A couple of weeks ago, we had a chance to had a lovely meeting with Mert Gönensay where we talked about his personal experience with Nano and Mate , two wonderful toothbrush brands.
Nano, branded as "the toothbrush," offers a range of traditional yet remarkable dental care products that cater to diverse needs. On the other hand, Mate is an exquisite brand solely dedicated to crafting sonic toothbrushes, boasting captivating designs and sustainable production methods.
“I did 15 unsuccessful trials with different products before founding Nano”
Mert mentioned that his initial involvement in e-commerce was not on his radar. Having pursued a master's degree in informatics, his career aspirations led him to envision himself as a consultant at prestigious firms like PwC or Deloitte. "I joined PwC 11 years ago, and it was the most fulfilling job for me," he said. However, after several years, Mert felt a shift in priorities. Travel became burdensome, and he craved more time with his family, especially with the arrival of his first child.
During this transformative period, Mert stumbled upon Shopify as a tech enthusiast and began exploring its capabilities. "I started playing around with it, curious about its functionalities," he recalled. Gradually, a desire to bring his ideas to life emerged. After trying 15 ideas and failing, Mert finally found success with Nano. Alongside his co-founder Damian, they encountered a problem-solving opportunity when Damian faced dental issues. By addressing the limitations of a toothbrush with 10,000 bristles, they doubled the bristle count to provide inherent stability, creating a product that resonated with customers and suppliers alike.
Mert and Damian initially tried to replicate successful brands, but it didn’t work
Mert shared that they initially attempted to copy an established player in the market, hoping to achieve similar success. However, they quickly learned that merely imitating others was not enough to thrive in a competitive market. This failure taught them the importance of offering something unique and innovative. Mert emphasized that while it's not necessary to reinvent the wheel entirely, even small improvements can make a significant difference and lead to success.
Positioning the brand in a saturated and old-school industry
Mert mentioned that the dental industry indeed operates in an old-school fashion. Traditional salespeople physically visit dentists, providing them with samples and flyers to promote their toothbrushes. However, as a startup with a team of 22 people, they took a different approach. They embraced digital marketing and created a one-product landing page that targeted customers at their point of greatest pain. The page followed the rules of catching attention, addressing customer problems, highlighting the product's solution, featuring testimonials, and offering a no-risk guarantee. Mert emphasized the importance of their detailed product imagery, allowing customers to visualize and experience the toothbrush digitally, something that cannot be achieved in a physical store.
Initially, their target audience consisted of individuals with dental issues such as gum recession, bleeding gums, or those recovering from oral surgery. However, they later expanded their reach to include everyday consumers who simply desired a toothbrush that felt clean and gentle on their gums. Mert also mentioned the emerging trend and studies indicating that softer toothbrushes can be just as effective in cleaning teeth, challenging the notion that harder bristles are necessary for thorough cleaning.
Expanding the product catalog
“Expanding the product catalog is part of our job”, Mert says. They have already introduced additional products for the Nano brand, such as toothpaste tablets and tongue scrapers, which align with their focus on sustainability and oral care. Mert envisions its brand becoming a go-to destination for various oral care products in the long term. By offering a comprehensive range of items, they aim to cater to the diverse needs of their customers and further establish themselves in the dental care market.
How to run a million Euros business with only 2 people?
Mert and his co-founder Damien are running both businesses as two co-founders. While managing two brands simultaneously can be challenging, they have been able to handle it by leveraging their expertise, building a strong team, and focusing on strategic priorities. With a clear vision for each brand, they allocate their time and resources accordingly to ensure the growth and success of both businesses. As the brands are in the scale-up stage, they are actively working towards expanding their reach, internationalizing their operations, and establishing themselves as leaders in their respective niches.
Mert and Damian have brought their experience from their consultancy background into their entrepreneurial ventures. They have applied their knowledge of designing efficient processes and building automation to streamline their operations and maximize efficiency. By leveraging technology and automation, they have been able to handle the demands of managing two brands and a growing family while focusing on strategic tasks and customer satisfaction. Their expertise in process optimization and their ability to adapt to changing circumstances has been instrumental in their success.
How about performance marketing?
With Nano and Mate, performance marketing has been the primary strategy from the beginning. Given the higher price point and margin of their product, they have the flexibility to invest more in Meta ads and build a strong online presence. This approach allows them to target their desired audience effectively and generate sales. They rely on data-driven insights and optimization to maximize their advertising efforts and drive conversions. Mert recognizes the importance of continuously monitoring and adjusting the performance of marketing strategies to stay competitive and maintain profitability.
“We’re bad with influencers”
In terms of influencer marketing, Mert has faced challenges and failed to achieve significant results. His attempts to collaborate with influencers were not as successful as we had hoped. “When you think about everything, we’re bad with influencers,” he says.
He acknowledges that he may not have fully committed to extensive testing and exploring a larger pool of influencers, which could have hindered our progress. At present, influencer marketing is not their primary focus, and they consider it a pass for now.
Instead, they have found success by leveraging recommendations and word-of-mouth marketing for Nano. Positive reviews, testimonials from satisfied customers, and strong dentist endorsements have played a pivotal role in driving their sales
A mention on a podcast can have a huge impact on your business!
Mert recounted an unexpected boost in their brand's exposure when their product was featured on a leading podcast in Germany. Without any prior arrangement or payment, the podcast highlighted their Nano toothbrush, resulting in a significant surge in sales. Although the impact gradually diminished over time, Mert acknowledged the value of selecting the right podcast for collaborations, emphasizing the caution required when payment is involved. While they were fortunate to receive organic exposure, Mert believed that carefully chosen podcast partnerships could yield profitable outcomes for branding purposes.
In addition to the podcast feature, Mert also mentioned their brand's mention on the popular TV show "Galileo." Although the show's primary focus had shifted towards advertising, the mention on this platform significantly enhanced the brand's credibility and customer trust. While they didn't incur any expenses for these opportunities, Mert suggested that companies with the budget should consider investing in influential media channels to strengthen their brand reputation. These experiences solidified Mert's belief in the power of high-profile media platforms to shape customer perceptions and establish trust in their brand.
If you reached this point, well, thank you! Please consider following D2CVille on social media and contacting us if you’d like to be a guest in one of these podcast episodes!
And if you’re looking for great toothbrushes with nano bristles, visit Mate and Nano . They have pretty cool stuff...
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