We’re going through the yearly exercise of reviewing brand style guides and preparing for each brand’s next iteration. This is an old guide for the Cabana brand–I’ll break it down to showcase crucial tools for consistent branding.

What’s in a Brand Style Guide?

First off – let’s take a look at the difference between a style guide and a brand guide:

Style guide = a document to show all the visual elements of a brand–logos, fonts, colors, patterns, visual guidelines etc.  

Brand guide = the above + pages that cover some of all of–tone of voice, messaging, art direction, campaign direction, user personas, etc.

A Review of the Cabana Brand Style Guide

Why use a whole page on logos in a brand style guide?

For logos to always represent the brand right, they often have rules about when versions with various colors are shown. Below we see how they show up on light and dark, and how best to space around them.

The colors page covers the main and secondary colors, and when they should be applied, plus the actual color codes for designers/printers.

This is especially important if you’re matching colors on printed products. Slight variances can lead to dramatic differences on shelf.

Same with fonts and typography – what fonts are used, in what application, what sizes, how do they look together, etc.

For more digital-focused brands, brand style guides exist in Figma or on a website with embedded styles for easy development.

In the rest of the guide we didn’t cover everything but we did hit:

• art direction
• target personas
• photographic direction
• tone of voice

Every brand and their needs are different:

This is from years ago. All our brands are evolving, and even subtle things can change what the brand needs to show.

When to Update Your Brand Style Guide

As voices change online, so does the voice of a brand. As mediums change, so do formats and performance of photography. Colors move in and out of vogue.

Having a strong brand doesn’t mean never changing – it’s about having a team that knows when it’s time to adapt, and iterates authentically, with excellent execution that is thoughtfully concepted.

The excellent designer of the Cabana brand was  Jarren Simmons.

Thanks for reading. See the original Brand Style Guide Twitter thread here.

 

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It cost me $50k+ and multiple trips to Hong Kong & China to find my factories. But now you can find any brand’s suppliers – whether local or international – for FREE, with ImportYeti. 

I’ve been sharing tons of factory links to overseas and domestic vendors for clothing, supplements, wellness, sports and more.

But I realize everyone has their own product ideas, and while these tools are great, they don’t cover everything. This is your sign to make your own product.

The ultimate tool for finding the best overseas partners?

ImportYeti

Any shipment to the US from overseas of a certain size requires customs sea shipment records. ImportYeti aggregates these for easy search.

ImportYeti is a goldmine for finding brand connections.

 

 

To start, you need to know the company’s actual business names. Your best bet for this? 

• Go to their website, go to the footer, and click the Terms and Conditions or Privacy Policy.
• Inside the legalese, you’ll find the actual company name.

Now you just search ImportYeti:

• Search by brand name
• If that doesn’t work, then search the company name you already sourced.

Note that most things will come up right away just with the brand name. Here’s an example with ‘Outdoor Voices’.

You’ll get a list of companies:

• Select the one for your brand
• Now you can see the “number of shipments” which will be helpful to gauge supplier usefulness. 

Our example shows 56. Jackpot!

Note that brands with multiple hubs will often have multiple results:

 

Once you’re displaying these results, you’ll get a list of all their shipments. Here you see a wide variety of factories, mostly Vietnam, some China:

 

I clicked the first (and most popular) result:

• If you scroll down you can also see other places this factory ships to!
• Find suppliers like Forever 21, Chubbies, Cutter, and Buck.

This is a WINNER!

ImportYeti will also brand map factories, their top brands, and those brands’ top partners. This is CRAZY information to be available to anyone

 

In some cases, you will run across brands where the majority of shipments come from one factory, and that factory has no other relationships.

 

This is a vertically integrated brand who has their own factory. You’re out of luck 🙁 but kudos to them, though!

Looking for more connections to overseas manufacturers?

ImportYeti doesn’t just index factories in Asia, either.

One of my favorite menswear brands is John Elliot, I love them for their quality… and guess what? A lot of their shipments are from Italy:

 

Still not sure you can find the right overseas manufacturers or suppliers for free? ImportYeti is also not just for clothes.

• Want to start a lighting company for creators?
• Here you are.  EVERY category is on here.

 

Once you have the factory, there are options on-page to search via Alibaba and Google.

A couple of things to note:

• This is where the work comes in.  Not all have websites, not all are findable.
• Some of these websites aren’t secure and will get warnings in chrome.
• Be safe, but know you’re going to ignore some browser warnings.
• With enough Google hunting you can usually get a phone number or email.
• I’ve also found them on LinkedIn search, and on the Weibo/WeChat app.

There is absolutely no excuse not to start your own brand! The sourcing of these products is commoditized.  Anyone can find the perfect factory for their product.

What should stand out in your search criteria? Actual innovation, branding and marketing.

 

With great execution, the next big brand is… YOU.

– Oren

 

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My life in branding revolves around constant references on design sourcebooks for inspiration and assets.

Here’s are the ones that really make a difference to me.

1 – The Los Logos/Dos Logos Compilations

The Los Logos/Dos Logos compilations are an inspiring collection of current developments in logo design – a must-have for designers, brand managers, and marketers.

 

2 – Die Gestalten Verlag

A pattern guide set with source library cd – having the patterns to quickly trace and look at visually or over a physical item is great, and browsing the book over the files when looking at repeating patterns is 10x improved.

 

3 – Textilepedia

If you order off of Alibaba or direct from overseas factories, this is the best reference book! Features detailed information on textiles so you actually know what you’re asking for. Great for understanding what the ups/downs of each individual fabric or polymer is for what you’re creating. Super thorough!

 

4 – Web Design – The Evolution of the Digital World 1990-Today

This design sourcebook has so many innovative layouts and nostalgic idea inspirations for web experiences and brand identities.

 

5 – Flower Color Guide

This one might seem strange, but if you’re working on modern brand identities you’re inevitably going to consider “natural” colors in your directions. What better source of natural colors and combinations than nature itself?

 

6 – Neubau Welt

This design sourcebook comes complete with companion image library of useful vector objects of surprisingly diverse type and quality. A level above stock sites!

 

7 – Virgil Abloh’s “ARTWORK”

ARTWORK contains tons of sketches and process inspirations from throughout Abloh’s career, with a markedly unique approach that often inspires teams I work with to think differently than the traditional processes out there.

 

8 – 100 Years of Stimulating Ads

I work primarily in complex industries where digital advertising is restricted. Inspiration from previous generations of designers focused on regulated industry is crucial.

 

Have you got any other design sourcebooks you rely on to get your job done? Definitely drop your ideas in the comments!

 

Thanks for reading. See the original Design Sourcebooks Twitter thread here.

– Oren

 

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I write a weekly email newsletter of bringing products to life, and I’m focused on building businesses and sharing tons of resources along the way— smash that follow on Twitter at

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I’ve sold $100,000,000+ in branded products to date. Here’s how to create a product that stands out.

I’ve either developed or sold:

• Major consumer electronics in 1500+ retailers
• DTC fashion and accessories multi-million a year
• High 8 figures in CPG (consumer packaged goods) wellness & cannabis products

Today we’re going to focus on products for DTC entrepreneurs.

 

Why do brands fail?

Brands fail because their products don’t resonate. Drop-shipping products or ordering straight off Alibaba won’t get long-term success. You need to create a product that stands out from the crowd and draws your customer in.

Products that succeed need to be special. This is a mix of:

• Tangible factors (what the customer can see and touch) to optimize the product experience
• Intanglible factors (how your brand makes the customer feel) in a way that adds value to the purchase.

 

Use this list to create a product that stands out

• Start with your chosen product niche or category
• Pick 3-5 of these things, not just one
• Pick some of BOTH tangible and intangible
• Ensure you articulate the end benefits of these features to your user from their perspective in your marketing 

 

USER EXPERIENCE

This is the #1 area to focus (and also the hardest)

Can your product solve something for a user that makes their experience in your category better than ever?

Examples:

• Theragun, working out body knots at home
• Bleame, making hair removal painless.

 

 

MATERIAL DIFFERENCES

Can using better materials make the product better, or more unique for a specific user group?

Examples:

• Arcteryx, using Goretex for true waterproof gear
• ROA, making shoes from Kudu which is ultra-strong and ages incredibly
• ATHR Beauty, vegan cosmetics 

 

VISUAL STANDOUTS

There is a whole cottage industry of making products that just look good on social media or by comparison

Examples:

• Rimowa, the translucent iPhone case
• Yeti, the trademark turquoise container design
• A host of IG/TikTok products

 

 

NICHE DOWN

Whatever you’re creating, zone in on a smaller demographic– occupation, gender, race, background, region, belief system, taste etc.

Make a product that someone feels was really made specifically for them.

Example:

• Bumpsuit, fashion and jumpsuits for maternity

 

 

CREATE A FAMILY OF PRODUCTS

Many new products come out as one thing, which consumers can look at as “fly by night”. But a set of products that work together, and provide a roadmap to better solve the user’s pain points over time, is a differentiator.

Examples:

• Onnit health supplements
• Aesop luxury skincare brand

 

+ DIGITAL DOWNLOADS

This is extremely overlooked. If you sell a normal product, but add free digital content… You’re providing more value than the competition

Ideas:

• Sports equipment + 100 training videos
• Culinary equipment + recipe PDFs
• Camera lights + content tutorials 

 

PEACE OF MIND – SOLVING THE PAIN POINT

Making products more reliable & sturdier solves a huge pain point for many products. Spend more to make your product extremely reliable.

Then back it up with a money-back guarantee 2x the competition, or even a lifetime.

Examples:

• Osprey hiking gear and backpacks
• Le Creuset hand-crafted ceramic and cast iron cookware
• Cutco knives and cutlery

 

 

CUSTOMER SERVICE

Especially for technical, complex, or very frequently used products, sell customer service.

If you have the same product as the competition, but you answer the phone immediately 24/7, you can win.

Example:

• Zappos retail store

 

VARIANTS & CUSTOMIZATIONS

Allowing your products to be customizable, and having many different versions (especially appealing to niches, licensing etc) gives brands a way to stand out by making customers feel like what they buy is unique to them.

Example:

• Frasier Sterling handmade jewelry

 

 

ESTABLISH COMMUNITY

Nothing helps a brand resonate more than an army of customers or fans acting as evangelists, and making new potential customers feel they’re buying into more than a product, they’re buying into a place they belong.

Examples:

• Soulcycle fitness gear
• Glossier skincare and beauty

 

If you’re looking to find the perfect product to launch, here’s my factory connects master thread on Twitter…

 

This is your sign to make your own product.

I’ve vetted 50+ factories across fashion, cosmetics, supplements and more. All the plugs are below, make sure to bookmark 👇

— Oren John (@orenmeetsworld) April 7, 2022

 

If you apply multiple of these principles directly to a great vendor, you can make something great.

 

Hopefully this got your wheels turning!

– Oren

 

Remember to subscribe, and follow along as I help my community bring new products to life on my Twitter Account. Join us and follow for more product creation insights

@orenmeetsworld

 

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If you’re interested in more insights on how to bring products to life, with direct links to factories and wholesalers, I write a newsletter to 1000+ product creators every week on my Product People newsletter.

 

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Today we focus on websites that will help you develop an e-commerce strategy, find new ideas for products, differentiate your brand, get manufacturers, and find growth marketing ideas. It’s a playbook of modern tools that feels like a cheat code for finding products that will work… and then growing them.

ThingTesting

An excellent curation of new products and brands. Plus, they feature reviews of what consumers do and don’t like. This is a fabulous feed of hip, new products and you have the ability to identify emerging trends by category.

 

 

 

AnswerThePublic

Another fantastic tool by Niel Patel and the team over at UberSuggest, Answer The Public lists all the possible key terms and phrases people could use when running possible search queries.

Type in a partial google search or key terms and see what people are searching by country Questions with that phrase, prepositions that are added, and comparisons. An amazing tool to find customer wants and questions

 

Product World

Factory links, resources for finding manufacturers and breakdowns of different product strategies and ideas. A great place to find curated suppliers and product strategy overviews!

 

Ahrefs (paid)

Ahrefs shows you search volume for any term, how hard it would be to compete on SEO, and related terms people are searching for. You can look at any website and see what product pages are performing on search.

 

 

SEO & product development should go hand in hand!

 

 

SnaxShot

Impeccable CPG (consumer packaged goods) curation, with identification of trends far before they hit the mainstream so they can be applied across many industries. My favorite use of this tool is looking at packaging and product design to consider for new styles.

 

MarketingExamined

 Case study after case study from @alexgarcia_atx and friends on every marketing concept imaginable. Anytime I’m looking for a platform strategy or growth idea, this is where I start.

 

JungleScout (paid)

Sophisticated Amazon product research tool that includes an “Opportunity Finder” so you can discover high-volume, low-competition search terms. It also gives great overall Amazon data by category on existing products. Great for finding existing winners for new channels.

 

Pinterest

If you plug in enough search terms, the algorithm on Pinterest is amazing. I searched for retail displays to build a new board, and it just continued to serve me more and more interesting ideas. Use this as an inspiration source!

 

Drop Point (paid)

Drop Point aggregates current and legacy ads on social media with the ability to search by product keyword for $5/m. See ads and product ideas for what’s happening in DTC.

 

Free Game

Virgil Abloh “open sourced” a good deal of the brand creative process, and simple things like trademarking and store setup. There’s also lots of his inspiration links along the way.

 

Thanks for reading. Let me know in the comments below which websites have helped you with your e-commerce strategy. Who knows… we could be featuring them in an upcoming post!

 

See the original 10 Websites to Develop an E-Commerce Strategy Twitter thread here. Thank me later  🙂

– Oren

 

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I write about tools and ideas to bring winning physical products to life. Whether you have a brand or want to build one in the future, I highly recommend joining the 3051+ on my Product People newsletter!

 

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Agency owners should be spending 10% of their hours on building their own products, or productizing their processes. This is a simple way for agency owners to build long-term value and get:

• more skin in the game
• insight and opportunity to try what clients might be leery of for case studies.

 

Hot take:

Agencies should be spending 10% of ours on building their own products, or productizing their processes.

– more skin in the game
– build greator equity value
– opportunity to try what clients might be leery of for case studieshttps://t.co/y6QNrRQkHk

— Oren John (@orenmeetsworld) September 20, 2022

 

There’s a transformation happening with tons of new entrepreneurs starting services companies and agencies but I have a tip… if you have started one of these agencies, have a big successful version of it, or are even thinking about doing it, here’s something that I guarantee every agency should be doing.

You need to devote 10% of your team’s working hours to developing your own products and productizing your processes.

Here’s what I mean…

 

Productize Your Processes by Transferring Knowledge

Take the presentations you give all the time, the overviews you use a lot, any specific SOPs you may decide to use in your business, and actually sell them as downloads. Or use them as free giveaways for the community to help build long-term value into your brand.

You can also potentially generate future revenue that way, or use these free giveaways as lead magnets to build your sales funnels.

 

 

As an agency, you’re seeing inside all of these different businesses. As part of the services you offer, you’re giving them advice and helping them put together all the particular tactics and strategies to help them succeed.

It therefore stands to reason that you have the toolkit to build your own value machine.

 

How to Build Long-Term Value

Even if your experiment fails, you should be trying this to build long-term value. You can easily spin it off to have a team run with it, sell it, or begin pivoting what you’re working on to focus on it.

It’s going to build significantly more equity in multiples compared to what you’re doing and agency business is still at its core.

This growing trend is happening where agencies are beginning to open up their R&D arms to focus on productizing their own assets. Not only is it an amazing opportunity but it also won’t take up a ton of your time.

What does this mean in practical terms?

Think of it as an hour or less of every person working in your business per one of those days. It’s also freeing and liberating for people to work on something that they can have ownership of or be building themselves vs purely working on client projects.

If you own an agency business, I highly recommend you devote 10% of your time to developing your own products and prioritizing your processes.

Thanks for tuning in and reading to the end. Let me know in the comments below how productizing your processes is going!

 

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The best tool in their playbook for brands who are trying to launch their brands and get attention on the internet today is to the power of storytelling to showcase their brand and the business processes behind it with their content.

 

 

This sketch shows the mohair cardigan by Bluboy and WNTD Apparel below, which is just a super-unique piece. Bluboy’s done a great job of showcasing some of the creative process inside what he puts out.

 

 

I love this enamel button they’ve used to replace a traditional button on this cardigan. I think especially with the contrast to other green mohair, it’s just super-cool.

 

See this post in action on TikTok…

@orenmeetsworld

Storytelling and showing behind the scenes is a huge leg up for new brands #ecommercetips #brandingtips #marketingtips #fashionbrandcompany #fashionbrand @orenmeetsworld

♬ OCEAN DRIVE – HIGH ENERGY TROPICAL INSTRUMENTAL – Georgi Velichkov

 

The Power of Storytelling for Brands

Back to the concept…

Storytelling today for new brands is paramount. It can get your attention on social media, help people invest in your story, and helps those who are interested to learn. It then also gains a positive affinity for your brand because they are learning from it.

But the biggest reason you should consider doing this, is the biggest and most-established brands are going to try and hire all the value that they can. They’re not going to have the same playbook as the new creators – maybe some will, but most won’t – of saying “Hey, maybe we should share as much as possible, we’re going to provide much value.”

You ever heard that quote… “If you’re not giving away so much value, that it makes you uncomfortable, then you’re not giving away enough”? That’s how I feel all creators and new brands should be looking at how they showcase their creative process.

 

The power of a single story goes far beyond simply relaying facts and data and can be a highly effective tool to create customer loyalty
~ Tony Robbins

 

By sharing and giving away as much of your creative processes as possible to build an affinity for your brand, you’re releasing the power of storytelling. 

 

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Thanks for reading. I regularly break down sourcing and developing different products to 5,000+ entrepreneurs on my Product People newsletter. You should join me there.

– Oren

 

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The fastest-growing app of 2020, TikTok hit the app stores of every operating system and was an instant success. Currently enjoying an engagement rate that’s at least 15% stronger than any other social media platform, using TikTok for brand growth is definitely an underrated (and underused) marketing strategy.

In a recent independent study conducted by neuro-analytics and -marketing firm Neuro-Insight, brands are seeing higher levels of receptiveness to their messaging, calls-to-action, and ad breakthroughs.

“TikTok’s unique engagement signature gives it an edge to be able to deliver ads and branded content in a way and at a moment when consumers are most open to receiving that messaging – and while all such signatures change over time, it is a golden opportunity for brands to use TikTok to their advantage right now.”
– Pranav Yadav, US & Europe CEO, Neuro-Insight

The advantages of using TikTok for brand growth just seem to be piling up. Thanks to the platform’s unique algorithms, TikTok is just literally built for engagement.

As an entrepreneur and a brand builder myself, the challenge was hard to ignore. I realized the time had come to take my personal brand (that means me) onto TikTok to see how I could leverage the platform for growth.

 

 

These are my stats after 45 days of taking TikTok seriously:

• Follower growth: 4,500 followers in 45 days = 100 new followers per day
• Views growth:

– 1 video at 300k+ views = 6,500+ views per day (of just one video!)

– 10 videos at 10k+ views = 1,000 views of each per day (on average)

– Most remaining videos at 2k+ views = 45 views of each per day.

 

It helps being super-focused on my niche, just like I am on Twitter… What also helps is not looking for 200k followers to build your brand on TikTok.

Staying in my niche means I’m looking for people who want to build product-based brands and are on the lookout for advice, tips, links to manufacturers and suppliers, and a real support base.

Guess what? I am definitely finding them!

 

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Lessons I’ve Learned about Using TikTok to Build my Brand:

There are definitely some noob mistakes you’ll want to avoid. Luckily, I’ve made already them so you don’t have to:

• I tried to use edited caption videos like Hormozi – they all flopped
• I bought a Lume Cube Mobile Creator Lighting & Audio set – it sucked
• I kept publishing videos I knew were mid-range just to keep posting – I shouldn’t have
• I did not establish a unique personality/brand voice and ended up making generic content.

 

Read about my 45-day TikTok learning journey on Twitter, or continue scrolling…

45 days of taking TikTok seriously:

– 4500 followers
– One video at 300k+
– 10 at 10kish
– Most 2k+

I am focused in on a niche, just like I am on twitter, I'm not looking for 200k followers, I want people who want to build products. I am def finding them.

What I'm learning: pic.twitter.com/0t3nLDaX48

— Oren John (@orenmeetsworld) September 27, 2022

 

The most constructive, personally usable tip I got was about how I project myself on screen. “Be hotter” was the best piece of advice.

“Talk slower” was another. All that high energy bursting out on a user’s screen is great… but TikTok does not have a half-speed option like Spotify does. Make sure you get your message across clearly and coherently.

Let me know in the comments down below or on my Twitter thread for this post how that’s all working for you  😉

 

Technical Tips to Help You Get the Most out of TikTok

The top technical tips I got that were correct and really helped me along the way:

• Get a proper microphone – I use wired Apple headphones that have a built-in microphone
• Get the lighting fixed so you and your product display at your best
• Get a stand so you eliminate shakiness.

 

What really worked with the content for my niche?

• I use a green screen for everything
• I shoot longer videos with many cuts
• I do all my editing in-app
• I create all my graphics in Canva beforehand, using blank story templates so it looks clean
• I experiment with styles and recurring video types, seeing a video idea (or getting lots of great ones sent from @heyalexfriedman) then trying a version quickly, and making more if it works
• I include SEO terms in my captions, descriptions, and on-screen text.

I’ve noticed that while my big-play videos get lots of followers, it’s the little ones that add up to a connected and engaged audience. This is why it’s important to not focus on number of followers, but rather on number of engaged users (likes, comments, shares).

This engagement is the driving force behind TikTok’s algorithms, and determines what users want to see. That’s how you end up in TikTok’s “golden circle”, the For You page. This is where users spend the majority of their time when on TikTok, and it’s where you need to be to get found.

 

RECOMMENDED READING:
The Ultimate Guide to TikTok SEO
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So, is TikTok a search engine? No yet,,, or at least, not officially. Be that as it may, the functionality is there and I’ve started using TikTok for all kinds of things on a search level:

• finding new products and brands
• finding restaurants
• finding things to do in areas
• music discovery

This app is… amazing? It’s obvious that I respect and trust the platform after my 45-day journey.

 

Reason’s I’m not much bigger already?

• I’m old. Most users are millennials or borderline Gen Zs. It took me two weeks to understand the platform and UI (user interface)
• I’m freestyling every video versus scripting my content or using a teleprompter
• I had no close friends really using it that I could probe for advice. Now some are coming in and that breeds excitement!

 

I have been very mid at this. I think someone savvy can come in and hit 10k in the first week or two by:

• leading with a well-done origin story video set
• a few well-thought-out green-screen concept videos in strong niches
• hopping on 1-2 timely trends 

 

I’m realizing even though my goal was to stay niche, I’m going to end up getting broad followers just by how the algorithm works, and I’m pivoting my content to take that into consideration. If I decide I want to go bigger versus more niche I’ll lean in heavier to personality.

 

BONUS MATERIAL!
Catch the Builders.Build podcast with my best friends, Colin and James, to discover more about our individual TikTok perspectives and journeys.

 

Thanks for reading. These are just my learnings from a 45-day journey to leverage TikTok for brand growth and increase my visibility on the world’s leading platform right now. While I’m no expert at this, I am having fun with it. I encourage you to give it a try!

 

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There has never been a better time than NOW to start your own business. Launch a brand going into 2023, whether it’s a physical good/product, SaaS, or an info-product.

• A physical good/product could be anything that’s consumed, whether small-scale in domestic environments, or large-scale in factory environments.
• SaaS (software as a service) refers to cloud-hosted applications in subscription-based software distribution models, for example Netflix, Amazon Web Services, and Spotify.
• An info-product is a guide, tutorial, instruction, or manual that was put together by a more-knowledgeable person on a specific topic.

Let’s take a look.

 

Read this thread on Twitter now, or scroll to keep reading here on the blog

.

How to launch a brand going into 2023:

— Oren John (@orenmeetsworld) September 29, 2022

 

1. Curate Before Launch

• If you’re not a creator, begin making 3-5x weekly content on Twitter, TikTok, and via blog about your niche.
• If you are already a creator, begin angling your content towards the demographic you plan to sell to to widen your audience, and add web content.

But this doesn’t need to be huge… a pet blog with a few thousand readers and followers sets you up for better success.

The most important part of the curation and building before launch part is piece of mind.

• Do you really want to believe you can pull your audience for your product out of thin air?
• Or that you want to pay for all your acquisition?

Take your time, and build organically. 

If you don’t want to be a creator or build this audience… you can buy it.

• Platforms like MicroAcquire and Flippa offer existing small businesses, blogs, etc. for sale that you can use to jumpstart this process in exchange for cash.

Sign up with @JamesonCamp for more on this! 

 

2. Document Your Process Online

• Showcase making the brand itself – concepts, moodboards, logos, design iterations, making your website, etc.
• Showcase the process of working with factories, vendors, etc. to finish the product.

This is an essential concept for new brands:

• Continue it from before launch through new releases, collections, promotions, content etc.
• Cover the process on all social media, broadcast to everyone you’re building in public.

 

If you missed my TikTok on this, you can catch it below:

 

@orenmeetsworld

Storytelling and showing behind the scenes is a huge leg up for new brands #ecommercetips #brandingtips #marketingtips #fashionbrandcompany #fashionbrand @orenmeetsworld

♬ OCEAN DRIVE – HIGH ENERGY TROPICAL INSTRUMENTAL – Georgi Velichkov

 

3. Build Your Email List

• Your call to action on curation and documentation should always be email or SMS subscribers.
• Your regular content to this list can be as simple as just aggregating the content you’re putting out in an email format with slightly more detail.

 

4a. Launch Smart

• This is all about making a “moment” where you get as much attention as possible
• Post about when you plan to launch and tease it
• Go Live on your best social media platform for the debut (and promote the live)
• Email out to your audience with the launch 
• Work with all your friends, influencers you may know or connect with, partners etc. to promote the Live and ideally join you and participate in it.

Document the event and make sure you get content pieces out of the launch, as well.

 

4b. Launch with your origin story

• Create an excellent brand origin story video from all your process documentation and use it at launch
• Get all help and call in all favors for everyone to promote it
• Do this on TikTok. 

Here’s examples of this video in different types of industries

 

Breakfast cereal: CrispyFantasyCereal on TikTok

Backpacks: ​BreviteBackpack son TikTok​

Healthy Soda: DrinkPoppi on TikTok

Cocktail Cards: CocktailCards on TikTok

 

If this isn’t the content TikTok was built for, I don’t know what is!

 

5. Document the Attention

Whether you are big or small, gather the stats from your launch – email opens, influencers that participated, video views, people on your Live, sales, website visits, whatever looks impressive, and put that in a presentation with your product info.

 This is content for the deck you can use to:

• Pitch media for articles
• Pitch retailers to carry your products
• Pitch other brands for collaborations

Continue to add to this with all the brand milestones and achievements so you always have collateral handy. 

 

6. Relentlessly go outbound

• Cold email and connect via LinkedIn with local and national retailers.
• Hit brands of a similar size or one level up to collaborate, for media sources, etc.
• List on Faire, and aggregation services for new products in your niche. 

 

7. Develop content series and personalities

• Establish recurring content ideas
• Bring 1-4 personalities into your content that can put a face to the brand. Can be founders, team members, or hired creators. 

 

8. Repeat your message

Tell your story again and again in different ways.

• I can’t stress enough that only a fraction of your followers (not to mention the world) see your content. However much you think you should post a message, the real number is 10x what you think. 

 

This thread was all focused on launch. I heavily break down sourcing and developing different products to 4800+ entrepreneurs on my Product People newsletter.

– Oren

 

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