Matthew Heitmann

The most successful social media post I have ever been part of started with these words: "We hear you." The key to the success? Leading with empathy. A while back, a client of ours at Smoketown, LLC got wrapped up in a rumor that was fueled by misinformation. This rumor turned into potent controversy on social media and our client was widely accused of walking away from their core values. No part of these rumors were true, and, to be honest, they were quite absurd. A natural reaction would have been to be judgmental: how could these folks fall for such a ridiculous story? But that reaction, while natural, would have been the wrong one. In the midst of a firestorm, it is powerful to slow down, summon more empathy, and figure out the underlying reason for the drama. Once we did that, the frame changed. We read the radioactive social media comments. A pattern emerged: the brand's fans were having a hard time trusting institutions, including us. It was almost as if they were just waiting for the trust to be broken. So we tried to level with them: "We hear you." At the end of the day, no matter how value-driven and transparent a brand is, they are still a business. And to consumers, this means there is always the potential for their trust to be broken. That's why brands with a real commitment to their values, which was the case for this client, need to make empathy a core competency. From the outside, the social media post could have seemed simple, almost trite. But the reaction was exactly what we hoped: Thousands of positive engagements. More shares than any post in the company's history. Consumers appreciated being heard. With empathy, everyone won. #empathy #brandcommunication #brandvoice #marketing #brandvalues

15

The charts overfloweth. For the bike market I hope overall retail spending continues to grow. Strong demand through 2024 will be really healthy for the market. If it is going to slow, I hope it is a gradual slowdown and not something sharp driven by external factors. Some standouts for me: Ecommerce sales growth continues to wildly outpace overall retail and now makes up 17% of total retail sales. Used car market is showing growth in large part driven by falling prices. Our data shows something similar for the mountain bike category. Multi-year trend in home improvement, garden, sporting goods, and electronics has parallels to bikes. Some of the speculation about what's driving spending (job market, immigration, investment returns) are interesting.

20

Interesting article that caught my eye yesterday. The tide has been shifting for years in the core four sports categories but it beginning to evolve to rising sports properties like surfing, endurance sports, and motorsports. Some brands put their emphasis on mass market reach by dedicating their budgets for tier 1 talent but without the authenticity exchange - how can consumers really buy in? Rare exceptions exist but the assets that go beyond photo shoots, social endorsements, and big contracts are becoming the norm and all parties are benefiting from it. As a brand, truly ask your team “why” when onboarding new ambassadors, athletes, or influencers. It matters. Athelo Group #sportsmarketing #athletemanagement https://lnkd.in/et2gc9Xb

42

10 Comments

What does a POS look like for a business in 2024? It needs to serve three challenges: 1 - Simple UX. Make the payment as simple as possible for customer. Scanning a QR code or clicking a link. 2 - Low/No cost. It should not be a burden on the balance sheet. 3 - Manage post transaction relationships. How can we make sure customers are not lost post transaction and drop out of the funnel. By utilising pay by bank and the wider opportunities open banking presents, businesses can now reduce payment costs, CRM costs, increase retention and improve customer service. What's more, with VibePay, it's all FREE and can be done on your existing devices, your business in your pocket at all times. So ask yourself the question, why would I not try this? #openbanking #smallbusiness #payments #SMEs #finance #technology

4

If I could only look at one metric forever to evaluate my new customer acquisition, it would be this one... First Order Value/nCAC 🚨 This is a ratio, not an absolute number, expressed as a percentage. I mentioned this number in my last post about the "eCommerce scorecard." This ratio includes two metrics: 1. First Order Value Profit - Take the average first order value and subtract the costs to deliver this order to your customers. This gives you the first-order gross profit. 2. nCAC - The average amount you are paying to acquire a net new customer. By dividing the former by the latter, you get a number expressed as a percentage. When this number is over 100%, it means that your first order is not costing you a penny. It covers all costs to acquire the new customer and deliver the first order. If it's below 100%, for every dollar spent on new customer acquisition, you are losing some money... For most bootstrapped eCom brands that are in scaling mode, this number should probably always be as close to 100% as possible. This ensures you are in the perfect balance of not burning money and not leaving potential growth on the table. Have you ever heard of this KPI before? 👀 #kpis #ecommerce #newcustomer

8

2 Comments

I scaled a golf brand by 315% on Amazon. (Before, they thought they had to cut prices to get sales) But this strategy means no price cuts are necessary: - Optimized ads (took ROAS from 1.34x to 2.47x) - Additional platforms (expanded brand visibility with DSP) - Review campaign (built social proof) Results? - 315% revenue growth (from $40K/mo to $168K/mo) - 215% profit growth (from -$10.5K/mo to +$12.2K/mo) Competing on price is a race to the bottom. The right strategy means no price cuts are needed. What's your biggest Amazon success story? ♻️ Repost to help Amazon brands grow. P.S. Want your Amazon account audited by my team, free? ↳  DM me "AMAZON" (first 100 only).

104

73 Comments

Scottsdale, AZ has 1,147,039 potential total joint patients. Using the right data and strategy helps you identify and communicate with these likely hip/knee consumers. Combine demographics and psychographics (collected ethically and opted-in) for insights into people’s lives that will qualify them into this audience. When you create personas of individuals including: ages, lifestyle attributes, sports & activities, purchase patterns, digital habits, etc. and apply this persona to your service area… you have an audience of people most likely to need your services. This audience is within a 30-mile radius of Scottsdale (below). This proactive approach reaches these individuals directly, strategically placing your solution in front of them, without them searching for a thing… This SEARCHLESS™ strategy generated 1923 NEW patients for one of our clients this year. QQ for you: The CORE Institute The Joint Replacement Center of Scottsdale OrthoArizona Are you reaching these people PROACTIVELY or are you just waiting for them to find you? If you’re like most groups you're trying to get in front of people only when they’re searching, you’re burning your budget while missing 80% of the audience. A direct-to-consumer strategy puts you directly in front of these people where they already go online... No search required The future of patient acquisition is SEARCHLESS™. If you're looking for an advantage, let’s talk. #totaljoint #healthcarestrategy #Scottsdale #orthopedics

32

14 Comments

I'm about a quarter into my salon purchase; here's the good / bad / ugly 👇 Context: I purchased 25% of an existing (15+ year) salon in January. I have right to purchase the remainder of the biz within 2 years for a predetermined price (based on rev levels). The salon did ~ 750K top line (peaked at 1.1 m top line in 2019 i.e. pre-COVID); but grew each of the last 2 years. My process to get to know folks was pretty simple; spend time there. No additional meetings (no one wants extra meetings). Good: - It hasn't been too time consuming (the biz has a manager + strong leadership on staff). Some weeks I spend 0 hours on it; others it's a half-day or so. There are some email chains that go back & forth. But generally fairly hands off. - We had a distribution in Q1. It had to go to pay legal fees for the business acquisition. If you look at it on a rate of return on cash invested; it was about 4% of total cash invested into the biz. If this rate continues (which it should improve; as Q1 slowest); then I'd expect to realize (in year 1); between a 17-20% return on cash invested. You would be hard pressed to find this kind of return anywhere else. - The staff has been very welcoming. They appreciate some new insights & have been helpful as I learn the biz; I also get free haircuts; which is a nice perk! (Yes I tip them) - The biz continues to be profitable (without much in way of major changes) & January is one of the slowest months of the year (cold weather + post holiday slump = slower times) - One of the biggest items to improve top line is just # of staff. We have a few empty chairs still (~100K per chair); so hiring 1-2 new staff this year should help us grow. Bad: - There is a lot of work to be done before we can focus on growth. The salon needs a facelift, there is some issues w/ rising rents (& deciding what to do), the systems are dated (i.e. using paper for everything) - The marketing program is virtually non-existent; a few print fliers here & there, but nothing in the way of a marketing motion. However; with the foundational issues; it makes no sense to spend good $ on marketing until foundational is set. - Things move slow. This is a mix of reasons. #1; both owners have other biz & main owner has a FT job. We could move faster; but hard to do so in a few hours a week. #2; the biz has been around for 15+ years. It's been through the recession & COVID; even though folks say they want change; implementing that change takes longer than realized. Ugly: - Being a minority owner is a dance. You can't make sweeping changes without consensus. You don't control the purse entirely. You're trying to appease staff & the primary owner at the same time, but their perspectives & goals are completely different. It has caused me some stress. - There's a fair amount of politics at a small salon. It can be a lot of unpack & wade through at times. Net/Net Anyone who says "owning a biz is passive income" is mostly full of it IMHO.

35

16 Comments

Cotopaxi has so much potential but needs to evolve to be different from everyone else (Patagonia), and their stores need more experience. Companies get stuck with the "textbook mission" and must innovate but remain authentic. Their sale during BF told me there is something amiss. https://lnkd.in/gAdNX-_q

2

Missing that holiday spirit? ✨ It may only be November, but if you’re not in the U.S. DTC marketing cycle, the holiday season is already slipping away. Kick it off in January. Why? Because starting with an intentional and considered approach gives you the time to build a real connection with consumers and tell the story of your brand—a connection that’s hard to achieve at the retail level alone. Getting an early start lets us refine your messaging, discover what resonates, and set the stage for sustainable, organic growth all year. By the time peak sales season hits, your brand will be ready to shine, with a loyal following and strong voice, plus momentum from underutilized occasions like Father’s Day and Valentine’s Day. We have 2 more spots left in our European cohort. Let's do this! Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/e_NB4ZsK cc: Kate Harrison #SpiritsIndustry #DTCMarketing #BrandBuilding #ConsumerConnection #Storytelling #USMarket #SpiritsBrands #DigitalStrategy

12

3 Comments

Curious to get peoples take on this in regards to ecommerce returns? This is something I've never seen before... Charging up front for "free returns." Much like charging for shipping protection which I think is totally different. Note, I would say most #dtc brands currently offer some type of add-on shipping protection or eco shipping. Not sure a customer would want to add yet another paid add-on at checkout. (just my opinion) Not a fan of this approach but open to having someone prove me wrong... :) #returns #ecommcerce #dtcbrands This was pitched to us from Loop Returns. A quick rundown: 1.   Your shopper has the option to opt into a small return coverage during checkout. Similar to shipping protection or carbon offsets 2.    If they need to make a return, it is completely free and Loop pays for the label. 3.    If they don't opt into the return coverage during checkout, and they need to make a return/exchange, they are on the hook for the label costs. 

2

Impulse shopping is a common occurrence, with almost a third of Americans admitting to doing it weekly. But what are people buying on impulse? Apparel seems to be the top choice, likely due to the instant gratification of online platforms like Amazon and Instagram. On the other hand, planned purchases like vitamins and airline flights are more thought out. Do you agree with this list? What items do you find yourself buying on impulse, and what do you carefully plan out before purchasing?Let's start a conversation about our buying habits! Big thank you to Melissa Conforto and Jordin DeSenzo for the amazing insights, and a special shoutout to Provoke Insights for always providing compelling information. Your hard work is truly appreciated! #consumerbehaviors #impulsepurchasing #marketresearch

11

9 Comments

Heading into the 2024 BFCM season, I've talked to dozens of brands, and most are concerned about how the economy will impact sales. High interest rates and inflation are giving everyone pause, especially shoppers. But there is good news. 🛍️ 42% of shoppers plan to shop online during BFCM season.  🎃  48% plan to start by Halloween. Here's the break out on how brands are budgeting for this: 📊 33% plan to spend less 📊 43% plan to spend the same 📊 24% plan to spend more This data is good news. Many, myself included, thought it would be worse with less excitement from shoppers and less spending from brands. This positive consumer and brand outlook is a testament to brands' power to: 💪 Forge deep connections with customers,  💪 Move from discretionary goods to household staples.  💪 Become part of daily routines. Brands are also planning to start their BFCM campaigns early this year. Starting BFCM early has been a consistent trend over the last handful of years, diversifying away from the 4 days after Thanksgiving.   This way, you get sales in the door early and build momentum over weeks, and your campaigns are fully optimized 11/29 through 12/2. You don't have to start early, but you should expect and account for the competition starting early, i.e. traffic and conversion could drops. Here's how you should be approaching this BFCM cycle: 1️⃣ Now through October:  - Set campaign strategy, goals, and budgets. - Build up your email/SMS list and retargeting pools. - Aggressively test creative in preparation - Focus on being top of mind with your audience so when the time comes they say to themselves "I've been thinking about this brand for a while now, might as well take advantage of this sale" 2️⃣ November - Refresh and optimize creative tested in October.  - Ramp prospecting early in the month, then shift budget to more re-marketing/retention/win back audiences during peak craziness. - Don't be afraid to continue running with your high performing "evergreen" creative. (During a sale period, if you're able to successfully qualify someone upfront with evergreen content and get them to click to the site, then they can be surprised and delighted when they get over to the site and see that there's a sale going on) 3️⃣ December - Run last-minute gifting and shipping cut-off ads.  - Urgency and January focused messaging are key - Don't be afraid to ramp things back up from 12/26-12/31. CPMs are typically lower and consumers are surprisingly looking to spend during that time. (they aren't working as much, they didn't get everything they hoped for during the holidays, and they are looking to start the new year off with some new habits) — Make sure you are getting ready now because your competitors are. You want to avoid being caught flat-footed, sitting at full price, when they are running sales. P.S. I have a few more posts coming on this topic. Give me a follow to make sure you catch those in your feed. Happy Q4 everyone!

13

Nike is missing out on millions a year with this listing on Amazon This product makes over $ 400,000/month and is still leaving money on the table. The keyword copy is terrible, they are getting sales from their brand recognition. If Nike added “Ankle socks” into this listings title they would see a boost in performance and revenue How do i know this? I compared all of the relevant competitors in this sock niche against each other and found all the relevant keywords that are driving sales in the market. Nike is not fully leveraging keyword optimization strategies. But most brands don’t do this, missing out on potential revenue. Analyze all relevant competitors in your niche to find all relevant keywords that are driving sales in your market

6

Just finished “Chasing Four,” by Gene McCarthy. I was fortunate to work with Gene at both Timberland and Under Armour earlier in my career and I enjoyed reliving those chapters of my life through reading this book. If you have an interest in sports, business, brand development, motivation, or leadership I highly recommend this entertaining book!

90

2 Comments

5  spicy 🌶, from-the-trenches topics Blue Seedling’s positioning lead Jordan Elkind will be tackling together with retail executive Kim Gallagher (Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, Nuuly) in our live event in two weeks: 1. The most common mistakes tech vendors make in pitching AI products 🤦‍♀️ 2. Why your product team hates your marketing team right now – and what to do about it 😡 (<-- love this one - so true!) 3. AI-washing: what it is, and how to do it right 🖌 (<-- we’ve done it and we’re not ashamed) 4. What market leadership looks like in a world where buyers don’t know what they want or need 🤷‍♂️ (<-- I’m seeing this one on a weekly basis) 5. Why everything you think you know about positioning is wrong…sort of :) 😵 Join our live webinar on 7/17: Positioning your AI venture: The definitive playbook for winning in 2024. Learn more and sign up free in the comments.

12

1 Comment

"Demand can drop by 70-75% in a search channel without direct mail." The direct mail halo effect is real, and I've seen it ALL my brands, too. Steen and I chatted with Tim, CEO of CohereOne, arguably the leading catalog agency, about direct mail on the latest Nerd Marketing Podcast. Tim shared some incredible data around the power of direct mail, and it further confirms everything we see at PostPilot. Direct mail doesn't just crush it by itself, it makes everything else crushier. Check out the latest NerdPod to learn more from Tim and watch 3 direct mail nerds nerd out, link in the comments👇

16

2 Comments

I recently talked with someone much smarter than me. He shared insights about what moves the needle for big direct-to-consumer brands like Gartner Supply, King Arthur Baking, and Husqvarna. Creating products customers love isn’t about guessing what they need—it’s about listening to them. User-centric product development is the key. It’s all about focusing on: • Customer needs • Preferences • Continuous feedback loops By integrating customer insights into the development process, we can continuously refine and improve. A perfect example? The “bake mode” feature on King Arthur’s website. Simple, user-friendly, and it significantly  enhances the customer experience. Take Husqvarna. They target “prosumer” clients with premium content tailored to intermediate and advanced users. They know their audience isn’t made up of beginners, so they craft content that speaks directly to more experienced users. This approach builds trust and loyalty, making Husqvarna the go-to brand when these customers are ready to upgrade their equipment. Another personal example: we recently bought a bed from Thuma. The assembly was straightforward, with clear instructions on the box. This ease of use reinforced our positive perception of the brand. When you prioritize user-centric design, magic happens: • Products resonate with the audience • Loyalty is fostered • Engagement is driven It’s not just about building products. It’s about building relationships and solutions that truly matter. How do you ensure your products meet customer needs? #UserExperience #CustomerCentric #ProductDevelopment

8

1 Comment