CMO’s, I feel your pain. I am in this trench with you.

And we are at war. The war on attention. And it’s brutal out there.

You’ve poured resources into digital campaigns–paid, organic, content, partnerships, new website–but you’re losing the battle to some DTC startup who is way cooler than you.

Your social is abysmal, performance metrics like CTRs and conversions are dropping like flies.

Your investors/owners are staring right into your souls waiting for results…

Or at least answers.

We face these challenges daily. With ad costs skyrocketing and dark social obscuring engagement metrics (people aren’t clicking anymore—they’re making decisions in their heads, beyond our tracking), the pressure to maximize every dollar has never been higher.

I can help you. I have seen the light.

There’s a blueprint to fix this, and it’s grounded in profitable, proven frameworks. Keep reading to see how brands are navigating these turbulent times and what steps you need to take to make these strategies work effectively.

Over the last 2 years, my team at Good Monster has tried a bunch of new ways of acquiring new customers for our clients. Some failed. But you know what?

Way more have succeeded.

We have done this by testing, and reiterating quickly until we find strategies that land across many clients.

And we found the 4 strategies that, if done correctly, will help brands looking to grow into or beyond the $20 million to $100 million revenue range.

Here’s how to get started:

1. Viral Content Replication for Social Media

You know that going viral isn’t just about luck—it’s a repeatable science that positions you to be lucky.

Take brands like Celsius Energy, who lean heavily on TikTok trends to drive product awareness. With 5.3m followers and over 75% of their videos exceeding 50,000 views, the replication framework we created takes Celsius' playbook and breaks it down:

1) identify trending content

2) recruit creators to remake it with a twist

3) track virality rates, and recreate what works

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Why it Works: Viral content taps into cultural moments that audiences are already engaging with, allowing brands to leverage trends rather than create them from scratch. When creators replicate popular formats with a brand message, it doesn’t feel like advertising; it feels like content.

Execution Tips:

• Catalog trends weekly on platforms like TikTok and identify the top-performing formats.

• Recruit creators who have proven engagement in your niche, then let them recreate those viral formats with product placements.

• Amplify the best posts through paid promotions to keep the momentum going.

Potential Pitfalls: In-house teams can struggle with the speed and creativity needed to spot trends, secure creators, and monitor performance. Without a flexible approval process, these opportunities may slip by. If your team needs help, reach out to our team here.

2. Data-Driven Retention Marketing

Retention means e-mail, SMS, communities, and even direct mail.

And it’s quite possibly the most important marketing channel for your brand's long-term existence.

Without it, the sales dollars that come into your brand will go right back out to acquisition.

Brands like Athletic Greens generate 60% of revenue from existing customers, emphasizing loyalty through data-driven retention.

By segmenting customers and customizing follow-up campaigns, these brands build deep customer connections.

Our framework outlines ways to replicate top-performing campaigns, tailor messaging to audience segments, and optimize continuously based on CTR and conversion data.

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Why it Works: It’s always cheaper to retain customers than acquire new ones. Data-backed segmentation and personalized outreach make customers feel valued, leading to increased LTV and repeat purchases.

Execution Tips:

• Segment your e-mail list based on engagement and purchase behavior, tailoring campaigns to each group.

• Replicate successful campaigns from high-performing brands in your space, tweaking subject lines, CTAs, and visuals to fit your brand.

• A/B test each campaign iteration for immediate optimization.

Potential Pitfalls: A lack of access to high-quality data can handicap internal teams. Additionally, without a dedicated analytics resource, teams often overlook vital insights that drive retention. Agencies, on the other hand, often bring the latest tools and analytics but may struggle to align with your brand voice.

3. Paid Ads: Competitive Analysis & Creative Replication

This framework’s approach to paid ads emphasizes researching competitor creatives to uncover what’s working and then recreating it with custom branding.

Brands like Huel are masters of this, consistently studying competitors’ high-performing ads and incorporating similar visual elements and messaging.

The result? Their engagement rates often surpass industry benchmarks by 25%.

But, let me be clear…

This strategy is to break into profitability and good MER (Marketing Efficiency Ratio);

It is not the right strategy to elevate your brand above the noise and to stand out as unique.

That requires deep customer knowledge, incredible creative strategy, and a rockstar team.

If you want help standing out, hit up my team at Good Monster.

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Why it Works: When you model ads after what’s already working in the market, you skip the guesswork and fast-track your way to ads that resonate.

Execution Tips:

• Use ad research tools like Facebook Ad Library to identify top-performing competitor ads.

• Create multiple ad creatives that align with those insights but tailor them to your own brand’s messaging and product value propositions.

• Segment audiences with precision targeting based on interests, lookalikes, and behavioral data.

Potential Pitfalls: In-house teams can get bogged down by creative testing cycles and risk missing out on timely trends. If not guided by solid creative strategy, agencies may produce ads that check the right boxes but fail to convey your brand’s unique value.

4. Product Seeding & Influencer Partnerships

In an era where authenticity drives sales, product seeding has become a game-changer. Brands like Liquid I.V. have led the way, using this strategy to incredible effect. By sending products to micro-influencers with a no-strings-attached approach, they achieved a 40% organic post rate—translating to substantial ROI without direct ad spend.

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Why it Works: When influencers post about products they love without contractual pressure, their audience responds with trust. This organic advocacy builds brand credibility.

Execution Tips:

• Identify influencers with audience demographics aligned with your target.

• Invest in high-quality packaging and a memorable unboxing experience—first impressions matter.

• Follow up with influencers who didn’t post initially. A light-touch message often nudges them to share without feeling pressured.

Potential Pitfalls: Many in-house teams overlook the relationship-building aspect of this strategy, leading to low post rates. Agencies often secure the right influencers but may miss opportunities to foster authentic, long-term relationships.

Now, all of these strategies are rock solid. They work. I’ve got millions of dollars in new revenue and profit–yes profit–to show it.

But just like anything else…

If you don’t have the team, resources, or experience executing detailed marketing at a high level, the strategies above are not worth anything.

If you need help, pop over to Good Monster, and our team can get you up and running faster than you can say We are a changed brand.

Work Hard. Good Luck.