What Small Business Owners Can Learn From The Converse Knee-High Relaunch

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Good morning. There’s a lot going on for me this week.

I’m turning 30 again (for the 2nd time) 🥳
I’m celebrating 8 years of entrepreneurship (and pivots) 🎉
I’m launching my email marketing course (join the waitlist) 📧
And, I’m headed to Jamaica for my bachelorette trip (and a well-needed/earned vacation) 🏝️

The best part of all of this is that while I’m celebrating all of these amazing things offline… my business is still running online.

The one thing I committed to early-on is building systems that work for me so that I’m not constantly in hustle mode, neglecting my self-care, or working when I just don’t f*cking feel like it.

But before I jet set off, I want to teach you how I did this.

Spoiler alert - it involves email marketing.

I’m hosting a workshop tomorrow (Tuesday, 7/16) to give you an inside peek of what to expect in my upcoming email marketing course.

And, I’ll teach you my 3-step strategy to help you gain your first 1,000 email subscribers.

Here’s what you can expect in today’s newsletter:

• 🎧 She Made Only $100 On Her First Brand Deal

• 🤪 What’s All This “First-Party Data” Hoopla

• 🖤 iT wAsN’t A PhaSe #EmoForLife

Podcast
She Made Only $100 On Her First Brand Deal

Last week you received an additional email from me all about Amazon’s Black Business Accelerator.

Can I let you in on a secret? It was one of my first B2B creator deals.

Listen, friends. When I got the email I was sweating. ME? A CREATOR?!

I mean yes, I’ve been featured in a few things here and there so the idea wasn’t entirely new…but it’s something about speaking in front of a camera for a major brand that still makes my heart race.

When I got the email, the first thing I did was call my friend, Lena Hambrick, who has been in this influencer game since 2014.

What do I say? What needs to be in my media kit? How much do I charge?! These were all the questions I hurled at Lena. And, after sitting through all my word vomit, she answered each one in detail.

So, on the podcast this week, I brought Lena back to share her journey of becoming an influencer. We talked about her very first brand deal, how she found her niche, and tips for anyone interested in getting in the influencer game.

Marketing
What’s All This “First-Party Data” Hoopla

By now we know that data is queen. And, the more data you have on your customer, the more likely you’re able to connect with them in meaningful ways. In fact, 61% of companies who have increased their revenue have opted to collect data directly from the customer 🤯.

Now you may be thinking, “Well, duh. That makes sense!” But here's the thing: traditionally, businesses relied heavily on this third-party data because it was easier to collect. Basically, these outside companies tracked people browsing the web, built profiles on their interests and habits, then used that to target them with ads.

Here’s the current dilemma though: new privacy laws and browser restrictions are making that whole third-party thing a real pain.

Therefore, a switch to first-party data collection is becoming mandatory. Despite the “extra work” it’ll take, the data you’ll get is rich.

With first-party data you’ll be able to collect purchase history, how your customers move around your website, feedback from surveys – all that good info.

And, by gathering it yourself, you get a way deeper understanding of who your audience is and what they actually want.

So, yeah, first-party data is kind of a game changer and something you need to be collecting right now.

Ready to learn how? I wrote about it in my latest blog post.

BIG STRATEGIES, SMALL BUSINESS
iT wAsN’t A PhaSe #EmoForLife

In this section of my newsletter, I share some of the coolest marketing tactics from larger brands and give insights into how small business owners can do something similar.

So if you haven’t made your way over to “emo millennial” TikTok yet, now’s the time.

Converse recently relaunched their knee-high sneaker when the shoe experienced a surge in popularity thanks to a wave of TikTok nostalgia.

With the shoe no longer being actively marketed, users reminisced, shared old photos, and even begged Converse for a comeback.

Converse, being active on social and listening to how people were talking about their brand, picked up on this free word-of-mouth marketing.

Their TikTok account acknowledged the massive amount of comments they were receiving… and seeing an opportunity, the brand decided to act.

The relaunch announcement sent social media into a frenzy. Comments like "My inner teenager is screaming" highlighted the power of nostalgia and customer-centric marketing.

So what can your small business take from this?

• Listen Up! Social media is a treasure trove of customer sentiment. Use free or paid tools to monitor conversations and identify trends.

• Nostalgia is Your Friend: Consider past products that could be revived based on trends that are popping up online.

• Engage Your Fans: Respond to comments, answer questions, and show appreciation for customer feedback.

Converse's success proves that your most passionate customers are often your best marketing source.

By actively listening and engaging, you can build brand loyalty and fuel sales – all thanks to the power of social media.

Learn more about Converse Knee High’s relaunch here.