This week at DTCx10 Global, I had the opportunity to share a talk that’s been years in the making: “From Small Bets to Big Rewards.” It’s a simple framework with a clear goal – give DTC brands ‘quick-win’ growth plays that are fast, repeatable, and profitable.
Let’s be honest: most brands aren’t suffering from a lack of ideas. They’re drowning in them. What they’re missing is a framework that helps them prioritize the right moves – the ones that compound quickly and don’t require a six-figure investment to start.
I opened with a simple analogy: growth in DTC is like rugby. You don’t need a Hail Mary every possession. You need clean lineouts, a few yards gained, and small wins that stack. That’s especially true during BFCM, when the brands who execute the basics with precision end up winning big.
Here are the 3 small bets I share – and why they work.
Growth Play #1: Close the Gap Between Ad Click and CX
You’re spending real money to bring traffic in. What happens after they click is where the money is made or lost.
The small bet: Set up automated responses in Gorgias (one of our strategic channel partners) that answer common objections based on product page traffic or ad engagement. If someone clicks an ad and then stalls out on the PDP, you should know why – and answer it before they bounce.
BFCM tip: Preload macros in Gorgias to answer predictable objections: shipping delays, promo codes, ingredients, delivery timelines. Make this your frontline defense.
The big reward: You’ll increase conversion on your existing traffic and learn what objections are actually holding people back. It’s insight and income in one move.
Pro Tip: Audit last year’s support tickets. What did people ask right before they abandoned cart? Turn those into automated macros inside Gorgias – and get ahead of the objections this year.
Growth Play #2: Smart Merchandising
This one sounds simple – and it is. But it works fast.
The small bet: Add pre-purchase upsells in your cart or PDP. Start with obvious complements: “Pair with…”, “Upgrade to…”, or “Bundle for more value.” Don’t wait on deep data – you already know what goes well together.
BFCM tip: Your customer is already in buying mode. This is your moment to turn a $40 AOV into a $70 one, without discounts.
The big reward: Higher AOV and stronger margins. Customers feel guided, not manipulated. You increase cart size with relevance, not price cuts.
Pro Tip: Start with your hero SKU. Add one logical upsell in your cart drawer. Track the attach rate. Small nudges like this often outperform a new ad campaign – and cost a fraction of the effort.
Growth Play #3: Turn Post-Purchase Into a Launchpad
Most brands treat checkout like the end. Smart ones use it as the beginning of the next order.
The small bet: Add 1–2 personalized offers on your Thank You and Order Status pages. Think: “You might also love…,” “Subscribe now and save,” or “Try this next.”
BFCM tip: This is your moment of peak trust. You’ve got attention. Leverage it.
The big reward: Unlock new revenue without spending another dollar on acquisition. These pages have insane intent – and almost no competition.
Pro Tip: Test one personalized offer this BFCM. Even a 2–3% attach rate here can outperform a “winning” Facebook ad.
Why Small Bets Work (And Why Big Brands Still Miss Them)
Every founder and growth lead I talk to wants the same thing: fast results without burning cash. The irony? That goal isn’t achieved through big swings – it’s through small bets placed consistently.
Each of these plays has three things in common:
- They can be tested within a day or two.
- They make you more money without more ad spend.
- They turn insights into action.
The right ecommerce apps and tools don’t just help automate store functions (customer service, merchandising, upsells, etc). When used correctly, they unlock performance gains across the entire journey – from the first click to the second order.
And when you layer in strategic partners with extensive, first-hand ecommerce expertise (like Avenue Z, where we’ve helped drive over $1B in eCommerce revenue across hundreds of DTC brands) – you’re not guessing. You’re executing with proven, AI-optimized frameworks that compound.
Final Thought: Don’t Chase Silver Bullets
Let me wrap with this: you don’t need a massive budget to scale — just the discipline to find leverage in the little things.BFCM isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing less, but better. When you win the small moments – the gap between ad click and checkout, the cart drawer, the Thank You page – you start stacking real wins.
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