David Ly Khim

Here are 3 two BIGGEST traits we look for in a team member when hiring for Chewonthis DTC and GaaS For SaaS And why you should be looking for the same.

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We cut 29/30 days from our onboarding process…kind of by accident. Any DTC brand will benefit, but health brands most of all. For the first 7 years, we did the standard “Free Account Audit” that every PPC/SEO agency relies on. Here’s why: - It takes an entry-level employee a few minutes to find a handful of problems. - Then a partner hops on a Zoom call, and says something like, “It looks like the last person in this account wasn’t setting you up for success.” - The brand owners tell themselves, “We trust this guy. As long as he’s on our account, we’re set.” - So they sign — and get handed to an account manager. These are great for marketing agencies… But not so much for the brands. Audits don’t give you a timeline or any real expectations. And the truth is… It only takes 5-10 hours to solve the issues we find in an audit. All the strategy work (including competitor and customer research) happens during the 30-day “Onboarding and Discovery” phase. ____ So a few months ago, we stopped “Free Audits” and started doing “90-Day Marketing Plans” instead. It’s a little risky because we’re paying the Account Manager to build the strategy before the brand commits. But the brands love it because they know: - Exactly what we’re going to do for them - Who’s actually working on the account - And how long it’s all going to take So our signup rate has more than doubled. ____ This all happened a few months ago. (When we decided to focus on health brands.) And that’s why 29 days disappeared. - We already have health, wellness, and fitness clients. And our team is 100% health, wellness, and fitness customers. So we already know the competitors. We are the customer research. - And now the 90-day strategy is set before we start. We spend day 1 fixing the technical issues. And then we’re off and running on day 2. It was an unexpected win for all involved. And a great confirmation that we made the right call on our focus and our strategy.

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Just had a chat with a buddy who runs a big Shopify-first DTC brand. They’re making a classic mistake...spraying duplicate listings across Shopify and Amazon, thinking it’ll help them scale faster. Big mistake. Here’s why this “copy-paste” strategy is setting them up for failure: Amazon isn’t Shopify. He thought treating both channels the same would save time, but Amazon plays by its own rules. Without tailored content, they’re getting buried in the algorithm, losing out on visibility & sales. Duplicate content kills SEO. Google hates it. Amazon’s algorithm hates it. They’re flooding the web with duplicative listings that confuse the heck out of search engines and tank their rankings. What's worse - This cannibalizes their revenue. Instead of working together, one channel starts crushing the other, leaving them with less revenue across the board. So if you’re just copy-pasting listings, you’re not scaling, you’re making a mistake. To win on Amazon, you need to customize every listing for the channel it’s on. Anything less, and you’re leaving serious moolah on the table.

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Everyone has a hill they will die on. I have 7. 🔥Hot DTC takes most disagree with… 1. 95% of brands are too reliant on paid social. 2. Obsessing over daily metrics throttles growth. 3. Most founders SHOULD have day-to-day involvement in their business. 4. Too much time is wasted on content calendars. Too little time is spent on social listening. 5. Most brands should NOT be running a customer-affiliate cash program (sorry fellas Zohaib Noah 🤷‍♂️). 6. Branding for sub $5M revenue brands is mostly bullsh*t. 7. Heavy “discount brands” are going to really struggle in the next 12 months. Go on then… What’s your hot DTC take? 👀

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PSA for DTC brands: 3 ways you can increase your AOV in 2024: 1) Free Shipping Thresholds: A well-placed free shipping offer, say for orders over $75, isn’t just a perk—it’s a nudge.   Customers often add that extra item to their cart to avoid paying for shipping. It's simple but it’s effective. 2) Incentive Progress Bars: Think of these as a gamification tool. By visually showing customers how close they are to unlocking a reward, you’re turning shopping into a game. The closer they get, the more likely they are to add just one more item. It’s a subtle push that can make a big difference in your AOV. 3) Upsells & Bundle Builders: Offering related products as upsells is a powerful way to increase AOV as these suggestions often lead to impulse buys, increasing the total value of the purchase. And let’s not forget about Bundle Builders. Bundle builders take this strategy to the next level. By offering customizable product bundles, you tap into consumer psychology, encouraging them to buy more by creating a sense of value and personalization. Whether it’s a straightforward multi-product bundle or a more intricate multi-step process, bundle builders can significantly elevate both AOV and the overall shopping experience.

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Snag grew their DTC from $0 - Over $30m+ in 3 years. Here’s how they did it: ➤ Problem-Focused Conception While out shopping, Brie realized her tights were slipping down. Growing frustrated, she asked some friends of hers if they experienced something similar. Turns out every single one of her friends had the same issue. This was natural fuel for her to look into things further. ➤ Data = Unfair Advantage Brie didn't have a background in marketing. Instead, her data-oriented mind gave her an advantage by looking at things a little differently. She ran a Google Survey of 3000 women to find out who else struggled to find a pair of tights that fit. The answer? 90% of 3000 people. Bingo. Opportunity validated. The data also showed how: → The market was commoditized → Men made most of the product purchases (Crazy right?) → Most women accepted poor fitting tights as the norm This inspired her to really look into solving this problem, and her search for suppliers began. ➤ Knew the numbers Before launch, Brie’s focus to really get a grip on her numbers really paid off. Since the sales were through DTC, she knew she needed: → 25% of revenue back into marketing → First-order profit → Small seed round to fund initial stock order Armed with the validation from the survey and some strong number-crunching, Snag launched. They cleared £300k/mo in under a year. The emphasis of being profitable from the first order was key to allow her to scale forward and further invest in marketing. ➤ Applied Zero-Party Data & Customer Service This is where Brie’s data-oriented approach really shone a light on how Snag scaled rapidly. The pandemic caused havoc for many brands, including Snag. Over 60% of the business disappeared overnight, and they went into negative. They had Facebook debt that had to be paid. Fast. Or Snag would die. That’s when Brie turned to her customers for answers. Her customers suggested a brilliant offer: 2 tights for the price of one, but the second pair gets sent in 6 months. The offer worked - Snag survived. And eventually thrived. This was a genius idea to help relate to her customers. ➤  Applied the ‘3-Piece’ DTC Law Finally, Brie understood the fundamental law of DTC. → Commitment to customer service → Great product experience → Solve a big problem Since all 3 were checked, the rest was down to semantics, unit economics, and following marketing fundamentals. ➤  Final Thoughts As a data analyst, Brie’s final words of advice were super impactful and really hit home. Yes, data is important, but it’s even more important that each data point is an actual human being, not just a number on a spreadsheet. Combining the importance of data with the understanding that each data point is a human is a brilliant formula for growth. What else would you add?

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I'm shocked that more DTC brands aren't obsessing over increasing conversion rate (and profitability) by leveraging this tactic... Hyper-personalized marketing. It's the year 2024. Capturing customer and prospect data is easier and cheaper than it's ever been. Why aren't more brands obsessing over testing hyper-personalization strategies? My gut tells me it's because it's an iterative process that takes time to figure out. But with the rise of data analytics and AI capabilities, this is something that every DTC brand MUST figure out. If you can crack the code on hyper-personalized advertising, the conversion rate lift just might be the difference between losing money and being incredibly profitable. Ryan Rouse Justin Buckley Ian Lenny Greg Shuey Kevin Kovach I'd love to hear your thoughts on this.

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If you're a DTC brand founder relying on Shopify or Triple Whale's numbers to make decisions—heads up! 👀 Most founders assume they’re seeing accurate sales numbers. But Shopify and Triple Whale sales numbers are often inflated due to sales tax, which impacts your ROAS and MER calculations in a big way. Here's why: ⚠️ Sales Tax Isn't Revenue: Shopify lumps in sales tax with sales totals. But, tax isn’t cash in your pocket—it's liability. When you remove tax, you get a real picture of net sales. ⚠️ ROAS is Overstated: Out-of-the-box ROAS calculations can give a false sense of success. A 3.46 ROAS might look like you’re crushing it, but after adjusting for true net sales and ad spend, it could actually be closer to 3.16. That’s a big difference! So what's the solution? Custom metrics are essential! At Free to Grow CFO, we build specific metrics for our clients to exclude sales tax and highlight the numbers that actually matter for growth. Don’t let inflated metrics cloud your judgment. Data that looks good isn’t the same as data that’s accurate—and the difference can make or break your growth. -- Hi, I'm Jon Blair founder of the DTC Finance and Accounting firm Free to Grow CFO. Want more tips on growing a profit-focused DTC brand? Give me a follow. Want to learn more about how Free to Grow's Accountants and CFO's can help you increase profit and cash flow as you scale? Shoot me a DM. Until next time, scale on!

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Beware❗ — do NOT make this all too common goal-setting mistake... Brand founders of scaling DTC brands often feel tempted to pivot their goals when they don't seem to be working out. But here's the kicker: they're going about it all wrong. Let me clarify: well-crafted, clearly defined goals are sacred and should not be changed frequently. But do you know what SHOULD be changed frequently? The strategies you implement to achieve those goals! If you find yourself struggling to gain traction on some of your growing brand's goals, don't make any changes to them right away... Instead, get your team together for a brainstorming session on new and creative strategies you can implement to move your goals closer to the finish line. -- Did you find this post helpful? If so, consider resharing it and giving me Jon Blair a follow. #dtcbrands #scaleyourbusiness #founders

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“ They don’t test new creative ideas, they’re mostly media buying ” “ Only 10/70 ads we launch break even. Most don’t even run past 12 days. ” “ I don’t think they get our brand, they’re not even using our product. “ ⤷ My day job is speaking to dozens of DTC brands. All want to profitably scale spend on FB/TikTok, but struggle to find a reliable creative agency. Some are working with agencies that: - Struggle to balance branding with performance creative. - Focus on media buying instead of testing new creatives. - Make beautiful creatives that drive 0 sales. Others are: - Testing creatives based on intuition. - Spying and copying on competitors in ad libraries. - Relying on in-house teams that aren’t specialized in creative strategy. If either fits you, don’t work with another agency before answering these 5 questions: 1. Are they doing creatives themselves or is it outsourced? Why it matters, downsides of outsourcing: - 0 Control over quality. - Hard to align ads with branding. - Slower feedback loops and iteration on ideas. ----- 2. Are they focusing on revenue per ad or hook rates? Why it matters: - Vanity metrics don’t drive conversions. - Most focus on making clickbait content (could damage brand). - Most don’t care if you grow or not. ----- 3. Are they actually getting results for brands post-iOS 14? Why it matters: - Media buying changed to creative strategy due to new tracking limits. - It’s much harder to scale paid ads post-iOS 14. - Most agencies recycle old news. ----- 4. Are they boutique or operate as a growth partner? Why it matters: - Most boutique agencies are specialists. - Boutique agencies work as an extension of your team. - High-level creative strategy requires fast execution and flexibility. ----- 5. Are they promising results without knowing your numbers? Why it matters: - They’re too busy overselling the next deal. (You) - They don’t care about you getting results. - They don’t know what they’re doing. ----- Spoke with a brand that burned over €350k on bad agencies. They never got the 6X ROAS promised in that cold email… So: Step 1. Check if creatives are outsourced. Step 2. Check if KPIs are aligned. (revenue, not hook rates.) Step 3. Verify post-iOS 14 results. Step 4. Assess if they can execute at scale. Step 5. Ensure they understand your business. Then settle. A friendly advice: f**k promises, trust results.

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The biggest mistake DTC brands make? Setting up random cross-sells just because "everyone does it." Don't guess what products work well together. Your customers are already showing you. Most brands set up random product recommendations without looking at the data. But your Shopify analytics already tell you exactly what products customers buy together. Here's what 99% of brands are missing: The Power of Natural Product Pairings Your customers are already creating perfect cross-sell combinations - you just need to pay attention. How to find these hidden opportunities: 1. Check Your Shopify Analytics - Look at "Frequently Bought Together" data - Analyze recent order patterns - Focus on your top sellers first 2. Use AI for Deeper Analysis - Export your order data - Let AI identify purchase patterns - Spot combinations you might have missed 3. Implementation Strategy - Start with your highest-volume products - Test these natural pairings as cross-sells 4. Monitor performance closely This matters because... - Lower CAC through increased AOV - Higher conversion rates on cross-sells - Better user experience with relevant recommendations The biggest mistake? Setting up random cross-sells just because "everyone does it." Let the data guide your strategy instead. What's been your experience with cross-sell optimization? Share below 👇 P.S. Remember, this isn't about adding more cross-sells. It's about adding the RIGHT ones.

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5 smart, funny, and controversial ads: (Plus a lesson from each of them) 1. Bible App - A bad review from the right person is actually a good review. In this case, it’s a fake one, but you could do it with real negative reviews too. 2. Gold’s - Words with emotional baggage catch and keep attention. You might not like the word they’re using, but there’s no doubt it makes you notice it. 3. Van - You can poke a little bit of fun at yourself to raise the likability of your brand and get sales. That’s a life lesson and a marketing lesson. 4. Sunglasses - The old adage is that “sex sells,” but that doesn’t mean you need sex appeal in ads. You can also experiment with it through innuendo. 5. KFC - Swear words and controversial topics catch attention. Be careful using them (they’re against TOS for many advertisers), but consider doing it in a clever way like this. Which one do you like best? - My UGC marketplace helps you find proven creators and get persuasive content made for affordable prices. Hit the “visit my website” button to check it out.

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Today, on You're Doing Growth Wrong: Katie Deloso 🍭 talking about common UX and product development pitfalls for early-stage and scaling startups: - turning a discovery call into a sales call - not reflecting value-driven marketing messaging in product onboarding - building Frankenapps without having necessary support in place - relying on mental shortcuts instead of keeping prospects' needs in mind (not every extra form field results in lower conversions) Give it a listen or read the transcript: https://lnkd.in/eSKvyveE Thank you so much for joining me, Katie! #UX #research #startups #b2bsaas

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Why do you think top service providers are doubling down on creating content? Paid acquisition is a crutch, not a strategy. → Pouring $ into ads that doesn't compound → Chasing lower CAC in a losing battle → Bleeding brand equity for quick wins Real growth? It's all about value creation. Build something worth talking about. Your customers become your best marketers.

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Tech folks have a bad habit. We think we compete with no one or with everyone. When I talk to founders, I hear either of two things: 1️⃣ "We don't really have any competitors." 2️⃣ "Here's a spreadsheet with 200 competitors, listed by feature." I think people form these habits for good reasons. But I don't think they're good habits. We can fix it. My recommendation: develop a balanced, healthy view on competition by embracing two practices. Abstraction and classification. The first bit is a mental trick. ➡ Reframe "you and your competitors" to "the buyer and their decision." The second bit is about consistency and discipline. ➡ Maintain an honest, useful way to triage competitors and sort them into categories. Clara Smyth and I are going to get into this tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. PST during a Power Half Hour session sponsored by Klue. Sign up link is in comments. (Visual on this post is one of my slides.)

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You've probably seen these posts online. His company crushed it with influencer marketing and UGC, and now other companies are trying to do the same. The big lesson? If your product is interesting or solves an interesting problem, you can generate tons of attention for cheap or free. Think about that next time you're planning to launch something. P.S. My UGC marketplace helps you find proven creators and get persuasive content made for affordable prices.  Hit the “visit my website” button to check it out.

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Great example of UGC. Things it does well: - Targets a specific audience - Uses a command as a hook - Uses physicality in the hook - Talks about pain points - Differentiates from competitors - Feels organic and high-trust Save this and use those lessons to create videos for your product 📌

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🗣 "I’d buy a glass of hot water if Grace Beverley sold it." Every DTC founder should be paying attention. It’s not just about how strong her personal brand is—it’s about how she leverages that to create deep, genuine consumer loyalty. What’s driving this almost cult-like following? Let’s break it down: ✨ Keep It Real: Grace shows up as her authentic self, not just as a polished businesswoman but as someone willing to pull back the curtain on her life. Whether she’s talking about the emotional toll of running TALA on Instagram or the chaos of scaling operations on YouTube, her transparency breeds trust. And that’s key—because when TALA’s first drop sold out in just 40 minutes, it wasn’t just because of the product; it was because her audience believed in her story. ✨ Purpose > Profit: Grace doesn’t just create products for the sake of it. She solves problems. Affordable, sustainable activewear with TALA, accessible fitness through Shreddy—her brands are born out of real needs, not just profit margins. The result? TALA pulled in £6.2 million in its first year. Purpose-driven branding builds loyal communities, not just customers. ✨ Show Up Consistently: Whether it’s on TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube, Grace is constantly showing up. Her TikToks feel like snippets from a business diary, with relatable rants about the pressures of being a founder or behind-the-scenes looks at her brands. It’s not just the content—it’s the consistency. Her audience is engaged because they see her as more than just a founder; she’s a relatable voice they trust. And that’s why she can drop a new product and sell out in under 20 minutes. The key? Build trust through TRANSPARENCY, solve REAL problems, and show up CONSISTENTLY. That’s how you turn casual followers into die-hard supporters—and how you get them to buy even a "glass of hot water." 😉 #FounderLedMarketing #PersonalBranding #DTCGrowth #GraceBeverley #SustainableFashion #EcomMarketing

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