What’s The One Word Marketers Should Focus On When Transitioning From DTC To Retail?

Summary

MarTech Podcast ™ // Marketing + Technology = Business Growth

Episode: What’s The One Word Marketers Should Focus On When Transitioning From DTC To Retail?
Release Date: January 22, 2025
Host: Benjamin Shapiro
Guest: Kelly Thornton, Founder and CEO of Tiege Hanley

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Introduction

In this insightful episode of the MarTech Podcast ™, host Benjamin Shapiro engages in a compelling discussion with Kelly Thornton, the innovative founder and CEO of Tiege Hanley—a company renowned for its uncomplicated, scalable skincare systems tailored specifically for men. Kelly shares her journey, the challenges faced while scaling a direct-to-consumer (DTC) brand, and strategic insights on transitioning from DTC to retail.

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Key Discussion: The One Word Focus for Transitioning from DTC to Retail

"Ready" – The Critical Focus

When posed with the question, “What’s the one word marketers should focus on when transitioning from DTC to retail?”, Kelly Thornton emphatically responds with the word "Ready" (01:54). She breaks down what readiness entails for a DTC brand eyeing expansion into the retail landscape.

Organizational Scale and Strength of Brand

Kelly emphasizes that readiness is multi-faceted, beginning with organizational scale. This encompasses having the right personnel, processes, and infrastructure to support a wholesale or retail operation. Without sufficient organizational capacity, scaling becomes a formidable challenge.

• Packaging and Product Readiness: Ensuring that packaging is retail-ready is crucial. Products must meet retail standards, both in terms of quality and presentation, to appeal to broader markets.

• Pricing Strategy and Sales Materials: Developing a robust pricing strategy and comprehensive sales sheets is essential. These materials aid in effectively communicating the value proposition to potential retail partners.

• Trade Shows and Product Representation: Being prepared to participate in trade shows is another aspect of readiness. This involves having the means to showcase products and articulate their benefits convincingly to retailers.

Brand Presence and Consumer Recognition

A strong brand presence is vital. Kelly notes, “...your brand has to have enough presence that if you go in the store, you're not going to die on the vine.” (02:54). Consumers are more likely to engage with a product they recognize, which in turn, facilitates smoother acceptance in retail environments.

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Distribution: The Backbone of Retail Success

While "Ready" encapsulates the overall preparedness, Kelly zeroes in on distribution as a pivotal component. She states, “The key to being successful in wholesale relationships is distribution.” (03:16). Effective distribution mechanisms ensure that products reach a wide array of consumers through various retail channels.

Bulk Sales and Relationship Management

Transitioning to retail involves moving from individual DTC orders to bulk sales. Kelly advises mastering the art of distribution by building strong relationships with intermediaries who can handle large-scale deliveries and sales. This shift necessitates a strategic approach to distribution logistics, contrasting the one-off order fulfillment typical in DTC models.

Maintaining Product Accessibility

By expanding distribution channels, brands can place their products into numerous hands, enhancing visibility and accessibility. Kelly summarizes, “The more distribution you can have, the more that you can put your product in the hands of consumers.” (03:44). This broader reach is fundamental to achieving sustained growth in the retail space.

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Insights and Practical Takeaways

1. Comprehensive Readiness: Transitioning from DTC to retail isn't just about expanding sales channels; it's about ensuring every aspect of the business is primed for the increased demands of retail operations.

2. Strengthening Organizational Infrastructure: Investing in the right people, systems, and processes lays the groundwork for scalable success. Companies must evaluate their internal capacities and make necessary adjustments before embarking on the retail journey.

3. Strategic Distribution Partnerships: Building and nurturing relationships with distributors can significantly ease the transition. Distributors not only handle the logistics but also bring valuable retail expertise to the table.

4. Enhanced Brand Visibility: Maintaining a strong brand presence ensures that the transition doesn't dilute the brand's identity. Recognizable and trusted brands naturally perform better in retail environments.

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Notable Quotes

• Kelly Thornton (01:54):
  “Ready? R, E, A, D, Y Are you ready?”

• Kelly Thornton (02:54):
  “...your brand has to have enough presence that if you go in the store, you're not going to die on the vine.”

• Kelly Thornton (03:16):
  “The key to being successful in wholesale relationships is distribution.”

• Kelly Thornton (03:44):
  “The more distribution you can have, the more that you can put your product in the hands of consumers.”

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Conclusion

In wrapping up the episode, Benjamin and Kelly underscore the importance of meticulous preparation and strategic distribution in transitioning from a DTC model to retail. Kelly’s emphasis on being "Ready" serves as a foundational principle for marketers aiming to navigate the complexities of retail expansion.

Listeners gain a clear understanding of the critical elements required for such a transition, supported by real-world experiences and actionable strategies from Kelly Thornton. This episode offers invaluable lessons for marketers seeking to leverage technology and strategic planning to drive business growth in the evolving retail landscape.

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Additional Resources

• Connect with Kelly Thornton:

  • LinkedIn: Kelly Thornton
  • Instagram: @TiegeHanley
  • Website: tiege.com

• MarTech Podcast Links:

  • Website: martechpod.com
  • YouTube: MarTech Podcast on YouTube
  • Instagram: @martechpod
  • X (formerly Twitter): @martechpod

• Connect with Benjamin Shapiro:

  • LinkedIn: Benjschap

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This summary encapsulates the essence of the episode, providing a comprehensive overview of the discussions between Benjamin Shapiro and Kelly Thornton. It is designed to inform and engage both current listeners and those who have yet to tune in.

Transcript

[Podcast Announcer]

The Martech Podcast is a proud member of the I Hear Everything Podcast Network. Looking to launch or scale your podcast, I Hear Everything delivers podcast production, growth and monetization solutions that transform your words into profit. Ready to give your brand a voice? Then visit iheareverything.com.

[Benjamin Shapiro]

From advertising to software.

[Kelly Thornton]

As a service to data across all.

[Marketing Expert]

Of our programs and clients, we've seen a 55 to 65% open rate.

[Benjamin Shapiro]

Getting brands authentically integrated into content performs better than TV advertising. Typical lifespan of an article is about.

[Kelly Thornton]

24 to 36 hours.

[Marketing Expert]

If we're reaching out to the right person with the right message and a clear call to action, then it's just a matter of timing.

[Podcast Announcer]

Welcome to the Martech Podcast, a member of the I Hear Everything Podcast network. In this podcast, you'll hear the stories of world class marketers that you technology to drive business results and achieve career success. Here's the host of the Martech Podcast, Benjamin Shapiro.

[Benjamin Shapiro]

Welcome to the Martech Podcast. I'm your host, Benjamin Shapiro and today we're going to discuss D2C marketing. Joining me is Kelly Thornton, who is the founder and CEO of Tiege Hanley, which is a provider of uncomplicated scale skincare systems designed specifically for men, equipping them with essential skin care tools to confidently tackle their day. All right, here's my conversation with Kelly Thornton, the founder and CEO of Tiege Hanley. Let's move on to our next question. What's the word? So what's the word marketers should focus on when transitioning from D2C to retail?

[Kelly Thornton]

Ready? R, E, A, D, Y Are you ready?

[Benjamin Shapiro]

What does it take to get ready?

[Kelly Thornton]

If you do not have enough organizational scale and strength of brand, it's going to be very difficult. So organizational scale, having the people, the places, the processes in place to support a retail or wholesale business, your packaging needs to be ready, your products need to be ready. You, you need to be able to have pricing developed, sales sheets developed. You need to be able to go to trade shows and bring your product there and be ready to talk about your product. And more importantly, your brand has to have enough presence that if you go in the store, you're not going to die on the vine. So people are going to have some idea, hey, I've seen that brand before. I'm at Fill in the Blank store. I've seen that brand before. Let me give that a try. Let me see that. So you have to be ready.

[Benjamin Shapiro]

Yeah, it's interesting. I probably would have said distribution because I think with D2C brands, you understand how to get something to the last mile and get it to your customer. But now you're not delivering one off orders, you're delivering in bulk to people who could sell the product for you. Like that's the general idea is I assume most D2C brands, when they go from D2C to retail, that they're using an intermediary first before they're opening up their own physical stores.

[Kelly Thornton]

Yeah, good point.

[Benjamin Shapiro]

And so to me, mastering that district distribution and getting somebody else to do the work for you in terms of the sales so you can sell in bulk as the secret sauce, it's just drop all the products at one location and manage that relationship first instead of, hey, all of a sudden we're going to open up a store in the middle of San Francisco and hope that we can train associates. Like it seems like there's steps between just being purely online and we've got a flagship headquarters store.

[Kelly Thornton]

That's funny. I think you and I might have said it in the same way. You have to be ready for distribution. You have to have things in place so that you can support distribution. When I think of the word distribution, one word was a question. I think the key to being successful in wholesale relationships is distribution. I believe you need to have distribution and the more distribution you can have, the more that you can put your hand, your product in the hands of consumers. I think ultimately on a broad brushstroke, that's the winning formula. The question of what you need, what is the one word that you need to go to retail is to prepare yourself and to be ready to actually ready to do that. We haven't been ready to do that. We are now, but it took us a couple of years to get there.

[Benjamin Shapiro]

And that wraps up this episode of the Martech podcast. Thanks for listening to my conversation with Kelly Thornton, the founder and CEO of Tiege Hanley. If you'd like to get in touch with Kelly, you can find a link to his LinkedIn profile in our show notes. You can DM him on Instagram. His company company's handle is Tiege Hanley. That's T I e G e H a n L e Y. Or you can visit his company's website, which is just tiege.comt I e g e dot com. If you'd like a summary of this podcast or if you'd like to apply to be the next guest speaker on the Martech podcast, head over to martechpod.com you can also find our video clips for the martech podcast on YouTube, Instagram, and on X. And if you'd like to contact me, let's connect on LinkedIn. My handle is Benjschap. B E N J S H A P and if you haven't subscribed yet and you want a daily stream of marketing and technology knowledge in your podcast feed, hit the subscribe button in your podcast app and we'll be back in your feed tomorrow morning. All right, that's it for today, but until next time, my advice is to just focus on keeping your customers happy.

[Kelly Thornton]

Foreign.

[Podcast Announcer]

Thanks for listening to the Martech podcast, and I hear everything. Production Looking to launch or scale a podcast like this one for your brand? Then visit iheareverything.com.