Die Geheimnisse erfolgreicher Direct-to-Consumer-Unternehmen lüften

With the rise of CACs and the huge increase in the number of online brands, it is becoming essential for DNVBs to diversify their sales channels to maintain their growth 🐙

‍

Among the different options, retail can be an excellent opportunity for your business:

‍

• In 2022, 30% of brands considered increasing their retail presence.
• Only 48% of DNVBs are present in this sector (compared to 56% in wholesale).
• Those that have taken the plunge generate up to 40% of their turnover from physical sales.

‍

If you’ve been considering diversifying, here are 4 secrets to quickly make your shop profitable, increase your visibility and boost your sales!

‍

‍

1️. Test with a pop-up store

If you're unsure whether to go for it, start by testing a pop-up store.

‍

In addition to being more affordable (on average 80% less than a boutique), pop-ups can transform your physical presence into an actual event and increase your visibility!

‍

A strategy tested and approved by  Shanty Biscuit 🍪 who made much noise last December with her "Shanty Poste".

The concept? A pop-up with the look of a quirky post office to "wrap its customers in good humour and immerse them in a stamped universe". Everything was covered in the brand's colours, from postcards, parcels, stamps, stickers to merchandise.

‍

‍

PS : I highly recommend you watch this reel to discover this incredible pop-up's details.

‍

<sub>🤜🤛 Bigblue friends

‍Do you dream of a similar experience for your brand? Like Les Raffineurs, Flotte or Bonne Gueule, Shanty Biscuit called on the Label Expérience agency to create the Shanty Poste!</sub>

‍

‍

2️. Offer your clients an unforgettable experience

You don't necessarily have to do a lot to have your customers come back and recommend your shop.

‍

Like Jimmy Fairly, you can apply simple but effective loyalty methods. In addition to hot drinks, the brand offers its customers a tote bag and goodies (sweets, pins, etc.) with every purchase.  

‍

This has proven a formidable strategy to increase their customers' Lifetime Value and Net Promoter Score. Their 100 shops in France, Belgium and the UK are rated an average of 4/5 on Google ⭐️

‍

‍

<sub>💙 Bigblue Tip

‍If you can't offer products to every single customer, you can still do so from a certain order value and increase your average basket value at the same time  🛒</sub>  

‍

‍

3️. Build on your values

53% of consumers prefer brands that share their values. To convince them to explore your store, display them in a big way!

‍

This is a technique adopted by Unbottled in their new Parisian shop called the "Temple du Solide", a reference to their products.

‍

Their slogans, "bye-bye plastic", "No more dodgy products in the shower", or the tag #dropthebottle, are written in the four corners of the shop and visible from the street. The brand also regularly communicates on its commitments in-store and recently revealed that their washbasin was not made of marble... but recycled plastic !

‍

It's hard for their customers to miss the zero waste and anti-plastic message.

‍

‍

<sub>💙 Bigblue Tip

‍Unbottled is committed to nature and is working with Bigblue to ban plastic from its shipments and send orders more responsibly!

Discover our engagements</sub>

‍

‍

4️. Make your online shop shine !

A video shot in-store and published on an e-commerce brand's account can get up to 8 times more engagement than a traditional video.

‍

LePantalon uses this technique to increase its traffic in-store and boost its visibility!

‍

Under the "En boutique Simone" concept, their employees introduce themselves, reveal their advice on choosing the right products and give gift ideas.

‍

Once again, simplicity remains the best tactic to generate views ⤵️

‍

‍

<sub>💙 Bigblue Tips

To easily manage its shops, Le Pantalon uses the Bigblue + Fastmag integration to:
-> Centralise and visualise in real time its B2C and B2B stocks,
-> Easily manage supplier orders,
-> Automate its B2B orders and restocking.

‍Discover the integration</sub>‍

In 2023, being an eco-friendly e-commerce brand is essential for your business!

‍

Because consumer preferences are changing:

‍

• In 2022, 70% of British e-shoppers said they prefer to buy from brands with a responsible approach.
• 42% of millennials and 39% of Gen Z consumers are willing to pay more for a sustainable product.
• 40% of consumers admit that a brand's social commitments influence purchasing decisions.

‍

I share five eco-friendly brand marketing campaigns in this newsletter to inspire you to go green this year.

‍

‍

Allbirds dedicates a website to protecting the Amazon Forest

The American brand of sneakers and eco-friendly ready-to-wear clothing revealed the Keep the Amazon Prime website last April, "the e-commerce platform you really can't live without".

‍

Thanks to a quirky sense of humour, the aim is to remind people of the importance of the Amazon Forest for the environment and to collect donations for the NGO Amazon Watch (while also tackling the giant Amazon).

‍

Sustainable at heart, Allbirds also launched the Rerun platform in early 2022, offering its refurbished products at reduced prices.

‍

‍

<sub>🌱 Small streams make big rivers

Your e-commerce website can also generate carbon emissions. To reduce your footprint, here are 3 tips:
-> Choose a green host, whose data centre is powered by green energy, for example.  
-> Opt for a simple theme without unnecessary features (which will also improve your speed and your SEO!).
-> Compress your images or opt for "Lazy Load" (loading images displayed on the screen only).</sub>

‍

‍

Rouje launches its first upcycled collection!

Last December, the Parisian brand launched Re-Rouje: a collection of upcycled pieces produced in small quantities.

‍

Rouje teamed up with upcycling expert influencer Ruby Pigeon to announce the new collection.

‍

‍

<sub>💙 Bigblue Tip

‍If you can't offer your products in upcycled form yet, start with your packaging! Make tutorials to reuse your boxes like Unbottled or give a second function to your packagings like Ziggy. Bigblue's "Blockbox" made of recycled fabrics can also be used as foam for your sewing workshops.

Learn more</sub>

‍

‍

BackMarket goes Anonymous

Last April, BackMarket hacked into several Apple Stores using Airdrop to write to customers about buying new phones.

‍

The goal? To encourage them to choose a second-hand product instead of buying a new one.

‍

Recipients could read: "The iPhone you love, with a smaller carbon footprint. Switch to refurbished".

‍

I've put the link to the video just below ⬇️

‍

‍

‍

The Petits Prödiges, experts in all-in-one!

The French eco-friendly cosmetics brand displayed billboards in the Paris metro last December.

‍

The star product of their campaign? Their natural multi-purpose balm, which replaces up to 10 products in our bathrooms.

‍

And rather than produce one poster per benefit, the brand applied the same method:

‍

‍

Translation: Hello, we are Camille and Clémentine; we created the Les Petits Prödiges balm that can replace ten products in your bathroom. Body care, facial care, hair care, make-up remover, etc. We could have made ten posters for this. But we didn't have enough money yet, so we preferred to do our balm: we did it all on one poster.

‍

<sub>💙 Bigblue Tip  

The brand les Petit Prödiges uses Bigblue's technology to avoid the waste of its products. From the app, it can easily monitor their expiry dates and thus manage its stocks in a more virtuous way.  

Learn more</sub>

‍

‍

Ace&Tate turns glass into an eyewear box

The eyewear brand Ace&Tate has everything to please: certified B corp since September 2021, it communicates with humour on its commitments and actions from its various networks and dedicated media.

‍

The brand recently announced that the case was closed: Ace&Tate has finally found a way to reduce waste!

‍

How? Thanks to an eyewear box made entirely from their used lenses.

‍

Ralph Lauren dresses racing drivers on Fortnite, Gucci sells bags on Roblox and Yves Rocher plants trees on Minecraft.

‍

More and more brands are integrating video games and the Metaverse into their marketing strategies, to the point of wondering whether it's a marketing stunt or a real market.

‍

In this newsletter, I will share what I know about the subject and show you the super-creative campaigns of brands launching themselves into the virtual world!

‍

‍

What is the Metaverse?

The Metaverse is a virtual world inspired by science fiction:
🌎 Unique and fully conceptualised,
📲 Accessible via any connected device,
🤝 Collective and cooperative,
😎 Created and operated by users who interact via avatars,
💸 Governed by virtual and independent currencies that rely on the blockchain (such as Cryptocurrency or NFTs).‍

‍

<sub>☝️ Not to be confused with Web3.

Web3 is a web version in which technologies and data are decentralised. Currently, our data is held by the companies that own the platforms on which we interact and create content (Google, Meta, etc.). In Web3, we would all own it, and our information would be stored and secured through the blockchain.</sub>

‍

When fully developed, the Metaverse will revolutionise how brands connect and interact with their targets and customers.

‍

According to the experts, this is still a good 20 years away.

‍

‍

An up-and-coming business...

The Metaverse does not yet exist.

‍

But metaverses, virtual and independent universes, do.

‍

And it is a flourishing business:

‍

🤖 Roblox, the #1 metaverse platform, has surpassed $1.9 billion in revenue by 2021 and counts over 320 million users (67% of them under 16).

‍

🪵 The Fortnite platform, estimated to be the most profitable game in history in 2019 and valued at $21 billion in April this year, has more than 350 million users (62% of whom are between 18 and 24).

‍

🥽 As for Meta, while its augmented reality platform Horizon Worlds has only 300,000 users, its revenue could reach $630 billion by 2030.

‍

No wonder brands are setting out to conquer these new digital worlds to position themselves now with a younger, digital native target.‍

‍

<sub>👦🏼 Slow and steady wins the race

Before you think about releasing your products in 3D, I share here some tips to learn about Gen Z and easily adapt to their consumption patterns.</sub>

‍

‍

... and ultra-creative!

There's no need to panic if you don't yet have the budget to launch a virtual collection: e-commerce, as we know, still has many years to go.

‍

On the other hand, brands' infatuation with these universes has led to the emergence of super-creative campaigns, which give a glimpse of what marketing could look like in the near future ⤵️

‍

‍

🐎 Ralph Lauren dresses Fortnite avatars

The American brand recently launched a collection of clothing and accessories called "Polo Stadium" in collaboration with the platform and revealed it live on Twitch.

Real-life pieces were also available online and in shop.

‍

‍

‍

💅🏻 Urban Decay invites itself to Paris Hilton's party on Roblox

For Halloween, the cosmetics brand belonging to the L'Oréal group teamed up with the "Cryptoqueen" to host its first-ever virtual operation on Roblox.

‍

Users could interact with the brand and discover some of its products in dedicated rooms.

‍

‍

‍

🚗 Fiat launches its virtual car showroom

It's a departure from retail, but it's a first in automotive history!

‍

Developed with Touchcast and Microsoft, users can discover the brand's latest releases and even interact with the virtual version of a human advisor who answers all their questions.

‍

‍

‍

🌳 Yves Rocher plants trees in Minecraft

Last year, the brand partnered with the famous construction game to develop the "Minecraft #PlantForLife" project in favour of biodiversity.

‍

For every tree planted virtually, 1 tree was actually planted in one of the 35 plantations of the Rocher Foundation. The brand had set itself the goal of reaching 100,000 trees.

‍

‍

‍

👜  Gucci sells more expensive bags on Roblox

The luxury house launched the Gucci Garden on Roblox last year, a virtual exhibition space accessible for a few days only.

‍

It was a successful marketing operation for the brand, selling a virtual bag for more than its authentic counterpart.

‍

If like 87% of consumers, you read reviews on social networks before placing your first order, you already know that user-generated content and influencers are powerful conversion levers.

‍

But how do you choose which strategy to adopt for your brand?

‍

For this first newsletter of 2023, I compare their advantages and share with you five tools to break through in influencer marketing 🔥

‍

Benefits of Influencer-Generated Content

Influencer-generated content is content created by users with at least 1000 subscribers. They are usually made at the explicit request of the brand, often for a fee.

‍

Why are they so popular?

‍

• Between 2016 and 2020, the influencer marketing market grew from $1.7 billion to $9.7 billion and is expected to reach $24.1 billion by 2025.
• 49% of online shoppers rely on the opinions of influencers before buying.
• They help build user trust in your brand.
• You leverage the influencer's community to reach a specific target.
• They can help you identify relevant trends for your products...
• ... and encourage users to create organic content!

‍

<sub>👀  Who loves me follows me

By regularly calling on influencers on its various social networks, the Rouje brand organically retrieves qualitative User-Generated Content for free.</sub>

‍

‍

Benefits of User-Generated Content

UGC is content generated by your customers about your brand or your products. Their formats are more varied: videos, photos, stories, opinions or comments...

‍

Why are they so popular?

‍

• 92% of customers trust a brand recommended by their peers more.
• Consumers are 2.4 times more likely to consider a UGC more authentic than content created by your staff.
• Their engagement rate is, on average, 6.9 times higher.
• They make it easier for customers to relate to your products and encourage buying.
• They are an excellent way to gain their trust and federate a community
• 68% of customers who have had a positive experience with a brand are willing to recommend it!

‍

<sub>💙 Bigblue Tip

UGCs are an integral part of Unbottled's marketing strategy and each of their products has several hundred reviews. Same method for making physical sales: reviews and comments are also displayed in shop!</sub>

‍

‍

PS: To easily collect reviews, Unbottled uses the Bigblue application to personalise its post-purchase emails and integrate the proper call-to-actions.

‍

IGC or UGC: which one to adopt?

To define which strategy to favour, here are some requirements that can help you ⬇️

‍

Influencer-generated content is an excellent option if you:

‍

• Are looking for ultra-qualitative content that you can't produce in-house,
• Believe that your target audience is more likely to follow and rely on influencers.
• Have the proper marketing budget.

‍

As for user-generated content, this is the perfect option if you :

‍

• Want to collect content in large quantities and at (very) low cost.
• Choose authenticity over quality.
• Are confident in your post-purchase experience to build customer loyalty and boost engagement.

‍

<sub>🪄 Nothing is lost, everything is transformed.

Reuse user-generated content and influencers for your ads! Thanks to this strategy, the Cabaïa brand recorded a 4x higher click-through rate.</sub>

‍

‍

‍

‍

Five tools to break down influencer marketing  

As promised, I'm sharing some tools to optimise the collection, creation and distribution of content created by influencers and users!  

‍

• Archive:  automatically saves the posts in which your brand is identified.
• Kolsquare: to quickly find the right influencers for your brand.
• Kynship: connect with the right content creators and turn them into ads.
• Wiink: to turn your customers into ambassadors and automate your UGC production.
• FOMO (it's all in the name): to notify your visitors what your customers are ordering in real time and generate a fear of missing out.

‍

‍

PS: Bigblue CEO  Tim, recently shared his list of favourite e-commerce tools on LinkedIn 👀

Less than 24 hours away from Black Friday 2022 , I'm sharing with you the original and innovative marketing strategies of 5 brands for this edition and revealing what to expect from consumers. Plenty of inspiration for your future campaigns, whether you offer discounts or not 😉

‍

What can consumers expect?

‍

📈 French consumers are expected to spend an average of €255 on Black Friday (15% less than in 2021), while the budget of Swiss and German consumers is around €300.

‍

📱 Over 70% of BFCM (Black Friday Cyber Monday) sales will be made on mobile, even though conversion rates and the number of products purchased are higher on desktop.

‍

🌱 According to the 2022 Shopify report, 40% of consumers are willing to pay more for eco-friendly products and 52% of French consumers are willing to buy second-hand Christmas presents.

‍

What are the brands up to?

‍

1️. eBay is back... and does nothing!

‍

The French second-hand marketplace recently made a comeback and announced that it would not participate in Black Friday.

‍

‍

eBay has also revealed an eco-friendly marketing strategy for the holidays and will highlight second-, third-, and fourth-hand Christmas gifts.

‍

‍

📹 Video comeback

‍

‍If you missed it, I'm sharing their campaign video (watch until the end).

‍

2️. Amazon launches Black Week... and goes green

‍

‍

Since Friday, November 18, 00:01, until Monday, November 28, 23:59, the marketplace is offering up to 70% off millions of products.

‍

‍

To help consumers navigate the sale, Amazon has even created a guide to find the best deals.

‍

‍

New this year: to cater to consumers' interests, Amazon also offers a Climate Pfledge Friendly store that only lists more sustainable products, refurbished or certified according to more than 30 standards such as Fair Trade, GOTS, Carbon Neutral, etc.

‍

3️. Unbottled commits to "No Plastic Days"

‍

‍

The cosmetics brand Unbottled is partnering with No Plastic in my Sea, which fights against marine pollution.

‍

‍

Their customers can benefit from reduced prices, and 100% of the profits will be donated to the organization.

‍

‍

PS: their subscribers could benefit from early discounts starting today by signing up through their newsletter.

_{💡 How to handle unhappy customers during Black Friday?
Discovering that a product they recently ordered is now available at a discounted price can be frustrating for your customers.
To keep them loyal to your brand, you can, for example:
🎟 Offer them a voucher for a future purchase.
🔙 Refund the difference.
🔀 Exclude recent customers from your promotional campaigns (especially with the help of the Bigblue + Klaviyo integration).}

‍

4️. Faguo isn't offering discounts and launches a "greenline" campaign

‍

‍

As part of the French collective Make my Friday Green Again, which brings together more than 1,000 brands, it's no surprise that Faguo is not participating in Black Friday.

‍

‍

To raise awareness among consumers, Faguo even launched 3615 - Buy less and better, a (real) phone line to help you resist the temptation of Black Friday! To test it, dial +33 9 72 12 12 34 and press 1 📞

‍

As every year, the brand will also offer a free repair workshop in-store this Friday, November 25.

‍

5️.Gymshark keeps its Black Friday champion title

‍

‍

Gymshark's Black Friday started on Thursday, November 17, with discounts of up to 60%, which can be combined with the discounts the brand offers to students, sports professionals, and military personnel all year round.

‍

‍

If in 2021 Gymshark had made a parody of a workout session to announce its Black Friday deals, it opted for Instagram-focused communication this year. Their account features a "Black Friday Wishlist" and a countdown in their stories, as well as a modified bio for the occasion.

‍

‍

The 2,000 discounted products were also revealed in advance on their website to allow customers to make their wishlists for the big day.

‍

‍

NB: the brand averages 20% of its turnover during the holiday season, including 40% during the first 6 hours of Black Friday.

Finally (and for even more marketing ideas), I'm sharing the playbook The guide to sell 1M€ on BFCM 2022: Build your win-big strategy with strategies from the top brands!

Nearly 50% of consumers use TikTok to discover new products, and 37% buy them immediately.

‍

TikTok offers a golden opportunity to increase your turnover and your brand's reputation easily.

‍

In this email, I will share our Top 4 tips to turn your marketing campaigns into viral content on TikTok and multiply your sales! ⚡️

‍

‍

Tip #1: Spot TikTok trends before anyone else 🔮

To find TikTok trends before anyone else, use the Creative Center.‍

‍

This tool allows you to search by country and industry and then target trends that can be useful to you, such as:

‍

• Hashtags: identify the most relevant and successful ones, find the creators who use them, get valuable information about their audience, etc.

‍

‍

• Songs and sounds: find the songs already trending or get ahead of the competition and find out which ones are gaining popularity.

‍

<sub>🥊 Bigblue Hack

TikTok Creative Center does not include user-created sounds. To get them, head to the TikTok Sound Trend page and find out which ones generate the most engagement.</sub>

‍

‍

• And finally, the types of videos that work to your inspiration.

‍

‍

Tip #2 : Create User Generated Content to boost your sales 🤳

User Generated Content (UGC) is ideal for quickly increasing your prominence on networks (and your sales!):

‍

💗 Super popular and viral content e.g. Over 155 million views for a Dermalogica unboxing,
👂 74% of consumers rely on peer recommendations on social networks before making a purchase,
⭐️ 68% of consumers would be willing to leave a review or comment for free if you ask them to.

‍

You have two options to get good UGCs: through your customers or content creators/influencers.

‍

For this, go to the TikTok Creators Marketplace to find relevant creators according to their country and number of followers!

‍

‍

<sub>🤜🤛 Bigblue friend 

Build your community with WeWiink! It’s the perfect way to turn loyal customers into brand ambassadors and strengthen the community surrounding the brand that helps you make more sales.

Contact Joseph</sub>

‍

‍

Tip #3: target influencers on Amazon 🧾

With Amazon’s Influencer Program, content creators can link their TikTok account to their Amazon "storefront" (the equivalent of a page with their favourites).

‍

Users can then easily find the products that the influencers present in their videos and, above all, buy them very quickly!

‍

Cosmetic brands such as CeraVe, Aquaphor ou Paula's Choice have seen their Amazon sales increase by 83% on average after a viral video on TikTok.

‍

‍

<sub>🌱 Not selling on Amazon?

‍Content creators can add a link.tree to their TikTok bio! For example, you can negotiate the addition of a link to your site for a specific period.</sub>

‍

‍

Tip #4: Link your TikTok account to your Shopify 🛍

You can easily manage your TikTok ad campaigns from Shopify!‍

‍

You must select the product you want to highlight, and the ad is automatically created.

‍

Users are then redirected to your site to proceed to payment.

‍

By implementing these tips, you'll be able to leverage the unique features and trends of TikTok to build a successful influencer marketing campaign.

‍

Plus, if you want to take your influencer marketing strategy to the next level, check out our playbook, 'Product Seeding: The Key to Becoming an 8-figure Brand with Influencer Marketing'. You'll find everything you need to know about using product seeding to build brand awareness and drive sales via influencer partnerships.‍

‍

Download the playbook for free

It is often said that you should not trust your first impression, especially in e-commerce.

‍

Even the last impression is the most important because 80% of your customers will only order again if they are satisfied with the delivery experience.

‍

One of the secrets to boosting their Lifetime Value is to offer them a memorable unboxing experience.

‍

To inspire you, I have shared the strategies and secrets of the most beautiful DNVBs to make them unforgettable!

‍

Personalise your packages to make you unforgettable

The number one rule for successful unboxing is to personalise your packaging so that your customers are immersed in your world.

‍

68% say that personalised packaging guarantees quality and inspires trust.‍

‍

Merci Handy understands this and always creates very creative packaging, as seen from its collab' with Stranger Things ⬇️

‍

‍

Don't worry, you don't have to go to that extreme. To stand out with your packaging, you can opt for:

‍

• Personalising the outside and/or inside of your package
• A scotch tape or sticker in your colours.
• An original silk paper.
• A thank you card.

‍

<sub>💡 Bigblue Tip

Thanks to Bigblue, Unbottled add a personalised thank you card written by Sarah, their founder, in their parcels. A little attention goes a long way; their customer satisfaction rate is 90% on average!</sub>

‍

‍

Be generous, and you will win your customers’ hearts!

In marketing, evoking emotion is the best way to attract attention and make yourself memorable to your customers and prospects.

‍

61% say that the package's aesthetics plays a role in their enthusiasm when unpacking it!

‍

To do this, you can take inspiration from those brands that include an unexpected product in their orders:

‍

• Aesop’s small canvas bag that can be used as a toiletry bag.

‍

‍

• Sézane or Rouje tote bags, very easily identifiable and ultra-desirable (they are even sold on Vinted)!

‍

• Pop stickers from From Future that you want to stick everywhere (like on Jules' computer from Bigblue)!

‍

‍

• Samples of your products, like Dermalogica.

‍

‍

<sub>🛠 Bigblue Tip

‍Dermalogica uses the Bigblue app to add free samples to their orders, but also customizable flyers according to seasonality (coupons, pre-sales, etc.).</sub>

‍

Adapt to your customers’ needs

A returning customer costs on average 7x less than acquiring a new one!

‍

Showing your customers that you know and care about them is a great way to build loyalty.

‍

Transform your occasional buyers with packaging that fits their needs and fits them!

‍

• Easy-to-carry packages with a built-in handle like Asos or Eram.

‍

‍

• A package/shoe box like CAVAL to store your pair of shores and reduce packaging.

‍

‍

• A ready-to-return package with tape and a pre-printed return slip like Zalando.
  PS: if you like the design of their packaging, I found their patterns on Ken Hegemann's website 🤫

‍

<sub>↪️ How about building customer loyalty through returns?

With our customisable returns portal and printerless technology, your customers return their orders independently. With store credit, you reduce refunds and retain revenue.

Tell me more</sub>

‍

‍

Tell your story

Take advantage of your packages to tell your story and highlight your values!

‍

• Zeta reminds us of its mission, the components of its sneakers and their impact on the environment.

‍

‍

• Cabaïa uses a protective bag made of 100% biodegradable and compostable vegetable cellulose, they guarantee its products for life and even show their support to the delivery people!

‍

‍

<sub>🌱 Bigblue Tips

‍At Bigblue, all our packaging is plastic-free! To protect fragile products, we use block box made from recycled and easily upcyclable clothing! Feel free to click here if you'd like to learn more about our commitments.</sub>

‍

‍

Go viral with your packaging!

Your packages can be excellent marketing levers because they allow you to get UGC!

‍

This is no mean feat when you consider that 48% of consumers say that UGC allows them to discover new brands.

‍

• The fun side of Hipli's reusable packages allows SMOON to retrieve content from Instagram and TikTok easily.‍
• Ziggy's parcels turn into a Meoeow Car and delight their customers, who send the brand photos to publish each week.

‍

‍

As you may know, we at Bigblue are obsessed with the marketing power of UGC.

‍

We've held three webinars and written several newsletters and articles on the subject.

‍

I'm sharing our free playbook Anatomy of a €3M UGC campaign with EVERYTHING you need to know about customer-generated content.‍

‍

If, like me, you are passionate about unboxing (and a little curious about what others are doing), I recommend this Instagram account.

Because they are the most effective and least expensive organic acquisition channels on the market, Networking and Partnerships continue to be successful marketing tools in the UK.

‍

To help you strengthen or build your referral strategy, I've shared the method that Caroline Mignaux revealed to our CEO, Tim. This method highlights how you can easily gain new customers via partnerships and boost your sales during Q1.

‍

The 3 benefits of networking

1️. Reduce acquisition costs by sharing your audiences with your partner, rather than spending a fortune to get new customers.

‍

2️. Gain visibility to an ultra-relevant audience and grow your community.‍

‍

3️. Leverage your social proof and establish your authority by increasing your partner brand awareness.

‍

The most effective types of partnerships

• Co-branding
  Co-branding, or collaboration, is not a new method and simply consists of two brands creating a product that merges their two worlds.

‍

‍

Contrary to popular belief, this marketing practice is popular between the big (Apple x Hermes) and between the small (M.Moustache x Hast). Today, it is becoming more and more common that the small and the big are partnering up with one another! (Nespresso x Zeta, CAVAL x Saint James, Faguo x Aigle, etc.)‍

‍

Thanks to their partnership, Faguo was able to take advantage of Aigle's Asian clientele which established itself in a new market. On the other hand, Aigle gave itself a facelift by associating itself with a DNVB.

‍

• The bundle
  This is when two brands offer their products and services together, for example, in a limited edition range or a competition. As with Unbottled x Meuf, this allows you to boost your engagement by taking advantage of cross-communication, generate more leads, and increase your sales.

‍

‍

<sub>🔀 Are you interested in bundles?

Using Bigblue, Meuf and Unbottled launched a bundle offer and set up their cross-sales campaign.</sub>

‍

• Affiliate marketing
  E-commerce affiliation consists of selling your products on an affiliate site, often from a dedicated page. The affiliate receives a commission for each sale made and the advertiser’s site increases its sales and traffic.

‍

• Cross-selling
  Cross-selling is when you offer your customers the opportunity to buy additional and often complementary products. This technique increases your sales by an average of 20% and improves your customer’s overall experience. If your products and your partner's products are complementary, you can definitely use cross-selling to mutually increase your sales, like Campingaz with Decathlon.

‍

‍

<sub>🛠 Bigblue Tip 

I recently discovered the Capio tool; this makes it easy to find the right partner site to cross-sell to!</sub>

‍

The check-list to organize and automate your partnerships

✅ Step 1: Define your objective

To do this, all you need to do is determine what impact you are going to prioritise:

‍

• Gain visibility
• Build your authority
• Generate more leads to increase your database

‍

By focusing on one objective, you'll have a much better chance of maximising your profits and making your co-marketing operation a success.

‍

✅ Step 2: Find the right partner

"Like attracts like". Yet, 70% of partnerships fail because of a poor choice of partner.

‍

To succeed in your partnership, you need to have a culture fit:

‍

• a common goal,
• similar values,
• similar audiences,
• equivalent processes,
• resources that complement or reinforce each other (for example, if you are looking to launch on Youtube and your partner is already present there).

‍

<sub>💡Tip for finding the right partners quickly

The Reachmaker tool created by Caroline analyses more than 2000 of your competitors and peers to propose collaborations adapted to your needs.</sub>

‍

✅ Step 3: Process

To save time and quickly enrich your list of partners, I strongly recommend that you offer them an onboarding kit.

‍

For example, you can make a dedicated onboarding kit, as if you were welcoming a new employee to your team.

‍

As you will be working together, it is important to share knowledge e.g. tips, tricks and resources... be generous! Your partner will feel more involved and your partnership will thrive.