What started eight years ago with a frustrating running around a department store looking to buy affordable and comfortable underwear, resulted in a new brand.

Today, that brand is MeUndies: one of the fastest-growing online apparel retailers. Promising “The World’s Most Comfortable Underwear,” MeUndies has grown 1,583% in the last three years alone, with estimated annual revenue of $60M.

Today’s article is a very detailed overview of their strategies that you can use to get more traffic and higher conversions for your online store.

…even if you don’t have much traffic (or a big marketing budget).

Here’s the list of the strategies. The full article (link at the bottom) has all the charts, screenshots, and detailed descriptions. I’ll include only some interesting stuff here, as an appetizer.

• Strategy #1: Turn Visitors into Buyers with a Homepage Quiz
• Strategy #2: Create an Ascension Ladder to Increase Retention
• Strategy #3: Build a Replicable Referral Engine (With a Twist)
• Strategy #4: Create a Go-To Gift Guide
• Strategy #5: Leverage The Power of Podcasts
• Strategy #6: Use The Best-Of Backlink Builder
• Strategy #7: Activate New Subscribers with Small Wins
• Strategy #8: Persuasion Triggers + Cart Recovery Emails = More Sales
• Strategy #9: Ask for Feedback to Improve Your Product

Strategy #1: Turn Visitors into Buyers with a Homepage Quiz

MeUndies use a homepage quiz to turn first-time visitors into buyers. (The emphasis, here, is on “first-time.”)

When you visit MeUndies’ homepage for the first time, you’re invited to “find your first pair” of underwear:

When you click the button, MeUndies survey you on your preferences. First it asks for the type of undies, then it asks you to choose a color.

There are a few things going on here.

First, “Adventurous” is the default color. Meaning, it’s the first color you see after answering the above questions. But it’s also their most expensive. For comparison, an Adventurous pair is $24, but a Bold or Classic pair is $20.

Second, there’s a subtle upsell to their membership. Notice the emphasis on:

1. Savings. (“Join and save 33%”);
2. Risk-reversal. (“Skip or cancel anytime”); and
3. Simplicity. (Check).

Interestingly, after completing the quiz and buying your first pair, when you return to their homepage later, there’s a different picture and call to action (“Shop Now”).

And it makes perfect sense. No one, after all, wants to see a quiz they’ve already taken. The purpose was fulfilled; it’s time to invite users to take another action.

Action item: Use a homepage quiz to help first-time visitors find the right product for them. Then, exclude from return visitors and customers.

Strategy #2: Create an Ascension Ladder to Increase Retention

One of the most powerful ways to improve customer retention is creating a hierarchy, or an ascension ladder, ideally, through membership.

When you figure out how to structure your business with ‘membership concept’ and then levels, so customers can move from one level upward to the next, and then to the next, you will have constructed a way to automatically improve retention.

MeUndies switched to membership some time ago to achieve just that.

Take their product pages, for example. On it, there are several chances to upgrade a one-time purchase to a membership

• First, they emphasize how much you save with a membership versus a one-off purchase ($20 one-time vs. $16/month)
• Second, they offer “Member’s Exclusive” prints
• Third, they remind you again of how much you save with a membership before reversing risk with an unbeatable guarantee (Skip or cancel anytime.)
• Fourth, there’s a final reminder to upgrade when you reach checkout

Action item. Consider offering a membership to increase your customer’s lifetime value. More brands are doing it now. And for good reason: it works. Don’t get left behind.

Strategy #3: Build a Replicable Referral Engine (with a Twist)

MeUndies are getting referrals, consistently, customer by customer.

The strategy has many elements:

• Write a Killer Headline (Give 20%, Get $20)
• Simplify the Referral Process (they use referral program software)
• Focus on the User-Experience (before buying you’re shown newsletter sign-up forms in the footer, after buying the opt-in changes to refer a friend)
• And the Post-Purchase Experience (clear post-purchase emails helping with the referral process)

Action item. Invite customers to refer friends using a win-win value proposition and remember to make it super simple to do. Bonus if you can offer a pre-written message.

Strategy #4: Create a Go-To Gift Guide

Action item: If you offer several items under one category such as apparel, create a gift guide, categorized “for him,” “for her,” etc. Perfect for the busy holidays like Black Friday, Christmas, and more.

Strategy #5: Leverage The Power of Podcasts

Action item. Sponsor podcasts with audiences similar to yours. Then, creating a dedicated landing page to welcome listeners. Finally, offer a discount and, if possible, auto-apply it to their cart.

Strategy #6: Use The Best-Of Backlink Builder

Action item. Invest the time and effort to help create “best of” articles on high-authority websites. (Articles like “10 Men’s Clothing Subscription Boxes Every Guy Should Try” etc.)

Strategy #7: Activate New Subscribers with Small Wins

Action item. Activate new subscribers by inviting them to something other than buying something. Ask yourself, “What’s a small request I can make?” Then, ask them to do it.

Strategy #8: Persuasion Triggers + Cart Recovery Emails = More Sales

Action item: It’s not enough to remind shoppers what they’ve left in their cart; you need to remind them what they’ll LOSE (even if it’s time needing to re-add their items). Then, what they’ve LOST, before telling them how to get their items back. Targeting consumer psychology goes a long way.

Strategy #9: Ask for Feedback to Improve Your Product

Action item: Ask customers for feedback. Then, reach out once more with the single most important question. Not everyone will complete the first, but if the follow up is easier to complete, it’s more likely you’ll get responses.

Conclusion

So, there you have it: MeUndies’s marketing strategies. Check out the full articles for detailed descriptions on each.

Which strategy will you try first? Will you try “The Best-Of Backlink Builder?” Or, will you activate new subscribers with small wins?

9 Strategies MeUndies Used to Grow 1,583% in 3 Years (Case Study)

PS. I’d start with a 3-step cart recovery emails, and follow that up with a good referral engine.