U.S. DOD Coins
How do we honor military pride? With outstanding service! We rebranded U.S. DOD Coins, grew their MRR from $80k to $300k, and launched custom belt buckles that took off. Check out how involving their audience in a simple contest pulled in the lifers and brand ambassadors.
Diligent Marketing Solutions partnered with U.S. DOD Coins to boost their monthly revenue from $80k to $300k.
First, a quick intro to the team. We’re Diligent Marketing Solutions, your go-to full-service marketing partner for small to mid-sized businesses ready to shine online. With our points-based subscription, we handle everything—branding, web design, SEO, social media, and more—so you can focus on what you love.
How we helped U.S. DOD Coins salute their audience with a brand and digital presence that truly delivers.
Now meet U.S. DOD Coins, a small to medium custom challenge coin company with a big mission: to serve the best with the best for the military community. When we started, their site wasn’t terrible, but their brand was off—think yellow and black with a logo that looked like a Dragon Ball, which didn’t exactly scream “military pride.” They were sitting at $80k in monthly recurring revenue (MRR) and wanted to hit $175k. Spoiler: we got them to $300k.
The military market is all about tradition and pride, and U.S. DOD Coins needed a digital presence that resonated with that. They already had a solid Facebook following—48k strong—but no YouTube, barely an Instagram, and no Twitter (now X). They wanted to grow their audience, boost revenue, and make their brand a true reflection of their military roots.
The Challenge: A Brand That Honors the Military
U.S. DOD Coins needed a full rebrand to connect with their audience, a website that tracked the customer journey, and a strategy to grow their social presence—all while increasing MRR. Their old logo wasn’t cutting it, and their site lacked the structure to drive consistent leads. They also needed a way to engage their existing customers and attract new ones without overwhelming their small fulfillment team.
Our Approach: A Rebrand That Rallies the Troops
Using our points-based system, we allocated 20 monthly points to tackle branding, web design, SEO, social media, and product development. Here’s how we made U.S. DOD Coins a leader in the military challenge coin space.
A Logo That Commands Respect
We kicked off with a rebrand, designing three logo options that screamed military pride—think bold, clean lines with a star and eagle motif in a deep navy and silver palette. To get their audience involved, we launched a social media and email drip campaign, inviting customers and their 48k Facebook followers to vote for their favorite logo. We sweetened the deal with a contest: vote and get a chance to win a set of 5 unique collectible military branch challenge coins. The response was incredible—82,000 users engaged, 1,800 participated, and we selected 3 winners. The winning logo became the new face of U.S. DOD Coins, and their audience loved being part of the journey.
A Website That Tracks Every Step
While the rebrand campaign was running, we revamped their website using HubSpot. We restructured it to highlight their key products—challenge coins, patches, and more—making it easy for customers to browse and request quotes. HubSpot’s tracking let us monitor the entire customer journey, from form fills to purchases, which was a game-changer for optimizing conversions. Post-launch, we announced the contest winners on the new site, invited feedback through surveys, and gathered testimonials and user-generated content to build trust.
SEO That Dominates the Military Market
We tackled SEO by creating customer case study galleries, blogs, and military base-specific coin content. This boosted their organic traffic by 200% for key terms like “military challenge coins” and “custom navy coins.” To keep leads flowing without overwhelming their small fulfillment team, we used HubSpot’s email automation to follow up with customers who hadn’t responded within 5 business days. This shortened the sales cycle, increased close rates, and helped drive that MRR growth.
Social Media That Sparks Connection
We optimized their Facebook ad spend to maintain lead levels, then expanded their presence to TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram. Using short reels showcasing customer work and user-generated content, we tapped into the military community’s love for sharing. These platforms took off fast—military folks love to spread the word! We updated all their profiles with the new branding, creating a cohesive look across every channel.
Custom Products That Steal the Show
We launched niche products like custom navy belt buckles, capitalizing on the military’s allowance for occasional on-base wear without breaking uniform rules. With a custom web product builder, clients could upload photos or text to design their own belt buckles. This product exploded—from $160k a year in sales to $280k three years later—adding a huge boost to their revenue.
The Results: From $80k to $300k MRR
The numbers are jaw-dropping. U.S. DOD Coins went from $80k to $300k in monthly recurring revenue, soaring past their $175k goal. Organic traffic grew by 200%, social engagement skyrocketed with new platforms, and the custom belt buckle product became a massive hit. Their audience now feels the pride of a brand that truly gets them, and they’re loving the growth. Just like U.S. DOD Coins, you can feel the thrill of watching your business soar with a strategy that works.
Why This Matters for You
This project showed us the power of community engagement and smart automation. By involving their audience in the rebrand, we built loyalty and excitement. HubSpot’s tracking and automation kept their small team efficient while scaling leads, and niche products like custom belt buckles tapped into unmet needs. We also learned how fast user-generated content spreads in the military community—it’s like wildfire!
Looking ahead, we’re planning to add interactive product previews to their site and launch more custom products for other military branches. The military market is all about pride and tradition, and we’re here to keep U.S. DOD Coins leading the charge.
Our work with U.S. DOD Coins isn’t just about a better website—it’s about creating a platform that makes their customers feel honored and their business unstoppable. Ready to elevate your brand like they did? Request your free customized marketing plan now and let’s make your business shine!