In 2009, 18-year-old Amanda Zuckerman was shopping college dorm room supplies with her mother Karen when “(they) were really surprised to discover that stylish XL twin bed and everything you need for dressing and organizing a small space was practically non-existent and sold in one place,” she says. So, in between Bed Bath & Beyondthe pair decided to design their own line of dorm room bedding.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Dormify. Amanda Zuckerman, left; Karen Zuckerman, right.
Fast forward to Zuckerman's sophomore year of college, and Dormify was officially born. Mother-daughter team started a blog about college life and dorm decor. Zuckerman's friends contributed as writers, eventually growing a vast network of brand ambassadors who provided “proofs of concept” in the era just before social media filled that void. Custom printed posters became the company's first product line.
Despite not accumulating much capital off the bat, as was common with directly to the consumer brands at the time, the small interior decorating business Zuckerman started in her dorm room would grow into a multimillion-dollar company thanks to her “grassroots tactics.” Dormify hosted trunk shows so people could interact with the product, “much like Tupperware parties back then,” says Zuckerman. Eventually, these efforts led to seasonal displays and retail partnerships in more than 200 stores.
“It's difficult because we have a new customer every year.”
Of course, as Dormify crossed a decade in business, its core customer base evolved along with it—from millennials to General Mr. “It's difficult because we have a new customer every year,” Zuckerman says. “So it's not just about acquiring them and continuing to grow that customer. It's about acquiring a new customer every year.”
When it comes to food General MrBusiness owners should not underestimate the importance of social media. Not only has the phenomenon been key to Dormify's growth over the years, but it's also giving the company a critical direct line to its current customers. However, like all brands, Dormify needs to be nimble and strategic in its social channels to win General Mr.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Dormify
“With all communications with the Gen Z consumer, which is who we're talking to, not their parents, (it's essential) to engage authentically and provide products, content (and) advice that are truly beneficial to them,” says Zuckerman.
“It's not just about selling a product to put in their space. It's about making them feel comfortable.”
This means finding a balance between being approachable and having authorityaccording to the founder.
“We want this audience to think of us as a big sister,” explains Zuckerman, “and that's how we've positioned the brand. So it's not just about selling a product to put in their space. It's about making them feel comfortable in this transition to college is about helping them anticipate what challenges they will face, such as living with a stranger or leaving home for the first time.
Related: 5 ways Gen Z differs from Millennials that you should consider when promoting your business
Gen Z is exposed to endless choices every day, bombarded marketing and ads when scrolling through Instagram or TikTokso brands must avoid appearing too “salesy” if they want to succeed, Zuckerman says.
Dormify prioritizes entertainment, informative content and community building on its social channels on net income and sales games. In fact, according to Zuckerman, it's a mistake to rely on revenue at all as a key performance indicator for social channels.
“If that influencer is just putting out a lot of sponsored content, this audience is much smarter than that.”
Furthermore, Zuckerman notes that although some brands are capable of finding influencer who drive customer acquisition, others miss the mark on that front.
“There are a lot of companies that don't understand what Gen Z wants and think that just hiring or paying an influencer will generate sales or links or loyalty to a brand” Zuckerman explains, “but if that influencer is just putting out a lot of sponsored content, this audience is much smarter than that.”
Image Credit: Courtesy of Dormify
Related: Traditional marketing doesn't work on Gen-Z and Millennials. Here's what you should do instead.
Dormify delivers it social media interns and coordinators “a lot of freedom and independence” to run the company's channels as they see fit. “We're not over-managing them,” Zuckerman says. “We're letting them do what they think will work, what they want to do. It's a lot of trial and error. Having too many restrictions on a social channel can lead to poor engagement.”
According to Zuckerman, Dormify boasts an engagement rate of more than 8% across the board social channelssignificantly exceeding the retail industry average. In June 2024, the average retail industry engagement rate ranged from .59% (TikTok) to 1.62% (Instagram), depending on the platform, according to data from the Social Media Performance Engine Complex with shoes.
“I'm excited to continue to evolve how we're communicating with our customers.”
Dormify also faces the challenge of engagement Gen Z shoppers as a seasonal business. The key is to keep growing with her customers—for example, keeping track of when those college freshmen designing their own dorms become seniors who need diploma frames. The company is also mindful of its adjacent audience: couples decorating their bedrooms or campers dressing their beds.
“I'm excited to continue to expand the product,” Zuckerman says, “and I'm excited to continue to evolve as we are communication with our customers and doing things differently than a lot of companies out there.”