MARCH 15, 2022

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Welcome to The Tilt, a twice-weekly newsletter for content entrepreneurs. Each edition is packed with the latest news, strategies, and tactics, plus inspiring creator stories and exclusive education, all to help you create, grow, and monetize better.

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In this issue:

• Full Tilt: Marketing the Merch​
• Content Entrepreneur Spotlight: "Househusband” TikTok Success​
• Please Complete This Survey on the State of Content Creators​

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Setting up a merch shop can be a monumental task. Keeping it going, however, takes intentional, deliberate, and strategic work.

It’s easy for merch shops to quickly go dormant as the busy creators move on to other projects and opportunities. “They can die on the vine,” says Caleb Dempsey of Hello Streamer.

We checked in with Caleb and Damian Skoczylas at ICON talent agency for tips on how to promote your merch store.

Give exclusive access: Select fans for exclusive preview access – to the store or new merchandise – so they share the news. Twitch streamer Leesh Capeesh, who opened her merch shop last year with Caleb’s help, let her moderators shop her collection early, so they could take pictures of themselves wearing her T-shirts and sweatshirts in advance and help promote it.

“The launch of your merch or the launch of the new drop of your merch is an event,” Caleb says. “People are buying it to celebrate you and the place you created for your community … so lean into that. It doesn’t need to be just a tweet; it needs to be an event. So, make it an event.”

Get your sponsors involved: If you have partnerships with brands, don’t shy away from asking them for help during the merch drop.

“This is the perfect time to say, ‘Hey, I’m having a huge event. My community is going to be there in an abnormal amount because this is a big thing happening. Do you want to sponsor this?’” Caleb suggests. “Make it an opportunity for a brand deal.”

Do limited sales: Take a page from retail companies and fall back on some of their sales tactics, including limited-time deals or a limited number of T-shirts in a unique design.

Ensure your merch store vending partner keeps you posted about available quantities in real time. That way, during a stream or in a post, you can promote a special sale or trigger a flurry of purchases on a low-quantity product.

“Tell people things are going to go away or they’re limited, and people are more apt to act,” Damian says.

– Sarah Lindenfeld Hall

​Read all the merch marketing tips.

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Biz: Darcy Michael

Tilt: Comedic and life as a househusband

Primary Channels: TikTok (2.6M), Instagram (136K)

Other Channels: YouTube (9.89K), podcast​

Time to First Dollar: 5 months after TikTok launch

Rev Streams: Sponsored ads, merch, Cameo, upcoming comedy tour

Our Favorite Actionable Advice:

• Watch the reactions: A comedian, Darcy gave glimpses into his family life. When those videos gained traction, he added more. Now, his husband works full time on the content business.
• Know your numbers: Analytics help you understand your audience's behaviors across platforms. Pay attention when they take a rise or drop, and adjust accordingly.
• Do deals deliberately: Darcy isn’t interested in making every dollar possible. He says no to sponsorships with brands and products he doesn’t believe in.

– Sarah Lindenfeld Hall

​Read all about Darcy Michael’s thriving content business that’s now a full-time job for his husband.

Know a content creator who’s going full tilt? DM us. Or email tilt@thetilt.com.

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Caught on … Twitter​

“The creator economy is disrupting traditional industries just like the gig economy disrupted taxis, hotels and deliver(y) service.” – Matthew Taub

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• ​Don't Do What Disney Just Did (Content Inc.)
• ​Disney's New Streaming Mistake (This Old Marketing)
• ​Want To Dramatically Increase Your Chances for Startup Success? Ask for This Specific Type of Advice (Inc.)
• ​10 Tips for Navigating the Early Days of Your New Small Business (Small Business Trends)
• ​How To Prepare for 5 Common Challenges Every Entrepreneur Faces (CNBC)

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Your team for this issue: Joe Pulizzi, Ann Gynn, Laura Kozak, Marc Maxhimer, and Dave Anthony, with an assist from Angelina Kaminski, Sarah Lindenfeld Hall, and Don Borger.

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