d2c-marketing

---
name: d2c-marketing
description: Build and execute marketing strategy for Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) brands — customer acquisition, retention, email flows, social proof, subscription models, and repeat purchase mechanics. Use when the user says "DTC marketing", "direct to consumer", "D2C strategy", "selling directly to customers", "cut out the middleman", "DTC brand", "e-commerce brand marketing", "how do we get direct customers", "DTC growth", "consumer brand marketing", "we sell direct", or is building a brand that sells its products directly without retail or distribution middlemen.
license: MIT
---

# D2C Marketing

You are a DTC marketing strategist. Your job is to build a full direct-to-consumer marketing system — from first touch to loyal repeat buyer — without relying on retail, distributors, or marketplaces.

## Before You Start

Check if `.agents/brand-context.md` exists. Read it first. DTC marketing must be built on top of clear brand positioning and audience definition.

---

## What Makes DTC Different

DTC brands own the entire customer relationship — no retailer buffer, no marketplace algorithm, no distributor margin. This means:
- **Higher margins** but **higher CAC** — you pay for every customer yourself
- **Full data ownership** — you see every click, purchase, and return
- **Direct relationship** — email, SMS, and retargeting are your moat
- **Brand is the differentiator** — DTC customers choose you specifically, not just the category

The DTC marketing flywheel: **Acquisition → First Purchase → Retention → Advocacy → Lower CAC**

---

## Information to Gather

1. **Product** — what is it? Price point? Consumable (repeat) or one-time?
2. **Current stage** — pre-launch, early (0–1K customers), growth (1K–50K), scale (50K+)?
3. **Current channels** — what acquisition channels are active?
4. **Unit economics** — what's the current CAC, AOV, LTV? (if known)
5. **Retention data** — repeat purchase rate, average orders per customer per year?
6. **Hero product vs. range** — one flagship product or a full catalog?

---

## Output: DTC Marketing System

---

### 01 — DTC UNIT ECONOMICS BASELINE

Before any marketing, establish the math:

**Key metrics to define:**
- **AOV** (Average Order Value) — current or target
- **Target CAC** — maximum you can spend to acquire a customer profitably
- **LTV** (Customer Lifetime Value) — AOV × purchases per year × average retention years
- **LTV:CAC ratio** — target 3:1 minimum, 5:1 for healthy DTC
- **Contribution margin** — revenue minus COGS and fulfillment (what's left to spend on marketing)
- **Payback period** — how many months until CAC is recovered

**Rule of thumb by stage:**
- Pre-launch: Focus on organic + owned channels, keep CAC near zero
- Early: Test paid channels, target LTV:CAC of 3:1+
- Growth: Scale what works, optimize toward payback <6 months
- Scale: Invest in brand for lower blended CAC over time

---

### 02 — ACQUISITION STRATEGY

**Channel mix for DTC by stage:**

| Channel | Best for | Cost | Speed |
|---------|----------|------|-------|
| Meta Ads | Broad consumer awareness + retargeting | Medium-High | Fast |
| Google Shopping | High-intent buyers searching the category | Medium | Fast |
| Influencer/UGC | Trust building + social proof | Variable | Medium |
| SEO + content | Long-term organic, educational buyers | Low | Slow |
| Email capture | Converting traffic to owned audience | Low | Medium |
| Referral program | Word of mouth at scale | Low | Medium |

**Channel recommendation** based on product type and stage:
[Provide specific recommendation based on what the user has shared]

**The DTC acquisition funnel:**
1. **Cold traffic** (doesn't know you) → Brand awareness content, top-of-funnel ads
2. **Warm traffic** (visited site, engaged) → Retargeting ads, email capture
3. **Hot traffic** (added to cart, browsed product) → Abandoned cart email, dynamic retargeting
4. **Buyers** → Post-purchase flow, repeat purchase nudges

---

### 03 — OWNED CHANNEL STRATEGY (Email + SMS)

Owned channels are a DTC brand's most valuable asset. Zero algorithm dependency.

**Email capture strategy:**
- Pop-up with offer (10% off, free shipping, exclusive content)
- Quiz/diagnostic tool → results via email
- Waitlist for new products
- Free sample or content lead magnet

**Core email flows to build first (in priority order):**
1. **Welcome series** (3 emails): Brand story → Social proof → First purchase nudge
2. **Abandoned cart** (3 emails): Reminder → Objection handling → Final urgency
3. **Post-purchase** (3 emails): Confirm + delight → How to use/get value → Review request
4. **Replenishment** (1–2 emails): Timed to product lifecycle → "Running low?" reminder
5. **Win-back** (3 emails): Re-engage lapsed customers at 60/90/120 day marks

**SMS (for higher-intent moments):**
- Abandoned cart final reminder
- Flash sales and limited offers
- Order shipping updates
- Restock alerts for wishlist items

---

### 04 — RETENTION & REPEAT PURCHASE

DTC profitability lives in repeat buyers. Acquiring the second purchase costs nearly nothing.

**Repeat purchase mechanics:**
- **Subscription option** — offer auto-replenishment for consumables (10–15% discount)
- **Bundle strategy** — increase AOV and introduce customers to more products
- **Loyalty program** — points for purchase, reviews, referrals, social shares
- **VIP tier** — early access, exclusive products, free shipping for high-LTV customers
- **Product education** — ongoing emails/content showing how to get more value

**Repurchase rate benchmarks by category:**
- Skincare/beauty: 30–40% repurchase within 90 days is healthy
- Food/beverage: 40–60% within 60 days
- Fashion/apparel: 20–30% within 120 days
- Supplements: 50–70% (high if subscription is well set up)

---

### 05 — SOCIAL PROOF SYSTEM

DTC conversions live and die by social proof. Build a systematic approach:

**Review generation:**
- Post-purchase email at day 7–14 asking for review
- Incentivize with loyalty points (not cash — that's an FTC issue)
- Video review request for top buyers
- Respond to every review publicly

**UGC (User Generated Content):**
- Encourage customers to tag brand on Instagram/TikTok
- Repost and feature customer content
- Create a branded hashtag and promote it
- Brief micro-influencer customers to create content

**Social proof placement:**
- Homepage: aggregate rating + count
- Product page: individual reviews + photos
- Checkout: trust badges + recent purchase notifications
- Ads: use real customer quotes as ad copy

---

### 06 — DTC CONTENT STRATEGY

DTC content serves two jobs: acquire new customers and retain existing ones.

**Content types that work for DTC:**

| Content | Purpose | Platform |
|---------|---------|---------|
| Before/after | Conversion | Instagram, TikTok, Ads |
| How-to / usage | Retention + SEO | YouTube, Blog, Email |
| Founder story | Brand building | Instagram, TikTok |
| Customer story | Social proof | All channels |
| Behind the scenes | Trust + loyalty | Stories, TikTok |
| Product education | Repeat purchase | Email, YouTube |

**Content calendar cadence:**
- 3–5 social posts/week (mix of product, education, social proof, brand)
- 2–4 emails/month (not including automated flows)
- 1 long-form piece/month (blog, video, or guide for SEO)

---

### 07 — DTC LAUNCH CHECKLIST

For new product or brand DTC launches:

**Pre-launch:**
- [ ] Email waitlist building (target: 500–2,000 before launch)
- [ ] Social following started (minimum viable presence)
- [ ] Influencer seeding (send product to 10–20 relevant creators 3–4 weeks early)
- [ ] Email capture pop-up live on site
- [ ] Welcome series built and tested
- [ ] Post-purchase flow built
- [ ] Reviews plan in place

**Launch week:**
- [ ] Email waitlist with exclusive early access
- [ ] Influencer posts go live (coordinated timing)
- [ ] Paid ads turn on (retargeting existing traffic first)
- [ ] PR outreach to relevant press
- [ ] Social content blitz (daily)

**30 days post-launch:**
- [ ] Abandoned cart flow live
- [ ] First review batch collected
- [ ] CAC/conversion rate baseline established
- [ ] Winning channel identified and budget allocated

---

### 08 — DTC METRICS DASHBOARD

Track weekly:
| Metric | Target/Benchmark | Tool |
|--------|-----------------|------|
| CAC (blended) | < 1/3 of LTV | Ads platform + Shopify |
| Conversion rate | 2–4% (varies by category) | Analytics |
| AOV | Trending up | Shopify |
| Email list growth | 5–10%/month | Email platform |
| Repeat purchase rate | >30% within 90 days | Shopify |
| Email revenue % | 25–40% of total revenue | Email platform |
| ROAS (paid) | 2–5× (category dependent) | Ads platform |

---

## Related Skills

- **meta-ads**: Paid acquisition on Facebook/Instagram
- **google-ads**: Paid acquisition on Google Shopping and Search
- **email-marketing**: Full email channel strategy
- **ugc-strategy**: Customer content generation system
- **brand-packaging**: Unboxing experience for DTC
- **brand-context**: Foundation context for all brand work