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FAST TRACK YOUR E-COMMERCE EXPERTISE
Make big plans for your small business and get ready to go global.
Your business started out as a dream. Now that dream is growing. As you get ready to step onto the world stage or expand even further, you’ll need help reaching new, international customers. That’s where our E-Commerce Fast Track comes in.
Here you’ll find exclusive e-commerce content designed to help your small business go global.
- Expert-led e-commerce sessions
- Small business workshops
- Articles from industry leaders
- And more!
These Owners Know Small Business
Learn how to optimize the online side of your business. Our expert mentors are here to share the experience, tips, and tricks gained from their own successes.
Komal Minhas
Steve Carty
Dani Roche
DHM
Taylor Loren
David Kollar
Leendert Van Delet
Ready, set, global.
Whether you’re new to going global or have been open to an international market for a while, we’re here to support your ambitions for growth and keep you connected to the world with best-in-class shipping and a suite of ever-evolving small business resources.And that’s just the beginning.
Stories to Inspire Your Success
Think of these stories as mentorship in just a few minutes. Learn from small business owners who have been there before and take away lessons earned from their experiences.
For businesses wanting to expand internationally, a go-to-market plan will help them identify countries where there is the greatest demand for their products, and create marketing campaigns tailored to local customers. In this article, we will explore the main components of a go-to-market strategy, with guidance on creating one.
When do you need a Go-To-Market (GTM) Strategy?
There are three main scenarios when a business may need a go-to-market strategy:
- Launching a new product in an existing market – For example, an established wellness brand adding a candle range to its product portfolio.
- Launching an existing product in a new market – For example, a furniture business looking to sell to China for the first time.
- Testing a new product’s market for growth – For example, a tech startup soft launching an app to limited users to measure demand and response.
In such instances, a go-to-market strategy will minimize their risks via in-depth planning and research into the market they’re entering.
Go-To-Market Strategy vs Marketing Strategy
A go-to-market strategy focuses on how a business will introduce a specific product to the market and reach its target customers. It’s focused on immediate revenue and customer success.
A marketing strategy is a longer-term, ongoing plan for the wider business and covers messaging, content creation, and campaigns – essentially the touchpoints that make the brand memorable in a competitive market. It should be flexible to help the business adapt to demand and find the optimal market-product fit.
Go-To-Market Strategy Benefits
- Establish potential problems: A go-to-market strategy ensures due diligence is paid to all the components of a product launch, identifying potential problems early on.
- Know how to position your product in the existing market: Thoroughly researching target customers helps create powerful, effective, and tailored marketing messaging, defining your product’s value proposition in a competitive market.
- Increase revenue: Emphasizing extensive research and planning before launching a product minimizes risks, ensuring the product reaches the most relevant audience for maximum sales. Understanding the target customer allows adjustments to enhance the product's chances of success.
Components of a Go-To-Market (GTM) Plan
Each business’s go-to-market plan will vary, but general components include:
- Market research and analysis
- Product promotion
- Sales and distribution
- Logistics and supply chain management
How to Create a Go-To-Market Strategy
Step 1: Market research and analysis
Thoroughly analyze the existing market, conduct competitor analysis, and define your buyer persona.
Step 2: Craft your Promotion Strategy
- Construct a value matrix mapping out buyer personas’ pain points.
- Identify where your target audience spends most of their time and allocate resources accordingly.
- Continuously track and optimize marketing content performance.
Step 3: Establish your sales and distribution channels
Define where consumers can buy your product and streamline the buyer’s journey for increased sales.
Step 4: Logistics and Supply Chain Management
Prioritize timely product delivery and consider aspects like inventory management, warehousing, and packaging.
Product-led
Here, the product itself is the salesperson, empowered with all the information a buyer may need. A product-led GTM strategy involves analyzing customers’ behavior and interaction with the product to ultimately drive customer acquisition, retention, and growth. This strategy is well-suited for businesses aiming to scale fast at a low customer acquisition cost.
If your business is launching a new product or entering a new market, you’ll need support from the experts. With a DHL Express Business Account, you’ll join thousands of other businesses benefiting from the logistics leader’s international and e-commerce expertise.
When my brother, sister and I took our brand Triarchy offline in 2017, we had one goal: Find a better way to make jeans. We gave ourselves 6 months; instead, we took 18-months collectively learning about all sorts of sustainable practices, tools and rigours we could apply to our brand. And that’s what we did. We relaunched Triarchy and set it off in a shiny, new, sustainable direction.
Fashion has always had seasons. And just like fast fashion that hits store shelves as quickly as it does landfills, the word sustainability became the ‘must-have’ accessory of the season. It turns out that the actual sustainability work Triarchy and other independently-owned fashion brands were doing ended up being lost in the pile. “Sustainability” was losing its integrity just as we were pivoting to our mission of responsibly and ethically made denim.
From rituals of self-care to limiting food waste, the pandemic made it clear that responsible consumption is here to stay. You’ve likely felt it yourself, especially when your customer asks about the origins of what you’re selling. Brands responded — either by doubling down on making their businesses better or by amplifying minimal efforts to look like sustainability is their entire ethos.
Reveal the camouflaging of greenwashing by asking questions
Greenwashing happens easily because it’s labour-intensive to put a lens on every brand. It’s like seeing the ‘low-sugar’ sticker on a box of cereal — maybe it is! But unless you’re going to read the nutritional label, a lot of people, as well as the people making supply chain decisions, are going to take these claims as “facts” at face value. These get passed on to the buyers, and how we spend our dollars end up perpetuating this cycle by giving these brands a pass. We need to be asking harder questions.
If something is too good to be true, it probably is. I realized that by not asking tough questions. If I don’t know the truth behind what I’m passing along to our customers, then I can’t operate a business. With that revelation, I discovered that Triarchy’s entire sustainability journey would be a tasting menu to the regular buyer, but it’d be up to me to define it, shape it and tell that story.
Give your buyers a crash course in your responsible practices
There are few governing bodies or certified labels and certifications out there that buyers can rely on to do the hard work and measure a brand’s commitment to sustainability. Sadly, vendors often misrepresent themselves and tell designers one thing, which can lead to splashy marketing campaigns that attract a customer’s eye. Once someone sees this plastered all over their website or bricks-and-mortar store, the common thought is, “hey, this is amazing!” But we want to be pushing them to think: “that’s interesting, I want to know more.”
For example, when you see a claim that a fabric’s stretch comes from recycled water bottles, that’s great. But what’s added to it to give it a new life? Is the process still producing microplastics in our water? Is recycled plastic just making new garbage from old garbage? At its end of life, will this sit in a landfill for 200 years, just like regular plastic?
Why ask these questions? Well, I bought into the recycled water bottle stretch story at one point, but I knew something didn't feel right. I needed to do the critical work and suss out whether this technology I claim to be responsible and sustainable is actually responsible and sustainable! If I don’t, I risk damaging Triarchy’s brand, as well as my own commitment to being a responsible, professional and personal citizen.
The responsible work.
The most sustainable thing you can do, as a small business, is hire a third party auditor. We work with Greenstory and Retraced to do just this. Greenstory investigates our manufacturing practices and Retraced, our supply chain. Businesses like theirs can vet your practices and your products and then report back to you how sustainable you really are. This does a couple things:
- It puts your money where your mouth is when discussing sustainability
- It provides a framework to work within that highlights where you can be better, giving you a clear understanding on how to improve your practices.
Seeing actual metrics for every product Triarchy makes in real time is inspiring to us and easy to understand for customers. It’s a win, win for everybody, even when you don’t like the report, because that’s the only way to make the report better. To me, that is running a business responsibly.
Think responsibly. Think sustainably.
As small business owners, we have to work harder to maintain the integrity of the word, sustainability. At Triarchy, we did a simple exercise. We took the definition of “sustainability” (“Avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance”) and applied it to what we were doing. We took stock of our industry — a lot of brands were leaning into sustainability but all with very different comprehension of the word. This is where greenwashing comes into play. It’s also where we saw an opportunity to forge a new path — instead of touting our sustainability, we were leaning into our responsibility.
If we’re going to throw the word sustainability around, then we need to start thinking about its intended meaning. Start asking questions. And start acting responsibly. Responsibility is a word I want to stand behind because it offers a framework to operate a brand within when trying to make jeans better, and therefore, better jeans.
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About the Author:
Adam is the Co-Founder and Creative Director of Triarchy, a sustainable denim brand whose mission is to conserve the planet's most important resource by reducing the massive water consumption of the planet's most beloved piece of clothing, jeans. Learn more about Adam and Triarchy here.
I’ve been running my business and brand as a speaker and coach for the past 8 years. In the beginning, I thought I needed an agent or speaker’s bureau to help me get started and get my name out into the world. I didn’t have any of that, so instead I used something I was born with — my voice.
I pitched a television show, and ended up being on air for six seasons. From there, I started to deliver more talks and used my voice to show up on social media. I began telling event organizers that I was what their events needed. The more I networked and spoke, the more people were introduced to me and the more opportunities came my way.
In 2015, I was invited to host a TEDx event in Toronto. I was excited for the huge opportunity and proud that my voice had taken me there. As we were preparing for the event, I was told the TEDx organizers needed to review my pre-written introductions. This request came from their public speaking coach (which I didn’t even know was a thing at the time) and I told her flat out: “No.”
I explained that my style is to speak in real time, from the heart. She told me that wasn’t how TEDx worked, and that they needed to see my content ahead of time. Instead of changing my style and approach for this event, I explained that it wouldn’t feel like me if it was scripted and prescribed. I showed her videos of my television show and other talks I had given — none of which had a script. She was so surprised to find out I had been winging it in everything I showed her. I was allowed to proceed without pre-written introductions and at the end of the event the speaking coach gave me her card and said: “This isn’t for you — this is for somebody who needs it. Pass it on to someone else.”
I trusted my voice and my ability to speak on the fly — which enabled me to be fully present and in the moment as TEDx’s host that day. Two years later, I became a speaking coach.
Your voice is the secret sauce of your business strategy. You use it to introduce yourself, reassure yourself, ask for what you need and negotiate. The beautiful thing about your voice is that it’s a renewable resource — you don’t have to buy a monthly subscription or a license or pay a fee — it’s yours. And the more you use it, the better it gets.
These are five of my favourite affirmations to help me feel more confident. When you feel stuck or scared to use your voice, I encourage you to take a couple minutes to say these words. Put your hand on your chest and say each out loud with confidence and conviction:
1. Every time I open my mouth I’m improving
This one is dedicated to the perfectionists out there who think that the first time they deliver their elevator pitch, introduce themselves or make a sizzle reel, that it’s going to come out perfectly the first time. Breaking news: it’s not always going to happen. Don’t focus on perfection, focus on growth. Every time you talk about your business, your ideas, or your brand, you’re getting better. And with every opportunity, you’ll be more connected and learn to trust yourself more. Allow yourself room to grow each and every time you open your mouth to speak.
2. My story is worth sharing
We’re not all tech CEOs with a heart-wrenching story about starting on the streets, surviving only on Goldfish crackers, and overcoming many obstacles to make millions. Your story is your story. You don’t have to go through something monumental or fight a dragon along the way for folks to find your story compelling. There is value in your story, people will resonate with it, and it is worth sharing.
3. Can I wing this? Yes I can!
This one is especially for the people who think they need to write everything down or memorize every single word they want to say. You can wing it. Your audience does not know what you’re going to say. You are there to talk about you, your ideas and your brand. They are ready to hear what you have to say and receive it. The more you improvise or wing your talks, the better you’ll get. Show yourself that you trust your ideas and your ability to share them in real time. (Because every time you open your mouth you’re improving, right?)
4. I have the ability to captivate any audience
I don’t care who is in the room, what their title is, how much money they make or how many social media followers they have — you can wow anybody. And whether it’s the first year or the fifteenth year of your business, your energy, your presence and your story plays a role in how you impact others. You have the ability to captivate any audience just by being you.
5. No one will hear me unless I open my mouth
If you’re not talking about your ideas, introducing yourself or telling people why they should support your business, no one is going to hear you. People are not mind readers — they need to know about you, your brand or your business in order to seek you out. Now is the time to start using your voice.
Eight years after starting my business, I still don’t have an agent and I’m not part of a speaker’s bureau. My voice has been the number one thing that has given me opportunities, opened doors, and put me on stages I never thought I’d be on. Your voice can do the same for you. Utilize that free resource that you were given, and believe in the power of your voice.
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About the Author
Jahmeelah “Jam” Gamble is an award winning media personality, sought out keynote speaker, and CEO behind “Slay The Mic”, a program that helps aspiring speakers, content creators, and entrepreneurs transform their voice.
Learn more about Jam at iamjamgamble.com or on Instagram at @iamjamgamble
Levelling up your small business starts here.
Check out these quick reads for some lasting lessons.
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So you're ready to ship internationally—congratulations! There's nothing like the feeling of expanding your business and reaching new customers worldwide. But navigating international shipping can be daunting, especially for small businesses.
Enter DHL Exclusive Small Business Concierge, a first-class shipping experience specifically tailored to the needs of small businesses. Our concierge service is designed to make international shipping easy and stress-free so you can focus on what you do best – growing.
Your first 60 days–it's not just business; it's personal, too
When you create a shipping account with DHL, for the first 60 days, you're part of our Exclusive Small Business Concierge service. It's like having a shipping expert at your fingertips, ready to help you navigate the world of cross border shipping, account setup, and tips and tricks so your package can go around the world, reaching its destination, worry-free.
In the weeks that follow, our concierge will be available to help guide you through:
● Proactive Monitoring: Ensure your first shipment arrives at its destination on time.
● E-Billing Setup: Help you facilitate the setup of your billing information online.
● Customs Declaration: Offer insights into customs requirements, commercial invoices, and shipping practices essential for international shipping.
● Ongoing Assistance: Order supplies, set up a regular pickup, or support with any shipping-related questions or concerns.
Going and growing global with DHL
The Exclusive Small Business Concierge by DHL supports small business growth and success. Our goal is simple: we provide entrepreneurs, like you with the insights, support, and tools needed for a smooth transition into the global market.
Ready to go global? Get in touch today!
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Xenia started her career as an investment banker. But when she was sick of wearing uncomfortable, non-durable tights, she pivoted her career to launch Threads – a brand that offers high quality, sustainable and affordable tights, and hosiery.
As the world comes together to celebrate International Women's Month, DHL wants to shine a spotlight on extraordinary women who have made remarkable strides in their respective fields. Among them is Xenia Chen, the inspiring founder of Threads and one of the winners of our SME Discover Your Next Contest in 2022. Today, we celebrate Xenia's accomplishments and highlight the innovative impact of Threads in the fashion industry.
How did Threads start?
In 2018, Xenia was working in the financial services industry at the time and would go through a lot of hosiery with work wardrobe. She was getting fed up with the number of tights she was going through in a month, because of rips and pulls in the material. Xenia found that she was either spending $10 at the drugstore for a pair that sucked or spending $60 on a pair that was comfortable and luxurious, but still had some sort of shelf life before it rips or wears out. She noticed her female coworkers were also experiencing the same frustrations when it came to their tights, whether it was about comfort or how much money they were spending. And that’s when Threads was born, the experience motivated her to start doing her own research into the hosiery industry, where she learned there were virtually no companies out there who were making tights with women in mind.
Threads was created to be different in both design and affordability. They work directly with their factory in Italy, where they can cut out the middleman, so women can get luxury tights at the fraction of the price. It was important to Xenia that women had access to affordable and high-quality tights, seeing how they are a fundamental staple to women’s workwear.
Threads’ greatest challenge and success so far in the journey
Like many other small businesses, the most significant challenge (and accomplishment) for Threads was navigating the impact of COVID-19 in 2020. Operating as a young business in an industry reliant on people dressing up, whether for outings or work, posed considerable difficulties. Xenia expresses gratitude that Threads successfully re-strategized on the fly, nurtured existing customers, identified new and unexpected customer groups, launched new products, and ultimately made it through the challenging year with the entire team intact, while also establishing a new business line. A true testament that sometimes, the best ideas can come out of times of incredible challenge.
Threads' achievements include significant media coverage from outlets such as the Today show, Fashion magazine, and Good Housekeeping. This recognition is attributed, in part, to the company's gender-inclusive policy, making Threads a popular choice within the drag and crossdressing communities, setting it apart from competitors. The brand has further diversified its product line with the introduction of fly-contour tights designed for men. Additionally, Threads has expanded its distribution network, now offering its products not only online but also in small independent clothing shops.
Xenia’s advice for aspiring entrepreneurs
“Just start! If you’ve been dreaming up something for awhile, start working on the idea now. There will never be a “perfect time” to start a business. This doesn’t mean you need to quit your full-time job – just start working on it on the weekends or at night (that’s what I did with Threads for the first year). Taking the first step is often the hardest step but also the most important! Lastly, failure is not the opposite of success: it’s a stepping stone to success.”
Learn more about Xenia and Threads at ca.yourthreads.co or on Instagram at @threads.co
My love for candles began in my early 20s; I’d always loved their beautiful smells that filled my room and their glowing ambiance. I remember I couldn’t wait to move out of my parent’s house and go to University, just so I could finally decorate my own place. The Bohemian style of decor was very popular at the time – crafted candles and earthy smells were a must-have to create a natural and cozy atmosphere. They say that your 20s are about self-discovery. You try out different paths, interests and styles, with every year of getting older also getting to know yourself deeper and closer to your authentic self. It’s our way of finding your life’s purpose – and I found mine through candle making.
In my undergrad, I studied Kinesiology. Early on in my schooling, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, but chose the degree based on my interests in sports and healthcare. I come from a family of healthcare professionals, so I always assumed that I’d end up working in that field as well. My parents taught me that a meaningful job is one where you can help others, and that’s what started me on my journey.
By the end of my degree, I had gained a lot of experience in sport therapy, exercise, rehabilitation, biology, etc., but the area that I became most passionate about was adaptations and accommodations for disabled people. I only had one class in my entire four-year degree that taught me about this, but when I took the class, I jumped at the opportunity to do a practicum with the Special Olympics and volunteered to facilitate a pool therapy program for a teen with Cerebral Palsy. That semester, I built a strong bond with the teen and his mother and we decided to keep swimming after my work experience contract was complete.
I was hired to swim once a week for 6-8 months of the year, and sometimes I visited their home to do some on-land therapy and stretching. We did this for 7 years, until he turned 20. Being a part of this family’s life and witnessing their dedication to making sure their son lived a full and rich life was a life-changing experience for me. In all the beautiful moments, I also saw the really hard ones: the exhaustion from medical visits, the back-and-forth for funding support, and the struggles of raising a child with a disability in a world that does not offer equal opportunities. This really opened my eyes to how hard this world can be for people living with disabilities, and their families, and it sparked my desire to find a career where I can help this community.
Milk Jar was not my first attempt at a job with my new-found passion. My original plan was to get my master’s degree in Occupational Therapy. Unfortunately, it was a competitive program and I wasn’t accepted. I was disappointed, but I still wouldn’t have traded those evenings in and out with friends for a few extra days of studying. I’m a strong advocate for living life to its fullest, so I have no regrets – and everything happens for a reason! Enter Milk Jar.
The idea of creating Milk Jar came to me, about four years after finishing school, during a time when I was feeling quite lost. I had worked a couple jobs that I cared very much about, but none of them made me feel like I was making the impact that I knew I was capable of. I was making candles in my home as a way to experiment with soy wax when I learned that burning common paraffin wax candles released carcinogens and soot into the air that could cause respiratory issues and other health concerns.
I mentioned before I loved burning candles and had them in every room in my home. Because of my family and background in Kinesiology, choosing healthy lifestyle options has always been important to me. I could’ve just started purchasing other candles made with natural waxes, but it seemed easy enough to make myself – and more fun! I quickly learned that it wasn’t that easy, but I enjoyed the process of learning how to blend fragrances, vessels, waxes, and wicks. And my favourite piece to candle making? Developing scents that capture a memory, place or feeling.
After a year of making candles and also feeling like I wasn’t connected to the disability community that I cared so much about, I decided in April 2016 that I’d start a business selling my candles that donated a portion of its profits to organizations that were doing amazing work that. I launched Milk Jar that November and reached out to the Canadian Association for Disabled Skiing and offered to donate $1 from the sale of every candle to them that following year.
I was just as terrified as I was excited to launch into entrepreneurship. I had no idea what I was doing, let alone running a business, but I was passionate about creating a company that was more than just Milk Jar. By inserting a philanthropic purpose into Milk Jar from the start, all my nerves about whether it would succeed or fail didn’t matter. It would’ve already been a success even if I donated $50. That first year we donated $2000 to CADS Calgary.
Fast forward to today and Milk Jar has donated over $100,000 to various non-profits including: CADS Calgary, Between Friends, and PaceKids Programs. Last year, we became an inclusive employer, hiring people in our community living with disabilities to help hand craft the products we make. This has fundamentally changed the culture in our company, we experience more joy at work and everyone is more motivated. We are learning from each other everyday. It’s a beautiful atmosphere to be around people that may appear different from us but recognize that we all want similar things in life. Never in my wildest dreams did I think a little home-grown business could raise this much money and touch as many lives as Milk Jar has in 5 years. I finally found my purpose – and it wasn’t something I waited to find me – I created it.
I’ve learned a lot over the years of starting and running this business, and if there is one thing that you take away from reading this, it’s to ask yourself what else? What else does your business do besides its obvious sale of product or service? What does your company stand for value, and contribute to that gets you out of bed on those tough days? And believe me, you will have them. How have you added purpose into your company that you can speak to, are passionate about, and that every member of your team can be proud of?
A business that cares will be your greatest return on investment. Now more than ever, people want to know that their dollars are being spent on companies that care about economic and social sustainability. When you show that your company is more than just the business of sales, you will have lifelong supporters that’ll be dedicated to helping you succeed.
There’s a lot of inequity in this world. Supporting an important cause that elevates your community can come in many forms: donating, volunteering, advocating, befriending, etc., and it feels really good to give your time, energy and/or money to initiatives that need and benefit from it.
I believe it’s our duty to take care of each other and our planet, and it is the way to lead a purposeful life. Owning your own business is a privilege. A privilege that should be used to make this world better for others, not to make ourselves better than others. If we could all experience the same opportunities, access and treatment, then what a beautiful world we would be living in.
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About the Author
Holly Singer is a compassionate and inspirational 32-year-old entrepreneur and philanthropist. She grew up in Victoria BC, moved to Calgary for university, and has since built Milk Jar to what it is today in what she now calls home. Holly enjoys relaxing at home with her dog Bowie and plans to do a diving trip in Indonesia sometime in the near future.
Learn more about Holly at milkjar.ca or on Instagram at @milkjarcandleco
So how can you optimize your logistics today? Here are 10 quick tips to turn logistical headaches into successful deliveries.
Efficient logistics operations can save your business time and money while ensuring timely delivery to your customers. While some improvements require investment and planning, there are simple changes you can make today to enhance efficiency. Here are 10 tips to supercharge your logistics:
- List your weaknesses and identify the changes
Determine areas in your logistics operation that can be improved, such as inventory management, storage, picking, packing, or invoicing. Write down actions that could increase productivity and divide them into short-term and long-term changes.
- Measure performance
Set specific KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) to target and measure improvements. Speak to logistics experts, such as DHL, to find out what kind of metrics you should be tracking—and what the numbers mean. Are you hitting the industry averages or falling below?
- Ask your employees
Your on-the-ground team members are on the front line and talking to customers and suppliers every day. That makes them a valuable resource for identifying areas of improvement. Gather their input and ideas, as they often have practical insights into inefficiencies and potential solutions. Consider implementing incentives to motivate and reward improved performance; did they deliver consistently on time or receive positive customer feedback? Make sure your people are recognized for great logistics work.
- Optimize warehouse layout
Arrange your warehouse to prioritize popular items closer to the shipping station while minimizing bottlenecks. Consider vertical racking systems to maximize space utilization. Use inventory management software to forecast demand and plan stock accordingly.
- Streamline packing
Simplify the packing process by allowing pickers to place items directly into pre-addressed boxes. Use mini mobile printers to generate address labels instantly. The upfront cost of the printers and software will pay for itself in just a few months.
- Offer green options
Consumers increasingly want more sustainable e-commerce options, from green delivery options to recyclable packaging. In 2020, only 58% of consumers were willing to spend more for sustainable e-commerce options. Just two years later, nearly 90% of consumers said that they would be willing to spend an extra 10% or more for sustainable products1. You can read our guide to greener packaging here.
- Get external help for international shipping
Ensure accurate and detailed descriptions of goods and correct Harmonized System (HS) codes to prevent customs delays. Explore resources like the DHL Express International Shipping Toolkit for guidance on global brand strategy and reducing cart abandonment
- Get smart about your delivery routes
Some items just always seem to get damaged in transit. It’s worth analyzing which products get damaged—maybe there’s a pattern that means you can treat those packages differently. Evaluate different shipping providers for reliability—the cheapest option in the short term sometimes means more expensive over the long term once damaged items and lost customers are taken into account. Also, consider load planning software to optimize the way goods are loaded for safer transport.
- Embrace technology
AI, analytics, and automation are making waves in the logistics sector. AI adoption in logistics is growing by 43%2 every year, so it makes sense to seriously consider your own AI strategy. Explore software solutions that automate and optimize elements of your logistics operations, such as stock analysis, staff scheduling, and inventory management. Route management and optimization—making sure drivers take the best route to make all drops quickly and economically—is a common application of AI and has been for a number of years.
- Focus on last-mile delivery
Depending on which survey you pay attention to, the last mile of your logistics process—getting the product to your customer—is between 41%3 and 53%4 of the cost of the total logistics cycle. In other words, it’s the hardest part. Partnering with a reliable logistics expert like DHL can enhance the customer experience by integrating express, on-demand, and international shipping options into your checkout process. Ensure a positive final impression by delivering goods on time and in excellent condition and give customers regular tracking updates: 82% of consumers expect tracking updates.5
Implementing these changes can yield quick wins and improve your overall logistics operations. Ready to ship? Get essential market insights from the DHL Express International Shipping Toolkit, or talk to one of DHL's 160,000 logistics experts today.
References
2 – Interactive AI – DHL - Global
3 – Statista, 2018
What is marketing? Is it just a fancy word for selling?
It’s way more than that. While selling is mostly about the transaction of goods for cash, marketing concerns itself with the entire business process. It embraces product development, the people who are most likely to buy your product, your pricing structure, promotional techniques and more. If you see a pattern developing here, you’re right.
What are the 4 Ps of the marketing mix?
The 4 Ps of marketing are Product, Price, Place and Promotion.
It’s generally believed that there are four Ps in what people call ‘the marketing mix'. (Some stretch the term to include seven or even nine, but there are four main ones.) Whether you sit down and construct a formal five-year marketing strategy for your business, or tend to 'freestyle' things, you should always be thinking about the four Ps: Product, Price, Place and Promotion.
6 Basic Marketing Principles
At DHL, we always go the extra mile (excuse the pun). So rather than four, we focus on six marketing principles: Product, Price, Place, Promotion, People and Packaging. That’s right, we’ve added People and Packaging into the mix. Let's take a closer look at each one:
1. Product
This is presumably why you’re here. You’ve got a good product and you want to sell it. For the sake of brevity, our use of ‘product’ also includes things like apps and services, and applies to business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) sales. Right from the start, you need to forget that you’ve got anything to do with the product at all. Instead, examine it afresh from the perspective of a potential customer. Channel their thoughts like this:
- Hey, that looks cool. I wonder what it does?
- I could use something like this in my study/garage/kitchen
- I wonder if it’s available in black?
- Maybe there are cheaper versions elsewhere?
- This would make me look good to my boss/partner/kids
- Not sure about that name. How am I supposed to pronounce it?
- Why all this packaging? Don’t they know plastic is the enemy?
- It would make a great gift. Maybe it’s cheaper if I buy several
- Ah, the instructions...‘Utilize’? ‘Enablement’? Who talks like this?
By forensically examining every aspect of your product – maybe asking impartial observers to do likewise – you’ll find ways to enhance it or make it more appealing to more people. You need to think ahead too. Just about everything for sale has a ‘product life cycle’, a period after which sales naturally decline. You must be ready for that, and plan to introduce new and/or improved versions of the product long before your sales curve starts to head south.
“Our jobs as marketers are to understand how the customer wants to buy and help them do so.” – Bryan Eisenberg, Author & Keynote Speaker
2. Price
Ever noticed anything odd about men’s grooming site, Dollar Shave Club? They’re wildly successful at what they do, but nobody’s ever bought a razor from them for a dollar. It can’t be done. Not once the cost of shipping is included. That’s just one example of how a clever pricing strategy (together with a catchy name) can reel the shoppers in. Determining the price of your product is a balancing act. Set it too low and you might appear cheap and inferior. Set it too high and people will quickly look elsewhere. There are exceptions, of course. A Dyson fan will blow the same air around your living room as a regular fan, but advanced technology and a unique design mean the company can command a cost per unit many times higher than other manufacturers.
Rather than going with your gut feeling, do some research. Look at what your competitors (if any) are charging and learn what your potential customers would be willing to pay. Consider offering bulk discounts or introductory offers, or adding value in other ways such as a user guide or club membership. Dive into the consumer psychology of pricing too – you can read more about nudge techniques around pricing, here. Then consider which pricing strategy you should implement. There’s a range of different strategies to suit different objectives and marketing environments. Some of the main ones are:
Market Penetration
This is where your initial price is set artificially low, then hiked once you’ve achieved a predetermined market share. New subscription services like TV or broadband providers typically use this model. As we’ve seen, the Dollar Shave Club is pretty much just the name on the door.
Price Skimming
Price skimming occurs when a first-to-the-market company can afford to charge a higher price, but then has to lower it when cut-price competitors arrive on the scene. Most hi-tech items are eye-wateringly expensive at launch.
Neutral Pricing
Here, you set the price to match whatever the bulk of your competitors are charging. It’s not a strategy to adopt if your products are demonstrably superior to others. Once you’ve settled on a price that brings the orders trickling in, turn your attention to how you can modify your pricing strategy so that the trickle becomes a stream, then a torrent, then a flood. Never stop testing, in other words. (But always have that other P word at the back of your mind – profit.)
3. Place
'Place' in a marketing mix context refers not to a single location but to several: where your business is located; where your customers are located; and any points in between such as warehouses, distributors and retailers. How you get your products from you to the end user is, as with most things in marketing, customer driven. You have to find out where your customers are, where they might look to find your product, where they’d feel most comfortable buying it, how long they’re prepared to wait for it to be delivered, how often they’re likely to place an order and so on. Knowing the answers will help you determine the best – i.e. quickest, simplest and most cost-efficient – method of getting your stuff out there.
Now, you could be lucky in that your business might thrive just through selling handmade watches to a handful of high net worth individuals every year. In which case, distribution is a pretty simple matter and your main concern is ensuring you have hefty insurance. But for most SMEs, a more structured system will be required. It’s no exaggeration to say that distribution can make or break a business. But help is at hand. Because when it comes to national or international logistics, whether for global corporations or bedroom-based start-ups, nobody can offer more hands-on experience or helpful advice than DHL. With offices in over 220 countries and territories, we’re the first name in crossing borders, reaching new markets and growing your business. And, as our software aligns with many e-commerce platforms, your customers can see shipping costs transparently.
4. Promotion
This is what most people think of when you talk about marketing, but promotion is just the communication aspect of the marketing process and is often one of the last steps you take.
Promotion can take many forms:
- Advertising
- TV and radio
- Newspapers and magazines
- Posters
- PPC (pay per click) advertising
- Online banners
- Email
- Direct mail
- Social media – including influencer marketing
- Sales Promotion
- Money-off coupons
- Loyalty programs
- Product sampling
- Competitions
- Point of salePublic Relations
- Press releases
- Exhibitions and events
- Sponsorship
5. People
It goes without saying that your customers should be at the heart of everything you do. After all, without them, there is no business. Ask yourself:
- What do people want from your product or service?
- Are they using it in ways you hadn’t envisaged?
- How are they interacting with your brand?
- What are they saying about you on social media or review sites?
- Do you value your customers or feel they somehow ‘get in the way’?
- How can you improve their experience of your website or products?
- When was the last time you wrote a personal note to a customer?
And people doesn't just refer to your customers; the people who work for you are also vital to the success of your enterprise. A lot of companies claim to be people-centric, but this should always be more than a buzz phrase for your ‘about us’ page. If you’re passionate about your business, you’ll clearly want people who share at least some of your commitment. This shared idealism not only creates a happier working environment, it also helps gives you a competitive edge over less united rivals. This topic is explored in our article investigating how to build your team for success.
6. Packaging
Unlike traditional advertising like television or press ads, digital media lets you test the effectiveness of promotions very accurately. You can launch a marketing campaign online and immediately see how many people interacted with your ad, visited your website and bought a product. The trouble is, your competitors can do exactly the same thing – and their marketing budget might be bigger, meaning they can reach more people, more often. So it’s here that you balance the science of responsive marketing with creativity and impact, so that your advertising stands out from the crowd through the use of striking images or a distinctive ‘tone of voice’.
Incidentally, pay no heed to those who claim advertising doesn’t work on them. They’re often the ones who drive a VW ‘because it’s reliable’, wear Levis ‘because they’re hard-wearing’ or use Persil because it ‘washes whiter’. And finally...You may be a marketing whizz, but remember, no form of promotion has ever bettered the authenticity of word-of-mouth recommendations. But that takes time and continual investment in your product and customer service. In the meantime, focus on "the golden six"!
Make The Most Of Going Global.
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