Transcend Labs founder Joe Costello, a nutrition and wellness consultant certified by the American Fitness Professionals Association, has capitalized on 10 years of experience in the supplements industry to build a brand that provides relief for consumers through cannabidiol (CBD).
By leveraging positive word-of-mouth buzz, mainstream and adult industry press, as well as an affiliate program whose director works hands-on with interested parties to facilitate mutually beneficial business, Transcend Labs markets itself through a diverse array of channels.
The adult and comedy verticals tend to perform the best, because users who are exploring those verticals are looking for something that will make them feel good or otherwise provide relief.
Whether it's promotional content, banner ads or exclusive coupon codes, Costello’s team is intent on empowering affiliates with the necessary tools to maximize conversions.
They also join forces with social media influencers that range from Playboy models to Division 1 collegiate athletes, to reach as wide a swath of potential CBD buyers as possible, which has resulted in video testimonials that the company further flexes to establish brand trust.
Given his own personal struggles, Costello has expressed a special interest in helping provide relief to customers who may experience mental health issues such as anxiety, which infuses his business with a sense of mission.
To discover the latest opportunities in CBD affiliate marketing, as well as Transcend Labs’ own unique offerings, XBIZ sat down with the founder for this company profile.
XBIZ: Tell us about the genesis of Transcend Labs and what inspired its launch.
JC: We started Transcend Labs with the goal of creating a solution for both mental and physical pain that is natural, organic, safe and free of side effects. CBD has proven itself to be an effective natural solution for pain and anxiety through clinical studies, but the problem we saw in the marketplace was that 99% of CBD companies were either visibly under-dosing or secretly under-dosing. In other words, the amount of CBD being provided in every serving is either insufficient, or the company will not provide proof (such as third-party lab tests) that the dosage is sufficient. We saw a need for pure full spectrum CBD products with sufficient dosages, proper pricing and 100% transparency.
XBIZ: How do you distinguish your products and brand in a competitive market?
JC: There are several key distinctions that make Transcend Labs the superior CBD brand. One of the most important qualities that separates our brand from the rest of the industry is the fact that we use 100% full spectrum CBD across all of our products. Some companies will use full spectrum CBD in their tinctures, but they will almost never use full spectrum across their full line of products because they want to save money by using a cheaper form of CBD. To this day, we are still the only CBD company on the market that offers a full spectrum CBD gummy product. Additionally, transparency is very important to us. Every batch of products is tested by a third-party laboratory, and the results of those tests are then posted for all to see on our website.
XBIZ: Give us the elevator pitch for your affiliate program.
JC: The key to the success of our affiliate program is the quality of the CBD itself and the reputation of our brand ultimately leading to conversions. The vast majority of CBD affiliate programs do not convert well because when the user reaches the site, they are typically smart enough to see that the product lacks quality and/or transparency. This leads to clicks that don’t convert. Our clicks convert because people want our products, and people trust our brand because they don’t have to take our word for anything. Our products have won multiple awards, which are showcased on our website. Plus, our 40% commission rate and $105 average cart value certainly doesn’t hurt.
XBIZ: Discuss the kinds of ad formats that seem to be most effective, based on feedback from affiliates and your analytics.
JC: We have done a ton of collaborations with famous influencers including Playboy models, personal trainers, Division 1 collegiate athletes and more. There is a lot of content available within our affiliate program as well as on our Instagram (@transcendlabs) and our YouTube channel. The video testimonials certainly help drive conversions.
XBIZ: In that same vein, which verticals seem to be ideal targets for CBD offers in terms of click-through rate?
JC: The most prominent and sought-after benefit that CBD has to offer is anxiety relief. For that reason, ideal verticals are those wherein users are looking for something that’s going to make them feel good. The adult and comedy verticals tend to perform the best, because users who are exploring those verticals are looking for something that will make them feel good or otherwise provide relief.
XBIZ: How do you interface with affiliates to empower them with the latest tools and data to improve their campaigns?
JC: All affiliates have 24/7 access to our affiliate program director both via the NATS interface and via email, whichever is more convenient for the affiliate. Our program director can provide exclusive coupon codes, access to exclusive content, banner ads and even commission boosts in some instances. Our affiliates can get virtually any tools, data, info or content they could possibly need from our program director in order to maximize conversions.
XBIZ: What is your marketing strategy for generating interest in Transcend Labs products, beyond affiliates?
JC: Transcend Labs has done extensive PR over the years to build our brand’s reputation. We were featured as the #1 Best CBD Brand for Anxiety on LA Weekly. After winning that award, we were featured on Yahoo, Morningstar and the Daily Herald. We have also been featured on many major cannabis/CBD niche sites such as Key to Cannabis and Ministry of Hemp. Transcend Labs also frequently sponsors podcasts and conducts influencer campaigns on social media. We are all over the internet, social media and the podcast scene.
XBIZ: As e-commerce spiked during the pandemic, have you noticed any unique trends in the CBD market? How did you capitalize on them?
JC: As the pandemic hit, we noticed the trend of dramatically increased stress and anxiety levels across our country. While this is unfortunate, it created intense demand for products that can provide relief. This brings us back to the whole reason we created Transcend Labs, which was to provide a reliable, natural and safe solution for anxiety relief and improved overall mental health.
Demand for CBD is booming, and people don’t want just any brand … they want a brand they can trust. We are not just any CBD company. We are an award-winning brand that has gone viral several times, and users trust our brand for that reason. This has allowed us to capitalize on the increase in demand for high-quality CBD products.
XBIZ: Share what it’s like to work at Transcend Labs, as far as the company culture, leadership and workflow.
JC: Every single employee of Transcend Labs has a significant stake in the company and is therefore very motivated to perform. Everyone knows how powerful CBD is, and we all have the same vision to provide CBD at its highest quality and most effective form. Energy levels are high, positivity runs rampant and the excitement for the future of the company is contagious.
XBIZ: How are you proactively positioning yourself to scale up with maximum momentum this coming year?
JC: Transcend Labs is already all over the internet. If you are a consumer of CBD, chances are you have heard of us. The problem is that the pandemic has prevented us from spreading the word about our product outside of the internet. Our plan for scaling the brand is to attend every CBD/cannabis convention possible as the country begins to open back up and these events begin to take place again. We’ll also continue to rapidly expand our product line.
Learn more about Costello at TranscendLabs.com, as well as his personal site, JoeCostelloNWC.com.
