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Newsletter #876: The “5 Lessons from the Dollar Shave Club” Issue

Hi there! I need your help.

My book is coming out in paperback and we’re hoping to get it stocked everywhere. You can help make it happen by pre-ordering a copy today. There are some great bonuses for pre-ordering — and if you like this newsletter, you’ll love the book.

If you haven’t had a friend or co-worker forward you Dollar Shave Club‘s hilarious video yet, you soon will. But more than just a funny viral video, they’re doing some fantastic marketing that we can all learn from.

What you should do:

1. Be good, not fancy
2. Focus on a few simple offers
3. Make it really easy to buy
4. Keep social sharing options incredibly easy
5. Get rid of the hassles
6. Watch the video

1. Be good, not fancy

This video works because it was funny and because it’s obvious they didn’t try to dump a lot of money into making it. There’s just enough polish to make it feel professional, but the lack of over-the-top frills helps it feel genuine. This is an idea that applies to all content (web, print, video, etc.) — smart, simple, and authentic marketing will always beat big-budget, high-end work that tries to compensate for something that’s missing.

2. Focus on a few simple offers

Too many offers will overwhelm your customers. Create an incredibly simple list of options, and then see if there’s anything else you can cut. At Dollar Shave Club, you pick from small, medium, or large. There are no upgrades to consider, no add-ons, and no complications. It’s so simple, all the offers fit in one small graphic on their home page.

3. Make it really easy to buy

It takes about 60 seconds to make a purchase from the Dollar Shave Club. You get to the site, pick a simple offer, give your credit card — and you’re done. They’ve even done little stuff like not bother asking you which credit card you’re using (computers are smart, they know which card it is based on the numbers). Fewer steps, fewer clicks, and fewer questions mean more sales and happier customers.

4. Keep social sharing options incredibly easy

If you want people to share your stuff (and you do, right?), you’ve got to make it really easy and really obvious. Dollar Shave Club’s sharing uses just one link, and they even throw in a complimentary month of membership when you do it. But it’s not about the freebie, it’s the simplicity of it. When a customer wants to talk about you, the last thing you want to do is put anything in the way that will make it harder.

5. Get rid of the hassles

After Dollar Shave Club simplified their offers, made it easy to buy, and made sharing incredibly easy — they clearly looked for even more hassles they could cut. Their prices include shipping, tax, and the razor handle. The video everyone is talking about is embedded in the middle of their home page (which is what most people are showing up to see anyway). And nobody can get lost because every link on the home page takes you to the order page. Are your offers this clear, your prices this simple, and your website this easy to navigate? If not, what can you cut today?

6. Watch the video

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