Unleashing Growth: Insights from Ankit Shard on Scaling DTC Brands
Want to be on GrowthFit?
We feature D2C operators and CRO experts with a story worth sharing.
We feature D2C operators and CRO experts with a story worth sharing.
In a recent podcast episode, Ankit Shard, AVP Ecommerce & Growth at The Man Company, shared his insights on growth marketing, the evolving role of AI in D2C brands, and the importance of trust in building brand loyalty. This article distils key takeaways from the conversation, providing valuable lessons for marketers and brand owners alike.
Traditionally, marketing followed a funnel approach, moving customers from awareness to conversion in a linear fashion. However, Ankit argues that this model is outdated. Instead, brands should focus on growth loops, where potential customers continuously engage with the brand, seek validation from different sources, and loop back before making a purchase decision.
Consumers no longer follow a straightforward path from discovery to conversion. They actively research products across multiple platforms—Amazon reviews, Reddit discussions, and personal networks—before deciding to buy. This non-linear process means marketers must rethink their approach, ensuring that their brands remain present at various touchpoints throughout the customer journey.
A growth loop is a system where existing users generate new users through organic means like referrals, community interactions, and repeat engagement. Unlike a funnel, where the customer journey ends at the point of conversion, a loop ensures sustained engagement, leading to greater lifetime value and higher retention rates.
To implement growth loops, brands should:
D2C brands in India are rapidly adopting AI to enhance personalization and customer engagement. Ankit compares AI’s role to that of a smart bartender—remembering preferences, making personalized recommendations, and keeping customers engaged.
Some of the ways AI is changing the game include:
Despite these advancements, Ankit emphasises that AI is only as good as the data it receives. Brands must focus on high-quality data collection and analysis to maximise AI’s effectiveness.
With countless D2C brands competing for attention, fostering brand loyalty has become more challenging than ever. Ankit highlights a key shift: traditional loyalty programs are fading, and community-driven engagement is taking their place.
Consumers no longer collect points; they collect experiences. Successful brands build strong communities through:
Influencer marketing remains a powerful tool, but Ankit stresses the importance of leveraging nano-influencers—those with smaller but highly engaged followings. Unlike celebrity endorsements, nano-influencers create authentic content that resonates with their audience.
Performance marketing will always be crucial, but brands need to move beyond just running ads. Ankit emphasizes the importance of adaptive websites—ones that change based on visitor behavior and past interactions.
Trust is the foundation of any successful D2C brand. Consumers today are skeptical of traditional marketing claims and rely more on real customer experiences.
As the D2C landscape evolves, brands must move beyond outdated marketing models. The focus should be on building trust through transparency, leveraging AI for deeper personalization, and creating meaningful customer experiences.
As Ankit puts it, the future belongs to brands that “let their own customers do the selling.”
For brands looking to stay ahead, the message is clear: adapt, engage, and build communities that customers want to be part of.