Thread by @kdlafrance

I’ve spent over $300 on OV in the past six months and I wanted to know how they pulled that off.

So I did some digging.

The @outdoorvoices retention recipe:

1. Vision & Focus
2. Community-First Mindset
3. The Awe of Experience

Thread time 👇

@OutdoorVoices It's been reported that @outdoorvoices repeat customer rate is insanely high, nearly doubling the average e-commerce site.

The brand *almost* feels like a subscription…

Our first contributor of this (mainly due to Haney’s dedication) is OV’s clear and consistent brand vision.

@OutdoorVoices OV separates itself from big players like @Nike @lululemon and @UnderArmour by shifting the narrative on fitness.

The tagline “doing things” brings a new idea to the fitness world & OV dedicates it’s branding, communications, product line, and every tiny detail to that vision.

@OutdoorVoices @Nike @lululemon @UnderArmour OV’s gives its customers permission to be who they are. They don’t have to rise to the level of the brand (Nike’s + elite athletes) or master certain activities (Lululemon + yoga) to enjoy the product.

This vision runs through everything they create.

Check the difference:

@OutdoorVoices @Nike @lululemon @UnderArmour OV is disrupting customers’ expectations of an activewear brand.

The entire OV experience *feels* different. New.

The emphasis on simply “doing things” created a welcoming and enticing place for consumers-- particularly women-- to gravitate towards.

@OutdoorVoices @Nike @lululemon @UnderArmour Speaking of welcoming... look at the imagery behind their most recent launch.

It really is a brand for *everyone*

@OutdoorVoices @Nike @lululemon @UnderArmour That brings me to the second ingredient in Outdoor Voices master retention work:

The Community-First Mindset.

OV’s dedication to building a community around their brand may singlehandedly explain their success in recent years.

As it must, this mindset came from the very top.

@OutdoorVoices @Nike @lululemon @UnderArmour Ty Haney (founder of @OutdoorVoices ): “What I get really excited about is decoupling community growth from product revenue. How do we grow a Doing Things community that could be 10x what revenues are, and then, over time, we understand the correct way to get them into product?”

@OutdoorVoices @Nike @lululemon @UnderArmour Quote via:
newyorker.com/magazine/2019/…

@OutdoorVoices @Nike @lululemon @UnderArmour This community-mindset flexes hard on Instagram, particularly. The OV account has 368K followers & the hashtag #doingthings has been used about 150,000 times.

That’s more than #smoothierecipes...

@OutdoorVoices @Nike @lululemon @UnderArmour Outdoor Voices created a movement and then built a community around it.

Their own instagram feed is at least 60% user-generated content. OV fan photos have even been placed in OV’s official ad campaigns.

This human connection is as critical as peanut butter for a PB&J. 🥪

@OutdoorVoices @Nike @lululemon @UnderArmour Following suit of companies like @DollarShaveClub and @away ay OV just released The Recreationalist. Their new storytelling platform and magazine.

From stories and interviews to forums, city guides, and playlists, OV is opening yet another channel of customer engagement.

@OutdoorVoices @Nike @lululemon @UnderArmour @DollarShaveClub @away Also, it’s hella fun to experience.

@OutdoorVoices @Nike @lululemon @UnderArmour @DollarShaveClub @away This massive community is OV’s biggest strength.

It’s one thing that money can’t buy. And brands tend to overlook b/c there’s not a clear-cut ROI.

A community is the one thing that continues to set brands apart. The proof is in the pudding (or the profits).

@OutdoorVoices @Nike @lululemon @UnderArmour @DollarShaveClub @away Evidently, an issue of The Recreationalist now comes in every new order. I’ll let you know, my shorts get here next week.

Why did I think I could tear down my favorite brand and not spend more money?

@OutdoorVoices @Nike @lululemon @UnderArmour @DollarShaveClub @away Back to it. Let’s talk about the cherry on top of OV’s retention handiwork.

✨The Awe of Experience✨

@OutdoorVoices @Nike @lululemon @UnderArmour @DollarShaveClub @away On top of OV’s lively digital community, they’ve leaned hard into creating physical experiences around the brand.

Currently, there are 9 physical OV stores. Each coming with it’s own unique experience.

The Nashville store has an indoor bike and a gold-plated DDR machine.

@OutdoorVoices @Nike @lululemon @UnderArmour @DollarShaveClub @away OV uses their stores as a place to engage with customers and create an experience behind the brand.

Aimed at millennials, these stores are a creation of the digital world colliding with a physical experience.

Bringing the e-Commerce experience right into the customers hands.

@OutdoorVoices @Nike @lululemon @UnderArmour @DollarShaveClub @away Now, on top of ALL OF THAT OV also uses their stores to drive people to them.

Ala community events.

Take a look at all they are offering in Austin:

@OutdoorVoices @Nike @lululemon @UnderArmour @DollarShaveClub @away Rather than hosting traditional events (races/challenges), OV hosts more casual, approachable events.

Like dog jogs (um, sign me up) and outdoor yoga.

Again, sticking to the mission. Allowing customers to engage with the brand and product as they are.

@OutdoorVoices @Nike @lululemon @UnderArmour @DollarShaveClub @away At the end of the day, OV has built something much bigger than its products.

Still important to note that their clothing is high-quality, fashionable, and IMO some of the best out there.

And coming in at $95 per pair of leggings, the price point keeps the brand aspirational.

@OutdoorVoices @Nike @lululemon @UnderArmour @DollarShaveClub @away No matter how I look at it, Outdoor Voices didn’t build this incredible #DTC brand on their own. They did it with the help of millions of engaged, raving fans.

It’s not magic. They put customers first. Focused on experience. And created a space that draws people to them.

@OutdoorVoices @Nike @lululemon @UnderArmour @DollarShaveClub @away As an added bonus, Haney’s two miniature Australian Shepherds have an Instagram, and I literally can’t even. 😍

instagram.com/juiceandponydo…

@OutdoorVoices @Nike @lululemon @UnderArmour @DollarShaveClub @away Again, the Outdoor Voices retention recipe:

1. Vision & Focus
2. Community-First Mindset
3. The Awe of Experience

If you made it this far, thanks for sticking through! Whose retention game should I dig through next?

@OutdoorVoices @Nike @lululemon @UnderArmour @DollarShaveClub @away @threadreaderapp unroll