D2C brand Playbook - Part 1 - Thinking of finding a gap in a crowded market for your business?

 Building a D2C brand? 

Here are 6 dilemmas that haunt every founder & marketer 👇

1️⃣ Thinking of finding a gap in a crowded market?

Start with the customer’s pain. That’s where the white space lies.

2️⃣ Starting to build a new product?

Don’t build from get-go. Steal this Amazon trick. Write a PRFAQ doc First.


3️⃣ First product in a new category; go mass or go premium?

You can inspire by magic; not by price. First stop - 1000 raving fans.


4️⃣ Have a WIP product; but no budget for marketing?

You don’t need money. You need honesty. Build in public.


5️⃣ Building your product in public; but why build your founder brand along?

Because people trust people. Face is your moat against faceless MNCs.


6️⃣ Crafting your brand; go niche or cater to everyone?

You can't build emotional connection with everyone. Unless you’re God.


Lets unpack the first one -

"How to position a new brand in a mature market dominated by 2-3 giants?" Feels impossible, right?

Honestly, that's most categories today.

🚕 Cabs – Ola, Uber
🍔 Food delivery – Zomato, Swiggy
💸 UPI apps – PhonePe, GPay, Paytm

Take UPI.
There are 200 apps for UPI.
But still there are gaps to build one!

Let's start with the consumer.

What matters to her?
✅ Speed – It should finish in a flash
✅ Reliability – No glitches, no drama

But, that’s table stakes. Everyone’s doing that.

So, what could currently be consumer pain points?
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🔍 1. I can't find the 'point to QR' button when I need to pay fast!

In current apps, at times it's like doing a treasure hunt in Chandni Chowk.

🎁 2. I feel cheated with those fake rewards & coins?

When you complete a txn, what do you get:
-“Win up to ₹100” = ₹1 most times
- Coins you can only shred
-Coupon spam

Why call them rewards? Call them spammy messages, no?

🧘 3. I feel lost in the sea of tiles & banners, when i open that super app for simple stuff - like finding txn history!

What the consumer needs is:
-Cleaner UI,
-Minimalistic functions.
-Not your super app to sell them more.

That's 3 axes for differentiation out of user behaviour!!

And we haven’t even touched demographics or attitudes yet.

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💡 The insight:
There’s always room for a new entrant.
If you think consumer-backward, not category-forward.

Solving for Top of Funnel - 5 Tactics for D2C brand

Stuck in Brand Vs Performance Marketing Debate? Or paying too much Google/Meta tax?

Find it annoying when i see such debates; when answer is a full funnel approach; else you are leaving a lot on the table.

Sharing here are my 5 learnings on Top of the Funnel:

1. What Message?

Plan your "Always-on" content rooted in brand, category, and consumer insights.

Should answer your category's why (eg. better mobility),
brand's why (eg. Kill ICE for a better world)
& consumer's worldview (eg. i want to care for planet))

Differentiation is key; assuming thats already baked in.

Most brands dive into many segments; and then think what to build brand on; most then taking position of "your go to fintech brand" which is weak!

2. What Channels?

Wrt your audience; choose where they thrive -
Social, Influencers, PR, Owned.

Not just Insta; think deeper;
for carpenters, could be chingari or glance; for kids, YT?

Influencers are riding the authenticity, micro-cultures & niche storytelling wave! Must have in your channel mix for niche targeting.

Owned channels are under-leveraged - Employees can be content creators. Enable them with tools & right rewards.

3.What Formats?

Short and long basis Channels.
Video > Static > Text
Make it easier for audience to chance upon you

4. Build more Authority in what you say?

PR lends authority over time, on what you say when others back you up.
Much needed for initial stage startups.
Its most under-leveraged lever in D2C.
Unique stories get picked up faster.

Show up in as many opportunities - be it category, consumer, origin, occassions & more

5. Build more Occasions?

Events can swing organic SOV in your favour & can enable shifting baselines up.

They can be anchored in category (Eg EV Expo),
brand (Eg. Ola Sankalp),
consumer (Eg. Fashion Show),
Community (Eg Creator Day) and so on!

(Plan the year & make them IPs for memorability)

Brand building as most think - short term but expensive media splash campaigns.

But for startups & #D2C brands; think more consistent, authentic & sustainable ways of "always on" communication!

More brands of today are getting built with no celebrities, TV & big budgets than ever!

Share what are your challenges as D2C #brand building? How you are solving?