EP.149/ daph
Sensory Branding For Ecommerce Brands with daph Founder Daphne Benzaquen
Mariah Parsons hosts Daphne Benzaquen, Founder of the E-commerce lifestyle brand daph, inspired by her Peruvian heritage. Daphne started daph eight years ago, learning design and manufacturing herself. The brand has been featured in Forbes and Buzzfeed, and Daphne later founded an agency to help other small brands. Daphne emphasizes the importance of customer experience, using sensory branding like scents, recipes, and playlists to immerse customers in Peruvian culture. She values authenticity, community, and intentionality in her marketing strategies, including personalized emails and storytelling. Daphne also relies on her community and podcasts for support and learning.
EP. 149
DAPHNE BENZAQUEN
Episode Timestamps:
00:00 - 01:07 | Introduction
Host Mariah Parsons introduces the podcast and guest, Daphne Benzaquen.
Brief background on how they met at ShopTalk.
01:07 - 06:07 | Daphne’s Background & Founding daph
Daphne’s journey from pre-med to business school and eventually launching daph, a lifestyle brand inspired by her Peruvian heritage.
Teaching herself design and working with Peruvian artisans to create her first product collection.
06:07 - 10:56 | Learning Design & Manufacturing Process
How she approached design from a business mindset.
The process of finding manufacturing partners in Peru and learning through hands-on experience.
10:56 - 15:50 | Expanding from Accessories to Apparel
Starting with leather accessories and evolving into alpaca fleece apparel.
The importance of customer feedback and adapting to demand.
How unisex and one-size-fits-most apparel helped reduce inventory risks.
15:50 - 19:34 | Pivoting to Home Fragrance During COVID
Supply chain disruptions led to the launch of a home fragrance line.
Creating scents inspired by different regions of Peru.
How customer demand shaped product expansion.
19:34 - 26:33 | Enhancing the Customer Experience
Developing a multisensory brand experience with scent, music, and Peruvian recipes.
Running a “Scent Soirée” event to collect customer feedback on fragrance selections.
Personalizing the unboxing experience with a postcard, playlist, and cultural touchpoints.
26:33 - 32:05 | Customer Retention Strategies
Personalized post-purchase emails thanking repeat customers.
Offering exclusive early access and special perks.
The power of storytelling in emails and social media to build an emotional connection with customers.
32:05 - 37:51 | Community, Learning, & Growth as a Founder
The importance of authenticity and transparency in e-commerce.
Balancing entrepreneurship with self-care.
Leveraging founder networks, industry podcasts, and journaling for growth.
37:51 - 40:51 | Closing Thoughts & Final Takeaways
Daphne’s advice: “Jealousy is the thief of joy”—focus on collaboration over competition.
Shout-out to Malomo, a Shopify order-tracking platform, as the episode’s sponsor.
Call-to-action: Subscribe, leave reviews, and connect with the podcast community.
TRANSCRIPT
This transcript was completed by an automated system, please forgive any grammatical errors.
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
customer retention, e-commerce marketers, customer experience, brand founder, agency transition, Peruvian heritage, design learning, manufacturing partners, product expansion, customer feedback, scent soiree, email strategy, community support, authenticity, customer experience
SPEAKERS
Mariah Parsons, Daphne Benzaquen, Speaker 1
Mariah Parsons 00:00
Music. Welcome to retention Chronicles, the retention podcast for E commerce marketers. I'm your host and fellow e commerce marketer, Mariah Parsons, tune in as I chat with E comm founders and operators all about customer retention. Think marketing ops, customer success and customer experience, we cover it all and more. So get ready to get real with retention. Here is our newest episode. Hello everyone, and welcome back to retention Chronicles. I'm psyched for today's episode. Daphne, thank you so much for being here with me today. A little bit of context for our audience. We met at shop talk very briefly. I think it literally was like 30 seconds. It probably was even maybe shorter, where it's just like, Intro real quick, and was like, Okay, we need to continue chatting. I need to get you on the podcast, and here we are today, about like, a month later. Yes. So pretty incredible. Thank you for being here today. Thank you for making the time. I'm gonna have you say hello to our audience and then give a quick intro of yourself.
Daphne Benzaquen 01:07
Sure. Hi everyone. I'm Daphne Benz again. Quick little side note. It was at the snack table. Yes, yes. Like, bonded over the granola bars.
Mariah Parsons 01:19
It was like, in between meetings, and so yeah,
Daphne Benzaquen 01:23
it's like, is that good? Is that not good? Yes, yep.
Speaker 1 01:26
So I like, I distinctly remember. And I don't know if it's like, just because, you know, when you have memories that are, like, tied to a taste or a smell, they're like, Yeah, or just because you're that cool. But I remember being like, it's not a snack I want to have.
Daphne Benzaquen 01:40
Yes, I remember that. Yeah, well, I'm excited. We got to connect. Thank you so much for having me. I haven't been on a podcast in a while, so I'm excited. We
Mariah Parsons 01:51
love it. We love it. So happy to have you here. Tell the people what you do. You know how you're related, to become all of that. Yeah,
Daphne Benzaquen 01:58
so let's see. I started my own brand, DAF, at shop DAF, and it's E commerce, lifestyle brand inspired by my Peruvian heritage. I started about eight years ago. I'm Peruvian, and so eight years ago, I taught myself how to design accessories and then apparel, and we launched on E comm one year later, via Shopify, and have been growing ever since. We've been featured on Forbes and Buzzfeed. We're in some boutiques, some trade shows. It's been really fun journey. And along the way, I met a lot of other business owners. You know, I'd sit down and chat with them, tell them my story, tell them what mistakes I made. And I remember I was like in my co working space, and my friend the owner, was like, You need to start charging people for their time. You know, I feel like I would just give away my time because it's not a big deal to me. I like sharing and and so anyway, from that emerge. The agency was born last year, and so we've been helping small brands really launch into a new product space, or market, brand or market in general. And we also started st Louis' first trade show and conference called emerge the show, no way, yeah. So it was very fun. We started. We partnered with the founder of Build A Bear. Build A Bear was founded here in St Louis, and we had an all day conference, I always forget. And then I was like, wow, that's kind of cool, you know. And, and so anyway, we worked with all these minority businesses and taught them how to wholesale, you know, line sheets, get your wholesale site up on your website, marketing, all that and pricing. And then a month later, we were like, alright, I always am the type of learner that I was like, I have to learn something, and then I have to, like, apply it some way to make sure I really grasp it. And so a month later, we partnered with the local Saks Fifth Avenue here, and we had a trade show there, and we invited over 1000 boutique owners. People were taking orders, and it was amazing. So, yeah, that's kind of a little bit of what eMERGE is doing right now, just
Mariah Parsons 04:12
a little bit, just, you know, fraction of something. No, I think it's so cool that your background started first as a brand. Because I feel like a lot of people either start in E commerce as well. You know, when they become an agency, they start usually as like an agency or a tech on the tech side, and then become maybe a brand founder. And I don't know if that's just the seat I sit in, being obviously on the tech side of things in E commerce right now. And I think it's so interesting that you have branched out to become also an agency with the knowledge that you're sharing as a brand, so audience, if that's wrong, if I'm like, no, there are plenty of people that have done that. Let me know. But I think you're one of, if not the first, and one. Of the first that we've had on the podcast, who have started on the brand side, but then transitioned into maybe a formal agency that is able to help other brands kind of scale in their industry, and, you know, put on trade shows and all, all of the great things that you're doing. And I love, yeah, you know, different cities get get some, I guess, like a little bubble of E commerce, or get some, get some stuff going. Because I feel like a lot of the times the coast is where, like, you know, obviously just business flocks to sometimes. And so being able to retain some of the talent or founders that are, like, in different areas, and help them out there is really cool. So I love that. That's so fun.
Daphne Benzaquen 05:41
Yeah, I actually always say that, you know, death, like, I love death. That's like my baby, you know, and everything like that. But I just, I maybe it's the stage of life I'm in or something, but I just get so much energy through emerge, like talking to people and helping them. But it's through death that I can stay on top of those trends and stay on top of what's happening with e com and test it out myself with my own brand. So they kind of go hand in hand, you know, of course,
Mariah Parsons 06:07
yeah, for sure. So tell us a little bit about when you were first starting deaf because you had, you know, you had said, like, you started, you know, learning how to design and putting, for those who maybe don't know, like, you put together a tech pack for, you know, like you're actually looking at the design files and working with the artisans of, like, Okay, what, where to put this button or cut this? Yeah, you know, it's inseam or whatever else. So how did you first kind of learn the lay of the land for, like, design? Was it something you were interested in or had, like, maybe just pursued educational resources, of like, how? Where the heck you even learn to start making garments?
Daphne Benzaquen 06:49
So, okay, so I never thought I'd end up in the fashion industry. I was actually pre med in college away, but so was I. This is so funny, yes,
Mariah Parsons 07:01
yeah, I studied neuroscience and was looking to go into neurosurgery for a bit. Oh
Daphne Benzaquen 07:05
my gosh, my dad's a neurologist. We're met. We're meant to have met. But anyway, so then I got through school, and I was like, I had a management minor, so I was like, oh, okay, kind of like business and then I ended up going to business school. So in the fashion industry, it's usually common that you're just like, I have a love for design. You know, very creative. I am pretty creative, I will admit. But I never dreamt of being a designer. I approached it more from the business side, like, what means Can I, like, develop, what kind of brand can I develop? And, you know, to make my own decisions and kind of be the boss. And so I approach it from the business side, but I'm also very aware of, like, my areas of opportunity, right? And so I was like, okay, if I'm going to be a designer, I'm going to have my brand. I need to learn how to design myself. And so I approached it from, I guess, my biology, analytical mind, you know, precise measurements. And I made paper models to start out with, you know, and then I would like, put them on and, like, put stuff in it. And then I was like, Okay, I need to find these, like, manufacturers, and, I mean, I just went with, like, my gut most of the time. So I was like, if I'm gonna work with someone, I need to know, like, what it's like to work there. Like, I need to go there and see everything. And then, like, years later in the industry, I talked to these brand owners, and they're like, never been to my factory. And I was like, okay, that's just mind blowing to me. But anyways, so I went on this like journey through Peru to the city at akipo, which I had never been to. I was born in Lima, and that's where my family is. So I usually would stay there. And I met with three manufacturer, potential manufacturing partners, and by then I had already sent them kind of tech pack versions, which is like tech pack, like you said, it's like the instruction manual for how to make a certain product. And luckily for me, my aunt is actually an architect, so we kind of judged something up together. And I was like, Okay, this is kind of what I think it should be like. You know, Googled, I think I got a book on, like, design, and then I ended up just meeting with the manufacturers, like, really checking the vibe, checking the quality, and kind of seeing, Okay, which one's closest to my vision, and didn't, like, completely alter it. And so I ended up landing on this family owned company. It was the father and their daughter, and they were really specific with the type of leather and the type of dyes, because I want it all natural. And so anyway, since then, I've been working with them, and I've been I used to go at least once a year, and I just was there a few weeks ago, but with COVID and everything, I hadn't been there for like, five years, so we relied on one. Staff. And so that's kind of how my first collection launched. But, you know, the second collection, I was like, Alright, I gotta step it up. And so through my kind of network here in St Louis, I'm really close, that's where I got my MBA Wash U in St Louis, I met with this French kind of designer, I guess, teacher, professor. And so I studied with her for three months, and she taught me, like, all about, like, the colors and the textures and the patterns and all that, and what really goes into a tech pack. And I wasn't that far off, but there were definitely some details and some things to think about that I now, when I pick up an accessory, and I like, I analyze it, and I'm just like, why did they do this? Why did they do that, you know? So that kind of gave me the confidence in myself to be like, alright, I can design this, and I can expand the product line. So that's kind of how I started with that, that journey, yeah, very
Mariah Parsons 10:56
comprehensive. And I can imagine, you know, for those who are in fashion. Like, I've always been interested in fashion as, like a consumer, just like seen entertainment side of fashion, like I watched Project Runway growing up, like, just like hdgv, like, which is more about homes, but just like interior design, like seeing how patterns and colors and everything, like, all go together. Grew up on the east coast where I think, you know, like, bold fashion statements usually pay off a little bit in terms of, just, like, expressing who you are as a person. So it's always something that I've personally just been so curious about, of, like, Okay, what looks good together, right? Like, all of those, all of those little things, but actually understanding the technical side of them, I'm like, I have no idea, right? Like, no clue. I wouldn't know where to start. It would be Google, exactly what you just went over of like, okay, what resources are out there? What people can I need? What people can I talk to, who are, like, okay, they're the professionals. And understanding this is why you need XYZ in a tech pack. Or, like, this type of stitching is better for what you're trying to do like you, your products are alpaca fleece apparel and then also leather accessories. So like working with those specific materials, what do you need to consider, like all of that, all those little things that I'm sure in the beginning you're like, wait a minute. Let's you know, see, like I have a vision of having natural dyes and natural materials and whatnot. But, like, how did those come together to then Exactly, exactly, yeah, it's like in your head and make it into an actual product. So tell us about, kind of how you now that we understand how you arrived at, like, understanding designing the the products that you sell, what made you want to kind of go into the apparel and accessories space, I know, obviously honoring your background, being Peruvian. But like, what specifically about, like, Okay, this, this is going to be, like, my first prototype, or like first idea, and then expand from there. It's always interesting to hear from a founder of like, you have one product, and then you like, go and like, you get the next one, and then you, like, expand and expand, and you have, like, an array of different products, which I think is really cool, so I'd love to
Daphne Benzaquen 13:09
So it all started, which, right now, we haven't restocked it in a bit, but it started with the idea that I wanted a backpack, right? Every business usually like, what's the problem? And I'm gonna make the solution. But in my mind, it was just like, this was a personal problem to solve for myself. Like we were gonna make one backpack, okay, and so, so I started my design with the backpack. And once again, I was just like, This is what I wanted. I want. I really wanted to, and it's really funny, because right now, like, suede is very in, right? Yeah, um, well, I was working with suede seven years ago, so I wanted to combine the suede and the smooth leather together. I have one of my wallets here to kind of explain it a little bit perfect. So I thought this was going to be, like, the easiest thing ever, right? It's like, you have some suede leather and then you have some smooth leather, you're just going to weave them together. No, I was like, totally wrong. They needed to, like, create a whole new tool. And they're like, this is so difficult. Like, how did you think of this? And I was like, in my mind, it's just crisscross, right? Yeah, exactly. You're like, you're just laying it over each other, yeah. And so I wanted to create this backpack with a little accent in the front pocket. And then I was like, This is great. And then when I met with these manufacturers, they were like, Oh, well, have you thought about, you know, doing another, like, little, like, fanny pack kind of thing, or, like, you know, a wallet or something else? Like, no. I was like, I'm here to make one backpack get back. And then I was like, Okay, wait, this could be the answer to me always wanting to own a business, like I can design another something else besides a backpack, like I can design other things. And so my first collection was majorly, you know, a backpack, a cross body, a. Tote, which did super well. People are like, still emailing me to restock it. And then I was like, Okay, from a business perspective, my highest season is the holidays. I quickly learned that the consumers are just like, I mean, I love your tote, but I'm buying a gift. Like, I don't know if my recipient will really need a tote or a cross body, or they'll like it. So then that's kind of where I pivoted a bit, and I was like, let's launch accessories. Accessories are a bit more giftable. They're also at a lower price point, so a lower entry point for the consumer. And so they would kind of like move faster. So that's kind of where, like, these wallets came from. And then these kind of leather cases that we have now, which are pretty popular, and then from there, I kind of, this was honestly an accident.
Mariah Parsons 15:50
I love the paper. Stumble into that I know the apparel
Daphne Benzaquen 15:55
at the time, my cousin, I was in Peru, and my cousin was working for an alpaca apparel company. And then he was like, Have you ever thought about introducing apparel to your brand? And I was like, now, I was like, I don't know. That's like learning how to design clothes now. Like, that's another, like, three months at least, you know. Like sizing. What is that? You know? And so ultimately, I was like, let's just give it a try. I mean, lucky for me, like my manufacturing partners are very, like, flexible when it comes to order amounts, and so it's not like I was like, Oh my God. Now I'm stuck with so much inventory that I can't sell or anything. But I also leaned into the model of, like, unisex size or not unisex one size. So like this piece right behind me, that's one size fits most. And so I found that that was an easier giftable at a higher price point, and it was like unique. So this sweater is actually our best seller. It's all pack of fleece, and it's a two in one, so you can wear it like that, or you can flip it upside down, and it turns into like a long duster. So I can't tell you how many times I've done that demo, but that's what sounds I saw it on my site, so don't worry. The video, yeah. So that's kind of where I and I made it like, I made sure that the products I was launching were kind of like the same vibe as my accessories, you know, earthy, kind of neutral tones. To be able to go with a lot of things, I kind of swayed away from that, like bold like, look at me, kind of look these are just essential, timeless pieces, because that kind of just goes along with the brand. Like these are pieces that are going to last you forever, and they're going to go with a lot of outfits, whether you're at home or going out on the town. So that's kind of where my evolution to apparel went, and then with everything happening with COVID and all that kind of stuff, that impacted my manufacturing. So we had a couple of, like, years where I was like, it's gonna take forever to get a restock. I remember we were restocking the totes, and it was like, right? We had a bunch of pre orders. And then I was like, oh, okay, great. Like, they'll get here in April of 2019, and I was like, Okay, this is so great. And then, like, this was all in February, I think, and, and then COVID hit, and I don't think I got those totes till like, September, yeah. So, so from there I was like, okay, maybe I need to, like, you know, pivot a little bit. And so that's where we launched our home fragrance line. And that launched two years ago, I think, yeah, and so that's been doing really well too, because I wanted to instill the culture of Peru in a scent, and those are actually made here in Atlanta and but it took months to come up with the scent, but I really leaned into the experiential, kind of inviting people into Peru. So it's not just a scent, but smells really good. It comes with this little like note card that has, it's like a postcard. So it has like a scenery, so you can envision yourself in the region. It has a custom playlist, and it has a Peruvian recipe from that, because each scent is one of the three regions of Peru. So that's kind of been, like the evolution of the products, and it's really because of, like, what was happening in the market, but also like consumer feedback, like the the sensor, great stocking stuffer. So, yeah,
Mariah Parsons 19:34
well, so okay, this, I this is such a perfect segue into talking about, like, the customer experience. Because obviously, like, you're listening to your customer throughout, and you're looking at, you know, the business analytics of like, okay, manufacturing, if I can't get this items I need to restock, then looking at like, Okay, how else can I bring, if the brand is all about, you know, bringing Peru and your background to the forefront of like, How can I honor. Or this culture, this heritage, then bringing in like scents and like recipes and playlists like that is such a cool way to do it. And not a lot of brands have, you know, that experience or that unboxing of like, okay, you get this scent, which, yeah, that's great, like, the physical product. But then you also get these other, you know, other add ons or other advantages or perks to buying the fragrance. So, and as you know, you know this podcast is all about customer retention, and the customer experience, obviously, is, if not, the largest role, has, not the largest role in that, in the customer retention experience. So how did you come up with like, Okay, I want to have the scent. It'll be better for like, manufacturers. I'll be able to have, you know, more inventory. So, like, from a business perspective, yes, makes sense. But then also the customer experience, or, yeah, the customer experience. How do you, like, determine, Okay, like, we're going to have these amazing scents. How can we then, like, put it in a postcard? How can we make a playlist, make a recipe, make sure that they're like, custom, more custom elements to make sure someone feels like, Okay, this is like going above and beyond when it comes to a gift, or, you know, for yourself or for someone else. Yeah.
Daphne Benzaquen 21:14
So that was really interesting, because I really leaned on the experience right as an E commerce brand, and honestly, with apparel, it's like we struggled to really showcase the quality and the softness and how amazing our apparel was. So that's kind of where I learned my lesson, where I was just like, okay, I can make a video. I can have influencers and yell it from the mountain tops. These are, like the best pants ever. I can run ads, but nothing really beats that, you know, feel, I feel great in these pants. I literally have people being like, I wear them every day because they are just so amazing, and because of the material, like, they're so breathable and, like, stretchy, we have elastic waistbands, you know, like, so I kind of lean into that being like, all right. I mean, I'm not going to send everyone a pair of pants. Or I pants. So and then I was like, maybe I could send them swatches. And I was like, no, they don't know. The average consumer doesn't need just some random swatch there. So I went back into like, what is my goal of my brand? And during that time, we also were going through a rebrand, because I wanted to really just go back to like, Why did I start DAF, and what is the goal and the impact I want to make on my current community and future community? And so that's where I really leaned into, like, Okay, I want to just activate all of the consumer senses. Like, I wish I could take them all to Peru. Like, at one point it was like, I should partner with some travel agency and make some custom road trip and everything like that. But I was like, okay, Daphne, calm down. But
Mariah Parsons 22:47
the entrepreneur was like, ready to take off? Yes, yes,
Daphne Benzaquen 22:51
it's like, real men and so, so that's where I just lean in on the senses. I'm like, okay, you know, sight, smell, taste, what? Yeah, and so, so then that was like, Okay, how can I do that? I can't send people food. At one point, I was like, maybe I can put, like, a special Peruvian chocolate in every in every package. But then I was like, Oh, my God, it's summertime. Like, they'll melt, you know, it'll get on the clothes, like, all that kind of stuff. And so at first, like, before the launch, we had already decided on, like, the scents. And so I created these wooden scent chips, and I would put them in all the different orders to get people excited. They had, like, our new logo on it, and they had, like, a little note being like, you know, something exciting is launching, and like, you won't want to miss out or anything like that. And so we give them like a little peek of this, the sense. And it was so interesting, because, I guess backing up, we were like, Why am I going to be the one picking these scents, you know, like, I was like, I should do something with my customers and have like, feedback from them. And so actually, we did this scent soiree, slash, like VIP appreciation event here in St Louis, and we partnered with this local chocolate shop, once again, leaning into a lot of our senses. And so I made these, like, really cool displays where you had to, like, lift the little, like, beaker, and there was a paper flower with the scent, and there were nine cents. And I had people. It was all like, you know, be our guest. Come smell and fill out a form, basically. And I was just like, walking around. I didn't really, like, peek over anyone's shoulder, but it had questions on there. Like, you know, what does this remind you of? Like, do you suffer from migraines? Because I suffer from migraines. So it was really important for me for these scents not to trigger anything be unenjoyable. And so I kind of worked on that feedback to be like, alright, what are these memories like going to my grandma's house or doing this or visiting this place? And so I brought in more of that. Okay, more experience, more students. What else is Peru known for? The food? Okay, let's like, I know not all my customers are chefs. That's where I was. Like, these recipes, like, these are my go to recipes. And because I had picked every distinct region, it's like, there's everyone has a different characteristic and personality. So it was pretty easy to do that. And then I was like, okay, but I want them, when they uncork their little bottle, like, I want them to be transported somewhere else. And then I was like, something else is missing. So that's where the music came in. And those playlists are like anything from just like, you know, background music to like music that'll like, get you dancing, like with the actual lyrics and everything, because I was like, that is what that region is. And I want them to feel that. I want them to get excited. I want them to remember this, and I want them to buy it again or share it with their friends. So just really leaning in on to the feedback from the consumer and then applying it to what was important to me. Was, like, a perfect combination,
Mariah Parsons 26:03
yeah, I love that. It's so is it like, each scent has their own, like, recipe playlist, like, yeah to each one. Okay, that's so, yeah.
Daphne Benzaquen 26:11
So we have the coast, the jungle and the mountains, nice. Oh, they are all different vibes. Yeah, yeah. Oh my gosh. I'm like, I just, I'll just send you one. I'm gonna send you one now. Oh, my God, I would love it. Yeah, I'll tell all my friends, like, guys come and smell this, come and just like, yeah. Like, listen, play the playlist, yeah,
Mariah Parsons 26:33
everything, everything. Um, no, I love that. And like, the customer experience, like, it even has me thinking about, um, when you're like, the like, word of mouth marketing is every marketer will be like, Okay, that is so such. You know, such a good idea to get people talking about the differences between your brand and some, some other brand of like, why people are coming to shop with you. And I would love to hear your take on, like, customer retention. What do you think like, outside of, obviously, having products that get people talking, and like, just having multiple options for people who are like, this is going to be a gift. And like, want it to be of this, you know, you have, you have multiple ranges that can, that can fit people's budgets. Like, there's just multiple options for consumers who want, you know, a gift, or for themselves or for other people. So I would love to hear your take, like, outside of the customer experience, because I think it's evident that you have a great one, and that, like your product is really intentional, um, what? What else do you see? Like is bringing people back into, you know, interacting with your brand. Is it customer, or is it, um, the community around, like, social email. Is it those communications? Is it, you know, something that they're like, Okay, I feel like I am really attached to this brand because of my own heritage. Or, you know, wanting to shop with a, you know, smaller business, not one of the big box retailer, big business. What do you think is like, I guess another, or some of the other ways that you're seeing like customers are coming back and shopping with you again for x, y, x, y, z reason?
Daphne Benzaquen 28:10
Yeah, so I think I'm very grateful and fortunate that we do have a lot of repeat customers. And it's like, at first I was like, Oh, this is cool. Like, it's my friends, like, one day they'll stop spending, you know, yeah. And it's, you get to that moment where it's like, you see these names that are just like, someone from Utah and California, I have no idea who they are. Like, they keep ordering things. And it's like,
Mariah Parsons 28:34
Who are these people? Yeah? Like, let me know you. Yeah.
Daphne Benzaquen 28:37
It's like, come to my event, you know. But I think that it's one the intentionality that we've put into anything we produce, whether it's the Thank You card or the email post purchase experience, I think something that, honestly, I love email. I know everyone's like, not every social, social, you know, but I, I'm very intentional with my email. I'm not going to just send it like, clutter your inbox, but I'm also like, try to customize as much as possible. Like, for example, you know, you have your post purchase email. Thank you so much for shopping for us. Like, I added another flow. That is, you know, a custom email, if it's been their second purchase or their third purchase, you know, it's definitely different, and it also has a different impact, you know, like, we can't believe that you've trusted us again. Like, it's just really heartfelt, and it's all written by me, because I think that that has more of an impact, and it really is coming from, like, my heart, I mean, like, thank you so much for trusting us again with your business and sharing it. And also, I'm very much to like, you know, get, keep giving. So it's like, whether it's like giving them, like, access early to a collection, or, you know, free shipping, or something like. All that isn't a huge impact for me, but for them makes them feel extra special. Has been really, like beneficial. And you know, if they do need a gift or they do want to tell someone about our brand, like we're top of mind, and so that's been really helpful, like continuing to nurture that community. But also it's like, with the emails, it's really just sharing more of the story that we can like, my first collection was all named after women that were important and impacted me, and so, you know, the emails consisted of stories about them. And like, some people might be like, Oh my gosh, that story is a little bit embarrassing or something like that, but it's like, that's just my story. Like, if you don't like it, you don't have to read it, yeah, but I love being able to send those, and I differentiate, you know, like, we have the team sending emails, but then we also have, like, a note from Daphne so that they know it's like me and it's not like another, like, sales thing. And I get so many responses back because I put my own email in there, like, being like, I just love this story, or like somewhere, like I started crying. I was like, why? But they're just like, and so forming that connection, even though it's digitally, has really been really impactful. And so, you know, I mentioned, like, I'm not a big social girl, because my audience just doesn't hang out there that much, as much as they do opening their emails. But you know, I always have, like, a presence there, and so most like, whenever I share, like, the background or behind the scenes or I'm in the video, even if I'm doing that silly demo, I get so much feedback on there, because people like, want to know, you know, why I started it, what I'm doing, why I keep going and being authentic. That's been really important to me along this whole journey, um, has really worked, which it makes me feel good that, yeah, it should, you know, like people like the authentic, authenticity, when sometimes things don't go as well, sometimes they do. You know, here it is,
Mariah Parsons 32:05
yeah, yeah, exactly. And I think that's what it what will come through in this episode as well, is just the intentionality and authenticity. And I think that's like, when I think about brands that I love to shop with, it's like, I know now I'm personally invested in, like, these founders, and because of the seat that I sit in, it's a lot of people that I'm interviewing on this podcast where I'm, like, I want to, like, I'm telling friends, like, shop with these people because they are cool and they're doing it. And like, it takes a lot of work to shop with them, or to to make it, so that you can shop with them like, they're putting in so much work to try and make it, you know, so that you are not just one, you know, number in like, millions of orders, but it's like, okay, this email, like, this note from me, I'm sharing this customer story that was really heartfelt, or whatever you're doing in that moment, because also, like it, it's a selfish reason as a consumer. It's like, I feel good when I do that, rather than you know, just like not knowing, you know where this product, who created this product, or any any story behind it, like I am such a I respond to that so well as a consumer. And I think that's what the boom of E commerce really has done. Of like and social media has lowered an email we can't forget it, because has lowered, like, those barriers of like, it is so easy to connect with people that you would have never have connected with before. So that makes a lot of sense, that it all and that, like, I see that through time and time again, where it's I am connecting with this brand, because I see the founder, because I see the team, and, like, I see all this stuff that's behind the scenes. Like, I love a behind the scenes moment as well, like I was so guilty of it, or like peak or like sneak peeks at like new product drops or any anything like that. So it makes a lot of sense that that is what feeds into your customer retention strategy. So one last question before we wrap up. I always love to hear when you're in moments of like, okay, I don't know how, how the heck I do this. Where do you turn to to kind of learn, like, is it other founders? Is it podcasts? Is it slack communities, email. Like, where do you turn to?
Daphne Benzaquen 34:15
So, okay, this is very difficult.
Mariah Parsons 34:19
It's a loaded question.
Daphne Benzaquen 34:22
I've been starting to journal. So that's kind of like step one, right? So I just like, sit here and I just like, dump everything out, you know, I'm just like, this stinks, you know, I want to do this. Like, and then that's kind of where I go into my like, okay, like, my community, right? So I've been really fortunate. I have a lot of various friends and various groups. Like I went to a trade show in Atlanta a few years ago, and there were a few other Latina owner business owners, and we kind of formed a group, and this organically, have kept in touch. Much. I'm part of fashion Group International here, which the majority are fashion entrepreneurs. And so I've made like some of my best friends are now. Like, I met through that. And so it's kind of just finding those people where you can be vulnerable, where, like, not, I always say this to even my clients, because, you know, they get in their funks, and I'm like, not everything that glitters is gold. Like, it's so insane how you'll see someone on social media, they're like, oh my gosh, we're booming. Like, look at all these orders. And then it's like, months later, they're like, we're closing. And it's like, what happened? Like, you, you don't even tell me everything, but like, like, I guess it goes back to the authenticity thing. It's like, yes, it's great for confidence building. You know, picture yourself with that million dollar business and everything amazing. But it's like, you don't have to, like, fool everyone around you. So it's kind of like leaning on those authentic relationships I build and be like, Hey, I'm kind of like struggling today. Like, today sucks, and here's why. And my husband actually really does a good job of being like, some days it's okay to take a break, because I've found that I'm like, Alright, here's my long to do list. And I'm like, I have to get done but I'm not doing it well. You know, I even go through a phase where I make my list and I'm like, Alright, let's do effort on the top and impact. So I put low, high, low, high, and then that's where I decide, you know, what do I tackle today? What can I get done today? And what can I just start working on to make baby steps to continue? Yeah, so I've been doing a lot on my community, and then recently, I've been listening a lot to the glossy podcast. Editor in Chief, Jill manoff. She's actually speaking at an event we're having tonight through fashion group. I'm on the board, and I'm really excited. She's awesome, and she's also super positive.
Mariah Parsons 36:52
Yeah, love that. I respond well to that as
Daphne Benzaquen 36:56
well. So I really like listening to their Friday episodes, because they're kind of a wrap up and they're it's their authentic view on what's going on and everything like that. I also listen to female founder world, because I love those like stories. They're a lot leaning towards bootstrapping. So that's kind of like, okay, because that's how we've developed. Um, so yeah, I just really listen. I take that time to listen, listen to myself, my feelings, to other people, and give myself a little bit of grace. And always remember that, like that, jealousy is the thief of joy. I heard that once, and I like, will never forget it, because it's like, you don't need to be jealous. We can all be successful. There's enough consumers for everyone here. Okay, yeah, so true. So true. Yeah, there's
Mariah Parsons 37:42
enough happiness to go around, enough, like, enough room to lift other people up and all that, yeah? Like,
Daphne Benzaquen 37:47
let's work together, even if you sell handbags too, you know, yeah,
Mariah Parsons 37:51
there's some, there's different, like, there's, there's differences in the consumers that would go to your brand versus, you know, your Yeah. So I love that. Okay, Daphne, this has been so much fun. Thank you for taking like Litten, lit up my morning, lightened up my morning. I
Daphne Benzaquen 38:07
know we're, we're missing some morning. Yeah, it's really, it's really started off my day with the kickstart. So thank you. Have a joy. Yeah, thanks so much for having me. It's fun. We finally got the chat.
Mariah Parsons 38:20
I know we got what we wanted when we originally wanted. Over the granola bars. I know
Daphne Benzaquen 38:24
basically the same thing, right? Okay, love it.
Mariah Parsons 38:36
Hello everyone. It's Mariah. Again. I am just popping in to say thank you for listening to today's episode, and I am so so so grateful that I have been able to be on this journey for the past couple of years with this podcast, it's been phenomenal to grow and see our community of 1000s of listeners. See what you guys are up to, what you're learning, what you want to hear about next. So if you haven't already, please like and subscribe to the show so we can continue doing this. Leave us a review. Let us know your thoughts. Follow us on our new social media channels and check out our newly launched website. If you or someone you know would be a great guest for the show, please do not be shy. Fill up the form that we have on there, because those are some of my favorite interviews, and I will make sure that our new website is linked in the bio. It's retention Chronicles podcast.com and as always, let's give a warm shout out to our day one sponsor, Malomo. As you already know, Malomo is an order tracking platform that enables Shopify brands to take control of their transactional email and SMS through branded order tracking. What does that mean? That means you ditch those boring carrier tracking pages, the all white pages that have nothing on them but a tracking number and an update on the date of your estimated arrival, and swap those with pages that actually match your brand and can help you convert on some of your goals. Customers. You and I obsessively check that tracking page when we're looking for our order at our doorstep an average of 4.6 times. If you can believe it, yes, customers are going to that page 4.6 times. So don't waste out on all that customer engagement and instead send them to a page that converts in the way that you want it to. I am talking dealing with shipping issues, having cross sells and upsells, having your social media on there, your loyalty programs, anything, anything that you can imagine. So if you want to learn more about how to do that, go to go malomo.com that's G O M, a l o m, o.com and if you didn't get that, don't worry. That website link for our sponsor, as well as our podcast website, are linked in our episode description. So with that, I will sign off and see you all next time you.
