Five Secrets to Attracting Loyal Customers: Three Watch Brands Explain It All
Welcome to another edition of PIE, where we interview cool people from all sectors of the entrepreneurship world!
If you know me, you know that I like watches. I subscribe to watch YouTubers and read watch blogs. I subconsciously identify the watches of random strangers I pass by on the way to class. My watch is the first thing I put on when I get up in the morning, and my Instagram (*cough* @m_f_yuan *cough*) has more pictures of watches than people. That’s why I was more than thrilled to have the opportunity to talk with three really cool watch companies: Lorier, MONTA, and Nodus.
Now I know what you might be thinking. “What does this have to do with entrepreneurship??” Well, these companies were founded within the past 5 years, without any venture capital money, and managed to break into a market dominated by big names like Rolex and Breitling. And they didn’t just break in, they’ve gained a huge cult following within the watch community. One commenter on Lorier’s Instagram even said that he took off his Omega (the brand that makes the Speedmaster, the watch worn by NASA astronauts on the moon) in favor of a Lorier. Achieving this level of success in such a short time is no easy task. Even if you don’t care about watches at all, these brands are worth learning from.
Lorier was founded in 2018 by husband-and-wife team Lorenzo and Lauren Ortega (collectively, L&L). MONTA was founded in 2016 by Michael diMartini and Justin Kraudel. Nodus was founded in 2017 by Cullen Chen and Wes Kwok. I interviewed Lorenzo, Lauren, Justin, and Wes, asking them one question: What are the best ways to develop a strong consumer base? It doesn’t matter what you want to do — whether it’s a top-tier tech startup or an Etsy store that sells monogrammed cufflinks, every business needs customers. The folks I talked to had a lot to say about how they did it, but I’ve distilled our discussion into five key ideas, ideas that can be adapted to your own entrepreneurial dream. Without further ado, here they are.
1–Advertise to those who most want your product first. When you’ve just started a company, you’re not going to have the resources or the capital to advertise the same way big companies do.
“Big names in the watch industry, like Rolex, are able to sponsor huge sporting events and have famous celebrity influencers. We [at MONTA] obviously can’t do that.” –Justin
This kind of advertising is expensive and is aimed at the general population, most of which won’t care about your product anyway. Instead, all the brands I interviewed reach out to the heart of their consumer base — the hardcore watch nerds. They’ve collaborated with watch YouTubers to make product reviews that arrive directly in the subscription boxes of watch people like me. Social media makes it easier than ever for you to engage directly with your fans, as MONTA, Lorier, and Nodus have done with Instagram and other platforms. When you’re chasing your first startup or business idea, ask yourself, “Who wants my product the most?” and focus your efforts on grabbing the attention of those people first.
2–Have a strong, uncompromising vision. When Lauren and Lorenzo were designing the first Lorier watch, they knew they wanted to make something with the look and feel of a vintage 1950s dive watch. To this end, they opted to use a high-dome plexiglass crystal, just like mid-century divers such as the Rolex Submariner.
This decision has caused pushback from potential buyers who would prefer the crystal to be made of sapphire, a material widely perceived to be of higher quality. L&L don’t feel pressured to change, however. Instead, they try to explain their vision to potential buyers.
“Sapphire’s appeal is that it’s a precious stone and it’s more scratch-resistant. But plexiglass is actually clearer and more impact-resistant, and without it, our watches would lose a piece of their vintage character, so we stick with plexiglass.” –Lauren
While another company might have switched to a sapphire to satisfy the demands of some consumers, L&L realized that doing this would compromise their brand’s vision, that of a vintage-inspired dive watch.
“Not everyone will understand our vision, and that’s okay. We don’t expect everyone to like our watches.” –Lorenzo
If you try to appeal to everyone without regard to your brand’s identity, you’ll dilute your brand, and you’ll fail to make anything special.
3–Connectivity is key. One area where all three brands excel is what Justin likes to call “connectivity.” If you call up MONTA, it’s always Justin that picks up the phone, not a computer voice prompt, not a member of a big marketing team. It’s the same way at Lorier and Nodus. Justin, Wes, and L&L respond to every email, every comment, and every Instagram DM. In this way, these companies all demonstrate a strong commitment to quality customer service — but more than that, it shows how they’re all genuinely pumped to get to know their customers. Nodus in particular is doing something really great called the Nodus Tour.
“We pack all of our different models into a box, and then we take that box on the road. There’s no specific plan, we just go out and drive. Then we’ll post to our Instagram saying, ‘We’re going to be at this place at this time,’ and then our followers will show up, and we’ll just hang out, maybe grab a beer. Our tours show that we think of our customers as friends. We get a lot of great feedback on tour, as well as huge spikes in Instagram DMs and comments.” –Wes
Wes makes it a point not to sell watches on tour, because the tour’s purpose is to connect with people. Now maybe an all-out road trip isn’t the right marketing strategy for your company, but there are definitely other creative ways you can connect to your consumers. Do you make the world’s softest recycled toilet paper? Try putting some ads in public bathroom stalls. Do you make caffeine-supercharged granola bars? Try offering free samples outside a college library to students heading to their daily study grind. People remember connectivity, and it will make you stand out from all the other companies trying to do the same thing you’re doing.
4–Not all social media are created equal. When I asked L&L, Justin, and Wes what their most effective form of social media is, they all immediately said Instagram.
“What’s really attractive about Instagram [for watches] is the ease of snapping a wrist shot and posting it.” –Justin.
“Facebook’s interface for posting photos is clunkier, and Snapchat’s audience tends to be younger than the typical watch enthusiast.” –Wes
“The watch community on Instagram is a lot more respectful and positive than say, people on watch forums, because forums provide more anonymity.” –Lorenzo
All these factors make Instagram especially well-suited for watches, and it’s why focusing on Instagram has provided these companies with such success. Perhaps Instagram isn’t the best for your business—maybe a blog is better. Regardless, it’s worth closely examining all available platforms to figure out what platform is the best for your specific needs.
5–Have passion. I know I know, this is really cliché. But in talking with these brands, I was blown away by the passion that every person exuded in every conversation.
“We were always watch enthusiasts before we were entrepreneurs.” –Wes
Hearing Lorenzo, Lauren, Justin, and Wes talking about watches with such a high level of genuine excitement was truly inspiring, and I could feel myself rooting for them, even though I’ve never bought any of their products! If you’re passionate about what you do and you communicate that passion to your customers, they’re more likely to invest emotionally and financially in your business.
So what are you waiting for? Take these ideas, start your company, and show the world what you have to offer.
You can find out more about these companies at lorierwatches.com, montawatch.com, and noduswatches.com. Check out more delicious PIE content here.
