“To get meaningful results from focus groups in CPG, you need to know who your target customer is, conduct blind product testing, and A/B test.” @aishacee #DTCPOD “The amount of product research you need to conduct is going to depend on your industry and your experience in your space.” @aishacee #DTCPOD “We waited until feedback said 90% of our customers loved our product and found it useful before deciding to launch.” @aishacee #DTCPOD “When customers share their thoughts over email, I’ll often...
Nov 05, 2020•30 min•Ep 52•Transcript available on Metacast “The recovery rate for cart abandonment is almost 2.5x greater using texts than email.” @yotpo #DTCPOD “If you don’t have brand right, you’re going to be starting with a rocky foundation. Make sure to do this in-house and don’t outsource it.” @jjeremycai #DTCPOD “Having a clean list has helped us get really high open-rates. We automatically unsubscribe anyone who hasn’t engaged with an email in 120 days.” @nomadgoods #DTCPOD “Take things from culture that already exist and put them into your bra...
Nov 03, 2020•10 min•Ep 51•Transcript available on Metacast “For a brand that’s sub-$10M in revenue, there has to be some kind of economic moat in the company that gets them to $10M.” @mrsharma #DTCPOD “You have to be consistently focused on product launches, figuring out what’s coming next, and listening to the customer.” @mrsharma #DTCPOD “Performance marketing should extend something that is already great. It shouldn’t be the tactic to build the business.” @mrsharma #DTCPOD “Having a developer on board allows you to move quickly - you can make changes...
Oct 29, 2020•24 min•Ep 50•Transcript available on Metacast “You shouldn’t look at the competition you should create a brand that stands for what you stand for and what you want to disrupt.” @uglyhugh #DTCPOD “I always recommend taking a night to sleep on ideas that can have a big impact on your business. Your thinking might be different the next morning.” @uglyhugh #DTCPOD “If you put a product into a store you probably won’t hear back until 12 months whereas with DTC you can get feedback within 2 weeks.” @uglyhugh #DTCPOD “Every time we make another ru...
Oct 27, 2020•28 min•Ep 49•Transcript available on Metacast “Even though there was a lot to learn as first-time founders but I think our lack of experience has led to innovation and belief we can do it.” @DeeCharlemagne #DTCPOD “Storytelling is really powerful especially in a world where most brands are focused on performance marketing.” @DeeCharlemagne #DTCPOD “One of our first meetings was writing down the values of our company as much as it was writing down the recipes for our product.” @DeeCharlemagne #DTCPOD “We traveled around in an AVEC-branded 19...
Oct 23, 2020•27 min•Ep 48•Transcript available on Metacast “A repeatable, standardized process can go a long way to making sure you have an effective and efficient campaign.” @jhcjr_ #DTCPOD “Finding creators for your campaign is one of the most crucial steps to campaign success.” @jhcjr_ #DTCPOD “It’s not enough to just include a checkmark that a creator is willing to join your campaign. Don’t forget things like shipping info, content rights, whitelisting, etc.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD “You should ship your product immediately once you agree to terms with a...
Oct 22, 2020•16 min•Ep 47•Transcript available on Metacast “You have to find a way to have scalable growth and be profitable while growing.” @DMTintner #DTCPOD “Using a subscription offering can help you achieve your return on ad spend a lot faster if your product needs to be replenished frequently.” @DMTintner #DTCPOD “If you pick the right creators to work with, they will naturally keep mentioning your product even if they aren’t being compensated for everything.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD “Consumers always want to lean into great user experience and great U...
Oct 18, 2020•32 min•Ep 46•Transcript available on Metacast “The reason why we have such a high open-rate is that we take a very aggressive approach to list cleansing.” @nomadgoods #DTCPOD “As soon as someone gets added to our email list they have about 120 days to engage with our content. If they don’t, we unsubscribe them.” @nomadgoods #DTCPOD “We send two types of emails: 1. Evergreen flows (cart abandonment, post-purchase, etc.) 2. Campaigns (product launches, flash sales, branded content, lifestyle content).” @nomadgoods #DTCPOD “We used to do a lot...
Oct 15, 2020•27 min•Ep 45•Transcript available on Metacast “Work with some of your best creators and influencers for Black Friday and Cyber Monday.” @jhcjr_ #DTCPOD “When someone sees your product in the hands of a creator, that social proof can speak volumes.” @jhcjr_ #DTCPOD “When you are partnering with content creators, leverage that content in email marketing.” @jhcjr_ #DTCPOD “FOMO is a great way to generate conversions for your business.” @jhcjr_ #DTCPOD “Make sure you repurpose content from creators.” @jhcjr_ #DTCPOD We speak about: [03:00] Make...
Oct 12, 2020•21 min•Ep 44•Transcript available on Metacast “In consumer commerce, you always have to be chasing your next customer.” @jjeremycai #DTCPOD “Even with the introduction of direct to consumer, the product quality and the product price points haven’t really changed much for consumers.” @jjeremycai #DTCPOD “The challenge with DTC is that once you saturate your core market, you see a big jump in customer acquisition.” @jjeremycai #DTCPOD “Sometimes your best customer might not convert immediately, they might be receiving your content for a while...
Oct 09, 2020•28 min•Ep 43•Transcript available on Metacast “Campaign guidelines mean setting the right expectations and setting yourself up for success.” @jhcjr_ #DTCPOD “Let the creator craft the message to their audience themselves.” @jhcjr_ #DTCPOD “You need content for your business to stay relevant.” @jhcjr_ #DTCPOD “Let your creator know what the campaign should and shouldn’t do.” @jhcjr_ #DTCPOD “Working with creators is great for going after tried-and-true audiences or testing out new audiences.” @jhcjr_ #DTCPOD We speak about: [02:00] The essen...
Oct 08, 2020•24 min•Ep 42•Transcript available on Metacast “Micro-influencers have a deeper connection with their followers.” @jhcjr_ #DTCPOD “Content that is produced on social channels by creators tends to be more authentic.” @jhcjr_ #DTCPOD “Make sure the expectations to the creator are clear and concise.” @jhcjr_ #DTCPOD “Focus on the content that your creator has produced in the past.” @jhcjr_ #DTCPOD “Find creators that have an audience that is perfect for your brand.” @jhcjr_ #DTCPOD We speak about: [02:05] How to pick the best creators [09:15] T...
Oct 05, 2020•21 min•Ep 41•Transcript available on Metacast “There’s too much of an opportunity cost to not know how well your content is doing.” @ramongberrios #DTCPOD “As soon as you see content perform, you immediately want to know how to make it better.” @ramongberrios #DTCPOD “Producing more content means you can stay top of mind.” @jadesai94 #DTCPOD “The faster you can test, the more data you can test, and the better decisions you can make.” @ramongberrios #DTCPOD “People are going to go to McDonald’s not because of the burger, but because of the e...
Oct 02, 2020•21 min•Ep 40•Transcript available on Metacast “49% of consumers are already signed up to receive text message marketing from brands.” @Yotpo #DTCPOD “The average person spends over four hours a day on their mobile device.” @Yotpo #DTCPOD “Consumers check their phone over 150 times a day.” @Yotpo #DTCPOD “Customers are deciding which channel they like to engage with more.” @Yotpo #DTCPOD “Consumers are actively interested in signing up for text messaging.” @Yotpo #DTCPOD We speak about: [00:55] About Yotpo [02:10] What is text message market...
Oct 01, 2020•24 min•Ep 39•Transcript available on Metacast “In-house content loses a little bit of its authenticity when you’re the one that’s being the creative director. You might know what you’re audience is looking for, but you may not be as highly tuned in as you think you are.” #DTCPOD “You don’t want to be making content using the same mug (if it’s a drink), the same kitchen, and the same person over and over.” #DTCPOD “If you really like a content creator, more discounts aren’t going to incentivize them.” #DTCPOD “We have a customer that’s put h...
Sep 29, 2020•17 min•Ep 38•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Jay is joined by Farhaj Mayan, Co-Founder and CEO at Kanna. Kanna is a people operations system for cannabis farms and dispensaries that helps manage staff and compliance, and offers these businesses vetted independent contractors available for hire. Farhaj kicks the podcast off with a little history of Kanna. Later in the episode, we discuss the rise of marketplaces (since Trend is also a marketplace), the gig economy, and the push to add structure to gig economy jobs in differ...
Sep 24, 2020•26 min•Ep 37•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Jay is joined by Brad Redding, Co-Founder of Elevar. Elevar is a platform that helps eCommerce brands better understand their marketing analytics through automation. In this podcast, Brad walks us through some common errors in Google Tag Manager for eCommerce brands and what are the most important events to track for. He also discusses events that can help move the needle for brands. One interesting feature of Google Tag Manager is tracking coupon codes across pages. This could ...
Sep 17, 2020•21 min•Ep 36•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Jay and Jamie are joined by Joe Christensen, Founder & CEO of MCTco. MCTco. is a protein keto bar snack company. Joe is here to share his experience of starting MCTco. Joe breaks down how he came up with the idea for MCTco.’s bars, what he had to learn to get started in the industry, and how he has had to reposition the brand. We also spoke with Joe about the biggest challenges he has faced and what he wished he did sooner in his business. Joe also mentions which brands have ins...
Sep 10, 2020•21 min•Ep 35•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Jay is joined by Chris Moe, COO and Co-Founder of Cartograph. Cartograph is an eCommerce focused agency that helps organic and natural CPG brands sell their products on Amazon. Chris joins us on the podcast to discuss how to sell better on Amazon. He walks us through how most of the value on Amazon is created upstream and what exactly is meant by that. We also discuss what you need to have in place before you sell on Amazon, why you need to sell on Amazon, and what product offer...
Sep 03, 2020•32 min•Ep 34•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Jay and Ramon are joined by Clark Nowlin, Founder of Golden Ratio. Golden Ratio is a coffee brand that sells gold coffee. On his launch day, Clark was able to generate over 10k in sales. During the podcast, Clark discusses how he was able to generate over 10k in sales on his launch, how much of it came from friends and family, and what sources he leaned into to generate revenue. Clark also talks about his founder story. He takes us through his path to starting a CPG brand and wh...
Aug 26, 2020•29 min•Ep 33•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Jay is joined by Nicolas Derico, Director of Marketing at Wayflyer. Wayflyer is a company that offers revenue-based financing for eCommerce brands. In this podcast, Nicolas discusses when is the right time for brands to seek out funding, along with the requirements they should meet. Nicolas also discusses what brands should use their funding as a means to grow their business. Finally, we will also dive into some specific marketing strategies that Nicolas believes are crucial for...
Aug 20, 2020•27 min•Ep 32•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Jay is joined by Celeste Markey, Founder & CEO of Careste. Careste is a new American luxury brand offering on-demand couture. In this podcast, Celeste shares learnings from her extensive experience in the fashion industry along with her inspiration for on-demand fashion. Celeste discusses why Careste has taken this unique approach along with some of the benefits and challenges of going on-demand. We also cover what came first, the product or the brand, some recommendations for f...
Aug 13, 2020•22 min•Ep 31•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Jay and Ramon are joined by Emmett Shine, Co-Founder and Executive Creative Director at Pattern Brands. Pattern (previously Gin Lane) creates purposeful brands that inspire you to learn, experiment, and enjoy. Before Pattern, Emmett has worked with big brands such as Sweetgreen, Bonobos, Everlane, Harrys, Smile Direct Club, Shake Shack, Quip, hims and more. In this podcast, Emmett sits down with us to share about what influenced him to create Pattern, his thoughts about building...
Aug 06, 2020•34 min•Ep 30•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Jay and Ramon are joined by Salim Najjar, Co-Founder of SOUND. SOUND is a beverage brand that sells tea-based sparkling beverages. Salim is here to share his and his Co-Founder’s experience of starting SOUND. Salim breaks down where the idea for SOUND came from, how they were able to crack retail, and how they are shifting to DTC during the pandemic. In addition to covering the success story of SOUND, Salim also covers some of the challenges he’s faced and offers recommendations...
Jul 30, 2020•28 min•Ep 29•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Jay and Ramon are joined by Robby Switzer and Nathan Otwell from SHOPANOVA. SHOPANOVA is an agency that helps online stores get massive eCommerce growth. They specialize in paid media, specifically Facebook and Instagram ads. Facebook and Instagram ads are a popular growth channel for eCommerce businesses. The wide audience on these platforms allows new brands to reach a ton of consumers with a smaller advertising budget. But running Facebook ads does not always guarantee succes...
Jul 23, 2020•41 min•Ep 28•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Jay discusses how you can use user-generated content to help provide social proof and grow your brand. We’ve said it over and over on Trend (and so have others!), social proof is king! What better way to show social proof than through user-generated content. If you have paid for creating user-generated content, or just have a big library of, you may be wondering how you can leverage this powerful content even more to grow your brand. We’ll discuss 8 channels you can use user-gen...
Jul 16, 2020•12 min•Ep 27•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Jay is joined by guest Michael Cole, VP of Marketing at Everflow. Everflow is a partner marketing platform that helps businesses track results from partnerships through clickless tracking and offers real-time analytics. Businesses doing influencer marketing are receiving a 6x ROI. Ever heard that before? Many businesses have, and haven’t found quite the success they expected when trying influencer and affiliate marketing on their own. One of the biggest reasons why is because of...
Jul 08, 2020•38 min•Ep 26•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Jay and Ramon are joined by guest Evan Rallis, Marketing Product Manager at MarketerHire. MarketerHire is a premium marketer network that helps connect expert freelance marketers with businesses quickly and seamlessly. Finding success in marketing, especially ad campaigns can be a daunting task for eCommerce brands. As a result, some brands are turning to freelance marketers who are experts in paid social to help make their ads overperform, scale, and generate a ton of revenue f...
Jul 02, 2020•26 min•Ep 25•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Ramon discusses how to grow as a creator, along with some of the challenges you may face. In the old days, creators only had a few digital outlets to share their content. Now, there are dozens of ways to grow a creator’s brand. From videos on YouTube, to Instagram, to podcasts, to blogs, to maybe even selling your own product line online, options for creators today are endless. But, how do you manage your time and your challenges so that you can grow as a creator? Through differ...
Jun 25, 2020•13 min•Ep 24•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Jay discusses how influencers are starting to gain more power over monetizing their content. In the early days of influencers, creators were left to fend for themselves to monetize their content. Social platforms ran ads but none of that money went to creators. So influencers had to sell themselves to brands, or create their way to monetize using tools like Patreon, their own merch, etc. Now we are starting to see a shift in the creator economy with platforms starting to share s...
Jun 18, 2020•12 min•Ep 23•Transcript available on Metacast 
