Latest / Community Marketing with Fexingo: Discord, Slack Groups, and Brand Communities / How Merrell Built a Trail Community That Sells Shoes
Transcript
- Lucas: If you've ever gone for a hike and noticed someone wearing Merrell shoes leading a group, there's a good chance that person wasn't a paid guide or an influencer. They were part of something called the Trail Squad. Luna: I've actually seen that. A friend of mine in Colorado leads Saturday morning hikes for a local group, and she's always in Merrells. She told me she gets a discount, but she never mentioned it was a formal program. Lucas: That's exactly the point. Merrell launched the Trail Squad in early 2023, quietly. They didn't blast it on social media. They recruited about 500 volunteer ambassadors — hikers, trail runners, outdoor enthusiasts — who lead group hikes in their local areas. In exchange, they get gear discounts and early access to products. The real magic is that the community isn't centered on buying shoes. It's centered on showing up for a hike. Luna: So it's not a typical affiliate program where you get a link and a commission. It's more like a local hiking club that happens to be sponsored by Merrell. Lucas: Exactly. And that distinction matters. Merrell explicitly tells ambassadors not to hard-sell. The expectation is: lead a great hike, share trail knowledge, and let the brand be a natural part of the experience. The result? The squad has generated over 12,000 user-generated trail guides — written by volunteers, for other hikers. Those guides are hosted on Merrell's site and get thousands of views each month. Luna: If these marketing conversations have sparked something you've actually used at work or just found interesting — we'd love it if you considered supporting the show. We deliberately keep this podcast ad-free, and listener support is what makes that choice sustainable. You can find us at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. No pressure, just a way to keep these episodes coming. Lucas: Appreciate that, Luna. So back to the trail guides — Merrell isn't paying for that content. They're getting authentic, location-specific guides written by people who actually know the terrain. That's a huge asset for anyone searching 'best hikes near Denver' or 'beginner trail in Oregon.' And because the guides live on Merrell's domain, they also drive organic search traffic. Luna: I want to dig into the economics. What's the cost per ambassador? Gear discounts are one thing, but does Merrell spend on training, events, anything like that? Lucas: They do. Each ambassador gets an annual gear allowance — roughly $500 to $800 worth of product at wholesale cost. They also get access to a private online community where they share hike plans and tips. Merrell hosts a few annual meetups, but those are regional and relatively low-budget. Compare that to a traditional influencer campaign where a single post from a mid-tier influencer can cost $2,000 to $5,000. The Trail Squad likely costs Merrell a fraction of that per ambassador, and the engagement is far more sustained. Luna: And the ambassadors aren't one-off posts. They're leading hikes every weekend, building relationships with other hikers in their community. That's repeat exposure. Lucas: Right. And Merrell tracks the downstream effect. They've shared that squad members have a 15 percent higher repeat purchase rate compared to non-members. That makes sense — if you're leading hikes and representing the brand, you're going to buy more gear. But the bigger impact is on the people who join those hikes. They see Merrell in action, they try on a friend's shoes, and they're more likely to buy when they need new footwear. Luna: It's almost like a try before you buy program, but without the formal return policy. It's just people experiencing the product in its natural environment. Lucas: Exactly. And Merrell uses the squad for product feedback too. Before launching a new trail running shoe last year, they sent prototypes to 50 ambassadors and asked them to log 100 miles each. The ambassadors reported back on fit, traction, durability. Merrell made adjustments based on that feedback before the official launch. That's not just community marketing — it's community-driven R&D. Luna: So the ambassadors aren't just promoters; they're co-creators. That must create a lot of loyalty on both sides. Lucas: Absolutely. When your feedback shapes a product you're wearing, you feel invested. And the resulting shoe is better for the target audience because it was tested by actual trail runners, not just product designers in a lab. Merrell claims the shoe had a 30 percent lower return rate compared to previous launches. Luna: That's a huge metric. Returns are a massive cost for footwear brands — shipping, restocking, markdowns. If you can reduce returns by a third, that's real money. Lucas: It is. And it ties directly to the community model. The ambassadors are effectively a focus group that also markets your product. Merrell doesn't need to pay a market research firm. They get real-world data from people who are already brand advocates. Luna: Is there any risk that the community feels too curated? Like, if Merrell is selecting ambassadors, does that limit authenticity? Lucas: It's a fair concern. Merrell does vet applications — they look for people who actively lead hikes, have a decent social media presence, and align with the brand's values. But they've also been intentional about geographic diversity. They want ambassadors in every major hiking region, not just the trendy ones. And they don't script the content. The trail guides are written in the ambassador's own voice. Some are polished, some are rough. That variation actually adds authenticity. Luna: It reminds me of how REI operates with its co-op model. REI members get dividends and a sense of ownership. But Merrell's approach is more focused on active participation rather than just a transaction. Lucas: Great comparison. REI's membership is about 24 million people, but most members just shop and get a dividend. Merrell's Trail Squad is tiny by comparison — only 500 people — but those 500 are highly engaged. They're not passive. They're out there every week creating content and experiences. For a brand like Merrell, which competes with Nike, Hoka, and Salomon, that grassroots authenticity is a differentiator. Luna: How does Merrell measure success beyond repeat purchases and return rates? Are they tracking trail guide views or hike attendance? Lucas: They track a few things. Trail guide page views, which have grown to about 50,000 monthly. Social media mentions from ambassadors, which are harder to tie directly to sales but contribute to brand sentiment. And they survey ambassadors annually on net promoter score — essentially, would you recommend being in the Trail Squad to a friend? The score has been over 80, which is outstanding. Luna: Eighty is excellent. That suggests the ambassadors genuinely feel valued, not used. Lucas: Exactly. And Merrell has started to scale the concept. In late 2025, they launched a 'Trail Squad Lite' program for people who can't lead hikes but still want to be part of the community. It's a lower-commitment tier with a smaller discount and access to a monthly virtual meetup. That's a smart way to capture more casual enthusiasts without diluting the core ambassador program. Luna: So they're building a funnel. The Lite tier feeds into the full ambassador program over time. Lucas: That's the idea. You start as a Lite member, you participate in virtual events, you maybe lead a couple of small hikes, and eventually you apply to become a full ambassador. It gives Merrell a pipeline of motivated people without having to actively recruit. Luna: Let's talk about the broader lesson for marketers. What can a brand in any category take from Merrell's approach? Lucas: I think the big lesson is: don't build a community around your product. Build it around an activity your customers already love. Merrell didn't ask people to talk about shoes. They asked them to go hiking. The shoes are just part of the gear. That principle applies to almost any category. If you sell kitchen knives, build a community around cooking, not knives. If you sell software, build it around productivity or creativity, not features. Luna: So the product is a byproduct of the community's interest, not the center of it. Lucas: Right. And the second lesson is to give your community real influence. Merrell let ambassadors shape a product. That's not just a nice gesture — it improves the product and deepens loyalty. When people feel heard, they become your best marketers. Luna: Any cautionary notes? Not every brand can give away $500 in gear to 500 people. Lucas: No, but you can start smaller. A local coffee shop could have a 'bean squad' of regulars who get a free drink each week in exchange for bringing friends. The scale isn't the point — it's the principle of turning customers into hosts. The gear cost for Merrell is maybe $300,000 annually across the program. That's less than the cost of a single national ad campaign, and the return in authentic content and repeat purchase is likely much higher. Luna: I'm curious about the tech stack. How do they manage 500 ambassadors across different cities, coordinating hikes and sharing guides? Lucas: They use a combination of a private Slack channel for real-time coordination and a custom portal for submitting trail guides. The portal has a simple template: trail name, difficulty, distance, elevation gain, photos, and a personal note. It's designed so anyone can fill it out in 15 minutes. They also have a monthly Zoom call where ambassadors share best practices. Nothing fancy — just consistent communication. Luna: It's almost like a distributed sales force, but nobody is selling. They're just doing what they already do, with a brand umbrella over it. Lucas: That's the perfect description. And because the brand is supportive rather than controlling, the community feels like theirs. That's the hardest thing for companies to get right — letting go of control. Merrell trusts its ambassadors, and that trust is returned in the form of genuine advocacy. Luna: Alright, final thought. If you had to pick one metric that proves this community is working, what would it be? Lucas: I'd pick the repeat purchase rate for squad members. Fifteen percent above non-members is concrete, revenue-linked, and it shows the program doesn't just create goodwill — it creates customers who buy more. That's the kind of number that gets a CFO's attention. Luna: And it's a number that should get marketers' attention too. Thanks, Lucas. Lucas: Thanks, Luna. Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I need to find a hike this weekend.