The Obvi Guide to Networking

Hey everyone,

Welcome back for another bite to chew on.

Today we want to talk about something outside of the nuts and bolts of running a DTC brand…

Networking. 

We can hear some of you groan through your screen. But the truth is, a good network is absolutely invaluable in business. 

We didn’t pay much attention to networking back in the day either. We were 100% heads down, laser-focused on the day-to-day of trying to get Obvi off the ground. 

Attending events, joining communities, going to meet-ups…

It all just seemed like a lot of time and energy that could be spent on, you know, actually working on things that move the needle.

Maybe you feel that way too. 

Or maybe you’ve tried networking a couple of times and it hasn’t worked out. Just a waste of time and money right? 

We totally get it. 

But trust us, networking can be a key unlock. It’s one of the reasons we began our own event series at Chew on This. 

Connecting with - and learning from - the large (and growing) community of DTC operators can bring value in ways you can’t always guess or imagine. 

Today we’re going to take you through how to network right… 

Set the Table

As we all know, warm audiences are easier to convert than cold ones. Creating awareness and familiarity is the first step in making a connection that might lead to something more. 

It’s a bit like that with networking. 

Instead of buying an expensive ticket for a big industry event, there are ways to build connections before you meet anyone in real life. 

Social media and digital communities are great for this. 

While many people use things like X (Twitter) and Linkedin to argue about politics or humblebrag about their accomplishments - 

There is a huge undercurrent of (virtual) handshakes and value exchanges that are happening just beneath the surface. In fact, some of the best thinkers and brightest minds in business are out there on these platforms giving away strategies, tactics, and insights. Every day. 

There are also quite a few communities that have sprung up around DTC, e-commerce, and digital marketing out there. 

Be it Slack channels or following other founders on X, hanging out with DTC peeps digitally is a great way to set the table. 

It helps you establish the basics of a network before ever stepping foot at a physical event. 

Best of all - most of this stuff is free. It just takes a bit of time and effort. 

Don’t be a lurker

Speaking of effort - there are 4 rules to driving value from your networking:

1. Participate!

2. Give to get

3. Break the ice

4. Follow-up 

Let’s get into them.

The first rule of networking is: You have to participate. 

The number one mistake we see when it comes to networking is assuming that just “being there” is 95% of the battle. 

It’s not.

Mindset is everything in networking. You need to be open to new experiences and taking a chance. 

We get it, not everyone loves crowds, or parties, or anything to do with meeting new people. But you need to awaken the inner extravert within you or networking won’t work. 

For the introverts out there, this is where setting the table comes in handy. Network digitally first and then arrange to meet familiar faces at events. 

It can take the edge off of diving face-first into the cold waters of irl networking if you are not naturally confident in that setting. 

The second rule of networking is: You have to give value to get value. 

 It’s a two-way street. Give and take. 

If you’re only looking for help (a one-way street) then you’re better off finding a mentor.

Don’t get us wrong, most founders and operators are happy to help. But networking is about mutual value exchange. One that becomes the root of an ongoing relationship. 

This can be tough to understand for founders who are just starting out, or for operators at smaller brands. You might feel like you don’t have much to contribute -

That all of the industry veterans and heavyweights you may find at networking events won’t be interested in your story and have nothing to learn from you. 

But that’s not the case. No one knows everything. You have a unique story, a unique perspective. You may have solved a problem no one else in the room has before. 

We’ve seen operators from high 9-figure brands learn stuff from brands doing less than $10 million a year (and vice versa).

So you need to participate. But you also need to bring value.  

The third rule of networking is: Work on your icebreakers.

Yeah, it kind of sounds like the advice of a pickup artist. 

But the quicker you are able to get past the awkwardness of an initial intro, the quicker you can start to establish something more worthwhile. 

We have found the best icebreaker is openly sharing your current challenges 

• What pain points are you facing in your business? 

• What frictions are you battling?

• What ceilings are you bumping up against?

This works for a couple of reasons:

1. All founders and operators can relate. Everyone in the arena has war stories and things that are frustrating them. 

2. It becomes the basis for value exchange. An opportunity to either help directly or connect with someone who can.

Leading with your accomplishments tends to be less effective. Don’t start out with or focus on your wins. That can feel like an ego stroke. 

Being open and vulnerable will invite more banter and trigger a conversation where both parties can work together on a problem. It opens the opportunity for the other person to share their issues as well.  

The fourth rule is: Arrange to follow-up. 

This one is easy to forget about. A lot of folks have the first three rules down, but fall down at the final hurdle. 

Imagine if your website didn’t have a pixel, email, or SMS capture. Visitors just show up, click buttons, surf around, and then bounce without a trace. 

Seems like kind of a waste, right?

Same thing in networking. 

And we’re not talking about just handing out business cards. That’s table stakes. Most business cards end up in the bottom of a drawer somewhere. 

Instead, you should walk away with the intention to continue the conversation later. 

Sooner rather than later, preferably. 

Network relationships have a kind of momentum to them. They can die off pretty quickly if you don’t follow up, especially if they are brand new. 

Sum it up

For the tl/dr crowd - 

• Set the table by finding your tribe digitally

• Participate! Networking isn’t just “being there”

• Give value to get value

• Share your challenges to break the ice 

• Always leave with plans to follow up

That’s it, the fundamentals for networking for fun (and profit). 

Now get out there, wallflowers. Share what you’ve learned so far and what you’re working on now. Chances are you’ll meet someone who can help you take your brand to the next level.   

Tool of the Week

If you’ve been in the game for a while, you know how vital accurate data is when it comes to your marketing tech stack. 

Not only can you  make better decisions with better data, so can all of your tools and platforms. 

That’s why we’re a proud partner of Elevar. Their server-side tracking ensures 99% accuracy when it comes to conversions and user behavior.

It also integrates with everything in our stack - from our website to our retention platform and analytics tools - so we can track the customer journey from ad click to purchase.   

If you don’t have a conversion tracking data layer in this day and age, you’re flying blind. We can’t recommend Elevar enough given our experience with it so far.

Want to learn more? Check out a demo of how Elevar increases marketing efficiency here —>

Join us at eTail!

There will be a great chance for anyone attending eTail in Boston next month to practice their networking skills. We’re holding a get-together for DTC founders and operators on August 13th at 7pm.

Want to hang with some of the top trailblazers in e-commerce? We’ve got a guest list featuring leaders from 8 and 9-figure brands. Don’t worry, we’re not there to pitch you anything. We just want to make connections while enjoying some great food and drinks.

Sign up here to get on the list.

All the best,

Ron and Ash