As you know, AAR Partners is constantly and consciously keeping an ear out for smAARt leads to help you to help brands.
For D2C brands, the unprecedented COVID-19 crisis has provided an opportunity to drive awareness and grow online sales. Increased demand and the rapid changes in consumer interests has helped some D2C brands become some of the fastest-growing eCommerce brands in the United States.
Nonda (Nonda.co) is a scale-up company with tremendous growth maintaining 124% QoQ growth with great agility that small D2C brands are known for in the industry.
Nonda is a provider of app-enabled car accessories and devices for do-it-yourself installation.
Nonda quickly pivoted from marketing smart car equipment to producing and selling personal protective equipment in response to COVID-19…fast. KN95 masks are available for consumer purchase on the website. During the last week of April, Nonda nearly doubled its assortment, and is now selling a “Fingertip Pulse Oximeter Pack” and “Non-contact Thermometer Pack”. Big brands do not have this same agility and are often slower in adapting to shifting demand.
For those agencies with consumer electronics expertise that is also rich with experience when it comes to scale-up D2C brands, you may want to start building a relationship with Nonda.
· Industry: Automotive, Internet of Things
· Headquarters Region: San Francisco Bay Area, Silicon Valley, West Coast
· Founded: 2014
· Founder & President: Jia Li
What’s the first rule of new business? Right! Keep your current clients happy.
And when it comes to turbulent times, use market volatility to your advantage. How? Be out there, proactively contacting, educating, and reassuring your clients and prospects that their agency is watching out for them, and that they have options.
It’s how you get clients to stay with you even when numbers might not look so good.
It’s how you get clients to trust you with more of their projects and brand needs.
It’s how you get clients to become advocates.
And it’s how you get prospects to start thinking, “Why isn’t my current agency reaching out with this kind of consistent care and helpful insights?
I know you already know all this but below is a reminder of some important tips to keep top of mind:
1. Call each of your clients – even the ones with small accounts… consistently! Discuss HOW you are monitoring their situation, and express that you are sending an email to them explaining the current volatility in greater detail and relevance to their brand.
Invite them to share any questions or concerns they have with you.
2. Send out a “handholding” email to each of your clients on a consistent basis (this isn’t a one and done project). A good handholding letter should not only recap what’s going on in the markets and industry, but explain in detail and in real-time. The more education you provide, the more your clients see you as a true expert in your field.
3. Send a similar “handholding” email to your prospects but here’s the key – be sure to make it relevant to them and their brand! No one wants a form letter.
4. Call as many of your prospects as possible. Encourage them to ask questions and use you as a resource. But… be sure you are calling with one key, insightful/solutions-oriented message to help their brand during this crisis. Offer something of value that is specific to them!
5. Try recording and sharing a 5-minute video lesson. Discuss a particular question or concern centered on a different aspect of the volatility and shifts we’re facing week by week. Share it with your clients, strategic partners, and existing prospects, and encourage them to share the link. Some trending ideas may include: The emergence of new employment schemes (ex: Breadfunds, UBI, etc.); The surge of mental-health tools and services; Changing behaviors, like the rise of frugality; Will schools ever be the same again?; eSports will thrive; Hygiene and sanitation procedures matter now more than ever before.
I realize these tips sound basic and they are… but sometimes we tend to forget new biz 101!
Hope the reminders help.
Stay well and have a great week!
A learning curve is essential to growth and growth doesn’t come from a single action. It is the consequence of persistence, ambition, hard work and constant learning. That is the linchpin of AAR Partners’ Agency Growth Program… to help our agency members grow by offering insights, education, ideas and more.
This is our second “Lesson Session” of 2020 for your education and enjoyment. These sessions are 20-minute pre-recorded lessons from experts in their field sharing tips, little lessons, and keys to help your agency grow successfully.
This “Lesson Session” is from Audrey Glover-Dichter, Attorney at Law for Glover-Ditcher, PL. Audrey’s focus is advertising, marketing, and promotions law where she helps agencies review all advertising contracts, campaigns in English and Spanish, and represents clients in challenges and lawsuits for any advertising law issues. She also speaks at events including continued legal education classes and offers in house training for agencies and clients.
Top Reasons Agencies May Be Sued provides examples of lawsuits agencies can learn from along with prevention tips. If you have specific questions regarding the lesson, reach out to Audrey at audrey@gloverdichter.com. She has also included a link to her presentation here.
Now, this is much more than just “A” tip but when you have an hour to spare, listen to the presentation that I gave at Mirren earlier this month focused on 10 Tips to Help Pitch in a Virtual World.
Quite a bit has changed in a matter of weeks and I hope these tips, stories, and insights will help you to pitch more successfully in the new “Zoom room” conference room.
Although you may have already seen this presentation “live” as part of the Mirren sessions on June 10th, you may want to listen to it again.
Look out for more of my new biz quick tips shared exclusively with AAR Agency Growth Program Partners and in the meantime, pitch with passion.
On May 11th, I shared a smAARt Lead focused on the pet care category (see below). Now I am suggesting a company within that category that shows signs of growth and growth often means potential for agency resources. The company is: West Paw – Bozeman, MT
1. Andy Wunsch – Hired as VP of Sales and Marketing – May 2020
2. The Bozeman dog toy factory is expanding into more stores across the country – June 2020
3. West Paw expanded into Petco – June 2020
4. West Paw has officially released its creamy dog treats, adding to its dog treat portfolio launched in May 2020
Andy Wunsch
Vice President, Sales & Marketing
andy@westpaw.com
Personality Type: Driver (Di)
Drivers like Andy are in the far upper left region of the personality map, which means they have a strong tendency to shape and change their environment, and they prefer autonomy in their interactions with others.
In groups, Drivers can be most effective:
- Taking bold risks when necessary
- Being quick, independent and firm when making decisions
- Leading a team through difficult situations
- Directly stating thoughts and opinions
- Using a goal-oriented approach to assigning work, omitting unnecessary details
Andy is likely to be an ambitious and persuasive achiever with a casual and direct communication style.
Keu Descriptors: Confident; Spontaneous; Persuasive
Cary Duggan Kessenich
Director, Marketing & Customer Experience
cary@westpaw.com
Personality Type: Harmonizer (IS)
Harmonizers like Cary are in the far right region of the personality map, which means they have a strong preference for warmth and connection in their interactions with others.
In groups, Harmonizers can be most effective:
- Placing a high priority on personal interactions and relationships
- Displaying trust in their teammates
- Enthusiastically supporting other people
- Optimistically evaluating the capabilities of others
- Solving problems by involving others in open discussion
Cary tends to be energized by teaching and interacting with others, prioritizing relationships over immediate achievement.
Key Descriptors: Warm; Cooperative; Diplomatic
Emailing Effectively? Cary may include emotional, personal details in her emails and appreciates emotion in inbound emails. While Andy can appreciate the emotion, it may be best to write a bit more formally to Andy.
This lead is a bit more on the “rumor mill” side than a “smAARt lead” but based on news read and data collected with regard to this company, there is potential intent to consider agency assistance.
Remember, don’t stalk. Don’t hound. Don’t send a myriad of messages about yourself. So what do you do?
Build trust. Share category insights. Do some light consumer research. Offer purchase pattern eye-openers. Toss out some trends (especially the latest in light of COVID-19). Detail how you can build brand awareness for to help with their expansion goals. Show your expertise and how it’s relevant. Just… don’t… sell!