Why Now is the Time to Focus on Your Direct to Consumer Channel

Every once in a while, our team comes up for air to talk about the different challenges that each of our clients are facing. It’s interesting to notice trends. Common threads that connect industries and product types. One notable recent conversation has been about a shift to Direct to Consumer sales and marketing.

Several of our clients doubled down on D2C in 2020, and many of the potential clients in our sales funnel (Heyyy!) have expressed similar goals. Here’s why we think now is the perfect time to make a shift:

  • The D2C market has been growing rapidly over the past several years. And it’s projected to continue to grow at about 19% in 2021 as well. (And that data is pre-COVID… which just accelerated this trend.)
  • If you are looking to reach the younger, digitally native generation, they crave a more intimate shopping experience. The D2C channel enables a brand to have influence over the entire customer journey.
  • Obviously, foot traffic to retail has decreased. For brands traditionally reliant on wholesale channel sales, it might be time to diversify your revenue and protect some of your margins along the way.

There are a number of notable brands that have demonstrated tremendous success in the direct to consumer channel. Household names Dollar Shave Club, Glossier, and Warby Parker to name a few. Some even have retail locations, but all started direct-to-consumer with varying tactics. 

Dollar Shave Club spent a mere $10,000 on their now-famous viral video, but not before putting a solid strategy in place. 

Glossier provided a simple, accessible approach to buying beauty products and an influencer marketing strategy that created a loyal customer base and fresh shopping experience in a complex industry.

Warby Parker combined a unique try-before-you-buy experience with an influencer campaign that encouraged customers to promote what they were already doing. 

Planning to launch your direct to consumer channel in 2021? Call us! We are here to help. If you want to give it a go on your own or with your current marketing team, we recommend:

  • Launch an online store that is cost-effective but still serves your customers’ needs and allows your value proposition to shine. Make searching, finding, and buying a product easy and quick. (Be patient with yourself. Simple is not easy.)
  • Bridge the experiential gap between people being able to sense what your product is all about before they are actually able to hold it in their hands. Zappos did it with shoes and Warby Parker with glasses. You can do it too!
  • Design and expand your marketing strategy with loyalty in mind. Use email marketing to maximize your customer’s lifetime value. Add personal touches to make your customers feel special (they are!) and add something memorable to your customer experience.

Ready to discuss your business goals for the new year? Contact us today!

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