🟣 Issue No. 8: How to Develop and Launch Your Best-Selling SKU

Want to develop a best-selling product that keeps customers coming back?

We are diving deep into how to start scrappy, refining your core offering, and focusing on a clear USP that can turn that one idea into your hero SKU. You’ll learn how top brands listen to customer feedback, streamline their product lines, and continuously improve.

The ONE truth: the market decides what works.

Keep reading…

On the Pod 🎧

Lastest episodes:

• S9 EP54: Product Innovation Deep Dive: How to Develop a Best-Selling SKU → Kunle Campbell

• S9 EP53: The New Playbook for Scaling Health & Wellness eCommerce Brands in 2024 → Kunle Campbell

• S9 E52: From $10M → $20M: How Tiege Hanley Doubled Revenue While Staying Profitable → Kelley Thornton, CEO

• S9:E51: Ex-PepsiCo Strategist Unveils Brand Positioning Frameworks that Transform DTC Brands → Kathy Guzman

• Cutout 8: Building a Barbecue Brand that Keeps Customers Coming Back → Kosmo Khosravi

• Cutout 7: Why Community-Driven Brands Are Disrupting Traditional Markets → Oren Schauble

• Cutout 6: How to Build a Polarizing Brand that Drives $40M in Revenue → Alex Neist

COMMERCE TIPS

Developing Your Best-Selling SKU

Hey there! Welcome back to Conscious Commerce. Last week, we explored how to scale your subscription program, but this week, I want to talk about something that every brand dreams of: creating that one best-selling product that keeps customers coming back for more.

No matter what space you’re in, developing a hero SKU can be a game-changer for your business. But the truth is, top-selling products aren’t created overnight. They’re the result of strategic iteration, customer feedback, and constant refinement. Let’s dive into five actionable steps to help you develop a product the market loves.

1. Start Scrappy, Gather Data

One thing you’ll hear me say often is: don’t aim for perfection out of the gate. Some of the most successful brands started with rough, scrappy versions of their products, using real customer feedback to guide improvements. When HiSmile first launched their teeth-whitening kit, it wasn’t flawless. But instead of waiting to perfect every detail, they got it into customers’ hands quickly, gathered insights, and made continuous improvements based on that feedback.

Actionable Insight: Launch your product early and gather feedback fast. Use customer surveys, reviews, or social media to learn what’s working and where you can improve. Remember, your first version doesn’t need to be perfect—it just needs to solve a real problem.

2. Refine What’s Already Working

Once you have data, focus on refining the products that show promise. If you already have something in the market, take a close look at what’s selling well. Sometimes, you’ll find that small tweaks—like upgrading the packaging or enhancing the customer experience—can make a huge difference.

Take Four Sigmatic, for example. Their mushroom coffee was popular early on, but they knew they could make it better. Customers loved the health benefits, but some found the taste too strong. They listened, adjusted the formula, and created a product that resonated with an even wider audience.

Actionable Insight: Start by refining your top-performing products. Listen to your customers—what do they love? What frustrates them? Small improvements can take a good product to best-seller status.

3. Streamline Your Offering

It’s easy to think that more products will lead to more sales, but often, having too many SKUs can spread you thin. Focus on what’s working, and don’t be afraid to streamline your product line. Athletic Greens is a great example here. They built a thriving business around one core product—their daily greens powder. By perfecting one SKU, they created a foundation for sustainable growth without overwhelming their operations.

Actionable Insight: Streamline your offerings and focus on your best-performing products. Fewer SKUs allow you to optimize operations and deliver a better customer experience.

4. Nail Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)

A clear USP sets you apart in the market. Your product’s USP should focus on what makes it unique, whether that’s an innovative ingredient, superior performance, or even a deeper commitment to sustainability. TULA Skincare, for example, differentiated themselves by focusing on probiotics in skincare. This clear, distinctive angle allowed them to carve out their own space in a competitive market.

Actionable Insight: Make sure your USP is crystal clear and compelling. It should be easy for customers to understand what makes your product different and why they should choose it.

5. Set Up a Continuous Feedback Loop

Even after launching, the work doesn’t stop. The most successful brands continuously gather feedback to improve their products over time. Whether it’s through customer reviews, direct conversations, or post-purchase surveys, staying close to your customers will help you keep your products relevant.

Dr. Squatch is a great example of this. They didn’t stop iterating their soap once it became popular. Instead, they continued listening to customer feedback, introducing new scents, and tweaking the formula based on what their audience wanted.

Actionable Insight: Establish a system for collecting ongoing customer feedback, and use it to inform future product updates. Customers appreciate when brands listen and make improvements based on their input—it builds trust and loyalty.

To explore these strategies in more depth, check out my latest episode of the 2X eCommerce Podcast. I go deeper into how successful brands develop and refine their hero SKUs.

Until next time, keep listening to your customers and refining what works!

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