PAID ADVERTISING

Ad spend diversification – According to the latest research, most DTC companies spend 85% of their ad budget on Google and Facebook. But is that the right call? The ad landscape has changed so much over the past year that hitting the right audience on the right platform is harder than ever. Through small group discussion, our speakers will review your approach and correct your path where necessary. First, by breaking down their own ad spend and then by sharing their hard-won lessons to improve your own strategy!

Converting cold audiences – We’ve all been guilty of letting data sit dormant in a distant CRM, ultimately letting an audience go cold. But with help and best practices from our discussion hosts, we can zap them back to warm quicker than you can press the buttons on a microwave. Through intimate discussions between 8-10 marketers only, we’ll cover creative ways to reach back out to your leads without sounding spammy or leading to the dreaded “unsubscribe.” Spend some time with our growth experts and bring your cold audiences back into the mix (microwave not included).

SCALING YOUR BRAND

Omnichannel & instore – Where do all your marketing touch points lead to? If you’re spending money on paid ads, social, email, and more but they’re not all connected to your in-store environment, you’re definitely losing IRL conversions. The very best omnichannel strategies make sure that your audience is moving through the funnel and eventually hitting the “buy” button, both online and in-store. In this tactical classroom, our experts make the case for in-store retail, explain their own path to getting there, and outline how to actually connect the dots between online and offline in terms of KPIs.

Building credibility – In a world of instant feedback, online reviews, and consumers having an opinion on everything, building credibility for your brand matters. It’s not enough to just have an amazing product, you need people to validate it. What better way to get that validation than through your own customers? Our expert speakers emphasize why building credibility makes the difference between success and mediocrity, and how your business can improve using simple tried-and-tested approaches that are guaranteed to work. 

Brand awareness – DTC businesses have the unique challenge of needing to cut through all of the noise without having a budget to match older, established brands. So brand awareness is more important than anything - your audience needs to not only know that you exist, but how you’re different, and why. If you’re struggling with that message, this session will set you at ease, with our experts covering everything you need to know to build brand awareness in 2023 the right way. 

Community building – Businesses with a mission can ask more of their consumers. Whether that means spending a little more on a product that’s made sustainably and fair or engaging in positive reviews to show they support a “good” company, community building is an important part of scaling your business. In this panel, our experts explain the difference between “audience” and “community" - allowing you to connect your brand with authentic causes and goals that draw people in.

Funding – If you’re on the path to scale, you’ve most likely identified your place in the market, your key audience, and key equity partners. But how can you turn your funding goals into reality, especially in the current economic environment? Learn from those who have already been there, done that during our funding classrooms and workshops.

FULFILLMENT

Future of supply chain & shipping – Is your business equipped to handle the inevitable next round of global supply chain problems? GROW walks you through the latest thinking around shipping, and what you can expect as we head into the 2023 economy. You’ll walk away with a better understanding of what your customers expect (including sustainable fulfillment), new ways to effectively implement changes, and - ultimately - the reassurance that you are certainly not alone in reacting/responding to all this.

STORE OPTIMIZATION

Designing for conversion – Are your marketing campaigns getting the reach you want, but not the conversions you’re expecting? Getting in front of customers is only half the battle – having a best-in-class online store is the other puzzle piece. In these small group discussions, high-growth DTC brands explain how they convert high reach into high purchase. We’ll cover the marketing funnel in-depth to help you figure out where (and why) you’re seeing a drop-off in customers. So, going forward, you can start designing for actual conversions. Bring a big notepad for this one!

Subscription programs – Thinking about diving into loyalty and subscription programs, or doubling down on what you’re already doing here? GROW has you covered. Through targeted discussions that take into account your interests and goals (plus the size of your brand) our experts tell you how to offer unique, creative packages that other brands might not be able to compete with as well as provide insight into just what customers really expect when signing up for a loyalty program. Move over, MeUndies! It’s time for other DTC businesses to take over!

LOYALTY

Building loyalty – Capturing a consumer is great, but exactly how are you retaining them? If your brand is trying to do more to keep customers this year, then this is the session for you. Through intimate discussions built specifically for your company size and objectives, our hosts cover what matters most to your customer and easy-to-implement strategies that will keep them coming back.

Increasing AOV and LTV – Having a deep understanding of Average Order Value (AOV) and Lifetime Customer Value (LTV) calculations and projections is critical to understanding your revenue. In this session, growth experts from leading DTC brands explain their latest thinking around AOV and LTV, how to maximize both measurements and how to make your marketing channels much more efficient based on your findings. For anyone looking to take a deep dive into the numbers, this is a can’t-miss workshop! 

EMAIL + PERSONALIZATION

Email automation & flow optimization – If your brand isn’t utilizing absolutely everything that email has to offer, then this is your year to fix that. Luckily, the speakers at GROW will teach you exactly what you need to know about the latest creative campaigns, CRMs that are both easy to implement and manageable for different-sized companies, and how to build a better flow than you ever thought possible. You’ll definitely leave this session with a plan that will make a tangible difference to your business. 

Mobile and SMS – The days of captivating an audience with a single lines of catchy copy are gone. “Got Milk?” wouldn’t stand a chance in 2023, so we have to interact with our audience over and over again in ways that actually make an impact. And SMS is exactly the way to do that, with the average open rate as high as 98%. So if you haven’t ventured into mobile messaging with customers yet, this is the sign you need to learn more at GROW LA! Our expert discussion hosts will go over how to write for mobile messaging vs. more traditional media (like email or social), and how to actually connect and resonate with your audience.

Organic marketing tactics – Having a big ad budget is always the dream, but if your cash flow is in budget mode, that doesn’t mean all hope is lost. No matter the current size or success of your business, investing your time in organic marketing is THE surefire way to grow. Utilizing an array of social media platforms, UGC, reviews, and more, our speakers will walk you through the most successful ways to market your business organically.

SOCIAL + MARKETPLACES

TikTok ads – Did you know 92% of users on TikTok take action after watching a video? With over 1 billion active users on the app, that’s a lot of potential business to tap into. Our discussion hosts will walk you through everything you need to know about TikTok ads, metrics, and best practices - from finding your audience, exploring niche groups, understanding ad spend based on algorithm, and other burning questions - to help you see more conversions right away. Don’t miss out on a hungry, engaged audience because you skipped this workshop!

Understanding the Instagram algorithm – If you’re like us, just the word “algorithm” causes you to break out in hives. The Instagram algorithm in particular is holding your potential audience hostage, but don’t worry - we’ve got the answers you need to break them free. In this small group discussion, experts from high-growth DTC brands explain how the algorithm works and how to use it to your advantage. Don’t miss this one! 

 Influencer & affiliate tactics –  Are these channels still working for DTC marketers? The answer is yes, definitely. No matter your size, we can help identify the right type of creator for you and the very best ways to use these ambassadors to connect with your audience through personable and authentic content. But remember - these tactics are constantly changing, based on what is working and what isn't. Don’t miss the latest thinking around influencer and affiliate marketing right here at GROW.

Amazon & Etsy ads – How much of your ad budget makes its way to marketplaces? In response to major Meta issues, the very best DTC brands will spend less on Facebook / Instagram and push in favor of Etsy and Amazon in 2023. Will you be one of them? In this session, our speakers and discussion hosts open their marketplace playbooks to give you a fresh take on how to maximize your time and money on these (sometimes overlooked) powerhouse platforms.

PRODUCT

Launch strategy – Nothing feels better than a successful launch! Whether it’s a new product or a new company, GROW is here to get you from the starting gate to the finish line with a strategy that you can be proud of. In our launch workshops, our hosts cover everything you need to know before launching your business/product/idea – from figuring out the right audience, to financial know-how that you definitely haven't even thought of yet. If you’re starting from scratch or need a refresher on how to bring new products to market, this is the session for you.

Sustainability & transparency – More than ever before, your audience cares about the environmental sustainability and ethical transparency of your company. In fact, a recent report showed 72% of shoppers find transparency to be important or extremely important when buying products. How are you highlighting the ways your business is contributing to the world? And are you doing it in a way that actually resonates? In this deep-dive interactive discussion, join other marketers to become more educated on the importance of doing good, while also producing good, and how to share that message in a way that converts customers. 

ECOMMERCE FUTURE

Livestream shopping – If your brand is already big on influencer marketing or thinking about digging deeper into it, this is going to be a must-join classroom for you. Livestream shopping is quickly changing the game with how consumers are introduced to products - don’t be an observer of the shift, be the observed. Our discussion hosts explain how livestream is working for them, the metrics they use to measure it, how to evaluate new platforms and what the next twelve months look like in terms of adoption.

2023 predictions & major growth opportunities – While making a wish to “get big” may work for Tom Hanks, unfortunately, it doesn’t usually work for growth marketers. So we gathered experts to make predictions and identify growth opportunities that could actually lead to more sales. So, if wishing on a star isn’t cutting it for your brand, make sure you come to our DTC growth opportunity sessions - take note as we cover everything from TV, email, social paid ads, and everything in between. You’re so welcome! 

AND MANY MORE topics and surprises