Brands We Love: Snowe Home

If your idea of the perfect night is a dinner party at home with friends, and you’d rather buy ridiculously comfortable sheets instead of spending a night on the town, your heart might just skip a beat when you learn more about today’s Brand We Love.

Snowe has earned a reputation for delivering affordable, yet high quality homewares to a millennial market. There’s lots to love about Snowe, but here are 4 things I think they’re doing really well (and what we can all learn from them). 

1. Binge-worthy product descriptions

If more brands put the same level of effort into their product descriptions as Snowe, I’d be whipping out my wallet way more often. Their product descriptions go beyond features to describe the aspirational lifestyle and benefits their customers prize most.

Why do they work? First, they are filled with sensory words— soft, fluffy, crisp, plush, lightweight— that instantly help online buyers to imagine what having it will actually feel like.

Second, Snowe’s descriptions paint vivid usage situations, getting to the core of what their customers really aspire to be, do and have. From poolside hangs to dinner parties with friends, they do a great job at selling the affordable-luxury lifestyle that their customers want. 

I also love that when talking about the product features, they explain why that feature matters. For example, they don’t just say “a built in loop”, they say “a built in loop for easy hanging.” And it’s not just “premium 18/10 Italian stainless steel”, but “premium 18/10 Italian stainless steel [that] resists stains and rust.” The devil is in the details.

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Try it Out: 

• Get specific with your descriptions (paint a picture and use sensory words).
• Explain why your features are important by backing them up with a clear benefit.
• Know why your customer is really buying your products or services— what do they aspire to be, do or have that you can help them achieve?

2. Story-driven product photography

One of Snowe’s values is their commitment to creating pieces that are beautiful enough to use when guests are over, and durable enough for everyday use. Or as they put it “one night we're throwing a dinner party, the next we're eating cereal on the couch. And through it all, we want exceptional quality and thoughtful design to be attainable.”

Their product photos continue this story, showing real usage situations. I love that you’re just as likely to see a half-eaten toasted sandwich on a plate, or a picked-apart cheeseboard, as a perfectly styled meal. We’re all used to seeing homewares companies share photos of perfectly styled rooms, but Snowe balances these with photos that have a sense of realness to them that match their ‘practicality’ ethos.

When selling online, there’s a constant juggle between ‘aspirational’ and ‘relatable’, and I think Snowe do a good job at balancing both in their imagery.

 
Try it Out:

• Consider doing your own brand photo shoot to capture your own unique images you can use over and over again. 
• Use your imagery to strike a balance between positioning your brand as ‘aspirational/expert’ and ‘relatable/real’. 
• Identify your brand values and use them to inform the photos you take— including lighting, colours, wardrobe choices, props and subjects.  
• Make it easier for your ideal customers to picture themselves using your product by showing it ‘in-use’. For example, don’t just show the couch, show someone relaxing on it too. 

3. The homebody identity

Snowe has referred to its fans as ‘homebodies’, or those that love spending time at home. Through reframing the narrative, suddenly instead of being ‘boring’ or ‘unadventurous’, Snowe makes it OK to spend the night in. For those that can self-identify with being a ‘homebody’ this instantly connects them with the brand.

Snowe isn’t the first to bake in that sense of collective identity based on values—think Apple, Lululemon or Nike—or to give those people a name—think ‘Swifities’ (Taylor Swift fans), or ‘Funnel Hackers’ (ClickFunnels members).  

Getting people to self-identity and say ‘hey that’s me!’ is a great way to connect people to what you stand for, give them a sense of belonging and create a group of fiercely loyal fans.

Try it Out:

• What shared values, beliefs or aspirations connect your customers? How can you weave that into your marketing message?
• If it feels right, give them a name, but it has to be a name that they’ll want to wear proudly. 
  

4. Magazine style blog

I haven’t come across a whole lot of online stores with a blog that doesn’t feel like one big advert, so this one’s worth a mention! 

From the writing style, to the imagery and helpful advice, I think Snowe have really delivered on content that is both purposeful and relevant to their audience. From styling tips, to food preparation, this blog speaks directly to those who get a kick out of creating a home that they can’t get enough of.

Try it Out:

• The best kind of content is inspired by your customers—what do they want to know? What kind of lifestyle do they want to live? Who do they want to be?
• Be prepared to share unexpectedly good content every single time you post.
  

No matter what you’re selling, there’s lots to learn from Snowe and their clear vision that seems to trickle down into every aspect of their business. Were you inspired by any of their strategies? Let me know in the comments! And, if you found this post interesting, we’d love it if you shared it with one other person who would love to read it too.