The Omnichannel Marketer

Without brand, growth and performance marketing are just flashes in the pan.In the wake of iOS 14 privacy changes & rising CACs, we’re no longer in an era where growth at all costs is a viable strategy anymore.I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Foujan Volk, the VP of Brand & Marketing at Parachute Home. She was the first marketing hire at Parachute Home and built the brand from the ground up.Parachute Home is an emerging brand in the home goods category with a range of products.    The brand started out of a home office/showroom in Los Angeles with a DTC presence.Foujan and her team realized people love touching the bedding fabrics, which was a different experience from the typical plastic-wrapped sheets.From that experience, she saw immense value in having customers touch and feel products.It’s a differentiator and a brand experience.  That home showroom expanded to 26 brand stores.  These stores are in major markets where DTC buyers or the customer demographic is concentrated. Parachute invests a lot of energy in making that experience feel like being in someone’s home. In the last year, they have invested heavily in experiential marketing, hosting over 200 events, which have generated sales and strong brand affinity.Foujan defines omnichannel: “Be wherever the customer wants to shop”.To that end, Parachute has wholesale distribution with Crate & Barrel, Nordstrom, and Bloomingdales.In addition to their DTC presence and owned retail locations.Foujan shares that wholesale is a double-edged sword.She has very little insight into who their customers are, but wholesale brings a big uplift in brand awareness. Foujan suggests entering retail with small tests with a limited selection of SKUs.And monitoring sell-through, DTC cross-over, and brand lift to determine the next steps.   Brand awareness is the leading indicator, whereas the DTC cross-over as measured through the post-purchase survey is the lagging indicator.Keeping a consistent brand experience across channels is of paramount importance.Foujan and her creative team run brand training during onboarding and invoke the brand regularly. Foujan is excited that brand marketing is back in the forefront in the wake of iOS 14 privacy changes and the sunset of the growth at all costs era.Without a brand, growth and performance marketing are just flashes in the pan.That sentiment is stronger than ever.Thanks, Foujan for sharing your story and perspective!#omnichannelmarketer #retail #brandmarketing

Meet your customer where they want to shop. On the latest episode of the Omnichannel Marketer, I had the pleasure of talking with Sarah McNamara, Executive Vice President & General Manager at Peter Thomas Roth Clinical Skin Care and Naturally Serious Skin.Sarah is a beauty industry veteran, having worked at Unilever, L’Oreal, and grew her own beauty brand, Miracle Skin Transformer to $35M in revenue before selling it.Now she oversees Peter Thomas Roth.Peter Thomas Roth started in a doctor’s office, but is now a retail powerhouse. It was one of the first brands to launch with Sephora when it came to the US market, and also is present in Sephora locations around the world. Other key channels for Peter Thomas Roth are Ulta Beauty, Amazon, and QVC. Sarah’s philosophy is that you need to be where the customer is. That is highly dependent on demographics. PTR is a legacy brand that historically skews to an older demographic.So retail and QVC are big channels for them. Each channel has a unique offering for the demographic that frequents it. And the spread in Ulta is very different from Sephora. She loves department stores herself, but sees it as a shrinking business. Beauty is constantly evolving and experiencing unprecedented digital change. As Sarah says, “You snooze, you lose.” To that end, PTR also has a DTC presence and is active on social media to cater to some Gen X, Z, and even Alpha customers. Her team is actively tinkering with Tiktok shops. She was also relatively early to Amazon, compared to Clinique, another legacy brand that only launched on Amazon a few weeks ago.Sarah views the DTC site as a window into the brand and is in midst of an exciting website revamp going live in August. The PTR website serves loyalists, but she also realizes that every channel has its loyalists. “Some people really just want to buy on Amazon. Others only at Sephora.”At the end of the day, Sarah shares that good marketing is about “understanding where your customers are and making it easy for them to buy in those channels.”Thanks Sarah for sharing your experience and insights. #omnichannelmarketer #omnichannel

In this episode, we meet Chad Wilson, Head of Marketing at Olipop.‍Olipop is a better-for-you soda brand on a mission to make the world healthier and happier. In this episode, we discussed  growth into retail, structuring marketing teams, understanding the customer journey, and staying close to consumers.‍Topics coveredBrand awareness and brand storytellingEquity metrics to measure campaigns performanceUnderstanding and connecting with consumers emotionally.Structuring and organizing marketing teamsShift from D2C to retail post-CovidOmnichannel and consistencyTesting TV and out of home channels The rise of Tiktok as a marketing platform‍TakeawaysOlipop's mission is centered around an emotional connection with consumers.Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a significant increase in retail sales, now constituting approximately 85% of total sales.Chad mentions that TikTok can be a viable channel for reaching a wide audience, especially Gen Z.The company is actively looking at calculating the lifetime value of its customers and has upcoming initiatives to increase customer numbers and long-term value. Staying close to consumers is crucial, Chad emphasizes the need to prioritize them in decision-making.Olipop introduced TV and out-of-home advertising channels in 2023 to focus on more upper-funnel messaging and reach a larger audience.Olipop's Chicago campaign surpassed industry benchmarks with 80% brand affinity, exceeding the 50% benchmark.Olipop faced a challenge bridging the consumer experience and customer across different channels, including digital and in-person touchpoints.Please let us know your thoughts about the episode!‍Where to find Chad Wilson:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chdwlsn/ ​Website: https://drinkolipop.com/ ‍Where to find Kait Stephens:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kait-margraf-stephens/Website: www.brij.it ‍SUBSCRIBE TO THE OMNICHANNEL MARKETERwww.theomnichannelmarketer.com

In this episode, we meet Preston Rutherford, Co-Founder of Chubbies.Chubbies was born in 2011 in San Francisco, they create men's shorts that aim to make every day feel like  Friday at 5pm, bringing that chill vibe and good times to their audience.In this episode, we discussed omnichannel business, key lessons learned, and strategies for supporting omnichannel growth.‍Topics coveredChubbies' unique and fun approach to men's shorts and activewearChallenges and misconceptions when transitioning to omnichannelCompetition in the e-commerce marketing landscapeBridge the gap between online and offline experiencesIn-store setupProduct featuresBrand advertisingMultichannel retail strategySizing, inventory management, and product dimensions‍TakeawaysChubbies journey started with selling shorts out of their backpacks in San Francisco.Chubbies started as a direct-to-consumer brand selling out of backpacks and evolved into an omnichannel brand with the help of Shopify Plus.They struggle to gain visibility and market share in a landscape dominated by major players like Amazon and Walmart.Chubbies experienced significant growth leading up to their acquisition in 2021 by focusing on omnichannel expansion. When selling across channels, Chubbies use in-store setup, product features, and advertising to bridge online-offline gaps, boosting awareness, and loyalty.The strategies for selling on Amazon and other channels have evolved over time and companies like Chubbies had experimented with different tactics.When considering an omnichannel approach for an apparel brand, it is important to acknowledge the expertise of channel partners and align goals.Please let us know your thoughts about the episode!‍Where to find Preston Rutherford:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prestonr/  ​Website: https://www.chubbiesshorts.com/ ‍Where to find Kait Stephens:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kait-margraf-stephens/Website: www.brij.it ‍SUBSCRIBE TO THE OMNICHANNEL MARKETERwww.theomnichannelmarketer.com

In this episode, we meet Chris Hobson, President and CEO of Rare Beauty Brands.Rare Beauty scales challenger brands with expertise in innovation, marketing, and infrastructure across various channels. In this episode, we discussed  retail, e-commerce, direct-to-consumer channels, and how to build and scale an omnichannel brand in the beauty industry.‍Topics coveredOmnichannel distribution strategyStarting in luxury retailersThe rise of Korean beautyUsing retail for profitable trialImpulse purchase price pointsImportance of social  media contentCollaborations with influencersTips for sell-through across channelsFocus on productRetail associates‍TakeawaysThe company has since expanded internationally, partnering with distributors in different countries to reach a global audience.The channel strategy has evolved over time, with a focus on expanding into new markets and reaching a wider customer base.The brand decided to initially focus on the assisted sale channel to gain credibility and educate consumers about their product category.Amazon is viewed as a place where consumers can learn about the brand and check ratings and reviews.DTC (Direct-to-Consumer) channel is used strategically to engage with consumers and gain insights.The different channels work together to reinforce each other and provide a seamless brand experience for customers.While retailers may share high-level consumer information with the brand, there is a limitation to the depth of data they can access.Building a successful business requires both online and offline presencePlease let us know your thoughts about the episode!‍Where to find Chris Hobson:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopherhobson/ ​Website: https://rarebeautybrands.com/ ‍Where to find Kait Stephens:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kait-margraf-stephens/Website: www.brij.it ‍SUBSCRIBE TO THE OMNICHANNEL MARKETERwww.theomnichannelmarketer.com

In this episode, we meet Nadya Okamoto, Co-Founder of August.August is a brand revolutionizing period care with their sustainable, transparent, bold and inclusive approach on period products.In this episode, we discussed category disruption, influencer marketing, and evolving from DTC to omnichannel.‍Topics coveredConsumer experienceProduct distributionB2B approach in a DTC businessInitial launchCustomizable subscriptionsOmnichannel distributionRetail launchGen z consumerSocial media purchase motivatorOrganic channelsHow we measure our communities?Know and listen your communityOmnichannel impactStigmas‍Takeaways‍Nadya started in the period space at age 16 focusing on ending period poverty and stigma, then found August with the goal of making products that are and work better.They leverage omni-channel strategies for selling and combating period stigma, with Nadya emphasizing its broad impact across all aspects of the business.Between Nadya’s TikTok profile and August’s they have over five and a half million followers across channels.Launched in 400 Target doors in Marc, utilizing #AugustTarget with over 50 million views for visibility tracking.August exclusively supplies periods products at WeWork, Equinox, and SoulCycle, working to ensure accessible period care in B2B settings.August has a distinct Gen Z community measured by their members on Geneva, not followers.August wants to be CPG brand that doesn't have to rely so heavily on paid and paid channels of marketing, they rather focus on the organic channels.Nadya says that social platform is a way August has been able to drive in store purchase and sell through.While August views TikTok as a top-of-funnel tool, they don't consider it a selling point due to stigma, as period care is not an allowed category on the platform.Omnichannel support enables users to choose donation recipients and initiate a tampon tax back initiative with competitors.Please let us know your thoughts about the episode!‍Where to find Nadya Okamoto:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadyaokamoto/ ​Website: https://www.itsaugust.co/ ‍Where to find Kait Stephens:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kait-margraf-stephens/Website: www.brij.it ‍SUBSCRIBE TO THE OMNICHANNEL MARKETERwww.theomnichannelmarketer.com

In this episode, we meet Benjamin Witte from Recess. Recess is a relaxation drink. Recess is spearheading the category, like how RedBull started the energy drink category.Category creation, evolving from digitally native to retail, the DTC & omnichannel flywheel, and the trade-offs with DTC and retail.Topics coveredCategory creationBrand building DistributionAmazonMerchandisingTakeawaysAdaptogens and CBD are functional ingredients not to be confused with the relaxation category. Many brands are focused on the ingredients, whereas Recess is focused on the broader category and, marketing the lifestyle choice and connecting with people emotionally.Recess aims to be what Redbull is for energy drinks for the relaxation drink category. Five years ago, it was a bet on relaxation. And now the category is growing rapidly. New entrants are good for business and market the category as a whole. The beverage industry is primarily focused on awareness marketingNew category marketing requires investment in awareness to educate the marketRecess used Facebook and Instagram to drive awareness and distribution (at a time when that was less common). Starting online helps you validate your product before investing further vs. building for retail, failing, and having to retoolBeverage is unique, and there is no other category that gets as much distribution. It has to be available everywhere. The one-two punch is telling the story well online and then being available everywhere. Doing that in a single geography makes a brand seem bigger than it is. Recess is one of the top 5 fastest growing beverage brands on Amazon. Ben believes Amazon can be an engine for most consumer brands. If you can make it profitable, there is a massive scale. Any investment there helps grow the larger businessAmazon’s a flywheel because when people see the product in stores, they want to order it online. In that sense, being in a store is also great marketing. This year is Recess’ first big year in retail, and went to all the major chains. On a small scale, they are testing sampling, field marketing, and events. Regarding merchandising, Recess has a platform approach. Its beverages are in the functional beverage set, its powders are in the supplements set, and its mocktails are in the alcohol alternative set. Recess is able to maintain its online business because of its high price point. It’s $2.99/can vs $.30/can for a La Croix. It also becomes a daily habit for people, and people subscribe to it, so the LTV is very high. Finally ranking high organically on Amazon brings the blended CAC down. To Ben, Omnichannel is the combination of online and offline distribution branding and distribution. Please let us know your thoughts about the episode!Where to find Benjamin Witte:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminwitte/​Website: https://takearecess.com/ Where to find Kait Stephens:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kait-margraf-stephens/Website: www.brij.it SUBSCRIBE TO THE OMNICHANNEL MARKETERwww.theomnichannelmarketer.com

In this episode, we meet Gabi Lewis, founder and CEO of Magic Spoon Magic Spoon is a better-for-you cereal brand that is designed to taste like your favorite childhood cereals but low in sugar and high in protein.In this episode, we discussed category disruption, influencer marketing, and evolving from DTC to omnichannel. Topics coveredCategory DisruptionConsumer health trendsInfluencer and affiliate marketingOmnichannel distributionRetail velocityConsistency Measurement & incrementalTakeawaysThe cereal category became stagnant because it was dominated by three large companies that weren’t incentivized to innovate, and a large scale was needed to compete.Magic’s Spoon's first round of investors we also affiliates who helped launch the brand, which allowed for a great launch without overreliance on Facebook ads. Magic Spoon moved to Amazon and retail because that’s where customers want to buy. Most customers don’t want to buy from a different website for every product they want.Magic’s Spoon's first retailer was Target because of the overlap with their customer base and their history of helping to launch DTC brands. Few brands have cracked the code on how to use digital to drive retail velocity, but what Gabi has learned is that nothing drives retail velocity like the right product at the right price with the right placement and shelvingThe benefit of being DTC first is that you can use a lot of learnings from your website and Meta ads to inform retail strategy. The benefit of cereal packaging is that its packaging has a lot of space and it acts as a billboard for your productUnderstanding incrementality is a crucial lever to get into retail; Magic Spoon is 65% incremental to the cereal category, meaning that 65% of Magic Spoon customers aren’t buying other cerealsInfluencer marketing changes when going to retail. The CTA evolves to “Buy in Sprouts,” or Target, etc. Please let us know your thoughts about the episode!Where to find Gabi Lewis:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabi-lewis-88483447/​Website: www.magicspoon.comWhere to find Kait Stephens:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kait-margraf-stephens/Website: www.brij.it SUBSCRIBE TO THE OMNICHANNEL MARKETERwww.theomnichannelmarketer.com9:30 - 14:00

In this episode, we meet Steven Borrelli, the CEO and founder CUTS Clothing. CUTS is a clothing brand built for the sport of business. It started with t-shirts designed for the work setting and has since expanded to polos, pants, and jackets, and recently started a women's line. In this episode, Steven shares the lessons he learned from launching a brand store. ‍Topics coveredChannel distributionOmnichannel purchase behaviorBrand store strategyOmnichannel experienceMerchandising and inventory‍TakeawaysCUTS started in DTC with paid acquisition via Google, Facebook, and influencers. Then expanded to Nordstrom and its own location in Soho, NY. Soho is CUTS most profitable digital advertising segment. The store acts a billboard. People walk by it and shop online. Or they buy in-store, and the 2nd purchase happens online.  A store is an extension of the brand and easier to launch than a partnership with a big box retailer. And has fewer restrictions and formalities. People often want to shop for the first time in-store because they want to try clothes online and then become long-term online customers. Stores can be a venue for events and community activation, especially with celebrity and influencer collaborations.Steven selected Soho because it a densely populated location with a high concentration of customers. The Soho store is a test case, but Steven de-risked via a 2.5-year lease (versus the 10-year standard).Stores have their own Conversion Rate Optimization, e.g., if a clerk misses 2 customers per day it's a missed opportunity of $400k per year.Measure your store like an e-commerce site. How many visited vs. purchased per day? AOV, New vs. returning. Capture phone number to build SMS list, etc.Having a consistent experience is hard outside of your DTC and brand store. Steven often says no to wholesale inquiries, where CUTS can’t control the experience.Merchandising is a learning curve. Steven learned not dedicate as much space to filler products vs. hero. Learning how to merchandise in-store can help you optimize your DTC experience and merchandising. There is a ton of nuance in the store layout and merchandise presentation. Ie. depth of racks, and placements of tables.  ‍Please let us know your thoughts about the episode!‍Where to find Steven:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/borrellisteven/​Website: https://www.cutsclothing.com/‍Where to find Kait Stephens:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kait-margraf-stephens/Website: www.brij.it ‍SUBSCRIBE TO THE OMNICHANNEL MARKETERwww.theomnichannelmarketer.com

In this episode, we meet Colm Mackin, from Act+Acre Act+Acre is a women’s scalp care brand. In this episode, Colm shares a deep dive into how to have a successful launch in Sephora. Topics coveredScalp healthCustomer educationProduct EffectivenessRetail distributionInfluencer marketingFocusTakeawaysScalp care (and other medical) products really need to work. Customers needs to see success in a few uses. Finding influencers was tricky because you need to find people with scalp issues and that were willing to share their story. Colm focused more on micro influencers were are more willing to share. Press is similar to influencers in that it requires outreach and finding people who resonate with your product or pitch for PR. As part of their Sephora launch, Act+Acre is touring 250 stores to talk to beauty associates and help them understand the products. Doing 1:1 training with associates in each store for 4-5 hours each visitColm gets weekly sales updates from each store every Sunday uploads the data to a special dashboard where he sees how stores are performing. If a store is underperforming, they will invest in it via brand ambassadors.Act+Acre is a new category, so a north star for Colm has been to be obsessive about simplifying messaging Focus is critical. Too many brands try too many channels at once or jump around. It’s better to focus on 1-2 channels at time. Please let us know your thoughts about the episode!Where to find Colm:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colm-mackin-7b1ab627/​Website: https://actandacre.com/Where to find Kait Stephens:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kait-margraf-stephens/Website: www.brij.it SUBSCRIBE TO THE OMNICHANNEL MARKETERwww.theomnichannelmarketer.com

In this episode, we meet Eli Weiss.Eli ran Customer Experience at Olipop and Jones Road and recently joined Yoto, as VP of Retention and Advocacy.In this episode, we shares his perspective on how to deliver an amazing customer experience in an omnichannel setting. Topics coveredOmnichannel vs. DTC experienceOlipop and Jone’s Road’s omnichannel presenceThe value of an omnichannel customerCustomer experience Impact of brand hype on customer purchase behaviorTakeawaysIn retail, discovery to purchase lifecycle can be very quick, i.e. you see something and buy it right away, whereas the online journey has many different touchpoints. Omnichannel for Olipop and Jones Road were very different because Olipop is primarily meant to be consumed cold after purchasing in retail, versus Jones Road, which was primarily DTC with a few of their own stores. The commonality of each brand's omnichannel approach is giving the customer the experience and journey that they want, vs. obvious attempts to sell which are cringeworthy.You can learn a lot from looking at existing customers' omnichannel journey data. Eli did this via Peel InsightsAnother way is to learn directly from the customer. Eli conducted 60 hour-long Zoom interviews to understand why shoppers cross from DTC to retail, and vice versa. Eli shares that Jones Road’s omnichannel customer was a substantially higher value than single-channel purchasers. Retail 1st customers often have higher LTV because they get sales assistance instore and figure out what they want to buy repeatedly. Brands should strive to replicate that experience online QR codes are not necessarily a repeat purchase mechanism but a customer journey mechanism.Jones Road replicated some of that sales-assisted experience with quizzes. Education was also critical to make sure customers received the right product for them and knew how to use itThe shortcut for product education is having a “cool” product. Because Olipop’s strong branding, the bar to educate customers on product benefits at times was way lower. The hype got people excited to drink it. Olipop was very successful at marketing it as an indulgence product If you want to perfect your omnichannel presence, talk to customers about what they love and hate about your productCustomer experience is more than support; its the entire brand experienceThe most important part of retention is acquiring the right customerCustomer experience could roll up to marketing or operations but should roll up to someone with empathy, humility, and curiosityMost brands are sleeping on retention and CXPlease let us know your thoughts about the episode!Where to find Eli:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eliweisss/​Website: https://www.eliweisss.com/Where to find Kait Stephens:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kait-margraf-stephens/Website: www.brij.it SUBSCRIBE TO THE OMNICHANNEL MARKETERwww.theomnichannelmarketer.com

In this episode, we meet Jacob Zuppke, CEO of Whisper. Whisker is the maker of high-end pet products that replace house chores. Its flagship product is  the Litter Robot, the #1 self-cleaning litter box for cats.In this episode, we discussed transitioning from DTC to a genuine omnichannel brand and the power of TV commercials. Topics coveredCategory building for new productsChannel expansionStorytellingRetailingTV commercial strategyHow to get customers to upgradeTakeawaysWhen you are building a new category, no one is looking for you. You need to invest in building awareness.New category products often start DTC because retailers don’t want to risk shelf space on an unknown product.Move to Amazon when your category or brand has keyword search volume For a considered purchase, whether it's online or offline, you need to tell a compelling storyGreat retail partnerships are where you can tell your store and merchandise well. In store, story can be communicated through packaging, in-store displays, and point of sale.When you go into retail, you need to invest in ads for high-funnel awareness to drive in-store sales, allowing customers to choose where they want to buy.If you are considering writing a TV commercial, read “From Poop to Gold” by the Harmon Brothers.A good commercial can be used in any channel (Meta, YouTube, streaming), not just linear TV.However, it may need to be designed or recut to work for different channels, i.e., what works on TikTok, won’t work on TV or Meta, etc. You get customers returning for your latest products by upgrading with value-added problem-solving features. Please let us know your thoughts about the episode!Where to find Jacob:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacobzuppke​Website: https://www.whisker.comWhere to find Kait Stephens:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kait-margraf-stephens/Website: www.brij.it SUBSCRIBE TO THE OMNICHANNEL MARKETERwww.theomnichannelmarketer.com

Meet Leslie Danford, the founder of Vitaminis.‍Vitaminis are nutritious, portable drink shots created to support healthy lifestyles.‍In this episode, Leslie talks about scaling from DTC to Omnichannel and how to bridge the gap btw offline and online.TopicsDirect-to-consumer launchOmnichannel distributionLaunching retail and AmazonBridging the gap between online & offlineSampling strategyEmail marketingTakeawaysRetail brings scale to a CPG brand but is challenging bc you lose connection with the buyerGetting into retail is is a step in the right in direction, but you need to drive retail velocity to stay.The days of ROI-positive online-only CPG are over. Retail only is hard bc some consumers want to learn about you online, see reviews, and desire subscription options.Brands need to be online AND in retail to survive, it’s cost-effective and what shoppers want. In-person events are a great way to drive email list growth; Leslie uses a QR code activation at her sample stations and requires an email for the free sample!Email is a great reminder for people that educational content is more sustainable than running offers and sales all the time. Brand experience goes beyond social, email, DTC, and retail. For some brands it can include functional experts. For Vitaminis, this gut doctor, wellness coaches, and nutritionists (vs. TikTok influencers). Sampling is a great way to discover your ideal customer profile. Small chains are a great place to launch sampling programs with lower barriers to entry than Walmart. Amazon is super convenient, but similar to retail, you have no clue who is buying.Setbacks are a learning opportunity; Leslie completely formulated he reformulated Vitamins after getting negative feedback.Please let us know your thoughts about the episode!Where to find Leslie Danford:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leslie-danford/​Website: https://vitaminisbrand.com/Where to find Kait Stephens:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kait-margraf-stephens/Website: www.brij.it SUBSCRIBE TO THE OMNICHANNEL MARKETERwww.theomnichannelmarketer.com

Meet Minesh Patel, CEO of Eczema Honey and Nigel Thomas, CEO of Alpha InboundEczema Honey is a skincare solution brand for people suffering eczema and sensitive skin. Alpha inbound is a digital marketing agency that specializes in health & wellness brands.In this episode,  we dive into the relationship between brands and agencies, pitching to Walmart, and navigating the transition from DTC to Omnichannel. TopicsMinesh & Nigel’s founder storiesBrand x agency relationshipsPitching to WalmartPreparing for retailMerchandisingOmnichannel marketingTakeawaysThe best products are born of personal painThe best agency relationship comes from a passion for your product and family-like closenessBringing your agency to a pitch is a winning play - shows the retailer how dedicated you are and it’s great intel for the agency to build and optimize campaignsOmnichannel is meeting your customers where they are or want to shopPut your best selling products forward when moving into retail, but customize the assortment to the retailer, i.e. a $30 cream will sell in Ulta Beauty not WalmartIf you are launching multiple products, try to have a “brand shop” display with all of your products merchandised together, so they don’t get lost between other products. New brands should check out the Walmart Start brand accelerator Big retailers love brand with digital savvy because they can mobile digital audiences to storesTalking to local store managers about the questions customers ask can help you build great customer journeys that drive online social media grazers to storesWhen moving into retail, brand awareness becomes very important; people won’t grab you off the shelf if they don’t know youGetting into Walmart is the easy part, getting sales volume up and staying there is the hard partPlease let us know your thoughts about the episode!Where to find Minesh Patel:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mineshdpatel/​Website: https://eczemahoneyco.com/Where to find Nigel Thomas:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nigelthomas-ai/Website: https://www.alphainbound.com/Where to find Kait Stephens:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kait-margraf-stephens/Website: www.brij.it SUBSCRIBE TO THE OMNICHANNEL MARKETERwww.theomnichannelmarketer.com

Meet Arjan Singh,  the co-founder of Jolie.Jolie is a beauty and wellness brand dedicated to enhancing skin, hair, and overall well-being by ensuring the purity of shower water.In this episode, Arjan talks about Jolie’s brand story, the idea behind it & ways Jolie has conquered in its industry in less than 2 years.TopicsBrand story of Jolie Co-founder roles Offline marketing & salesStorytelling Influence marketingB2B distributionTakeawaysProducts are born of out of common problemsOld products can be reinvented in a new category; Jolie took a plumbing product and made it a beauty productPhase of life and left vs. right brain are ways founders can complement each otherDTC is the easiest channel to control and best for telling brand storyPeople influence people and brands should strive to create conversionA brand needs to be bigger than its product. To that end, the red thread that connects all of Jolie’s campaigns is water. They have content covers thinking in the shower to surfing, oysters, and the beach. Putting a great product in the hands of the audience, is the best way to seed influenceGuerrilla marketing tactics like strategically placed stickers and truck wraps with provocative messages can drive substantial interest and conversationSome helpful B2B channels for Jolie have been hair salons and Erewhon which act as both marketing and sales channels. Jolie is also in Goop, Blue Mercury, Saks, and Nordstrom.Please let us know your thoughts about the episode!Where to find Kai Lim:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjanhsingh/​Website: https://jolieskinco.com/Where to find Kait Stephens:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kait-margraf-stephens/Website: www.brij.it SUBSCRIBE TO THE OMNICHANNEL MARKETERwww.theomnichannelmarketer.com

Meet Kai Lim the co-founder of Reprise Health. Reprise Health is taking Traditional Chinese Medicine and bringing it to the masses in a gummy form. In this episode, Kai dishes on DTC website quizzes, consumer psychology, Amazon, and growing wholesale with acupuncturists.  TopicsInnovations in traditional categoriesAudience discoveryChannel selectionWholesale distributionAmazon channelBuilding Trust with consumerOffline to online connectionRetail vs. DTC packagingTakeawaysQuizzes are a great way to collect email addresses and provide personalized recommendations.A new form factor can breathe life into old categoriesDTC is a quick way to launch and learn more about your customerWholesale partners are different across categoriesAmazon can be an early channel when you see demand and low competitionIn the wellness space, relationships with healthcare professionals can be a strong credibility signal QR codes can connect your offline and online presence and provide further education and information, which is critical with new categories. In retail, packing and price points must be adjusted to optimize communication and ease of purchase. Please let us know your thoughts about the episode!Where to find Kai Lim:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kai-lim-946021ba/​Website: https://reprisehealth.com/Where to find Kait Stephens:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kait-margraf-stephens/Website: www.brij.it SUBSCRIBE TO THE OMNICHANNEL MARKETERwww.theomnichannelmarketer.com

In this episode, we meet Christopher Jane, the CEO and Co-founder of Proper Good. Proper Good is a better-for-you meal brand that provides better quality low cost ready meals from soups to curries.Chris provides a masterclass in how to create an omnichannel brand experience across DTC & retail and much more.Topics coveredBetter-for-you categoryRole of DTC and retailPackaging designCustomer data & the retail data gapQR codes to capture audienceBrand positioning in different customer segmentsBrand ambassadors and communityTakeawaysTradition natural channel launch via local presence is time consuming. DTC presence can accelerate that time lineDTC is very hard to scale for food brands, but great for community, subscription, surprise and delight. DTC you get a ton of customer information to inform retail decisions, where the business really has legs to grow and nothing about the customer. There is a huge data gap in retail; most brands only really can know how they are performing in store. 90% of the U.S. population live within 10 miles of a Walmart. The average consumer looks at packaging for only 3 seconds in-store, so brands need to focus on communicating their most important message and make their design pop. Having an owned community is a huge asset to help you refine product and marketing materialsEmail drives tremendous amount of awareness, engagement and repeat purchase.QR codes combined with exclusive offers to capture email are a powerful way to bridge retail-DTC gap The more buyer reviews and interviews you collect, the easier it is to identify and target your key audience segmentsCommunity and brand ambassadors is a powerful platform that circumvents paid advertisingPlease let us know your thoughts about the episode!Where to find Christopher Jane:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisofthejane/​Website: https://eatpropergood.com/Where to find Kait Stephens:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kait-margraf-stephens/Website: www.brij.it SUBSCRIBE TO THE OMNICHANNEL MARKETERwww.theomnichannelmarketer.com

In this episode, we meet Liz Gordon, Vice President at L Catterton. L Catterton is a the worlds largest consumer investment fund with $35B assets under management.Liz dives deep into growth investment, as well as the themes and metrics that drive investment evaluation and valuation, and much more. Topics coveredMetrics for evaluating investmentsHow current economic environments effects investingGrowth investing vs Venture investingOmnichannel strategyCohort analysis for digital brandsGood LTV and CAC benchmarksBrand behaviours with new ios changesTakeawaysL Catterton invests in fast growing consumer companiesGross margins differ by category and channel, i..e food & beverage is on average 40%, where as beauty could be 60-80%Strong category, proof points, and working unit economics are entry point metrics that L Catteron looks forGrowth investors seek lower risk and lower returns compared to venture investorsBusinesses with high propensity for repeat purchases are attractive invesmentsDigital LTV is much easier to measure than CAC; 3-5 LTV:CAC ratios are attractiveCohort analysis is cohort or how specific group of customer look like and how to track them over time on monthly basis.Omnichannel is meeting consumer where they are; brands need to diversify channels to be resilient to changes like iOS14Please let us know your thoughts about the episode!Where to findLiz Gordon:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liz-gordon-32438235/​Website: https://www.lcatterton.com/Where to find Kait Stephens:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kait-margraf-stephens/Website: www.brij.it SUBSCRIBE TO THE OMNICHANNEL MARKETERwww.theomnichannelmarketer.com

In this episode, we meet Melanie Travis, CEO of Andie. Andie is a women’s swimwear brand that has the right suit for any occasion.Melanie goes deep on pop-ups, discussing strategy, tactics, and execution.  Topics coveredStarting with DTCPop-up storesWholesale distributionLifetime value and scale in wholesale Leveraging data from DTC for retailTakeawaysDTC is great for getting to know your customerPop-up stores are a great strategy for seasonal businesses Pop-ups are great for awareness and credibility Plan pop-ups around strategic geographies LTV is easy to calculate DTC, but not so much for wholesaleWholeplannsing is about penetration and scaleWhen moving to retail, bring your best products, not all of them, and start in regions where you have have the most customers, not all of the storesYou can expect to see a geographic traffic spike around your retail expansion strategyPlease let us know your thoughts about the episode!Where to find Melanie Travis:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melanieytravis/​Website: https://andieswim.com/Where to find Kait Stephens:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kait-margraf-stephens/Website: www.brij.it SUBSCRIBE TO THE OMNICHANNEL MARKETERwww.theomnichannelmarketer.com

In this episode, we meet Lisa Guerrera, CEO and Co-Founder of EXPERIMENT. ‍EXPERIMENT is a Gen Z focused and sustainable skincare brand that is for the chemistry-curious consumer.  ‍Lisa discusses the importance of making products people can connect with and not only making it look good (or postable!), but making sure it delivers results. Topics coveredTransforming passion into businessSkincare consumers and cultureClean makeup trendInfluencer marketingRole of TikTok, Youtube, and InstagramStarting in retail‍TakeawaysMake products that people can really relate to.Identify places of confusion for consumers and make it clear and transparent to build trust between the brand and customer.By understanding their consumers deeply, EXPERIMENT’S go-to-market was immensely social media heavy. Gifting to influencers was key to their success, as well as making influencers feel involved in the development of the product Tiktok is great for top of funnel. People trust it more than Instagram. Youtube videos have the most staying power.  Brand marketing can change culture and be part of culture‍Please let us know your thoughts about the episode!‍Where to find Lisa Guerrera:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-guerrera/  ​Website: https://experimentbeauty.com/ ‍Where to find Kait Stephens:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kait-margraf-stephens/Website: www.brij.it ‍SUBSCRIBE TO THE OMNICHANNEL MARKETERwww.theomnichannelmarketer.com