$11 Million in 1.5 Years From One Simple Product (And A Genius Strategy) - by Kristen Walters - May, 2023 - Medium

5/15/23, 8:38 PM $11 Million in 1.
in 1.5 Years From One Simple Product (and a Genius Strategy) | by Kristen Walters | May, 2023 | …
You have 2 free member-only stories left this month. Sign up for Medium and get an extra one.
Member-only story
$11 Million in 1.5 Years From One Simple

Product (and a Genius Strategy)
This marketing strategy is too good not to share.
Kristen Walters · Follow

5 min read · May 5
Listen Share
Credit: Canva Pro
I usually write about my own business experiments, strategies, and results.
But today, I want to share a story that I recently came across because it’s just too
good NOT to let you in on.
https://kristennwalters.medium.com/11-million-in-1-5-years-from-one-simple-product-and-a-genius-strategy-25e3a69fadad 1/15
5/15/23, 8:38 PM $11 Million in 1.5 Years From One Simple Product (and a Genius Strategy) | by Kristen Walters | May, 2023 | …
Last night I was listening to Bret Malinowski’s podcast on YouTube.
YouTube’s New Podcast Feature Could Be the Next BIG

Opportunity
Shorts are out. Podcasts are in.
medium.com
In this episode, he was interviewing Oliver Brocato, a 21-year-old entrepreneur who

started selling small boxes of chocolates online and ended up making over $11
million dollars within a year and a half.
There were several “ah-ha” moments in the interview that I think are worth sharing
— AND that I will be applying in my own business.
If you’re an article skimmer like me, make sure you

check out the marketing strategy section of this
story, because it is freakin’ GENIUS.
1. Viral Product Idea

Before I get into the mind-blowing social media strategy that Oliver Brocato used to
make $11 million in 18 months, we have to talk about his product.
Brocato sells a unique edible product called “Tabs,” that he describes as “sex
chocolate.”
The product is packaged in a minimalist brown box that contains three small
squares of chocolate. Each piece can be broken in two and shared with a partner.
The product claims to —
Build sexual arousal, heighten your senses and spice

up the action in your bedroom.
Oooh, la la.
Whether or not Brocato’s “sex chocolate” is capable of actually achieving what it

claims is NOT the focus of this story.
The lesson here is that Brocato KNEW this product

had the potential to go viral because it was
controversial.
It was a product that grabbed people’s attention and got them talking on social
media.
2. The Marketing Strategy

To be honest, I could care less about the “sex chocolate” because it’s not even
remotely related to any of my business niches.
However, what did get me EXCITED was Brocato’s genius marketing strategy.
It’s not something I’ve heard anyone else talking

about.
Brocato hired “UGC creators” to make TikTok videos about his product and post
them on their own “branded accounts.”
If you’re not familiar with “UGC,” it stands for “user-generated content.”
UGC creators are typically “micro-influencers” with small to moderate social media
followings.
However, in some cases, they may not even have their own social media accounts.
They’re basically paid actors or spokespeople who look like your average Joe (or
Jane.)
UGC content is effective because it’s usually not glaringly obvious that you’re
watching a commercial.
In the interview, Brocato said he was willing to “hire

anyone with a phone” to make videos about his
product.
The UGC creators would create a new TikTok account that contained the brand’s
name and post their videos there — eliminating the need for the business to manage
all that content.
Brocato mentioned that he didn’t really give the creators strict guidelines for
creating videos because “you never know what will go viral.”
Eventually, some of the videos DID go viral, racking

up millions of views.
3. The Genius Part

Posting a bunch of product videos on TikTok in the hopes that a few will go viral
isn’t new or genius.
However, it was this next part of Brocato’s strategy

that blew my mind.
The initial videos put out by the UGC creators were designed to raise awareness of
the product — not sell it right away.
However, when people saw the UGC videos on TikTok, they started asking questions
in the comments like,
“Where can I get this product?”
“How does it work?”
When viewers left questions about the product, the UGC creators would make
follow-up videos and post them using TikTok’s “respond to comments” feature.
Pay attention to THIS part!

Brocato discovered that when you post a video responding to a comment in this way, it is
also shown to many of same the people who watched the original video.
Let that sink in.
For example, say 2 million people watched the initial “awareness” video. Those
same people would also see the follow-up video answering the commenter’s
question.
This is basically free retargeting and social proof

rolled into one.
Honestly, I can see this strategy being so much more effective than running ads on
TikTok (which most people skip over).
Instead, when you see a brand responding to a viewer's comment like this, it doesn’t
feel like an ad, so you’re more likely to keep watching.
Also, when people see that other people are interested in buying a product, it tends
to pique their curiosity.
After all, no one likes to feel like they’re “missing out.”

Just to drive home the power of this strategy, Brocato explained that at one point,
they had an “awareness” video go viral on TikTok.
It got about 30 million views and led to $40,000 in sales.
However, after making several follow-up videos in response to viewer comments,

their sales shot up to $130,000 within a few days, and they ended up bringing in over
7 figures in sales that month.
Absolutely insane.
4. Practical Application
Since watching the video interview, I’ve been thinking about how I could apply this
strategy to my own business.
My first question was,
Where the heck do you find UGC creators?

After some brief research, I discovered that there are over 4,036 UGC services
available on Fiverr, starting at $10 and going up to over $100+ per video.
TikTok also has its own Creator Marketplace, where you can search for video
creators, send invitations for collaborations, and track the results of specific
campaigns.
While hiring UGC creators is a great way to save

time, I know that not everyone has the budget for
this.
Even though I’m actively trying to spend more on outsourcing tasks that will grow
my business, my inner penny-pincher immediately gravitates toward thinking
about how I could create these videos myself so I can test out the “respond to
comments” feature.
I’ll write a follow-up story once I’ve done more testing.
In the meantime…
What do you think of this strategy?
Have you heard about this free retargeting method on TikTok before? If so, have you
tested it?
Open in app Sign up Sign In
I’d love to hear your thoughts on how you might use this in the comments :)
Hey, have you joined Medium yet?

If not, consider signing up with my referral link to get access to EVERYTHING I
write, plus more from thousands of really cool and interesting people.
👉 Sign up here 👈
Read Next —
Hi, I’m Kristen — About Me

Well, this is awkward.
kristennwalters.medium.com
How I Use AI to Make Money with Faceless YouTube Channels

Building a “cash cow” YouTube empire without showing your face on
camera IS possible with the right strategy.
medium.com
This Unremarkable Book Sells 11,000+ Copies per Month

A case study and how you can do it too.
I Made $3,043 Last Month on Amazon KDP by Analyzing Best

Selling Books with ChatGPT
Here are the results + what I did.
Marketing Business Entrepreneurship Money Social Media
Follow
Written by Kristen Walters

9.2K Followers
Lawyer turned full-time publisher. Writing for fun & to document what I've learned in my 10+ years as a
solopreneur. Email: kristenwaltersnb@gmail.com
More from Kristen Walters
Kristen Walters in Adventures In AI
5 Ways I’m Using AI to Make Money in 2023

These doubled my income last year
· 9 min read · Feb 16
5.6K 110
Kristen Walters in Kristen’s KDP Project
This Unremarkable Book Sells 11,000+ Copies per Month
A case study and how you can do it too.
6.1K 81
How I Use AI to Make Money with Faceless YouTube Channels

Building a “cash cow” YouTube empire without showing your face on camera IS possible with
the right strategy.
· 12 min read · Apr 28
790 18
Kristen Walters in Kristen’s KDP Project
I Made $3,043 Last Month on Amazon KDP by Analyzing Best Selling

Books with ChatGPT
Here are the results + what I did.
1.3K 24
See all from Kristen Walters
Recommended from Medium
5 Ways I’m Using AI to Make Money in 2023

These doubled my income last year
5.6K 110
Frankie Calkins in Money Resolution
Is Stock Photography Worth It? I Submitted 1,200 Photos to Find Out!
Adobe Stock vs. Shutterstock for contributors
· 9 min read · May 4
2.9K 41
Lists
Business 101
25 stories · 23 saves
What is ChatGPT?
How to Find a Mentor

Company Offsite Reading List

Zulie Rane in The Startup
If You Want to Be a Creator, Delete All (But Two) Social Media Platforms
In October 2022, during the whole Elon Musk debacle, I finally deleted Twitter from my phone.
Around the same time, I also logged out of…
19.6K 350
Eve Arnold in The Startup
Top Solopreneurs Slowly Quit These Things (Strictly in This Order)

And they’re having the best time
4.1K 56
Zack Love in Startup Stash
Successful 22-Year-Old Florida Woman Makes Over $43K in One Month &
Works Only 10 Hours a Week…
A 22-year-old woman was working in real estate, but considered it “soul-crushing,” so she quit
and now has her own million-dollar business.
· 5 min read · Nov 27, 2022
553 12
Linda Caroll in The Partnered Pen
I Asked ChatGPT How To Earn $1000 Online. It Was Hilarious.

Peering in the hive mind can be really helpful, but it can also be so stupid it’s funny
· 6 min read · Mar 24
9.93K 154
See more recommendations

$11 Million in 1.5 Years From One Simple Product (And A Genius Strategy) - by Kristen Walters - May, 2023 - Medium

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

$11 Million in 1.5 Years From One Simple Product (And A Genius Strategy) - by Kristen Walters - May, 2023 - Medium

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

5/15/23, 8:38 PM $11 Million in 1.

$11 Million in 1.5 Years From One Simple

Kristen Walters · Follow

Credit: Canva Pro

I usually write about my own business experiments, strategies, and results.

Last night I was listening to Bret Malinowski’s podcast on YouTube.

YouTube’s New Podcast Feature Could Be the Next BIG

In this episode, he was interviewing Oliver Brocato, a 21-year-old entrepreneur who

If you’re an article skimmer like me, make sure you

1. Viral Product Idea

The product claims to —

Build sexual arousal, heighten your senses and spice

Whether or not Brocato’s “sex chocolate” is capable of actually achieving what it

The lesson here is that Brocato KNEW this product

2. The Marketing Strategy

It’s not something I’ve heard anyone else talking

If you’re not familiar with “UGC,” it stands for “user-generated content.”

In the interview, Brocato said he was willing to “hire

Eventually, some of the videos DID go viral, racking

3. The Genius Part

However, it was this next part of Brocato’s strategy

“Where can I get this product?”

“How does it work?”

Pay attention to THIS part!

Let that sink in.

This is basically free retargeting and social proof

After all, no one likes to feel like they’re “missing out.”

It got about 30 million views and led to $40,000 in sales.

However, after making several follow-up videos in response to viewer comments,

7 figures in sales that month.

My first question was,

Where the heck do you find UGC creators?

While hiring UGC creators is a great way to save

I’ll write a follow-up story once I’ve done more testing.

What do you think of this strategy?

Hey, have you joined Medium yet?

Hi, I’m Kristen — About Me

How I Use AI to Make Money with Faceless YouTube Channels

This Unremarkable Book Sells 11,000+ Copies per Month

I Made $3,043 Last Month on Amazon KDP by Analyzing Best

Marketing Business Entrepreneurship Money Social Media

Written by Kristen Walters

More from Kristen Walters

Kristen Walters in Adventures In AI

5 Ways I’m Using AI to Make Money in 2023

· 9 min read · Feb 16

Kristen Walters in Kristen’s KDP Project

This Unremarkable Book Sells 11,000+ Copies per Month

A case study and how you can do it too.

· 8 min read · Feb 23

Kristen Walters in Adventures In AI

How I Use AI to Make Money with Faceless YouTube Channels

· 12 min read · Apr 28

Kristen Walters in Kristen’s KDP Project

I Made $3,043 Last Month on Amazon KDP by Analyzing Best Selling

· 10 min read · Apr 21

See all from Kristen Walters

Recommended from Medium

Kristen Walters in Adventures In AI

5 Ways I’m Using AI to Make Money in 2023

· 9 min read · Feb 16

Frankie Calkins in Money Resolution

Is Stock Photography Worth It? I Submitted 1,200 Photos to Find Out!