Welcome to this issue of The DTC Insider newsletter. 👋
Something big is happening behind the scenes…
Over the past few months, I’ve been quietly testing a new system with a few 7 and 8-figure brands, and the results have been eye-opening.
It’s called the Revenue Efficiency Engine™, and it helps brands uncover hidden profit by aligning their marketing with how customers actually buy.
No tricks, no fluff.
Now, for the first time, I’m opening an early-access founder round for my newsletter readers.
Here’s the deal:
→ 5 DTC brands
→ 30 days
→ One goal: uncover and recover hidden profit
You’ll get the full experience: analysis, insights, and a 90-day roadmap to increase AOV and LTV, before we make this public.
This round is limited, and applications close Oct 31.
Now, let's dive in!
Topics we'll cover today:
💠 The Key To Unlocking Real Growth
💠 Meta Updates You Need to Know
💠 How to Build a Business That Fits Your Life
The Key To Unlocking Real Growth
After a few recent conversations with founders, I felt like writing this to clarify something important.
Not sure if I’ve ever mentioned this, but my background is in computer science.
That means I didn’t just learn how to code. I learned how to build systems.
Before writing a single line of code, we had to gather info, define use cases, and create diagrams for every scenario.
So...how does that relate to e-commerce?
Most brands go straight to the “writing code” part.
They build offers, ads, and emails without any real planning...just a collection of “educated” guesses.
Why?
Because it’s easier. And faster.
I get it. I’ve done it too.
The thing is... for a while, that was enough.
The golden years of e-commerce (hello, COVID) created the illusion that all you needed to scale was a product, a site, and some decent ads.
But that’s over.
Now, many brands are struggling, not because their ads suddenly stopped working, but because they don’t know what other levers to pull.
Is it more creatives?
Higher discounts?
More channels?
Here’s the truth:
Most brands are sitting on massive hidden revenue that has nothing to do with ads.
Let’s talk about the real growth levers (hint: they live outside Ads Manager).
💡 The Real Levers Behind Growth
Sure, there are levers inside the ad account.
But those won’t make or break your business.
If your brand is stuck on a plateau, improving your ad strategy alone won’t fix it.
Something else is broken...
You can’t outspend poor positioning.
You can’t scale without a clear value ladder.
And you definitely can’t build loyalty if your customer experience sucks.
The brands that keep growing focus on three things:
→ Understanding their customers
→ Building a roadmap
→ Optimizing their product journey
👥 Understanding Your Customers
This isn’t theory...it’s the difference between a lasting brand and one running on gut feeling.
The best brands create a constant feedback loop with their customers to improve everything: offers, products, site, ads, emails, CX, all of it.
They use post-purchase surveys, communities, meetups, interviews…not just DMs.
You want to deeply understand:
→ Who they are
→ What they want (and how they want it)
→ Where they hang out
That insight becomes your foundation for smarter marketing and better decisions.
🧭 Building a Roadmap
Once you understand your customers, you can spot new product ideas, collabs, and opportunities.
Put those into a simple plan.
Can’t plan a full year? Start with 90 days, defining 1-2 goals and 3-5 key actions.
Don't forget including:
→ Product releases
→ Partnerships (brands, creators, or communities)
→ Brand positioning or content strategy
This gives you clarity on what matters most, so your team stops reacting and starts building.
🔁 Optimizing the Product Journey
When we think “optimization,” we go straight to ads, emails, or the website.
But few brands ever analyze the product journey.
Ask yourself:
What do customers buy on their second purchase after Product A?
Which products are frequently bought together?
This insight, combined with customer feedback, can transform how you:
→ Build offers
→ Design upsells
→ Write emails (and time them better)
→ Structure your website
→ Create ad angles that actually match buying behavior
That’s how you make every part of your system work together...not just harder, but smarter.
🚀 Putting It All Together
Once you understand your customers, map your plan, and know the product journey, then you apply that to your channels.
Ads. Email. Website. CX. Everything.
Because if growth feels stuck, stop tweaking ads for a second.
Zoom out.
Your next big lever isn’t inside Ads Manager...it’s hiding in your system.
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I’m currently running a 30-Day Revenue Unlock Program with a few 7-8 figure brands to uncovering some wild inefficiencies. If you’d like to see what that looks like, join the waitlist here. There are only 4 spots left. Applications close October 31.
Promote your Business to 11,000+ People in the DTC Space
The DTC Insider (newsletter + podcast) reaches a highly qualified audience of DTC founders, directors, and marketers. Learn more about the sponsorship opportunities we offer for your business.
Meta Updates You Need to Know
Last week, we announced some updates for Google and TikTok. Today, it’s Meta’s turn:
💰 Meta will spend your budget to each of your Excluded Placements.
Meta quietly added a new default in “Sales” and “Leads” campaigns, and it can now spend up to 5% of your budget on excluded placements (unless you turn it off).
You’ll find it under Ad Set → Placement Controls → “Allow limited spend to excluded placements.”
It’s on by default, so check your campaigns, especially if you excluded placements for brand-safety reasons.
🔁 Meta Enables Ad Sequencing for Auction Campaigns
Meta just made Ad Sequencing available for regular Auction campaigns (it used to be only for Reservation).
It lets you show ads in a specific order, perfect for storytelling or building brand interest.
To use it, set Target Frequency at the ad set level (7+ day campaigns, lifetime budget, no bid control).
You can also set a Repeat Logic to loop the full sequence or just the final ad.
📊 Google Analytics added the option to import Meta ads data
Google Analytics added the option to import Meta ads data. The following metrics can be imported: Ads cost, Ads clicks, and Ads impressions.
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Follow me on LinkedIn for more growth marketing content in the e-commerce space.
How to Build a Business That Fits Your Life
You don’t have to be the best.
That’s what a former Disney exec told me during an interview… and it stopped me in my tracks.
Because for years, I thought vision always meant:
➡️ “We strive to be #1.”
➡️ “We want to be the biggest.”
But it doesn’t.
You can build the happiest company.
The most innovative.
The most human.
This realization changed how I see growth, success, and peace of mind.
Listen to this reflection on The DTC Insider 👇
We discussed:
👉 Lessons from a former Disney executive on vision and success
👉 The difference between being “the best” and being “the happiest”
👉 Why your vision doesn’t always have to involve being #1
👉 Defining success by your own metrics—not others’
👉 The trade-offs of building a massive company
👉 Finding peace in building something sustainable
👉 Why it’s okay to say “I’m fine where I am”
👉 How expectations shape our perception of success
👉 The freedom of aligning your business with your lifestyle
👉 Building your version of success without guilt or comparison
More episodes our listeners love:
💎 From Garage to $400 Million: The Portland Leather Goods Story with Curtis Matsko
💎 How Black Rifle Coffee Hit $400M with Donny Jensen
💎 How BRĒZ is Disrupting the Beverage Industry with Aaron Nosbisch
💎 Bootstrapping a $100M E-Commerce Empire with Bear Handlon
💎 The Secret Sauce Behind BattlBox's Success with John Roman
Also Happening in the DTC Space
📰 Meta Shares Holiday Marketing Tips
📰 YouTube Shares New Report on the Growth of In-App Shopping
📰 Snapchat Shares Insight Into Evolving Beauty Shopping Trends
What did you think of today's newsletter?
If you found this interesting, please leave us a review. It’d mean the world to me.
About The Writer
Brian Roisentul is the founder & CEO of BSR Digital, a growth marketing agency he started in 2013 to help e-commerce brands unlock hidden revenue by identifying misalignments between their marketing and customer behavior. He is also the host of The DTC Insider podcast, where he interviews thought leaders, founders, and directors in the e-commerce space.
Whenever you're ready, there are 3 ways I can help you:
Want to talk shop?
If your brand is doing at least 7 figures, apply here to get featured (for free) on The DTC Insider podcast and my team will get in touch.
Need help to grow your online sales?
Book a call with me and let’s explore how my team and I at BSR can help you.
Promote your Business to 11,000+ People in the DTC Space
The DTC Insider (newsletter + podcast) reaches a highly qualified audience of DTC founders, directors, and marketers. Learn more about the sponsorship opportunities we offer for your business. If you’d like to become a sponsor, apply here.