and affordable products. The brand further differentiates itself by providing the science behind the ingredients in their products and sharing this knowledge with their consumers. A large percentage of their business now comes from instagram, and Alli is now utilizing TikTok to further the brand’s growth.Alli takes a unique approach of showing how knowledge based the brand is and the level of research involved, through social media platforms.  Alli recommends seeking advice from established companies in the industry you are getting into to avoid simple mistakes. Stay tuned as Alli discusses how Stratia Skincare has grown from a small hobby into a successful business. 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:Stratia Skincare website: https://www.stratiaskin.com/Stratia Skincare instagram: https://instagram.com/stratiaskin/  Stratia Skincare TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@stratiaskin/Alli Reed’s email: Alli@stratiaskin.com

“Brand exclusives and community go hand-in-hand for brands. You need a great offer to get customers in your community.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD“Communities can be brand-owned or not brand-owned. It just depends on the bandwidth you have.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD“If you decide to create a brand-owned community, build it where your audience is. Don’t just build it on Facebook because it’s Facebook.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD“Communities can be a great source of product feedback. They can tell you what new products they want next too.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD“Make sure to have a qualification process on how to decide when customers can enter your exclusive community.” @jadesai94 #DTCPODWe Speak About:[00:45] Driving community and how it relates to exclusives[01:30] Benefits to offer to your community[02:40] Brands that do a great job with exclusives and community[04:45] Brand-owned communities vs non-brand owned communities[05:05] Companies that have brand-owned communities[06:35] How to build brand-owned communities[08:55] Advantages of building communities[11:05] What you need to run a communityBrand communities - it’s time to start building one if you haven’tEverybody knows the power of community. So why is it that some brands don’t invest in it?Brand communities can be a powerful tool when done right. They can be great sources of feedback, recurring revenue, and even reduce support tickets.A good community feeds off of each other and acts like an extra employee and a super customer, spreading the word about your brand and buying up a lot of products.Communities can be either brand-owned or not brand-owned. There’s no right or wrong choice between the two. They are just different.To get people to buy into your community though, you might need to sweeten your offerStay tuned as we discuss where to build communities, what’s a brand-owned community, brands that are crushing community, and more.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 DTC brand communities: https://socialladderapp.com/2020/02/11/4-dtc-brand-communities-we-love/Steps to build online communities: https://www.bigcommerce.com/blog/online-communities/#7-steps-for-building-an-online-community

“The more you’re able to provide DTC type tools on a B2B scale, you’ll be better off and have a leg up.” @irleslie #DTCPOD“Where we differentiate is a lot of small things that add up to people wanting to be a part of our brand.” @irleslie #DTCPOD“What makes us unique is that we really don’t have to segment by “office-desk chairs” because we’re not traditional office furniture.” @irleslie #DTCPOD“We never have a lack of data. I think what's tough for us is to really extrapolate what's the important data and what's the actionable data points.” @irleslie #DTCPOD“If you have good people and the position is not working, recognize if they bring value to the company, then figure out how to make it work in another position.”  @irleslie #DTCPODWe Speak About:[01:00] Ian introduces himself and Industry West[02:10] How Industry West became grew a DTC channel after focusing on B2B[04:06] B2B verticals versus eCommerce[06:00] How Industry West stands out with quality, curation, and sales support[08:00] Curating the catalog with the CEO for cool, cost-effective products[10:10] Importance of retaining acquired customers[12:20] Insight into traditional versus eCommerce sales cycles in the furniture industry[14:45] How Industry West targets customers online[18:00] The data, tools, and metrics used to track financials of advertising and sales[21:00] Value of having the right people and an eCommerce director[24:30] eCommerce tools that improve conversion rates[27:15] Future of Industry West and its growth[28:25] Where to find Industry West, Favor, and Ian Leslie onlineBringing a B2B furniture store to eCommerceIan Leslie, CMO of Industry West, joins the POD to share a little bit about the eCommerce furniture company’s growth and marketing strategies.Industry West is a furniture retailer with bold designs for modern living that started off on the B2B side. However, the founder and CEO saw the need for an eCommerce play in their industry. This allowed Industry West to connect directly and quickly with interior designers to support B2B furniture needs.Only five years ago, Industry West became more residential and consumer focused, which has heightened because of COVID.Ian recognizes that B2B is a legacy vertical overall, but doesn’t tend to be eCommerce friendly. If the verticals adapt well, companies that are able to provide DTC tools on a B2B scale will have a leg up.Industry West’s differentiation and eCommerce toolsIndustry West stands out, not only as an eCommerce furniture company but also due to its quality of products, customer experience, and curated catalog. The process of choosing products starts with the CEO and is then collaboratively developed with the product development team. This is how Industry West finds quality products that are cost-effective. These products are typically sold in the furniture industry’s vertical through emails and customer calls. Industry West receives a large percentage of their business this way, and Ian understands that this segment of the market will always exist.Nevertheless, Industry West has seen growth in online sales as a result of digital tools and website development. Three tools that Ian Leslie recommends to measure KPIs are Nosto for e-Commerce personalization, Magento for business intelligence, and Google Analytics to track daily website traffic. Stay tuned as Ian discusses how Industry West has grown in a traditional B2B space as a DTC eCommerce platform. 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:Industry West’s website: https://www.industrywest.com/Favor’s website: https://infavorof.com/Ian Leslie’s Twitter account: https://twitter.com/irleslie/

“The most common subscription model for eCommerce is a replenishment model. People receive new orders, every X months.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD“If you’re able to move more customers to a subscription model, you start to operate more like a software business with recurring revenue.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD“Creating recurring revenue through subscriptions can help you forecast sales much better. Especially if you’re retaining those subscriptions.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD“When you get customers to subscribe, you should focus on turning them into superfans.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD“Subscription models are often the fastest way to increase lifetime value for a customer.” @jadesai94 #DTCPODWe Speak About:[00:55] Different types of eCommerce subscription models[02:30] The perfect business model for subscription[03:15] High margins and subscription models[03:45] Some benefits of an eCommerce subscription model[04:55] Incentives for getting customers to subscribe[06:25] Ideas for turning subscribers into raving fans[08:15] Using subscription customers to optimize ad spend[08:55] Tools for running your subscription businesseCommerce subscription is your friend for increasing lifetime valueWe’ve all seen DTC and eCommerce brands ask to subscribe and save. But how do you run a subscription model that actually gets customers to subscribe?The first thing you’re going to need to successfully run a subscription model is a great business and great brand.Getting customers to subscribe is incredibly valuable to your business. When customers subscribe you don’t need to spend money reacquiring them and your lifetime value increases.To get more customers to subscribe, you are going to have to make an unbeatable offer. A good offer makes customers feel special and feel rewarded for subscribing.Stay tuned as we discuss what makes up the perfect business for subscription, some incentive ideas for your brand, and how to use subscribers to optimize ad spend.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:Types of eCommerce subscription models: https://www.coredna.com/blogs/ecommerce-subscription-servicesDTC POD with Italic on access subscription model: https://trend.io/blog/founder-stories-jeremy-cai-italic

“We really invested in our formulations, which allowed us to scale because our products work and our return rate is less than one percent.” @itmebenji #DTCPOD“The space is becoming more crowded, but I view that as very validating and not something that keeps me up at night.” @itmebenji #DTCPOD“We made our facial cleansers in solid stick form, like a deodorant stick. We really took care and effort to make sure that our cleansing experience was pretty enjoyable.” @itmebenji #DTCPOD“We really started to find our stride and figure out how to speak to customers better. And that's what's allowed us to scale so quickly.” @itmebenji #DTCPOD“I took stock and thought about and reflected on that where society was heading and had a lot of conviction about skincare becoming a much bigger part of men's lives.” @itmebenji #DTCPODWe Speak About:[00:50] Ben’s background in health and wellness[03:45] How and why Disco was created [07:45] Disco’s customer validation in a crowded market[13:20] Getting a “good handle” on an estimate of users[15:25] How Ben realized there is a growing market for men’s skincare[18:25] Branding and pricing standpoint to compete against drugstores, and big brands[21:20] Creating organic and UGC content to educate consumers and solve problems[25:15] Ben talks about the challenges of being a founder[28:20] Three steps to connect better with customers that were a turning point for Disco[31:20] How Disco educates their customers about skincare in post-purchase content[33:40] Where to find Disco on socials and the webStanding out in a crowded, yet growing marketBenjamin Smith, founder & CEO of Disco, joins the POD to talk about changing the standard for men’s skincare and the importance of customer validation.Disco is a science-backed skincare brand with a focus on product development for a growing market of men.Benjamin has always been invested in his own health and wellness, especially skincare. Growing up, a family friend and dermatologist who is now Disco’s medical advisor, taught him how to take care of his skin early on.Having a dermatologist on the Disco teams helps them create clean products with deliberately chosen ingredients.There’s a gold rush to capture the market share of men, and the skincare space is crowded, but Ben views this as validating. Having a unique brand and effective products, allows Disco to reach its target consumers.A founder’s perspective, the importance of listening to customersBen understands from experience the challenges of being a founder. From the launch to the middle of last year, Disco had a low conversion rate and couldn’t figure out how to acquire users properly. Ben even ran out of money a couple of times.Finally, in the summer of last year, Disco found its stride by learning how to speak to customers better. That’s what allowed them to scale so quickly, especially in the last six to seven months.The three actions Ben took for Disco to reach its recent turning point were adding a post-survey into the checkout process, reaching out to customers for feedback, and noticing patterns between the two. Post-purchase surveys had five different reasons why customers may have purchased Disco. This gave real data from customer responses to understand why people were actually buying.Reaching out to customers, Ben received valuable feedback about the website experience and the product that was similar to post-purchase survey responses. Ben learned Disco needed to acquire customers in a different way. That’s when they really had a product-market fit and started to grow. Stay tuned as Ben discusses how he validated Disco, how to scale an eCommerce brand fast, and how Disco is using content to grow.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:Disco’s Tik Tok account: www.tiktok.com/@letsdiscoDisco’s Instagram account: www.instagram.com/letsdiscoDisco website: www.letsdisco.com

“To address operating constraints created by free shipping, consider adjusting your offer to create efficiency for your business.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD“Sometimes you’ll see AOV dip with free shipping but that’s usually because of price points when consumers earn free shipping.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD“Even if your AOV falls, make sure to pay attention to other metrics like conversion rate to see the bigger picture.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD“Creating FOMO in regards to your shipping can be a great way to boost orders on certain days.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD“Don't let pushback from one-time purchasers impact your pricing strategy. Focus on building lifetime value and super fans.” @jadesai94 #DTCPODWe Speak About:[01:20] Heartland Bread’s price change to fit in free shipping[02:20] How free shipping affect Heartland Bread’s conversion rate[03:30] Impact of free shipping on order size[05:05] Free shipping effect on daily money intake[05:55] How free shipping affected Heartland Bread’s daily money intake[06:45] Heartland Bread’s decision to change shipping process[08:30] Customer reaction to price strategy change[09:55] How to A/B price strategy and free shipping changesIs free shipping something to consider for your brand?Free shipping. Everybody loves it. So why is it that some brands choose to pass shipping costs to customers?Is it because of logistics issues? Is something else?In this episode of the DTC POD, we dive into Heartland Bread’s decision to change its pricing strategy and offer free shipping for its customers.Based on the price of your product, free shipping is something you may or may not want to consider.If your product is less expensive, rolling shipping costs into the product could make your product too expensive for customers. If your product is more expensive, free shipping might be a no-brainer.Stay tuned as we discuss Heartland Bread’s previous pricing strategy, their new strategy with free shipping, and the effect it had on their business.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:More on Heartland Bread’s free shipping strategy: https://sendeats.com/blog/free-shipping/