Acquisition strategies for DTC. What’s working right now? Locally and globally

Getting new customers feels harder every year. Costs go up, trust goes down, and people scroll past most ads without thinking twice. But some strategies still work when they’re done simply.

Here are a few split by local and global.

IRL / Local acquisition

Pop-ups and micro events

Short, low-pressure setups at markets, gyms, coworking spaces, or festivals. These work because people can touch, try, and remember you.

Sampling in partner locations

Letting cafés, studios, or shops hand out samples or cards. You borrow their foot traffic instead of fighting for your own.

Community collabs

Limited runs with local artists, trainers, chefs, or creators. It gives both sides a reason to talk about the product.

Street-level visibility

Simple stuff like posters, stickers, sidewalk signs, or branded packaging that people notice and share.

E-commerce / Global acquisition

Short-form video content

Raw phone videos tend to work better than super polished ads. Demos, unboxings, comparisons, and quick how-tos.

Creator seeding

Sending product to small creators with real audiences. Not just big influencer deals. Real people with real followings.

Referral loops

Rewarding existing customers for bringing friends. Doesn’t need to be fancy. Even simple “give 10%, get 10%” works.

Search content that answers real questions

Blog posts, landing pages, or videos that help people solve small problems instead of pushing hard sales.

Your turn

What’s actually bringing in new customers right now? Local, global, weird experiments, whatever.

Drop what’s working and what’s completely flopped.