How to pull a 'Baby Reindeer' (aka go viral)

Hello Linked In

As some of you know, in a bid to master TikTok, I embarked on a journey a year ago to immerse myself inside the platform alongside dramatically reducing the cost of creative production in order to produce video at the volume required by the channel.

Since then, we've launched Tiktok channels for DTC Live, my brand The Notting Hill Company, and Biz Kids, our social enterprise that teaches children entrepreneurship and financial literacy.

As 'creators' on Tiktok tend to say, you never know what will happen once you commit to consistency on the channel. It transpires this is true.

We have not only hosted cabinet ministers, professional footballers and

entrepreneurs from the DTC Live community as special guests on Biz Kids, but we have now released a pop song.

Yes, rather unexpectedly, I have credit as a music producer on Spotify.

Let me explain... (as this relates to Tiktok and so to all of you)

During a lesson about confidence, Mila, one of Biz Kids, wrote a rap called "Make Me A Goddess."

Her words, which are particularly empowering to woman and young girls, immediately caught my attention.

In collaboration with Stagecoach Performing Arts, we developed Mila's short rap into a full pop song, complete with a choreographed music video that showcases the abilities of the pupils who attend Stagecoach Performing Arts. 

We released Make Me A Goddess on Friday, and it has already gone viral.

Across the world, kids are commenting and sharing, and of course, this helps spread the word about the education Biz Kids and Stagecoach Performing Arts offer even further. 

I have spent the last year inside Tiktok on the content and shop side, and now I am deep in the music and filter ecosystem. 

The more time I spend there, the more I realize Tiktok is almost a self-contained universe unto itself.

This is both thrilling and daunting. On one hand, TikTok's potential for disruption is still in its infancy, posing challenges and uncertainties.

Let me be clear - this platform is operating across content, media, shopping, fulfillment, music, AR and more and who knows which sectors it will disrupt next. 

On the other hand, it provides a platform where tremendous positive impact can be achieved.

"Make Me A Goddess" has already attracted over 2.2 million views on our channel in just 6 days.

The song has made a promising debut on Spotify and Apple Music - new artists long to reach the benchmark of 1000 streams on their song.

Biz Kids surpassed that in two days.... and we are gearing up for a comprehensive publicity campaign to propel it further.

I'm always aware that talking about Biz Kids, and now 'Make Me A Goddess' is always a departure from our usual e-commerce focus. But what I am learning every day showcases the vast potential of TikTok not just for branding and marketing, but as a platform where meaningful, impactful content can thrive and spread globally.

As we are a community of entrepreneurs, I would like to ask you to support Biz Kids, me and Make Me A Goddess, especially if you are a woman, or know a woman who you'd like to inspire with confidence and a belief that she can be whatever she wants in life!

Please stream "Make Me A Goddess" and check out our official music video. Let's rally behind Mila and the message of Make Me A Goddess, and show what our community can accomplish when we embrace new challenges and opportunities.

And - DM me and let me know what you think of our very first pop song! Oh - and if you know anyone in the music industry who might be able to help me in any way, pls introduce me.

And of course, we'd welcome all shout outs that help spread the word about Make Me A Goddess, Biz Kids, Mila and Stagecoach Performing Arts. 

Now, back to DTC and ecommerce.

If you are free this evening and in London, join Shivali and I at the Quickfire x NOVOS eCom Summer Boat Party, starting at 5:30 pm from Temple Pier! You’ll have the opportunity to watch the sunset over the London skyline, glass of prosecco in hand and enjoying the company of fellow eCommerce geniuses, whilst on a boat!

Find your tickets here

Now onto today’s topics 

📣How to go viral? (a Baby Reindeer stunt)

📣Thank you to Rainy City + TOP TIPS from DTC LIVE!

📣Why Is Marketing Attribution More Complex Than Ever?

📣How to secure the Amazon's Choice Badge?

How to go viral

At DTC Live Manchester, let’s just say someone pulled a “baby reindeer” stunt. 

Yes, one of our speakers Lewis Ellis hired his own stalker who's sole responsibility was to sabotage him as he attempted to do a talk.

Rather than just talking about disruptive marketing and unique content, He thought … Why don’t we actually disrupt the event and align it with what we've spoken about during the show...

He called it "Pulling a baby reindeer" He couldn't find a Martha look alike. But he did get Sean. And his job? Act like a complete weirdo, make everyone nervous, and basically try to make this particular talk, a memorable one 😂😂

Yes, it was like an 'End of the show show' at DTC Live Manchester, in which Lewis created a video in real time that embodied the points he was talking about, and demonstrated how you can go viral - deliberately.

I had just 40 minutes warning that there was a heckler in the audience and various of the team, including the venue staff, had been roped in to drag the heckler out, all in the closing sections of an actual DTC Live conference.

If you want to see what happened in action, you can check it out here.

So, how viral did it go? Instagram - 15.3k views, 216 Likes

TikTok - 21.5k views, 2942 likes 

LinkedIn - 8305 impressions, 110 likes

YouTube- 1.8k views, 7 likes

And as for whether people thought it was real…

Lewis also shared his TOP TIPS on how to go viral:

1. Embrace the Unconventional: Use surprising, bold, and creative tactics to grab attention. Incorporate unexpected visuals and messages in your campaigns. Experiment with bold colors and unique graphics to stand out.

2. Capitalise on Absurdity and Humor: Try quirky, funny, and seemingly nonsensical content that catches people off guard; e.g., bizarre food combinations. Use platforms like TikTok and Instagram to reach a wide audience. Think outside the box and don’t be afraid to be silly.

3. Use trending topics and current events to inspire your content: Craft content, memes, and short videos that tie your brand to these events in a clever and engaging way.

4. Don’t be afraid to fail: Taking risks can lead to the most memorable and successful campaigns. Experiment with different content types and campaign strategies. Analyse what works and iterate quickly without fearing failure. Encourage your team to brainstorm and test bold ideas.

5. Authenticity and uniqueness are key: Do something no one else is doing. Evaluate your brand’s ethos and find unique ways to express it. Consider guerrilla marketing tactics, experiential events, or bold public stunts that align with your brand values.

6. Transform mundane activities into extraordinary spectacles: Look at everyday brand interactions and brainstorm ways to turn them into shareable, buzzworthy moments. Create unexpected events that surprise and delight your audience.

7. Make It Memorable: The goal is to leave a lasting impression that people talk about. Plan surprises that align with your brand message.

Thanks Lewis for both the shock and the fun of your stunt! And for breaking down virality so clearly and taking the risk to put your theory into action!

DTC Live Manchester - wrap up

Finally, I would love to give a massive shoutout to Rebecca, Molly and the Rainy City Team, along with Shivali, Amelia, Georgina and Claire at DTC Live, for making taking DTC Live to Manchester as smooth as possible - we couldn't have done it without you. 

The day was truly packed with so many incredible speakers offering extremely useful advice on how to grow your DTC brands. It’s so incredible to see our community grow and see all of the connections made.

So let’s get into some of the key takeaways? 

✈️Leveraging Multiple Channels and Markets

Many speakers emphasised the importance of being agile and using various channels and geographies to grow your brand. The advice was clear: leverage direct sales, TikTok, Amazon, B2B platforms, and explore markets in the UK, US, AUS, and the Middle East. By diversifying, brands can find the path of least resistance and maximize growth opportunities. This approach helps mitigate risks and ensures a broader reach.

🧍♂️🧍♀️Understanding and Adapting to Customers

A major theme was the necessity of truly understanding your customers. Rebecca Worsley and others discussed how digital and tech have evolved for brands post-pandemic. They highlighted the importance of capturing key consumer moments both locally and globally. This involves gathering data, listening to customer feedback, and being ready to pivot strategies based on these insights. Understanding what drives customer behavior allows brands to adapt quickly and stay relevant.

📺The Power of TV Ads and Influencer Marketing

Evey from Evey’s Preloved shared insights on how TV ads can be cost-effective and impactful for brands of all sizes along with Karen Brar from TV Ads Work. “TV advertising is within reach for all brands,” she said, showing that with the right strategy, TV can reach a wide audience without breaking the bank. Conor Jaafari from Cozy Crew Club showcased the effectiveness of influencer marketing. He shared how partnering with influencers like Mrs. Hinch propelled his brand, emphasizing that influencer endorsements can significantly boost brand visibility and sales.

💯Customer-Centric Strategies

Darcy Laceby from Absolute Collagen emphasized the importance of putting the customer first. "When you don’t put the customer first, it doesn’t work," she said, highlighting the need for prioritizing user-generated content (UGC) and authentic engagement. Customer-centric strategies involve creating products and marketing campaigns that resonate with customers’ needs and values. This builds loyalty and strengthens brand credibility.

🔥Creating Viral Content

Lewis Ellis provided invaluable tips on creating viral content. He stressed the importance of good storytelling and making content relatable to engage audiences effectively. His advice, “Fail 9 times out of 10, you still win,” underscored the importance of persistence. Viral content often requires experimentation and learning from what doesn’t work. By continually refining their approach, brands can eventually create content that resonates widely.

💸Beyond Social Media

Elissa Corrigan from Elle Sera advised against relying solely on social media for marketing. She shared her success story, saying, “I made back all my investment in six weeks through Mail Online.” This example illustrated the power of traditional marketing channels. Diversifying marketing efforts ensures that brands are not overly dependent on any single platform, reducing risk and reaching different audience segments.

📦Practical Product Design

Des McManus from FFS Beauty highlighted the importance of practical product design, such as making products letterbox-friendly. This consideration makes it easier for customers to receive their orders, enhancing convenience and satisfaction. Thoughtful design can improve the overall customer experience and encourage repeat purchases.

If you would like to to join us for our next DTC Live sign up here ➡️ dtclive.com/dtc-live-london

Why Is Marketing Attribution More Complex Than Ever?

Despite sophisticated technology and extensive customer metrics, the growing number of marketing channels and touchpoints makes understanding which ones deliver the best return increasingly complex.

Understanding why marketing attribution has become so important—and complicated—is essential. In the past, brands relied on qualitative research and simple tracking methods. The advent of the Internet brought new tracking capabilities, with tools like Google Analytics offering insights into user behaviour. However, the rise of multichannel marketing and fragmented data sources has made it harder to pinpoint which channels truly drive sales.

Firstly, what have been some of key changes? 

⚪️Post-Covid Dynamics: The pandemic increased online shopping, but there's been a shift towards first-party data due to decreased online engagement and rising costs, highlighting the importance of strong customer relationships.

⚪️Third-Party Cookies: The elimination of third-party cookies by browsers like Chrome and Firefox has put a premium on first-party data collection and server-side tracking.

⚪️iOS 14 Privacy Updates: Apple’s privacy enhancements have made tracking more difficult across apps and devices, requiring marketers to adopt alternative methods such as cohort analysis and responsible use of platform data.

⚪️Server-Side Tracking: This approach has grown crucial for its enhanced data accuracy and security by processing interactions on server levels.

⚪️Google Analytics & GA4: The introduction of GA4 brings new, complex attribution models, necessitating a quick adaptation to fully leverage its advanced features for improved insight and marketing effectiveness.

Sweet Analytics are the experts on data. They report on 250 brands and over £250mil marketing spends, and they have identified the following challenges and given us some key tips!

1. Overemphasising the Last Touchpoint: Relying heavily on the final interaction before a conversion overlooks earlier touchpoints.

✏️Use multi-touch attribution models to distribute credit throughout the customer journey. Focus on getting actionable insights, recognising that 100% accuracy is unattainable.

2. Ignoring Offline Touchpoints: Not accounting for print ads, TV commercials, and other offline channels can lead to an incomplete understanding of consumer behaviour.

✏️Incorporate offline touchpoints into your attribution model for a complete view. Ensure all data, such as costs and conversions, are accurately uploaded and tracked.

3. Focusing on a Single Metric: Solely depending on metrics like click-through rates or conversions may not provide a full picture.

✏️Utilize a variety of metrics and models, including algorithmic and time decay attribution, to gain comprehensive insights. Test and learn from different approaches to find what best suits your business needs.

4. Not Adjusting for External Factors: Market trends, economic conditions, and creative performance can all impact attribution accuracy.

✏️Regularly update your models to reflect external changes and maintain accuracy. Define clear objectives for your attribution efforts to ensure alignment with business goals.

5. Neglecting Multi-Touch Models: Not using multi-touch attribution models can result in incomplete insights into customer behaviours.

✏️Implement comprehensive models like position-based and cohort analysis to assess the collective impact of all touchpoints on conversions. Leverage data from native platforms such as Google Ads and Facebook carefully, comparing the relative performance of each channel within its own context.

How to secure the Amazon's Choice Badge? 

It's true that The Amazon’s Choice Badge has had its fair share of security, with some consumers not approving amazon’s seal of approval.  Despite this, it offers significant benefits. Studies indicate that the badge can increase traffic by 45%, improve conversion rates by 25%, and potentially double or even triple your Amazon sales. In this article, we'll provide practical tips on how to earn the badge and enhance your overall Amazon ROI.

The Amazon’s Choice badge is designed to let customers know which product is the best match for their search. It appears as a distinctive deep teal banner with white and orange text in search results and on product listings pages. Amazon’s Choice products are the most relevant search results for their particular keywords, have high customer ratings, fast delivery times, low return rates, and meet other specific criteria as determined by Amazon.

Want to know how to get one? (We asked our friends over at SellersFi)

1. Focus on Relevant Keywords (Organic and Paid): Optimize your product listings — including your product title, bullet points, and product description — with specific keywords your target audience might use to find you. Consider different words or combinations to increase your potential search hits. Remember to avoid keyword stuffing; your listing should still be readable. For example a seller achieved the Amazon’s Choice badge for their "3 in 1 iPhone charging station" with specific keywords like “Cell Phone Wireless Chargers by GETPALS.”

2. Maintain High Ratings and Reviews: Products with higher customer ratings are more likely to be awarded the Amazon’s Choice badge. Use Amazon features like the “Request a Review Button” or Amazon Vine, respond to customer reviews promptly, and provide exceptional customer service. Place inserts in your packaging gently requesting reviews, and send follow-up emails after customers receive their products.

3. Ensure Prime Eligibility: Amazon tends to treat Prime-eligible products preferentially. Make sure you’re participating in Amazon Prime by using Amazon FBA or enrolling in Seller Fulfilled Prime. Meeting the latest Prime eligibility requirements, such as maintaining a low order cancellation rate and high on-time delivery rate, is crucial.

4. Keep Products in Stock: Frequent stockouts can disqualify a product from earning the badge. Stay compliant with the Amazon Minimum Inventory Level, which is calculated based on your historical days of supply. Use a dedicated inventory planning platform to ensure you have enough product in stock without overspending on Amazon storage.

5. Optimize for Competitive Pricing: Competitive pricing helps win the Buy Box and improve Amazon SEO rankings. Enroll in Amazon’s price automation tool through Amazon Seller Central or use AI-powered third-party pricing tools. These tools can help you stay competitive by automatically adjusting your pricing based on preset rules or customised strategies.

That's it for this week! 

Thank you for reading :) 

To help continue to build the DTC Live community, please forward this email on to someone you think might like it. Or if easier, share this link.

We'll be back with more growth strategies and insights for eCom and tech brands next week.

Tash⚡