Jordan Hier (Hi-er) 🚀

Direct mail for D2C brands is seriously 🔥 As a consumer, your email inbox is getting more and more crowded by the day and it's getting harder to stand out from the crowd. On the flip side, direct mail is getting less and less crowded. I mean, how many pieces of mail do you actually get every day? At my house, very few, so when I get something from a brand that I'm super interested in, I do take a moment to look it over... and if you're my wife, probably buy something 😂 If you're interested in checking out the whole podcast I recorded with Michael Epstein, you can here: https://lnkd.in/gKMyEpai

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If you’re starting a new DTC brand then this is for you: Don’t put a single dime into paid ads. Unless you’ve got crazy backing then I can bet you’re not working with a big budget And you don’t want to spend it all trying to get your feet off the ground. Start with: •Influencer Seeding (Reach your targeted audience organically)  •Post short-form content on TikTok (there are 50 million daily users - start building in public to find your audience) •Now use your paid affiliates & your audience to start selling on TikTok Shop Yes it takes more effort Yes it’s a longer process But it’ll help you to start breaking even as fast as possible

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💰 REBATES FOR TIKTOK AFFILIATES TikTok Just Changed The Affiliate Game 👊 TikTok just dropped a nuclear bomb on the eCom world. They introduced Refundable Samples, and it's about to change everything about how you work with affiliates. Here's the deal: Affiliates buy your products and they will be refunded automatically when they post content or make sales. It's like having your cake and eating it too 🍰 🪄 The Magic Formula: 1. Creator buys your product 2. Publishes content or obtains a few sales. 3. Gets a full refund if they hit your criteria (sales or publishing content) If they don't? You just made a sale anyway 🤝 🏆 Why This Is Pure Gold - Zero risk - either get content or a sale - Creators are actually invested (they paid upfront) - No more ghosting after sending free samples - Automated refunds = hands-off management  🥷 But Here's The Ninja Move - Set smart criteria - Make them create 2-3 pieces of content - Require them to generate actual sales - Only refund after they prove their worth 🔥 The Brutal Truth I don’t think this will work….. Affiliates NEVER want to spend their own money. They receive dozens of free products, why would they pay now? Regardless, I am testing this right now….. I am blasting this to our Affiliate community and next week I will publish the results. Would you rather have 10 committed affiliates or 100 freebie hunters? #tiktokads #tiktokmarketing #tiktokadvertising #amazonfba #amazonseller

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How do you increase your store revenue, AOV, and CR quickly? Find an offer that works. And don't stop testing new ones. Offer testing is an underrated DTC strategy. Most brands stuck with the same offer month after month, year after year. Same Black Friday deals, same Welcome offer, same Cart abandonment offer. Nor there's any logic to the process. Most copy their competition. Or reverse engineer their margin. With Q3 starting, you need to start testing offers for Q4. Without a tested offer, you are leaving a lot to chance. Here's how we offer testing - --> Create 4-5 unique offers - Percentage discounts: 10%, 20%, etc. - Dollar amount discounts: $5 off, $10 off - Tiered Offers: $10 Off $100, $15 Off 150, etc. - Value-added offers: Buy one, get one free; free gift with purchase - Shipping offers: Free shipping, discounted expedited shipping - Loyalty offers: Points, VIP early access to new products Create at least 4-5 offers to start with. --> Run email campaigns or on-site pop-ups to test offers You need quick data to test offers, so it's best to run it as a campaign or on-site pop-up. The goal is to collect data over 3-4 days for each offer. Run small targeted campaigns to test different offers. --> Monitor key metrics An offer will have an impact over - Direct metrics -  - Conversion rate - Average order value Indirect metrics -  - Customer Acquisition Costs (CAC) - Store Revenue - Customer lifetime value Focus on direct metrics for testing the metrics. --> Dump non-performing one. For every good offer, you will have 2 bad offers. Keep on separating good from bad. Don't run bad offers again. Instead, try to find variations of good offers. The goal is to get 3-4 good offers, which you can rotate all through the year. Don't wait till Q4 to test your offer. #dtc #ecommerce

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Did you know that 90% of organizations fail to execute their strategies successfully? I didn’t. But I’m not surprised. Here are the things I consistently see that cause DTC brands to fail in executing on their marketing strategies: 1️⃣ There’s no clear strategy in the first place. → They’ve built a team of doers that are focused on executing without any real sense of strategy. 2️⃣ There’s a strategy, but it’s not realistic. → They’ve hired a consultant or agency to develop a strategy, but it’s collecting dust because it’s geared toward a more established business and no one knows what to do with it. 3️⃣ They’re getting distracted by shiny objects. → There’s a strategy, but the team is running after distractions or chasing competitors instead. So what’s the solution? An overarching marketing strategy that addresses where we want to go, who we’re going to serve, targets we need to hit, and key initiatives… …paired with a strategic roadmap (a three-month view is usually the sweet spot for my clients) outlining how we’re going to get there. This structure provides much-needed strategic direction and guardrails while still allowing room to adjust based on learnings and as the business evolves. Where do you see strategies fail? How can businesses stay on track? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments. (Data source: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘚𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘥, Robert Kaplan)

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TikTok Shop sellers are living a lie. 90% don't know if they're profitable. Here's the reality check you need... The brutal truth about TikTok Shop: 1️⃣ Revenue Is Vanity - 6-figure months don't mean profit - Platform fees are crushing margins - Returns are higher than Amazon ⏩ Most sellers are just hoping for the best 2️⃣ The Math Problem - Affiliate costs are hidden killers - Fulfillment expenses keep rising - Weekly changes affect profitability ⏩ Basic math saves businesses 3️⃣ The Solution - Track ALL costs (even small ones) - Check numbers weekly, not monthly - Use a simple P&L tracker ⏩ I made one for you (it's free) Remember Amazon sellers who went bust? TikTok Shop is that story on steroids 💊 Don't be next. TL;DR: Stop celebrating revenue. Start tracking profit. Or join the "Former TikTok Shop Seller" club. Get our Profit Tracker on our website: https://lnkd.in/eP6brDER How often do you check your REAL numbers? #tiktokshop #ecommerce #businessstrategy #profit #entrepreneurship

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Why Every Amazon Seller Should Be on TikTok Shop 1️⃣ Expand Reach: - TikTok’s massive user base offers a new avenue for increasing brand awareness and sales. 2️⃣ Cost-Effective Marketing: - Compared to Amazon PPC, TikTok Ads and affiliate collaborations offer a budget-friendly alternative. 3️⃣ Engage Creatively: - Use TikTok’s unique format to create engaging, viral content that resonates with your audience. 4️⃣ Drive Amazon Traffic: - TikTok campaigns can boost your brand’s search volume on Amazon, increasing sales indirectly. 5️⃣ Stay Competitive: - With TikTok’s growing influence, being active on the platform ensures you stay ahead of the competition. 🔥 Takeaway: It’s risky not to be on TikTok Shop. Ready to diversify your sales strategy and tap into TikTok’s potential? Start today and stay ahead. #tiktokads #tiktokmarketing #tiktokadvertising #amazonfba #amazonseller

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Quick marketing hacks get you attention in #cannabis... → But long-term vision gets you loyalty This is why *both* B2C and B2B marketers hate when you say: "Make it go viral." They understand chasing viral trends and using shortcuts might spike your numbers (temporarily)... But they won’t build a sustainable brand. Real growth comes from: 🖋️ Consistent, value-driven content 🖋️ Authentic engagement 🖋️ Thought leadership In the cannabis industry, trust and education win the long game. It’s about showing up, staying true to your mission, and creating lasting connections. 💭 What’s a long-term strategy that has paid off for your cannabis business?

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Ask your loyal customers/friends/family/community this one question, and you'll find the best copy for PDPs, homepages, carts, ad creatives, etc. You need to get your customers to tell you what they like about your brand. The question we asked our customers as entry to a giveaway: "If you were to explain Obvi to a friend or family, what's the #1 thing you would say to them?" You as a founder also write your answers out, but get your customers to do it too to really get the language that they're using that really resonates.

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Red Flag Alert… Ecommerce Gurus There have been a ton of Ecommerce Gurus starting to pop up on my feed lately and I do want to address this as it’s quite important. A lot of times, people will get pulled into buying a course or mentorship program without knowing if they’re actually legit. News alert: The legit ones are well known in the Ecommerce industry. If people in the Ecom industry don’t know this person or can’t vouch for them, chances are… they’re not really who they say they are. Also note a couple of things I’ve noticed(generalized points): - Have followers, but no notable Ecom operator or brand owners know them - Constantly pitching “mentorship” or paid course - Claim to have a team but most likely don’t - Not on LinkedIn (weirdly) Now I’m not saying that all mentorship programs or courses are trash, but what I am saying is that it’s super saturated and if you are going to invest into one… find someone who is more notable and legit in the industry. At the same time, however, what I’ve also noticed is that most of the information gurus provide are already available… So in essence, you’re really paying for information that is most likely available for free. In comparison, if you are paying someone who’s “vetted”… you’re not really paying for information, you’re really paying to have access to their network. Sorry to say this, but gurus typically don’t have an extensive network and will never “offer” it out. Point is, just be careful out there and do more vetting!

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"TikTok Shop is a fad" - Amazon Seller, 2023 Their Q4 sales increased 400% that year. Here's the brutal reality about Q4 2024: 1️⃣ TikTok users spend 95 minutes daily on the app Translation: That's 95 minutes they're NOT on Amazon 2️⃣ TikTok Shop converts at 5.2% vs Amazon's 2.1% Translation: Double the sales, same effort 3️⃣ Gen Z controls $360B in spending Translation: They're on TikTok, not Amazon The math is simple: TikTok Shop + Q4 = 💰 Are you ready to admit Amazon PPC isn't enough anymore? #tiktokads #tiktokmarketing #tiktokadvertising #amazonfba #amazonseller

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📧🔥 Do you know what’s better than just a BIG email list? An engaged email list. You can have thousands of subscribers. But if you don’t have a relationship with them… Your #cannabis brand is another unopened email in their inbox. Guess what happens over time? Your email list and website domain (your site name) are considered spam. This hurts your reputation. As a result: Less customers. Lower sales. Moral of the story? Focus on quality over quantity. #cannabismarketing #cannabisbusiness #cannabisindustry #hemp

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Are you stuck in the Meta Trap? Most DtC brands are, even big ones. I speak with 3-5 brands a week from $5M-$50M in revenue that have Meta as their primary acquisition channel and just feel stuck. What should you do next? How do you escape this trap? Let's start with, why is it so easy to get stuck? 1. Meta has the best attribution of any channel, so we all get addicted to knowing how our creative is performing 2. Meta can work really well and should be a huge part of your mix 3. Creative for Meta is often the cheapest to produce because statics and UGC work so well This is why almost all DtC brands start with Meta and build their whole creative and tracking ecosystem around it. Honestly, you should start with Meta. However, all brands over $50M in DtC revenue have figured out how to scale with more channels than just Meta. If you're getting Meta to work. Congrats! That alone is a huge accomplishment that many never achieve! Now, it's time to set yourself up for the next stage of your brand's journey. YouTube and TV are the primary acquisition channels brands add on after Meta. Both have poor attribution and require a lot bigger creative investment to do right. That's a tall task to ask of most Meta focused marketing teams that have a ROAS number to show in their weekly reporting. However, you need to figure out how to make more channels than Meta work for your brand! The secret sauce to YouTube is highly engaging, long-format creative that hooks a customer and then drives them into your funnel. Typically, YouTube's in-platform attribution is at least 50% less than it shows. So, to make YouTube work you need to invest in that style of creative and build a new attribution model. For TV, the formula is somewhat similar in that you need compelling :30s/:15s creative with a strong call to action then an attribution model that is associated with signals like on-site traffic lift from spots running. Both require new muscles for brands and a budget for risk taking. Your first try may not work, but the other alternative is to stay in the Meta Trap. Good luck! #meta #facebook #instagram #metaads #dtc #cpg #tv #advertising #ott #lineartv #youtube

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So... here's the part 2 for my last post about Product Targeting Campaigns: Say you’re running a Sponsored Products campaign on a keyword, and that bumps your sales to X+1. Meanwhile, your competitor is still making sales at Y. It’s a tight race, but you’re not gaining real ground. Now, introduce a PT campaign that targets that competitor’s product page. Suddenly, your sales jump to (X+1) + (Z), where Z is the extra sales you’ve siphoned from your competitor. Meanwhile, their sales drop to (Y-Z) because, well, you’ve just snatched their traffic. In short: - Your sales: from X+1 to X+1+Z - Their sales: from Y to Y-Z You win. They lose. That’s how you climb the rankings. If you’ve been selling on Amazon for more than a hot second, you’ve faced the typical Q4 headaches: Ad spend going through the roof. Every keyword costs more, and it feels like you’re just trying to keep your head above water. Campaign cannibalization. Ever feel like your own campaigns are competing against each other? Yeah, not ideal. Ranking stagnation. Despite pouring more money into ads, your ranking barely moves. Sound familiar? So, how can PT campaigns solve these problems? 1. PT campaigns often come with a lower cost-per-click than high-competition keywords. You’re not bidding against everyone—just the competitor whose sales you want. 2. PT campaigns target competitor product pages, not search terms. This means they complement your keyword strategy without conflicting with it. 3. By pulling sales away from competitors, you’re not only increasing your own sales velocity—you’re actively dragging theirs down. Now, how do you set up a PC campaign? It’s not rocket science, but it does require some strategy. Here’s what I do: Start by targeting products ranked just above you. These mid-tier competitors are easier to displace than the ones sitting at the very top. Apply a 25-50% bid adjustment to make sure your ad shows up on those competitor pages, where you’re more likely to capture their traffic. Don’t just set it and forget it. Keep an eye on your PT campaigns and make adjustments as needed. Here’s the deal: Q4 is not the time to play it safe. You need to be agile, strategic, and willing to take calculated risks. PT campaigns allow you to take the offensive by targeting competitors directly and diverting sales your way. If you’re still on the fence, here’s your to-do list: Start small: Pick a few competitor ASINs and test the waters. Optimize as you go: Adjust your bids and targets based on performance. Watch your ranking: If you’re doing it right, you’ll start to see results in a matter of days. At the end of the day, Q4 is a battle on Amazon. Every seller is in it to win it, and if you’re not adapting, you’re falling behind. PT campaigns are one of the best tools you can use to not just survive Q4—but dominate it. Did I miss something? Just let me know in the chat, so I can go over it next time.

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What makes a Successful TikTok Shop? Look at the top 3 Shops.... They range from 1,000 - 2,600 affiliates videos for the last 30 days. The biggest expense with TikTok Shop are the samples. Because every affiliate video requires a sample. If we look at the top Shops on TikTok for the last 30 days, their sales and # affiliate videos: How much did it cost them (1 Affiliate video = 1 sample): 👉 Micro Ingredients - Samples: 1901 - Avg Cost: $29.12 - Total: $55,367 🔥 0.005% of there total revenue 👉 Milamiamor - Samples: 1029 - Avg Cost: $17.95 - Total: $18,470.55 🔥 0.002% of there total revenue 👉 Tarte Cosmetics - Samples: 2654 - Avg Cost: $31.11 - Total: $82,565.94 🔥 0.02% of there total revenue These are rough estimates… but you get the picture. Then it begs the question: Would you spend 1% or less of your monthly revenue on samples? Of course you would….. by not freely giving your product to affiliates you are holding your brand back. ‘Cos affiliates are your new best friends #tiktokads #tiktokmarketing #tiktokadvertising #amazonfba #amazonseller

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PPC Experience, Unlike Wine 🍷 It Doesn’t Age Well In PPC, once you’ve mastered the basics, outdated knowledge becomes your worst crutch. If your interview pitch rests on years of experience, that isn’t helping you. It’s holding you back. This industry reinvents itself every 3 years. ♻️ Relying on “X years of expertise” might actually hurt your opportunities. Here’s a better way to position yourself: Instead of: “I have 10+ years of experience.” Say: “Here’s what I’ve learned in the last 6 months.” Instead of: “I won an award in 2021.” Say: “I recently rewrote an award-winning strategy to adapt to current events.” Instead of: “I’ve worked with X number of big brands.” Say: “I helped scale a small startup that disrupted an incumbent.” PPC hiring is unlike most industries. It’s not about how long you’ve been around. It’s about how fast you can adapt. 🏎️ Let’s start measuring success by what’s recent, not what’s outdated. And that hiring thing, I’ve built a system.⚙️

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Too many 7-9 figure DTC brands becomes victims of ‘black magic’ forecasting. Most of the time It’s at no fault of their own. Black magic forecasting is when either brand or agency are pulling numbers out of nowhere. They give out projections based on: - Complete BS - What sounds sexy to close the client - What sounds sexy to please the company That said - I’m not anti-benchmarks. It’s helpful to know them. However, when we talk about project planning outside the advertising world: In real estate In doing a home build In construction management The emphasis is on making decisions based on solid and realistic numbers. Not fake fairy tail ones that sound really awesome. If the real projections aren’t hitting certain standards: - Cost - ROI - Profitability Then the project doesn’t go through. No way. And it should be the same in advertising. If the financial benchmarks that we care about: - ROAS - CAC - Gross Margin Aren’t hitting our benchmarks, there’s no reason the project should commence.

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Hot take: I’m not that concerned with the load times for my homepage. If people are typing your brand’s name into Google and coming to you organically, do you think they’ll care if they have to wait an extra 2-3 seconds? No. They won’t. (Now obviously if you’re site is just unusable, you got bigger problems) But if a good amount of our traffic is going to landing pages, prioritize load times there first. It impacts your quality score which has a massive effect on your cost of acquisition, cost of traffic, etc. Every millisecond matters. So worry about the load times on your homepage later. That traffic is going to be way more patient than someone you interrupted midway through their evening social media scroll.

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