Direct-to-consumer businesses have dominated and defined the past decade. Their rise to popularity would’ve seemed impossible 20 or 30 years ago, when big box stores reigned. Thanks to internet adoption, social media, and growing complexity in martech, DTC brands are now some of the most popular worldwide. They feed customer experiences Millennial and Gen Z shoppers have craved, with more niche products and a constantly changing inventory that’s shipped directly to their front door.
Because these brands are able to perfect their craft or product, they offer a completely unique experience shoppers can’t find anywhere else. So what does the future of these game-changing companies look like in 2020 and beyond? Promising, if they’re armed with the right strategies to stand out from the noise and growth a loyal fanbase. Here are Blueshift’s top strategies for DTC brands in the new decade.
1. Take your social media presence to the next level
Direct-to-consumer brands are best poised to use social media to their advantage. Because products typically fall into a single niche, these brands are able to create a cohesive image with their merchandise front and center. And, the quality of your products have contributed to word-of-mouth recommendations spreading like wildfire. 83% of consumers trust recommendations from people they know personally, and 68% trust reviews from anyone online. So how can you profit from your excellent reputation? Market through influencers that love your products, highlight great customer reviews across social media in videos and other media, or encourage user generated content that will get friends and family onboard with your brand.
These techniques will continue to be handy, but top brands are using AI to take their social media strategies to new heights heading into 2020. Artificial Intelligence can help you market on a 1:1 scale to both new and old customers. Blueshift’s AI enables social media marketers to take current top performing customer segments and find look-alike audiences across Facebook and Google. These ads are optimized for engagement and conversion, so you’ll be getting the most out of your spend and keeps customers coming back for more.
2. Develop a clear understanding of your core customers
Popular DTC brands know one thing for certain: customers love their products. But, for many companies, not much is known beyond that. Great reviews and a trending product might get shoppers to your site, but it won’t guarantee a purchase or create a loyal customer. One-size-fits-all campaigns should be left in the last decade. Instead, craft 1:1 messaging based on a complete and thorough view of your customer. It’s no longer enough to just personalize with first names and location, shoppers want brands to provide meaningful experiences and personalization. For example, 36% of consumers want brands to offer more personalization, and 90% are willing to offer more personal data to get those better experiences.
So, how do you go about collecting and understanding the slew of customer data left behind on your site and channels? Take advantage of Blueshift’s anonymous tracking capabilities to learn more about the preferences of unregistered, or logged out, customers. All of the customer’s behavioral data can be stored and rationalized with existing customer profiles to provide a holistic view of the customer. Then, sit back and let our Customer Data Activation Platform ingest data from any source (CRM, POS, customer service, etc) to further inform the customer profile for truly accurate targeting and a more relevant customer experience.
3. Create a cohesive and personalized customer experience
With all your customer data at your fingertips and solid channel strategies in place, it’s time to tie it all together to form the optimal 1:1 customer experience. AI will continue to empower overwhelmed marketers take the ton of data they have on their hands and all the fantastic ideas in their heads, and turn it into running campaigns quicker than ever before. Over the next 10 years, it’ll be increasingly important for marketers to find AI-native platforms to fuel their communications, rather than clunky add-ons or “almost AI” alternatives. Blueshift’s platform has been AI-driven from day one — and we’re proud to offer a product that puts the power of data science into the hands of non-technical marketers. The next ten years of DTC marketing will focus on a blossoming of true partnerships for brands and the tech that powers them, faster and more agile communication with customers, and propelled growth for cutting-edge brands. Ready to partner with Blueshift to power your customer-centric marketing for 2020 and beyond? Connect with our team to see inside our first-of-its-kind platform.
