Wednesday, March 6

The 5 things in DTC you need to know today

🚨 In today’s newsletter đźš¨

  • Navigating the Complex Consumer Journey in an Omnichannel World

  • eCommerce and Human Sales Teams: The Dynamic Duo of D2C Success

  • Making Multichannel Work for D2C

Let’s get into it👇

SOCIAL
#1 - Navigating the Complex Consumer Journey in an Omnichannel World

The Rundown: Today's consumer journeys don't follow a neat, linear path to purchase. Social platforms, influencer marketing, and omnichannel retail have made the road to conversion unpredictably dynamic and complex in my view.

Connecting to Customers: Brands need to meet consumers wherever they wander - whether that's discovering products on TikTok or asking an influencer for advice. Understanding intent-driven behaviors across digital touchpoints is the key to success, arguably.

Opportunities for Brands:

  • Test in-platform shopping with features like shoppable video to smooth the path to purchase

  • Work with nano and micro influencers to build connections anchored in authenticity

  • Jump on trends and launches using TikTok’s unique and unrivaled search and viral feeds

  • Invest in post-purchase care to nurture customer lifetime value

Measuring Impact:

  • Track social commerce conversion rates

  • Analyze influencer campaign reach and engagement

  • Monitor share of voice on TikTok around branded and trending topics

The Future: As digital platforms continue to integrate content and community with commerce, new consumer experiences will emerge that could be game-changing.

Our Take: Lean into uncertainty by testing creative initiatives now that could shape tomorrow’s consumer expectations. Meet people wherever they are on their journey, even when the path has twists and turns that can seem daunting at first.

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SALES
#3 - eCommerce and Human Sales Teams: The Dynamic Duo of D2C Success

The Rundown: A thought-provoking article recently shed light on how ecommerce, far from being a threat, actually supercharges the effectiveness of human sales teams.

Connecting with Customers: D2C customers these days expect a seamless online buying experience. eCommerce platforms not only meet this demand but also provide valuable insights into customer behavior and preferences, helping sales teams better understand and serve their audience.

Unlocking D2C Potential:

  • Personalize product recommendations and marketing messages using ecommerce data

  • Offer round-the-clock customer support and sales assistance with chatbots and AI-powered tools

  • Drive customer loyalty with exclusive online promotions and rewards programs

  • Collaborate with influencers and affiliates to increase ecommerce site traffic

  • Boost customer lifetime value through subscription models and auto-reorder options

Measuring Success:

  • Monitor essential ecommerce metrics such as conversion rate, average order value, and customer acquisition cost

  • Stay attuned to customer satisfaction by tracking social media sentiment and online reviews

Looking Ahead: As D2C ecommerce evolves, expect to see more brands harnessing AI and machine learning to streamline pricing, inventory management, and marketing efforts. Augmented reality and virtual try-on features will also gain popularity, enhancing the online shopping experience.

The Bottom Line: D2C brands that recognize ecommerce as a powerful ally to their human sales teams will be the frontrunners in the industry. By leveraging technology to handle routine tasks, sales reps can focus on building strong customer relationships and driving growth, ultimately creating a formidable competitive edge in the market.

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RESOURCES
#4 - Things Worth Checking Out

SHOPPING - Online shoppers who skip auto-fill subscriptions want control over their time

AI - Retail organizations need to get more familiar with AI

SEO - Four easy but powerful ecommerce link building strategies

REPORT - D2C sales hit new high and projected to become $60bn industry by fy27

STOCK - 4 must-know facts about Shopify before you buy the stock

MARKETING
#5 - Making Multichannel Work for D2C

The Rundown: As ecommerce grows, D2C brands have more sales channels than ever before to connect with customers - from social to marketplaces to even brick-and-mortar stores. But scaling across multiple touchpoints comes with challenges around managing branding, inventory and data. In my view, it's crucial yet tricky to get right.

Connecting with Customers: Today's buyers use multiple channels when browsing and purchasing products. By meeting shoppers wherever they are, D2C companies can increase awareness and conversion potential at each stage of the journey. This is arguably the biggest perk of going multichannel.

Opportunities for Brands:

  • Experiment with emerging channels like shoppable livestreams or short-form video commerce - both have exciting potential.

  • Enable frictionless social buying through Instagram or TikTok - lean into where your customers already spend time.

  • Partner with relevant micro-influencers to drive channel-specific referrals.

  • Host local pop-up events to showcase products and connect with communities. Pop-ups let brands bring their world to life.

Measuring Performance:

  • Analyze acquisition, retention and lifetime value by channel - the key metrics to watch.

  • Break down metrics by traffic source and buying phase - this shows what's working at each step.

  • Survey customers on preferred purchase platforms - the best data comes straight from buyers.

The Road Ahead: The future is omnichannel - unifying back-end inventory and data to create consistent experiences across touchpoints. This approach is non-negotiable for modern D2C brands in my view.

Our Take: Choosing the right channels for your brand and customers is critical. Start small by adding just 1-2 new outlets and scale from there as you learn more about performance. Moving slow but steady tends to work best.

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