How Nominal grew into a 7-figure brand in 2 years: Summary of Shopify Masters Episode 303

Introduction

Proof of Concept, Selecting Manufacturers And Importance of Customer Feedback

Before moving forward with larger scale production for your product, make sure that there’s actually demand for it and that people are interested in your product.

Test your product on a smaller scale by ordering few samples and getting feedback from family and friends.

Once you have verified that there is a market for your product, before bulk production, you have to be confident with the manufacturer you are working with. Get samples from a number of manufacturers and test the product for a period of time. You have to be patient and take your time and really test the product.

All manufacturers do things differently so be prepared to ask lots of questions. Do research on your product. How is it made? Research your competitors. What are customers complaining about? When speaking to your manufacturer, make sure that they can handle those objections.

After you launch, use customer feedback to make improvements and adjustments to your products. What are your customers telling you? Do they want more options? Do they want different colors? Don’t be afraid of reviews. Reviews can lead to new ideas. Keep an open mind and listen to feedback and address what your customers are asking you for.
- “One star and two-star and three-star reviews are sometimes the best reviews, that’s where you get your new ideas.”

Growth Strategies: Nominal’s Three Part Formula For Success

Having a mission – every month, the company has a “mission of the month” or social purpose that it highlights. A portion of the revenue made by the company during the month is donated to a cause. The company’s “shop with purpose” platform raises awareness towards different causes and important issues.
- “When people purchase, they want to purchase knowing that their money has gone to a good place.”

Attending conventions and tradeshows – This was Nominal’s way to get in front of their customers and they went to as many conventions and tradeshows as they could around the country. This allowed the company to get feedback directly from their potential customers. Is there a certain question that people are asking over and over again? Listen to your customers and make adjustments to your product or business.

Influencer marketing – at the very beginning, the company had no budget for influencer marketing. They would send messages to influencers and even if they couldn’t afford the influencer, they would still send the item as a gift. Many times, the influencer would post a picture of them wearing the item or tag the company in a post. This gave Nominal some content they could then use themselves.
- It is important to focus on influencers within your niche. Sending product to an influencer simply because they have a lot of followers is not good strategy. Rather, focus on individuals that fit within the demographics that you are targeting.
- When reaching out to an influencer, you need to personalize your message rather than simply copying and pasting the same message to all of the influencers you are reaching out to.
- Add an image to your message because the person may not want to click on a link.

Trade Show Tips and Best Practices

Building relationships – Try and talk to as many people as you can, whether they are an existing fan or a potential new customer. Focus on the individual and the relationship rather than on the transaction. Get to know the person you are talking to. Your team should consist of people who have the interpersonal skills to develop these types of relationships.

Display – Make your booth inviting and something that grabs people’s attention. It should be consistent with your brand, but do something that stands out. Figure out a way to engage your customers or people visiting your booth. For example, put product stories next to the product display so person engages with the product and reads about it. The longer a person engages with your brand or product, the more likely they are to become a customer.

Encouraging Repeat Purchases

The company engages in all the usual marketing channels, including email marketing, social media, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest.

You have to continually engage with your customers. This includes seeking the customer’s review after the product has shipped out, or offering a discount code for their next purchase.

Apps and Tools Recommendations

Surveyor for conducting customer suryeys about the customer’s shopping experience

Best Currency Converter to offer people from outside your country prices in their currency

Free Shipping Bar, which tells the customer how much more they need to add to their cart to get free shipping

Published by Alberta Estate and Family Law Blog