Small Businesses harness the Power of Discovery

Finding your early customers

Every business faces unique obstacles during the first few months of operation. However, there is one challenge that is universal across all businesses – finding your early customers. Your early customers help you measure success and receive valuable feedback for improvement. 

So what does one do? 

The ideal scenario is to have a very narrow view of your customer before you even launch, and sometimes the perfect customer is yourself. WIP Caps started from a shared interest among the founders and created a brand centered on a unique design language and product quality. “We stick to a couple of things; we care about the quality, that’s number one, and the story behind the [design] of the hat. I think through the stories, [customers] find interest. It’s a simple baseball hat, but when you look closer, you see the little details – a hidden pocket, secret messaging, and graphical elements that capture the attention of potential customers.”

“We prioritize collecting customer data [age, location], purchasing data [how much they purchase], and how many times they came back.”  These three pieces of data collected from a point-of-sale system and their online store gave Dani a starting point to create a targeted campaign. And she also understood her objective, “What’s important for us right now is finding the people who I know will be interested in our product. It’s a simple formula based on how much we spend and how many customers we win to derive the cost per conversion [sale]. We’re at the stage in our business where we need to scale [marketing] and find new customers. It’s crucial to track how much everything costs before we increase your marketing budget.”

As the famous saying goes, “If you try to be all things to all people, you won’t be anything to anybody.” You need to know who your audience is, and figuring this out can help you get a jumpstart in targeting those most receptive to your products.

Testing customer profiles is a great way to find out what resonates with your customers when you’re on a tight budget. You can use all the above methods to get a narrow view of your audience and a picture of your ideal customer. Learning how to use Facebook ads can be overwhelming, but thanks to Facebook Blueprint, it’s incredibly accessible for entrepreneurs with limited budgets. With step-by-step modules and helpful tips, Facebook Blueprint makes learning about optimizing ads simple and affordable – making testing with targeted marketing a cost-effective way for you to understand and reach early adopters.

Connect with your community

With traditional shopping habits changing, small businesses have to look beyond a physical storefront and foot traffic to capture the attention of potential customers – especially when it comes to Filipino consumers. Recent research shows that 77% rely heavily on social media and eCommerce to discover products they might want, scour what others say about them, and evaluate available options. In comparison, 56% get inspired by photos and videos on their feed before making inquiries. Surprisingly enough, 60% of shoppers eventually use business messaging services as the primary contact point with brands before they even step into a store to see a physical product. It’s clear that accessibility is critical; if you don’t make your presence known online, potential buyers will spend their money elsewhere.

At the launch of your business, it is wise to start with one sales channel. As you build momentum, start to explore new sales channels for growth. At Type A Coffee, “The intention was to be direct-to-consumer [through online channels]. At some point, we realized that we needed to meet our customers where they were. We needed to have a physical presence because we learned that it was difficult to convince customers to buy from just a website. We still get customers who say, I first heard about your brand because of your stand at The Alley at Karrivin.”

Marquina intended to be an eCommerce-first brand. When they opened their first physical store, sales increased by 50%. “We’re a boutique brand, so we have a flagship store where we take fittings, and we believe this drove the market. However, we’re still an eCommerce-first brand. If you compare the sales, it’s still 60% [online] and 40% [in-store]. E-commerce has a wider reach, and you get to be seen by millions daily.”

A wonderful thing happens If you have successfully identified your ideal customer and established a brand narrative that emotionally resonates with an audience. You will start to see a community developing. World of mouth builds, and that attracts more customers who are drawn to the stories that your community shares.

For some brands, communities organically form and are led by customers who advocate for your brand, product, or values. At this point, your brand value grows beyond your product or service and focuses on relationships, loyalty, and trust.

“There are a lot of ‘WIP head’ groups online for cap collectors,” Mari explains. “And I find that interesting because the moment you leak something…like a new drop, I’ll see what people are saying about it. Aside from the new stuff, I also see the resale value of older products. There are a lot of resellers in the groups trading old designs. And sometimes they sell for a higher price than retail.”  When writing this article, the two largest communities of WIP Caps fans are the WIPHeads Facebook groups across several cities with 8,000+ members and the WipCaps All Day Facebook community with 15,000+ members.

Activating your community in creative, meaningful ways can be a powerful resource to help you get your business on the road to success. Using tools like Facebook groups, Meta offers entrepreneurs the chance to reach out to their desired audience and build lasting relationships with those they serve. Plus, it allows entrepreneurs to take ownership of their online communities, giving them complete control of how it looks, feels, and functions. This ability makes connecting with customers easier while also providing you with valuable information that can make all the difference when it comes to gaining insights into what is or isn’t working for your business. All these benefits combined make Meta an essential superpower for any entrepreneur looking to enhance their success.

The world of small businesses and creative entrepreneurship is changing fast. Platforms like Meta provide tools that enable small businesses to meet their potential customers where they are, helping to build relationships and personalize the experience at scale. 

As Kayne put it, “There’s so much at play…the format has changed, and how people use [social media] has changed. When we started our business, it was more about photography, and now it’s more about videos, reels, and stories.”

Participating in this event was an enjoyable experience, and I’m so grateful that the speakers were willing to answer my questions. I wanted to ensure that I gave the achievements the recognition they deserved, so I endeavored to get as much information as possible about their path to success. Now more than ever, it is essential for small business owners like us to push each other forward, driving an entrepreneurial revolution amongst Filipino youth who wish to take control and pursue their dreams. Here’s to hoping for a brighter future for aspiring creative entrepreneurs!