Mariah Parsons hosts the "Retention Chronicles" podcast, sponsored by Malomo, which helps brands enhance post-purchase experiences through branded order tracking. She discusses with Desiree Rabuse, founder of Style Fox, the importance of customer retention and acquisition strategies. Desiree emphasizes the value of being curious and innovative, maintaining personal connections with customers, and leveraging trade shows for brand discovery. She also highlights the significance of sustainable practices, such as using vegan ingredients and recyclable packaging, and the effectiveness of personalized customer service and tech integrations like HubSpot and Endless for influencer outreach.

Episode Timestamps:

• Style Fox's Purpose-Driven Brand 5:04

• Desiree explains the purpose behind Style Fox, focusing on content that helps women's lives and moving away from celebrity noise.

• She highlights the brand's commitment to eco-conscious practices, using vegan ingredients, recyclable packaging, and donating to carbon-neutral companies.

• Desiree shares her efforts to grow pollinator gardens and the launch of the Flowers for the Planet skincare line, which benefits pollinators.

• She discusses the importance of differentiating the brand through unique products and sustainable practices, attracting customers who value these aspects.

• Customer Acquisition Strategies 9:09

• Desiree emphasizes the importance of being curious and staying ahead of trends to find and retain customers.

• She shares her success with innovative products like the powder face masks and the NAD+ resveratrol skin booster, which have gained significant customer interest.

• Desiree advises focusing on trade shows, especially those with one-on-one meeting formats, to discover new customers and build relationships.

• She suggests starting with local boutiques and growing gradually, rather than aiming for immediate expansion into big box stores like Target.

• Effective Trade Show Participation 28:41

• Desiree discusses her approach to trade shows, including attending events like Shop Talk and New York Now for discovery and networking.

• She highlights the benefits of one-on-one meetings at trade shows, where mutual interest in meeting each other creates valuable connections.

• Desiree shares her strategy of walking the floor with samples in transparent bags to attract attention and start conversations.

• She emphasizes the importance of business cards with QR codes for easy access to catalogs and social media, making them memorable and effective.

• Customer Retention and Personal Engagement 28:54

• Desiree stresses the importance of personal engagement with customers, responding to feedback and building loyalty through direct interactions.

• She shares examples of how she personally manages social media and customer service, creating a personal connection with her brand.

• Desiree discusses the use of AI for automated emailing and text messaging, but insists on staying involved in the brand's interactions.

• She mentions the use of gamified advertising and loyalty programs to enhance customer retention and engagement.

• Balancing Founder Involvement and Technology 29:06

• Desiree talks about the importance of balancing founder involvement with the use of technology to manage tasks efficiently.

• She focuses most of her time on product development and the creative side of the brand, while outsourcing customer service and automated messaging.

• Desiree highlights the benefits of using platforms like HubSpot and Endless for influencer programs and automating messaging.

• She emphasizes the value of in-person meetings at trade shows for discovering and building relationships with tech companies and partners.