A practical, repeatable workflow that converts noisy social chatter into clear product briefs your factory can use tomorrow.
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TL;DR
Most brands skim social and miss the signal. Build one intake, one taxonomy and one weekly meeting to turn comments into testable briefs. Score demand, write a short, numbers first brief, validate fast with polls, lists and preorders, then launch with proof.
Why this works
Your customers already write your briefs for you. They ask for heavier blanks, softer hand feel, longer hems, bolder graphics, larger sizes, shorter sleeves, different price points. The gap is not ideas, it is capture and conversion. A simple pipeline turns fragments into revenue.
Build a single intake
Centralise inputs. Pull from Instagram comments, TikTok replies, story polls, ad comments, email replies, product reviews, support tickets and wholesale feedback. Route everything into one table. Use columns for platform, date, post, verbatim quote and link. Keep it lean so your team actually uses it.
Tag like a merchant, not like a marketer
Create a product focused taxonomy that describes decisions you can make. Suggested tags: silhouette, fabric, print technique, colour, fit, size range, price, use case, pain point. Avoid vague tags such as vibe or aesthetic. If a tag does not change a spec sheet, remove it.
Score demand in five minutes
You need a quick sanity check, not a dissertation. Use a simple three part score.
Frequency, how many times it shows up this week.
Intensity, how strong the language is, measured by words like hate, need, finally, day one.
Proximity to purchase, did they ask for restock alerts, sizing help or price.
Add the scores. Anything above a set threshold moves to briefing.
Write a one page brief
Keep it short.
Problem, the customer quote in their words.
Outcome, what changes for the buyer when they own it.
Merch context, how it sits in the collection and what it replaces.
Proof plan, how you will validate demand before committing.
Example:
Problem, “Your heavy tee fits perfect butits too hot for summer.”
Outcome, lighter fabric requested, no tailor needed.
Close the loop with proof
When you launch, show the quotes that sparked the change. Use a short reel that cuts between the comment screenshots and the updated sample on body. Add a PDP section titled Designed with our community and list the top three changes in plain language, not marketing terms. People buy fixes.
Make it a ritual
Protect one hour each week with founders, design, marketing and ops in the same room. Review the intake table, agree the top two briefs, assign owners, set dates. The quality of this meeting determines your hit rate.
Thoughts, ideas, and perspectives on design, simplicity, and creative process.
