Meet Leslie Danford, the founder of Vitaminis.
Vitaminis are nutritious, portable drink shots created to support healthy lifestyles.
In this episode, Leslie talks about scaling from DTC to Omnichannel and how to bridge the gap btw offline and online.
Topics
- Direct-to-consumer launch
- Omnichannel distribution
- Launching retail and Amazon
- Bridging the gap between online & offline
- Sampling strategy
- Email marketing
Takeaways
- Retail brings scale to a CPG brand but is challenging bc you lose connection with the buyer
- Getting into retail is is a step in the right in direction, but you need to drive retail velocity to stay.
- The days of ROI-positive online-only CPG are over.
- Retail only is hard bc some consumers want to learn about you online, see reviews, and desire subscription options.
- Brands need to be online AND in retail to survive, it’s cost-effective and what shoppers want.
- In-person events are a great way to drive email list growth; Leslie uses a QR code activation at her sample stations and requires an email for the free sample!
- Email is a great reminder for people that educational content is more sustainable than running offers and sales all the time.
- Brand experience goes beyond social, email, DTC, and retail. For some brands it can include functional experts. For Vitaminis, this gut doctor, wellness coaches, and nutritionists (vs. TikTok influencers).
- Sampling is a great way to discover your ideal customer profile. Small chains are a great place to launch sampling programs with lower barriers to entry than Walmart.
- Amazon is super convenient, but similar to retail, you have no clue who is buying.
- Setbacks are a learning opportunity; Leslie completely formulated he reformulated Vitamins after getting negative feedback.
Please let us know your thoughts about the episode!
Where to find Leslie Danford:
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leslie-danford/
Website: https://vitaminisbrand.com/
Where to find Kait Stephens:
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kait-margraf-stephens/
Website: www.brij.it
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