Meet Dennis Dörfl the New Director of Spreadshop

What do influencer marketing, fishing and MTV music videos have in common? Dennis Dörfl, the new Director of Spreadshop, answers all in our interview.

Spreadshop has a new member of the community! Dennis Dörfl is an internationally experienced manager and the co-founder of the influencer marketing company, Fourstarzz Media. Since the beginning of the year, he’s been able to add ‘Director of Spreadshop’ to his lengthy list of achievements. As he embarks on this new position, we’re ready to get to know the Thuringia, Germany native a little better—are you?

From Germany to the United States (and back again)

Hello Dennis! Thank you for taking the time to respond to our questions. You must be very busy at the moment. How have your first few weeks been as the new Director of Spreadshop?

Busy, inspirational and motivating. I’ve been particularly impressed by how many hardworking hands and clever minds work every day to deliver the best possible service to Shop Owners.

You’ve successfully built Fourstarzz Media, an influencer marketing agency with SaaS solutions (software as a service) in Lincoln, Nebraska. Why did you join Spreadshop?

After many years of working extensively with influencers and social media, I’ve learned that monetizing a loyal following is an important trend. Growing this market motivated me to accept the position with Spreadshop.

And we’re glad to have you on board! Because you’ve lived in the United States, do you feel at home in Germany?

Germany is my home. Nevertheless, my heart is also attached to the United States. I think and live in both cultures. That also helps me understand the needs of Shop Owners on both continents—Europe and North America.

Spreadshop is a global community

Transatlantic differences aside, what aspect of your new role as Director of Spreadshop are you the most excited about?

I’m particularly excited about how we can build an even stronger Spreadshop community, where we can work together with Shop Owners, influencers, and many other stakeholders to drive innovation in print-on-demand.

Sounds like you’ve got a plan! Would you like to tell Shop Owners what they can expect in the near future?

I would like to continue and accelerate the growth path of our B2B business in Europe and North America. Satisfied Shop Owners, an innovative online Shop system and a strong and visible brand are particularly important to me.

As a first step, we’ll expand our product range in 2021 and link our Shop system with other external platforms.

What particularly inspires you about the people at Spreadshop?

I am a globetrotter. What I like most is that the Spreadshop team and our partners form a global community where cultures can learn from one another and grow together every day.

Have you already discovered a few Shops that you like?

I opened my own Shop, of course, to better understand how Shop Owners sell. Unfortunately, I’m not that successful yet. ? There are so many innovative Shop concepts and designs. Nektarinchen and ESA Shop are two very good examples.

A fisherman reeling in trends

What’s the theme of your Shop?

The theme is fishing, one of my biggest hobbies. However, catching a fish is even easier for me than creating a successful design. But I am practicing.

Since you’re already running your own Shop and trying things out … As an expert in influencer marketing, which Shop feature do you like most?

As an influencer, you naturally want to strengthen your own brand. That’s why our Shop customization features are particularly important. I find it super practical that you can adjust many settings in just a few clicks – without any programming knowledge at all. At the same time, you can invest more time and change the whole look.

What are the next trends in influencer marketing and merch/fan merch?

Influencers mostly address their loyal followers on social media channels. Offering marketing options right there is an important trend. At Spreadshop, we invest in connections to social media platforms. Just last year, we launched the YouTube merch shelf in collaboration with YouTube. Now, Youtubers can connect their Shop directly to their channel and sell matching fan merchandise directly under their videos.

Rumors & tips from the pros

Yes, we’re really proud of that. And the reactions of influencers who are using this new integration have been really good so far. On a completely different note, Dennis: We heard a rumor that you once starred in an MTV music video …

The rumor is actually not a rumor at all! I love music and festivals. At some point I happened to see myself in a music video. I was surprised! However, this won’t be a design for my next T-shirt…

Who knows, maybe it could be? Finally, a question that we eventually ask everyone we interview: What tips do you have for people and companies who want to start their own Spreadshop?

Just go for it and try it. All you need is the creativity that’s already inside you. At Spreadshop we’ll do the rest. We offer you a free Shop, produce your orders, deliver your merch to fans, and our customer service answers all questions and problem solves.

Thank you Dennis for your time! We wish you much success with Spreadshop and are looking forward to what’s coming next.

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