The Shelf Life: Recent Episodes

Repeat

CPG is a grind, but it's easier when we share the journey together. We are talking to CPG founders and operators to discover how they are playing the long game when it comes to growing a brand. We’re talking customer experience, retention, loyalty, and true customer connection. If you chose The Shelf Life or The Shelf Life chose you... you're in the right place.

Ramping Your Brand is required reading here at Repeat because it perfectly explains how retention plays into sustainable growth of an emerging CPG brand. Today we have the author joining us to explain his growth formula and how retention and heavy users play into the right type of growth, and why you shouldn't chase as many doors as possible early.

Dr. James Richardson
His book = Ramping Your Brand
His course = Consumer Marketing for Founders

Here's what we're covering:

Why brands want to grow at a certain speed
James explains why growing doors is not growth, growth comes from consumption
Big Co and emerging CPG grow differently but Big Co has to disclose it to Wall St
There are certain categories that lend them self better to repeat purchase dynamics
James talks about how to increase consumption frequency
We discuss the sweet spot of customers to target with retention
Symbolic connection is everything
Mass advertising is the cheapest per impression but unobtainable for almost everyone
You need to infiltrate a niche instead of going after mass market
James shares where he sees the value in DTC
James shares the courses he offers

No one goes to school to be a CPG operator, so how do you find and attract the right talent for your business? Today we have Diana Benedikt, Executive Recruiter for CPG brands, joining the show. We're discussing how to attract the right talent, where to look, and some common mistakes while recruiting.

https://www.newmansearchgroup.com/

Here's what we're covering:

What's the talent market look like for CPG?
Tips for retaining your top talent
How remote work attracts talent
Building an interview process
Why matching the stage of your company to the talent you are looking at is VITAL
Importance of building an advisory board
What non-CPG industries have transferable skills and knowledge
What areas of the business are the most searched for right now
Is the economic environment changing how people source talent?

The term "born on TikTok" is becoming more and more popular as brands build a following and virality around content that drives demand for the brand. But what happens next? Hannah Perez from SEEQ is joining to talk through the initial strategy for growth and how that growth strategy for a "born on TikTok" brand starts to change over time.

https://seeqsupply.com/

TikTok accounts mentioned:

SEEQ Brand Account
Ben's Personal Account

Here's what we cover today:

Hannah explains that growing from zero via TikTok was always the plan
Sampling videos are what gained virality at the start
We talk about how the content has/has not changed since launch
Personal accounts are used to stay socially relevant while brand accounts are used to communicate functional benefits
Hannah gives her advice for other brands jumping into TikTok
We talk about the benefits and draw backs of being a born on TikTok brand
We talk about why SEEQ is using paid advertising to diversify instead of doubling down just on TikTok
Hannah explains why their content list is so important for traffic coming from TikTok
We talk at length about how customers from TikTok are converted into lifelong customers via email and SMS

Other content referenced:
Stryx on how to build on TikTok

How is "big CPG" different than emerging brands? Your initial response might be something like they are slower, less tech savy, and less innovative than the emerging brands. After this chat with Carter Jensen, Global Lead of DTC, for General Mills I can say that those commonly held assumptions just aren't true.

Carter mentions a few GMI brands in the episode here are just a few of them:

Ratio Foods
Doolies
Epic Provisions

Here's what we cover in today's episode:

Carter shares the three tier framework that he builds the DTC strategy around at General Mills
We go in depth around what DTC to Learn means to Carter
Carter shares how their incubator brands learn and validate ideas
Carter explains that the DTC teams at General Mills are using most of the same tools as today's emerging brands
We explain why Shopify has been huge for their growth
We go in depth around DTC to Brand Build
Carter shares an example of how they use DTC to grow the Wheaties brand and community
We go in depth around DTC for Sales
Carter explains that they need to use DTC to boost their already established distribution... not take away from it

You want to find out what makes your best customers stick around, but where do you start? Today Elissa from Jill Health is joining us to talk about how she gets customers to share feedback over the phone, what she asks, and how to discover who you should be talking to.

https://jill.health/

Don't overcomplicate who you choose to talk to at the start, choose something and go
If you have already started these conversations you can then start to look at cohorts with a certain amount of orders
Surveying is good, but having a one on one conversations is better
Elissa shares how she used SMS marketing to get customers on the phone that were willing to talk
About a third of people Elissa messaged were willing to share feedback
Elissa shares what she was trying to discover with one on one conversations
We chat about health and wellness' needing to cut back on packaging
The best question to ask
Elissa shares examples of how these learnings have changed how Jill Health operates

Celebrity brands are always interesting. Even more so when the celebrity has built a huge following on social like Mr. Beast has. When the product launches into that community there isn't a slow ramp. It's full force right away. Jess is sharing how they have handled that from the CX side of things and what she's learned.

https://feastables.com/

Jess explains her diverse background in CX and how that has helped her with this new set of challenges
We talk about the bot interactions that Feastables created to answer common questions
Jess explains how they dealt with volume of support right from the start
We talk about the secret doors that exist in the bot interactions to create memorable moments
Jess explains the expectations of customers that are coming from Mr. Beast's content
We walk through how to collect customer feedback and how to position what's learnt to the rest of the company
Jess talks about leveraging the celebrity voice vs. building a new brand voice
We talk about what Feastables is doing on the retention front to keep customers coming back
Is retention harder at a celebrity brand?

Community can be a polarizing term in the CPG space. Some people swear by it and others claim it's not important. Today we have Ron Shah from Obvi walking us through how he thinks about community and why it's crucial to their success.

Obvi's community
Repeat's community

We talk about how founders need to connect with customers but also customer to customer
The community needs to be authentic nothing is removed good, bad, or ugly
Ron explains why community is so valuable
We talk about how a community lets you test your next move in a low risk way
Ron explains what type of brand a community works for
We talk about how Obvi actually leverages the community for moderators instead of hiring a community manager
Evaluating community can't happen in the first 3 months
We go over why Obvi built on Facebook
Ron shares growth tactics for community
We chat about the leading indicators of community success

The DTC landscape is shifting. From our customer data at Repeat, new customer revenue is on the decline while returning customer revenue is on the up. Unfortunately those are netting out to low growth. Today we're talking about the celling of acquisition and the floor of retention. Here's how we would approach the problem.

Referenced material:
Full data review of Q2 2022
Aura Bora on limited time offers
Personalized Repeat Carts

New customer revenue is down YoY but returning customer revenue is up
Knee jerk reaction is to switch up your allocation of budget but we explain how to think about that
We are operating near the ceiling of acquisition but near the floor of retention
Leo talks about why growth/demand marketers are optimizers but we aren't there with retention
We discuss why retention optimization is more than just the channel, its the full buying experience
Alex explains the what, where, when framework of returning customers
There's a reason the big retailers have dedicated "Buy Again Experiences"
There are fundamental differences in how people return to shop vs when they are discovering the brand
We discuss the topic of time being your biggest competitor (how much time does it take a customer to say yes and buy)
Time is both a macro and micro consideration
We talk about building a funnel and Alex botches some mental math
Alex explains the three metrics he would be looking at when optimizing the returning customer's experience

When we think about retention we rarely associate it with conversion rate optimization (CRO). As retention becomes a bigger piece of CPG, growth though your retention efforts becomes important to track. Amber Reyes from Kopari is joining today to teach us about their post-purchase flows and how they evaluate the effectiveness of replenishment flows.

https://koparibeauty.com/
How Kopari's email flows generate 2x revenue per session

Amber explains why her role contains both acquisition and retention efforts
We talk about what the goal of retention really needs to be and that it needs to be a revenue driver
Amber explains the different types of emails that exist in their post-purchase flows
We go deeper on the emails that ask for a purchase and how Kopari sets those up
Before using Repeat we were guessing on the right number of days to wait before sending but now we know
The dangers of over-segmenting email flows
The number one metric for post-purchase flows is total revenue but also breaking that into conversion and AOV
Amber shares a few A/B tests and what they have learned
The power of social proof emails to build credibility between purchases
Why you need to be aware of cross platform touch points especially in post-purchase flows
SMS drives more revenue on an individual send but email as a broader strategy is generating more revenue

This brand has 250,000 followers on TiKTok and it has become a vital piece of their marketing strategy. Today we are going over why it's so important, how they use the platform, and even how they evaluate what is and isn't working.

https://www.stryx.com/
https://www.tiktok.com/@stryx_official
Connect with the Stryx team in CPG House

TikTok is a discovery engine where a ton of other content channels are search engines
Jon explains how TiKTok comments inform new content and how to market the product
We go over what type of content is working for Stryx
The connection you create with the viewer is arguably more important than the content you create
What works on organic vs paid
Stryx's content does better when Jon has a moustache
Silas says we should be listening to TikTok ad recommendations even though he wont listen to other platforms
We talk about whether you can be successful with TikTok ads without organic TikTok content
Should you have consistent character?
Does influencer and UGC work
Leading indicators for TikTok success

Content marketing works in CPG and even for strengthening retail. Courtnie Beceiro is taking us through the content they produce, the channels they use it on, and the benefits its created for Haven's Kitchen.

https://havenskitchen.com/

Courtnie explains how her background as a buyer has influenced how she approaches marketing
Haven's Kitchen started as a cooking school so content is at the core of who they are
We discuss why transitional CTAs are important
Written content for SEO doesn't need to be a blog Haven's Kitchen does it different
We discuss how the content Courtnie's team produces is making Alex more confident in the kitchen
Content platforms have become the new way to find information
We explain how a video about choosing the right pan leads to more sauce sales
Courtnie explains how she uses content to strengthen relationships with retail buyers
The value of an association beyond the product

You build customer retention one customer at a time. Parker Olson is taking us through how he uses one to one customer moments to build retention, community, and stories around his brand. No tools, apps, or flows on this episode. We're getting scrappy today, all you need is the courage to strike up the conversation.

https://www.forij.co/

Parker shares a story of how he turned his flight into a moment to share his brand and story
We discuss how getting just one person to engage has a ripple effect
We talk about personal connections inform where you should invest and scale
Parker talks about a friend at big CPG with deep pockets avoiding mass appeal now
We talk about a customer complaint becoming a loyal customer and an advocate
Parker shares how he observes shoppers and strikes up conversation
We go over tips for striking up cold conversations in the aisle
The value of asking a customer how they would sell your product to a friend
Testing packaging by printing sheets out at Staples and taping to the existing product
What products Parker chooses to sample
We nerd out about the book "Ramping Your Brand"
How to create sensory experiences
The value of memorable

Chris has been in the food space for 10 years and with the learning from his previous company decided to make Proper Good exclusively DTC. This decision is because they want to learn fast/cheap and create continuous innovation cycles.

https://eatpropergood.com/
Repeat's CPG Community

Chris explains that he had a brand before Proper Good that has shaped his approach
We go over why Chris has kept Proper Good DTC exclusive
Retail is not the place to test, its expensive and lengthy. Thats what DTC is for testing
We talk about choosing a focus and a hypothesis early before you have any data, surveys or tests
Chris explains how he validated their original hypotheses
We go over a butternut squash soup as a learning moment
We discuss how evaluating a launch is simple predicting the next is more difficult
Chris explains that the customer is actually designing the next recipe
Proper Good has a private slack group to collect feedback from
Why open ended survey questions are key
The incentive you offer for survey responses biases your data
Chris explains how they keep operations nimble so this test and learn framework works
Product innovation is the best driver of retention
We close with the benefits of retention over acquisition

It's rare to find someone who is all in on the value of VIP programs in DTC, but Jason Murff is. Today we're talking all about VIP program strategy. How to build one, how to provide value, and the right way to evaluate the impact.

Jason explains how his time in the military shaped Grill Your Ass Off
We explain where the name "elite pit master" came from for VIP customers
Jason explains why only 4% of customers are VIPs and why it works well for them
6 orders and $250 gets you access to the VIP program
Jason explains why you should consider both orders and dollars spent as your VIP criteria
Obtainable but exclusive is what you are looking for
Jason shares what each VIP gets
The hidden benefit of people sharing that they are VIP
We talk about a "secret site" and exclusive merchandise
Jason explains how they still make money even sending care packages for free
Jason explains how they created a custom VIP experience
We explain the marketing value of throwing a party
Jason explains why VIP programs are an ROI positive investment

Tools Jason uses to build his custom VIP experience:

Klaviyo
Order Automator
Justuno

Chandler started his career solving the leaky bucket problem at Hulu and eventually ended up heading up retention at Magic Spoon. Chandler's sharing why he wants customers to make purchases before subscribing, why it's not the default option, and how they discovered the ideal subscription offer.

Chandler shares how he started in media at Hulu
Why Magic Spoon doesn't make subscription the default
Chandler shares why he wants a customer to buy 2 or 3 times before subscribing
Should you build the bundle or let customers build the bundle?
Chandler explains that he was guilty of building a boring program at the start
He shares how they changed the program
We talk all about 1st purchase churn
You have two education streams, your brand/product and subscription.
Should you allow skipping?
We chat about why every brand does not need a subscription
The difference between product subscription and software subscription

Are your transactional post-purchase emails boring? They shouldn't be! Cameron explains why those emails are so important to Aura Bora and gives us a deep dive on how limited time offers are driving email, retention, and overall business strategy.

Cameron gives us a breakdown of what brought him into DTC/CPG
We discuss the value of post-purchase transactional emails and why Aura Bora uses so many
We discuss how flavor fatigue and FOMO drive their strategy
Cameron explains why limited time offers are the key driver of Aura Bora's business strategy
We explain what attachment rate means
AOV is 35% higher when a limited time product is in the cart
Cameron explains that the limited time products are testing grounds for selling into retailers with proof
Alex nerds out about collecting things and why Aura Bora's characters help with that
Brand is important, Cameron explains why he is so thankful to the brand team

Cameron uses the following tools in his post-purchase emails:

Wonderment
Repeat

Looking to break into the retention space? Already in and looking for something new? Today we're walking through Mandi's retention job search and highlighting things to look for and look out for.

Mandi gives us a breakdown of her career path
The brand you are looking at is important, to get deep on retention you have to believe in it
Be aware that the type of product the brand you go to sells will impact how large the team is and what you work on
CPG and everyday items will likely give you a larger breadth of tactics and strategies to employ
Make sure you have a POV on how you want to operate because if you don't it will be dictated to you
Understand what the channels the brand wants to focus on (most of the time its email and sms)
We talk through Bobbie's strategy around retention

Yes this is still a show about retention, but the right type of acquisition gives you customers who stick with you longer and are more profitable. Here's a brief summary of today's show:

Acquisition influences retention
Pre-suasion impacts the likelihood of a long term customer relationship
The wrong way to start relationships
Use whether you would say something or do something in a real store as a gauge of if it will resonate
Too much selling and not enough marketing in DTC
iOS 14 changed the landscape and Cody explains his journey through it
Demographics are fixed you can go find more but you cant create more of them
Are customers who buy on first interaction worth less?
Cody shares what ad angles lead to the best long term relationships
The product that a customer starts with is important
Cody is focusing on using zero party data in retargeting

Troy and the Every Man Jack team recently re-platformed to Shopify and that gave him a blank slate to think about retention. In this episode we go through how to think about the strategy and the retention tools you choose.

Troy and the team recently re-platformed to Shopify which gave him a blank slate to think about retention
Troy explains the difference between retention online vs retail
We talk about how to use a quiz to understand more about the customers desires to tailor education
The site needs to be an education tool because they wont get that education in Target or Rite-aid
We talk about how to make scents clear as options online
Troy shares how site content is changing based on previous purchase behaviours
We discuss how the Every Man Jack has adjusted their subscription strategy
Troy shares how he learns about new tools and validates whether he wants to use them
We go over how we organize the inspiration points we find out in the wild

The tech stack that Troy mentions on this show

Klaviyo
Repeat
Attentive
OctaneAI
Recharge
Nosto

Lillie explains the marketing tactics that Three Ships deploys to create a routine and a habit in their customers. Here's a brief summary for what we cover in this episode.

We talk about how loyal Canadians are to Canadian brands
Lillie explains how she got into CPG working with Three Ships
Routine is about associating your product with a piece of their day or lifestyle
Surveys and reviews are a great place to learn where to start routine creation
We talk about getting a customer to buy the same thing before they run out vs trialing additional products
Lillie explains how to make education a core piece of your marketing
We talk about product variety and purchase cycle variety makes subscription difficult
The benefit of clear vs clever in communicating value
Understanding your repurchase intervals of all products in your bundle lets you maximize LTV rather than AOV of the bundle
Be sure to understand the first steps and where someone should start
The high of getting the purchase is actually a great time to encourage a second purchase

Jonny has a background in banking and his analytical skills are one of the reasons I love talking to him about retention. Here's a brief summary for what we cover in this episode.

Jonny gives us a run down of where he was before Huron and how it has helped
We go over how to chop up LTV to make it more manageable
Are you looking at lifetime revenue or lifetime profitability?
Jonny teaches us how we can segment LTV by discount codes
We talk about what products are best for starting a relationship with
Jonny explains the two types of journey flows they create (reorder flows + new item pitches)
We talk about a set of customers that bulk order
We discuss the importance of knowing reorder intervals by each product type and size
The power of going beyond order data with surveys
Jonny tells us why he sends emails as himself
Some retention efforts don't scale and you cant track and thats ok
Are samples a retention play?

We've made it to the FINAL EPISODE of Better-for-YOU, and it's a special one. Today, Kristen sits down with Repeat's Co-Founder and CEO, Kim Stiefel for a wildly authentic conversation. The two talk about why this show means so much to Repeat, what self-care even means in today's world, how to be truly kind to your co-workers and employees, and why hustling is so much easier than taking care of ourselves.

This week, we're taking a pause.

Today, Kristen sits down with founder and CEO of Youthforia, Fiona Chan. Fiona and Kristen talk about the trials of starting a business during a global pandemic, building resilience through lots of setbacks, how she gives her team freedom to fail, and facing a fear of failure vs a fear of success.

Shop Youthforia

EFT Tapping Resources:

https://emofree.com/
https://daveasprey.com/dawson-church/
https://www.youtube.com/c/EftuniverseEFT

Welcome back to another week of Better-for-YOU! In this episode, we have VP of People at Repeat, Carrie Boxer. Carrie talks about the importance of investing in the people behind your brand and what "culture" means. Then, Carrie shares her recent breast cancer diagnoses, how she's managing the foundation-shaking news, and how she's developed the life motto "If you can't get out of it, get into it."

Work at Repeat (we're hiring!)

In this episode, Denise Cartwright, founder of CRUDE Beauty sits down with Kristen to talk about the power of unlearning, why the soap industry has us caught in a cycle, and how Denise is navigating her own journey through mental health.

Shop CRUDE Beauty

Trigger warning: This episode includes discussion around suicide.

On this deeply personal episode, Kristen sits down with Laurel and Diane Orley, Co-Founders of Daily Crunch Snacks. Diane shares the story of losing her son to suicide and how the pair found purpose through tragedy. Laurel shares her personal journey through facing anxiety, finding a therapist, and growing through family loss. This episode contains deep and vulnerable talks on depression and anxiety, understanding why and how nutrition connects to mental health, what "sprouted" means, and why we should check on our strongest friends, too.

Honorable Mentions:

Get Diane's recipes on Instagram
Shop Daily Crunch
The Support Network
Glennon Doyle's Podcast: We can do hard things

If you or someone you love is struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts, you can text or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
If you need a friend to talk to, host Kristen LaFrance is always here for you. DM her on Twitter here.

Andi Mignolo is the founder of Method and Matter— executive coaching for unconventional leaders. Andi and her team work with folks to develop capacity, cultivate power, and lead with clarity. Kristen and Andi do a deep dive on the chaos of entrepreneurship, how to listen to (and honor) your body, how to find your values, and how to re-center yourself in your body and purpose when everything is spinning out of control. Andi walks us through some tactical breath work and team exercises that help mitigate emotional chaos within teams and organizations.

Work with Andi
James Clear's Core Values List

We're excited to welcome Mark Samuel, Founder of IWON Organics to the table. In this episode, Mark explains the power of proper nutrition, how it ties to mental health, and how he continually puts his health first. Kristen and Mark share their personal experiences on learning to be selfish while unlearning the toxic cultural pressures around them. This is a fantastic, fun, and engaging conversation between two extremely open professionals.

Shop IWON Organics
Follow Mark on LinkedIn

Polly Rodriguez is the CEO & Co-Founder of Unbound, a rebellious sexual wellness company with the goal to make sexual health accessible to all through elevated design, body safe products, affordable prices, and educational content. Polly and Kristen talk about burnout, losing faith in yourself, the "Girl Boss" era, and how sexual pleasure is directly tied to mental health.

Shop Unbound
Follow Polly
Jess Lee blog post on the (un)happiness curve of entrepreneurship
3d sonogram from Mal Harrison of The Center for Erotic Intelligence

Monica Grohne is the Founder and Chief Menstruator at Marea Wellness and a Klaviyo expert. In this episode, Monica and Kristen dive into Imposter syndrome. What is it? How does it express itself for different people? And what do you do when your goals actually scare the f*ck out of you? Tune in for a candid conversation on leadership, self-confidence, integration vs. vision, and taking one step at a time.

Shop Marea Wellness
Monica's Book Recommendation: The Go Giver

Welcome to Better-for-YOU. On this episode, Kristen sits down with former CEO of Ugly Drinks, Hugh Thomas, for an exclusive look into Hugh's decision to step away from Ugly. In this candid conversation, we talk about recognizing burnout, managing out of fear vs. love, and reclaiming your passion after burnout.

Hugh's book recommendation: Reboot by Jerry Colonna

Jake Karls is the last person to put on the customer hat, but we have all sorts of new shows coming soon!

Here's what we talked about today:

It's hard to get excited at the grocery store as a customer because the big ones lack innovation
Discovering new and exciting brands is difficult because incumbents take up too much shelf space
Why grocery can learn a ton about creating experiences from cosmetic retailers like Sephora
Jake explains that he wants to go where the knowledgable people are to shop
We talk about why we are drawn to brands that show passion
Jake wants to feel like a friend, a family member, a neighbour with the brands he buys from
Sitting on the fence sucks have an opinion to get a laugh and make customers feel
We explain why we don't want to shop from "faceless" brands anymore

Brands mentioned in this episode:

Sephora
Lululemon
Chipotle
DUDE Wipes
Funko
Hush Blankets
Crossnet
Manitoba Harvest

As one show wraps up, another emerges. On Better-for-YOU, Kristen LaFrance will be examining the ways founders and teams are taking care of themselves along the arduous CPG journey. From the physical to the mental, emotional, spiritual, uncomfortable and everything in between, this is Better-for-YOU.

Two hats in one episode. We have Bunny and Taran thinking like a customer today.

Here's what we talked about:

Bunny shares a story of when she felt duped by a local brand
Taran explains why founder stories are important to her and that she wants the unfiltered on IG or Twitter
We talk about the importance of email reminders even when we don't want to subscribe
Taran shares a few of her subscriptions and why she WILL NEVER unsubscribe from Bark Box
Bunny shares the flip side of subscription when she ended up with 400 cups of coffee
We talk through why both prefer to shop online over retail
We find that we are actually brand loyal or product loyal and not always both
Why Truff is a stand out brand for Taran

Brands mentioned in this episode:

Aritzia
Samara
Merit
Seed Probiotics
Bark Box
Fenti
Aesop
Blume
Briogeo
Vegamour
Truff
Lululemon
Homecoming Candles

The DUDE joins and puts his customer hat on and tells us why he is drawn to innovation and authenticity.

Here's what we talked about today:

The way that DUDE was built was based on no brands speaking to Sean authentically as a customer
Sean tells us why he is looking for brands to get a reaction from him
We talk about innovation drawing Sean in (unique, new, strange)
Product quality is what creates brand loyalty for Sean
We talk about private label and imitation brands and why Sean WILL NOT support them
Sean explains the right type of innovation that speaks to him as a customer
We talk about a failed deodorant launch at DUDE
Sean uses a different industry to share what he doesn't like as a customer
Availability is everything in CPG as a customer we are not going to wait
We love variety and when we switch we never come back

Brands mentioned in this episode:

Chubbies
Birddogs
Native
Slim Jim
Liquid Death
Apple
Topo Chico
Spindrift
La Croix
Ugly
1st Phorm
Truly
Vizzy

Rebecca gives us a deep dive into why she buys and subscribes. We also get her take on thoughtful consumption.

Here's what we talked about today:

Rebecca shares the first brand she ever subscribed to and why
We discuss how Rebecca was a great customer even before subscribing because she was always reordering
By not subscribing she found a bunch of products she liked rather than just the one she started with
Why Rebecca cancelled Amazon Prime
We discuss both of our loves for Etsy and why its the true small business owners of the internet
Rebecca gives us a deep dive on what thoughtful consumption is to her
Rebecca explains that she doesn't want anything extra shipped it will just get thrown out (Alex wants the stickers though)
We talk about originality in marketing and why its so rare now
We discuss why its important for DTC/CPG people to realize we live in a bubble

Brands mentioned in this episode:

Act and Acre
Etsy
Soft Services
Glossier

Leo is taking us on a journey through the grocery store, and telling us why he prefers it over DTC.

Here's what we talked about today:

Trial sucks online and you miss out on so many of the senses required to buy food/bev confidently
Brands need to realize they are competing for space in my house not against each other
We talk about why ecommerce is still very flawed from a convenience perspective
Leo shares why he believes the buyers in retail are adding a layer of insurance for him
Because Leo doesn't buy DTC too often he is not the first to brands and he says thats ok
Packaging and placement are what leads to discovery
Leo walks us through how he and his sons shop for groceries
We dissect Leo's obsession with Liquid Death
We go over what "brand" really means

Brands mentioned in this episode:

OLIPOP
Oat Haus
Liquid Death
Mid-Day Squares
Disco
Hustle Matcha
Dr. Squatch
Soft Services

Nikki and Michelle walk us through the definition of value, returning customer experiences, and mobile apps.

Here's what we talked about today:

When they want messages via text vs email
We attempt to define what value is in a message from a brand
Nikki shares how brands are turning perceived negatives into marketable moments and she loves it
Michelle shares an example of a brand that really messed things up and didn't deliver on their promise
We discuss what creates a great shelf presence in retail
Nikki shares why she subscribed to Spudsy after one purchase
We talk about how variety packs are the ultimate gateway to future purchases
Nikki shares why she has been drawn to app experiences for brands she loves
We talk about how to create similar app experiences in DTC
Finally we talk about the legitimacy of online reviews

Nikki and Michelle are also giving all listeners 10% off site wide with code "CUSTOMERHAT"

Brands mentioned in this episode:

Super Coffee
Poo Pourri
Buckleys
Four Sigmatic
Spudsy
Olipop
Lululemon
Daily Harvest

Orchid puts her customer hat on and takes us through her beautiful mind approach to finding the best price.

Here's what we talked about today:

We go over a few of Orchid's most recent purchases
We discuss that the unboxing experience should actually change as you get familiar with a brand
As ecom people we knew better but still put off holiday shopping and we both got burned
Orchid shares a story of when she was mislead by reviews
We discuss the importance of returns and communicating sizing when buying apparel online
Orchid takes on a full journey of what an hour looking for the best price feels like
The post purchase experience has become a make or break in DTC
Orchid goes in depth on different grocery ordering experiences and why she chooses what she does

Brands mentioned in this episode:

Prose
Kosas
Italic
Madewell
Popup Grocer
Snaxshot
Everlane
Andie
Rag and Bone

Mark is putting his customer hat on and sharing his passion for healthy eating and healthy lifestyles

Here's what we talked about today:

We talk about the term "diet" and why it needs to be removed from marketing
The difference between healthy lifestyles and diets
Why Mark is not a fan of the term "better for you"
Mark shares a few brands that you will find in his house and as snacks in the car
We talk about how shopping behaviors change when kids are introduced
We define the difference between connection and trust
We go in depth on why Tony The Tiger is so effective and what he does for Frosted Flakes
The big money moving into certain types of food brands makes Mark nervous
Why we believe brand is still undervalued by many CPG brands but is critical for the customer

Brands mentioned in this episode:

Orgain
Blue Diamond
Aloha
Chomps
Health Warrior
OWYN
IWON Organics
KIND

Mitch is putting his customer hat on and we go deep on what he thinks of email as a customer.

Here's what we talked about today:

Why Mitch loves personalization on a first order (like a thank you note)
Mitch shares his recent experiences with online grocery orders
We talk about why most emails are not providing any value
Mitch explains what "value" in an email looks like to him as a customer
Emails we love tend to be building value over time not that each is amazing on its own
Mitch describes why heavy discounting is a turn off for him
We talk about when discounting is effective (has to do with frequency)
We go over what real scarcity looks and feels like
Mitch explains that his loyalty is built through connections to a person at a brand
We talk about the grind that is CPG

Brands mentioned in this episode:

Blumaan
1st Phorm
Herschel
Supreme
GT's Kombucha

Lauren puts her customer hat on and we have a blast talking about discounting, Amazon, and shop now pay later.

Here's what we talked about today:

Most of Lauren's shopping is done online
She admits she shops too much on Amazon
Even though Lauren buys on Amazon she does not want her brand listed there
Buying commodities vs not
Lauren explains a brand that she feels a relationship with and why others brands like it feel transactional
We talk about the importance of copy when creating a site
Words are the love language of websites
Discounts are not motivating to get Lauren to return
Price is not ALWAYS whats stopping a purchase
Testimonials and stories are very motivating to Lauren
Being open about what you care about
Why pay later apps are so effective on Lauren
Why Lauren believes these apps allow impulse buys to be bigger
We talk about cell phone organization

Brands mentioned in this episode:

Ujjo
Amazon
Daily Harvest
Fresh N Lean
Casper
Sweet Green
Mid-Day Squares
Fly by Jing
Thursday

Ramon is putting on his customer hat on and he is very thoughtful about what he buys.

Here's what we talked about today:

Ramon explains why a deeper dive is important to him when it comes to brands
We talk about finding brands to support not just buy from
Ramon talks about how he uses points of alignment to decide what he buys
We go into detail on why Ramon is such a bug fan of Sackcloth and Ash
No social cause or strong mission will save a bad product
Ramon shares all of his points of alignment that guide how he shops
Ecommerce is dry and you need to try really hard to break away from that
Shipping is the afterthought of DTC but one of the most important pieces for the customer
Ramon looks for the nuances of the product the pieces that are amazing but maybe left out of marketing
Why circular fashion is fascinating to Ramon

Ramon's podcast = The Story of a Brand

Brands mentioned in this episode:

Nixon
Diff Eyewear
Sackcloth and Ashes
Three Wishes
Smart Sweets
For Days

Erica is putting her customer hat on and getting very honest with what she loves and hates.

Here's what we talked about today:

Erica explains that she really only interacts with organic social not paid social ads
We talk about when we distrust influencers
Erica talks about her favorite platform to interact with brands on
We both share our frustrations with shipping American products into Canada
We go over Mid-Day Squares as an excellent example of building people into the story
We talk at length about what types of text messages we are ok getting from brands
Erica explains how discounting frequently devalues a brand in her mind
We talk about unboxing experiences and customer service as two ways to truly wow her as a shopper
Erica explains why transparency is so important to her as a brand
With her customer hat on Erica talks about why customer frustration with shipping is valid

Brands mentioned in the episode:

Bro Dough
Mid-Day Squares
Smart Sweets
Dr. Squatch
Lululemon
Hippie Snacks

Amrit is putting her customer hat on and sharing a wealth of food and beverage brands with us.

Here's what we talked about today:

Amrit takes us through whats in her fridge and pantry
We talk about why versatility is so important to get space in her pantry
With two chef parents Amrit is very particular
Food and beverage takes up prime real estate so space is a consideration when shopping
With her eating habits Amrit always checks the labels and will even research ingredients on blogs
New and exciting makes her less price sensitive
Amrit is a big CPG connoisseur but very rarely buys online, it needs to be in retail for her
Buying DTC is usually stocking up on something that was trialed in store
Promos in retail influence her purchase decisions but very rarely do online
The average order value of premium DTC brand is what the average American spends on a week of groceries
She hates when something has a different price online and in store
$ off is more eye catching than % off for Amrit
Packaging needs to think about what else is on the shelf not about how it looks on the site

Brands mentioned in this episode:

Indie CPG
Hella Cocktail Co
A Dozen Cousins
Banza Pasta
Wholly Veggie
Mid-Day Squares
Honey Mama's
Deux
Sap Sucker
Acid League
Zesty Z
Fly by Jing

Today we're asking Eric to take his brand hat off and put his customer hat on.

Here's what we talked about today:

Why Eric hates Amazon
Why testing everything can rob customers of the experiences they are looking for
Why Eric values bundles and professional recommendations
Choice is not always a customer's friend
Why Eric values control too much to put things on subscription
Coffee is his ritual and is the one product he prefers on subscription
Eric believes that reordering should be so easy that subscription becomes irrelevant
Connection is important in establishing his brand loyalty

Brands mentioned in this episode:

Amazon
BSW USA
Fringe Sport
Onyx Coffee Labs
Rowing Blazers
Tracksmith
Nudie Jeans
Apple
Pit Vipers
Ronin Factory

Today we're asking Val to take her marketing hat off and put her customer hat on.

Here's what we talked about today:

Not everything needs to be tracked as a customer we just want to be appreciated and seen/heard
Val's daughter treats mail like most of us treat email... we assume its junk
The value of brands teaming up with other brands (friends)
Why Val is much bigger fan of gifts than offers
Why Val doesn't subscribe to a brand right away and what needs to be true for her to subscribe
We talk about how to literally evaluate your own brand through a new customer's eyes
Exit your bubble to be your customer

Brands mentioned in this episode:

Rvitta
Book of the Month
Herschel
Lovevery
Three Ships
Mid-day Squares
Olipop
Chewy
Run Gum

Today we're asking Eli to take his brand hat off and put his customer hat on.

Here's what we talked about today:

As a customer we want brands to fill pits before they create peaks in the experience
Eli explains what makes him a "annoying customer" and a "bad DTC shopper"
We talk about why purchasing food and beverage online is not convenient
Sometimes all we want is convenience not experience
Shipping is a big part of why Eli doesn't buy much CPG online
Eli shares why subscription doesn't fulfill his convenience needs

Brands mentioned in this episode:

Amazon
Wayfair
Olipop
Zappos
Huron

New here? This short intro will give you a quick summary of what this channel is all about. If you're in CPG you are in the right place.