#31 The Least Boring Weekly Newsletter

October 27, 2021 • Estimated Reading Time: 11 minutes

Good Morning readers! ☕

Pumped up for Halloween, eh?🎃

Did you know? Shopify is pushing into an untapped $6 trillion e-commerce segment as it leans into business-to-business sales. 

(and and and) 

YouTube is planning a week-long live shopping event, following tests of livestream shopping with creators.

Alright, so let's get right to it!

Almund's newsletter will let you in on all kinds of tips for D2C brands and much much more. 

This newsletter is going to dive into :

📜 Top reads for this week,

🌏  Spotify partners with Shopify to add merch to artists’ profiles. 

💬 How to Leverage SMS Marketing during Holidays? 

📜 Perks of having a Subscription in a D2C Model. 

🙎 BRAND of the week - BOXT

👩🏻‍💼 Plenty of jobs awaiting you!

So, scroll down already to THE VERY END & read up on what's yet to come your way!

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TOP READS FOR THIS WEEK

🤳 Pinterest gets more TikTok-like with a ‘Watch’ tab for videos, announces $20M in creator rewards. 

💬 WhatsApp rolls out ‘Collections’ to make it easier to shop. 

▶️ Instagram rolls out new tools for creators to collaborate and partner with brands. 

🩲 Bombas goes international with UK expansion. 

👗 GXO and Saks Launch D2C eCommerce Logistics Hub. 

📸 Arlo opens D2C online storefront for its award-winning security cameras.

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WHAT’S COOKING, HUH?

Spotify announced a new partnership with e-commerce platform provider Shopify, allowing artists on its platform to connect their Spotify profiles with their Shopify stores, allowing them to market their merchandise directly to fans via the Spotify app.

Artists will be able to sync their product catalogue to Spotify after connecting their Spotify for Artists accounts with their Shopify online store, allowing them to showcase whichever products they choose on their profile in the streaming music app.

In addition to making it easier for artists to access their existing Shopify stores, the integration could provide an additional revenue stream for artists who have not yet established a merchandise website, as well as give those who already have a website elsewhere a reason to switch to Shopify's platform. 

“Artists today are entrepreneurial. They’re building multifaceted brands and businesses, and now we’re making it easier for them to meet fans where they are,” said Shopify's director of product, Amir Kabbara. 

Shopify and Spotify are both interested in enabling the new creator economy, but they have different areas of focus.

Shopify sees its e-commerce platform as a complement to all types of creator businesses, whereas Spotify is more focused on artists (and now, podcast creators, too).

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HOW TO LEVERAGE SMS MARKETING DURING HOLIDAYS? 

SMS marketing can be utilized for a variety of things, including promotions, vital announcements, order data, and even feedback collection. 

Here’s how you can increase your conversions. 

#Remind Customers About Their Shopping Carts That Have Been Left Unattended. 

Some customers require a final push to complete their purchase. While email is the most used method of communication, SMS is far more effective. 

(To do: Make it simple for them to finish by including a link to their cart in the message.)

#Special-Occasion Coupon Codes.

Take advantage of SMS in the lead-up to BFCM by treating your consumers like royalty. It not only makes them feel special, but it also allows you to delight them with online store creditor discounts. 

#Service to customers GOLD.

Text is an excellent medium for responding to complex client questions that necessitate a human response. 

Treat your SMS subscribers like VIPs. Let them know they'll be receiving special offers and that you'll be available to answer any questions they might have.

#Restock & Announce New Product. 

SMS is a wonderful way to communicate timely information like new product arrivals or restocks. Create customer categories based on previous purchases and give them hyper-targeted messaging to enhance conversions.

Set up well-timed reminder messages to promote another purchase, depending on your product lifecycle. 

(Remember: Because SMS is sensitive, don't send too many reminders.)

#Continual Sales Promotion.

Text messages are opened on average within 2 minutes of transmission. So, during continuous flash sales or special deals, communications can be used to create a sense of urgency. 

Again, based on customer categories and purchasing history, these can be hyper-targeted. 

#SMS is a great way to get referrals. 

Referral discounts are a terrific method to reward your advocates while also gaining new consumers. Friends and family recommendations are trusted by consumers, increasing the likelihood of a purchase. 

Plus, it's incredibly simple for them to phone friends and relatives to invite them, especially if you have a killer deal. 

Have you ever been perplexed by SMS? 

When it comes to developing a text message marketing strategy that wows your customers and works in tandem with your email campaign, you don't have to reinvent the wheel. 

You'll be gliding into your subscribers' email and text inboxes in no time after you figure out how to establish an SMS strategy that complements your email sends. 

And the best thing is, when you already have marketing automation in place for sending text messages, all you have to do is be strategic about who you send your messages to and when you send them.

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PERKS OF HAVING A SUBSCRIPTION IN A D2C MODEL. 

The Covid-19 pandemic has affected all kinds of business models on a huge scale. It’s pretty sad, right? But let’s look at the bright side of this mishap. 

Subscriptions. What’s the big deal about this? Why do people subscribe to a brand? What good do subscriptions provide to you and your customers? Ever thought about whether it would be a boon for your D2C brand? Subscriptions have helped SO MUCH during this pandemic that people feel secure even having subscribed. 

People who don’t step out of their homes and prefer goods being delivered to their doorstep rely on subscriptions. This is increasing rapidly as people are now turning towards D2C models of business and are leaving the conventional ways of purchasing. Pretty much, nowadays, you’re super lazy to even buy milk from the shop across from you.

Tap to know more! 

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BRAND OF THE WEEK is…

BOXT is a female-founded, Austin-Born and Napa-Made Wine Company. BOXT is creating a one-of-a-kind luxury wine experience that will be sent to members every month in elegant, ecologically friendly packaging. 

It has raised $9.35 million in stock and debt financing to help it expand its luxury fine wine brand.

“Sarah was our Entrepreneur in Residence at Next Coast Ventures," said Mike Smerklo, Co-founder and Managing Director of Next Coast Ventures. "When she first brought the idea to me, my immediate reaction was, 'No more new ideas. This is the one.' Since that time it has been amazing to watch the team at BOXT take this vision and turn it into a rapidly growing business that provides an amazing customer experience every month".

Sarah's desire to bring excellent wine directly to consumers in the most environmentally friendly and user-friendly style possible is proving to be a huge benefit to both new and experienced wine drinkers.

BOXT's monthly membership-based subscription service includes shipping, a personal wine concierge, and the ability to update your profile, divert your shipment, stop, or cancel your subscription at any time.

Cheers to Sarah and BOXT.🥂

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In need of a  job? We’ve got plenty awaiting you!

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CHOOSE SUCCESS below and have a great week! ‘Get that D2C business runnin’.

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