Ecommerce Evolution

Almost every eCommerce company I talk to is investing heavily into Facebook and Google Ads.  Probably less than 30% are actively investing in Affiliate marketing.  I first met my guest, Greg Powell, while we were both providing consulting services for another agency.  I instantly could tell that he knew his stuff.  Now he’s running an extremely successful Affiliate Marketing agency - Tactical Marketing based in Joplin MO.   Fringe benefits of an affiliate marketing program including free PR and new audience discovery and testing. 3 ways to tell if your product is a good fit for Affiliate marketing Avoiding affiliate horror stories - namely, how to avoid coupon site hell. How attracting the right affiliates makes all of the difference. Best affiliate networks for your category Plus much more!

The online buying journey is a complex process.  It rarely looks exactly the same for different shoppers.  BUT, there are distinct stages that most shoppers pass through in their unique journey.  Video can be your secret weapon along each stage of the journey - compelling customers, educating customers, and delighting customers. Ben Amos lives in Australia’s Sunshine Coast and is a master at creating video content that shapes buying behavior.  In this episode, we talk about how video can impact these 4 distinct stages of the shopping journey: Awareness - this is where we tell our brand story in a compelling and helpful way…Ben shows us how.   Consideration- this stage is all about information and education.  As shoppers evaluate their options, your video should be there to help guide the way.   Conversion event - your video can and should do the job of a salesperson whether on a product detail page or as a remarketing ad.   Advocacy - Your video strategy shouldn’t stop with a happy customer.  Use video conte

Everyone knows that word of mouth is the most effective form of marketing.  The problem?  How do you facilitate, encourage, and track it without being weird?  Enter Nick Stagge and Wooly.  In this episode, we discuss two important topics - building Ambassador Programs and putting digital rails around word of mouth advertising.  Nick has worked with some awesome brands including Skull Candy, Purple Mattress, and more.   Here’s a quick look at what we cover in this episode:  Salomon shoes got 22.6 million impressions without running a single ad How to Identify and segment your best customers and how to know when you have a customer make a referral that ends in a  purchase How ambassador programs focus on credibility while some influencer programs focus on reach…and why credibility is often better and more profitable Word of mouth customers are happier, better educated and often stick around longer - here’s how you get more of it Driving six figures of incremental referral revenue. Plus more

Online shopping has shifted dramatically since the start of the pandemic.  Some experts believe we’ve seen 5+ years of eCommerce growth condensed into just a few months.  Attitudes towards quantities ordered, shipping rates and times, and pricing have ALL shifted from the norm.  I wanted to have Jon MacDonald come back on the show (see his first appearance on the podcast for Episode 60 to talk about what’s working right now in terms of Conversion Rate Optimization.  We cover some truly fascinating subjects including: How buying in bulk it a new trend - even if your marketing to non-peppers How to structure new shopping options for buying in bulk to make the process easier on shoppers and easier on your fulfillment centers 3 ways to use SMS marketing to before, during and after the shopping experience to surprise and delight customers Where you should start optimizing now including some key data points and quick wins with Google Analytics that you’re likely missing  How to quickly and inexpensively benefit f

Learn how Tru Earth is disrupting the laundry detergent space by selling subscriptions and understanding the power of villains in marketing.  My guest in this episode, Ryan McKenzie is a marketing and eComm wiz.  He built his first online business in his 20s and after some extreme wins and some humbling losses, he found his eComm game.  In this episode, we uncover some of Tru Earth’s keys to success including  3 types of offers that get shoppers to subscribe to auto-replenishment.  How to structure pricing and discounts for subscriptions Blair Warren’s amazing 4 keys to persuasion (literally one the best marketing quotes I’ve ever heard) and how to leverage it for your business How finding a “villain” can make your marketing more powerful and help you build a closer community (hint: villains don’t have to be people) How to approach ad fatigue and new creative development for Facebook How OMG Commerce is helping Tru Earth leverage Google Shopping and YouTub ads Plus more!

CrossNet Game began as a crazy idea dreamed up late at night by two brothers and their best friend.  But ideas are a dime a dozen.  Chris and his brother Greg and co-founder Mike turned their crazy idea into a wildly popular product and a rapidly growing company.  So what is CrossNet?  It’s 4-way volleyball.  Put another way, if volleyball 4 square had a baby, it would be CrossNet.  And it’s amazing. This is a phenomenal story about how to launch a product from total obscurity into a sensation.  We talk about how the product came to be, how the founders successfully boot-strapped everything initially,  and how a combination of playing volleyball all day on the beaches of Miami plus Facebook Ads fueled their launch.   Here’s a look at what we discuss: How their first “prototype” and first test market let them know they were onto something big Why they packed their bags and moved from Connecticut to Miami to launch CrossNet Creating the snowball effect - doing lots of little things well and watching success an

Jeremy Horowitz helped create the marketing engine behind Lumee, the selfie phone cases made famous by the Kardashians.  He now helps growing eCommerce brands create 6 figure + product launches.  He also builds what he calls “replenishment engines” - a concept that was new to me but that I absolutely love.   Interested in doing $100,000+ in sales in 24 hours on a new product launch? Want to know the secrets of building huge demand, selling out of products, and generating real urgency like Supreme, Jordan and Kylie Cosmetics. Here’s a quick look at what we cover: The difference between a product launch that sells out vs. a “meh” launch How to create a “web” so that your customers are highly engaged and eager to buy How to build anticipation, excitement, and generate huge sales without discounting How to utilize messenger marketing and Facebook private groups Lessons from movie launches Plus more

You walk to your mailbox.  Inside you find a hand-addressed envelope.  It looks like it could be a thank you note of a birthday card.  What are the odds you open it?  100%.     I love direct mail.  Especially now because mailboxes are nearly empty (compared to 15-20 years ago).  In this episode I interview David Wachs, CEO of Handwrytten.  We discuss creative and affordable ways eCommerce companies can use Direct Mail to build customer loyalty and increase sales.  We also discuss how his technology allows for automated handwritten notes...it’s pretty fantastic.     Here’s a look at what we discuss: How to use handwritten thank you notes to increase referrals  How an online fashion company sent 700 handwritten notes, scored a 16.8% redemption rate and drove an ROI over 300%.   Using direct mail to build your loyalty program Leveraging direct mail to get more positive reviews and/or mitigate negative reviews Launching direct mail Win-back campaigns Abandon cart direct mail sequences Automating handwritten than

In early February before all live events were cancelled I presented at Social Media Marketing World 2020 in San Diego.  My talk covered the latest tactics and strategies we’re using right now to scale on YouTube.  This is the recording of my presentation at this paid event.  Here’s a quick look at what I cover in this talk: Could YouTube be your next big thing? 2 Proven Ad formulas for cold traffic Ad formulas for warm traffic What is progressive audience testing and how to use it How to leverage YouTube and Google Display Network together Plus more!

I’m sure you’re aware of chat marketing.  But if you’re like most marketers and Amazon sellers, it’s still an area of immense opportunity for you. Maybe it’s even still a bit of a mystery to you. Michelle Barnum Smith is the Queen of chat marketing for Amazon sellers.  I had a chance to sit down with her and discuss some super powerful ways to grow your Amazon business with chat marketing that you probably haven’t thought of, including… The 3 types of messenger campaigns to run consistently Why product re-ranking campaigns using chatbots should probably be an ongoing strategy for you The difference between a 2-step URL and a Search, Find, Buy campaign How many times per month should you message your list on messenger…too many and they’ll hate you.  Too few and they’ll forget who you are and be annoyed the next time you message them. How to build a chat bot list. Plus more!

Strengthening customer relationships.  Building valuable assets.  Improving and documenting SOPs.  Growing email and remarketing lists.  Watching every episode of the Michael Jordan/Chicago Bulls Documentary - The Last Dance. That’s just a few of the ways Ezra and Co are surviving and THRIVING in the current climate.  Ezra is often the first person eCommerce entrepreneurs turn to when they need advice.  This episode delivers some true and timely gems and words of wisdom.  eCommerce will likely come out of this crisis stronger than ever.  Will your company be ready to thrive in the new normal?

My guest today knows a thing or two about growing DTC eCommerce brands to 8 figures and beyond.  His agency, Wavebreak, focuses on email, SMS and loyalty marketing for growing eCommerce brands.  On today’s episode we talk about how email marketing has shifted in light of the pandemic and how it will likely continue to shift in the months and weeks ahead.   Here’s a quick look at what we cover: How to go on offense without being offensive How to build community and goodwill now How to stay true to your brand but adjust your message in light of the recent crisis Top email marketing mistakes to avoid How email, sms and loyalty programs work together

This is an episode a couple of years in the making.  I’m a huge Ryan Daniel Moran fan.  We had dinner together after an event for speakers at an event in LA a few years ago.  Then we both got busy.  Ryan came on the show to discuss some burning topics facing all entrepreneurs right now.   Advice for an eCommerce company who’s struggling right now in the pandemic Advice for an e-commerce company who’s excelling right nowThe number 1 way to be instantly happier right now (and it leads to better business outcomes) How Ryan thinks about eComm companies to invest in - it’s way more about the leader and the product than anything else. Not playing the comparison game How to instantly be happier where you are right now The 3 phases of growing to $1 million in 12 Months. 

Currently, over 77% of our eCommerce clients are either still UP in sales even during this time of extreme uncertainty or are the same (plus or minus 1-2%).  Yes, some are hurting - but for most eCommerce businesses you CAN do something about sluggish sales right now.  We’ve learned a lot in recent weeks on what messages resonate with prospects and what falls flat.  In this episode (taken from a recent highly-popular webinar) Chris Brewer, Co-Founder of OMG Commerce and I dive into these important topics: Understanding the different physiological segments of shoppers right now and how to appeal to them People still want to buy even when stuck at home - how to provide retail therapy to your customers How to handle paid search on both Amazon and Google right now (search trends are shifting) Why this could be the perfect time to consider YouTube ads…viewership is up 100%+ on the platform and ad costs are down 20% or more How you can gain market share and get ahead of the competition right now

Supply chain, lock down, store closures, falling ad costs, rising costs of sanitation…just a few of the areas impacting retail and e-commerce right now.  In my interview with Eamon Kelly of Edgewater Research, we talk about the following hot topics to recent data points. How ad costs are impacted on Amazon, Facebook and Google during the crisis What categories are seeing spikes vs. dips in sales…there are a few surprising areas here plus some opportunities for companies to pivot. What major retailers like Dick’s sporting goods are seeing How retailers like Chewys are experience both growth and interesting shifts in costs and increased margin pressure How to think about inventory levels with more shopping shifting online

Original Grain has an origin story that’s as cool as it’s products…and as cool as it’s founders. In this interview, we tackle some critically important topics for all DTC brands.   We discuss building a product that has an authentic story that resonates. We look at the Original Grain approach to sourcing and designing that next winning product. We hear the Original Grain example of launching successful kickstarter campaigns, and we talk about marketing during a crisis and much more.    Brother’s Ryan and Andrew Beltran grew up playing basketball together and starting businesses together from painting houses to mowing lawns. In 2013 while living in Hong Kong, Ryan had the idea for wood and steel watches.  The brothers took that inspiration and started what is now a leader in the watch and accessories space.   Here’s a look at what you’ll learn in this episode: How a chance meeting at a nearly failed event lead to their most successful watch line to date How wooing an investor (I love this story - and it embod

Economic Crisis - time to panic or time to press ahead?  While challenging and painful, there are huge opportunities right now.  Some of the world’s most successful companies grew leaps and bounds during recessions (Toyota, Kellogs and many others).  On this show investor, mentor and brilliant marketer and entrepreneur Roland Frasier and I talk about what you need to do to survive and thrive right now.  From getting your head right, to ensuring financial stability to how to market your product - right now. The market has shifted but money is still up for grabs.  Here’s what we cover: Understanding the physiological segments of the market and how to reach customers that are still actively buying now How your product positioning should pivot during times of extreme uncertainty How companies like Toyota and Kellogg’s crushed their competitors during a recession How to secure financing right now What to measure and how to measure to keep your head above water

Liz Germain is a YouTube Marketing legend.  We met when I was speaking at an event for eCommerce brands at the YouTube LA Offices.  Between her own fitness channel and her client’s channels, she’s helped rack up over 100 million organic video views on YouTube.  Wow. In this interview, we deep dive into how she does it. From the content, she creates to the research that inspires it. We also discuss where you should start and how to take your YouTube channel to the next level.  Here’s what we cover Liz’s killer YouTube Influencer structure that leverages evergreen content for years of leads  How Liz created a video and blog post for a natural birth control method that is still generating leads and sales 4 years after it was created.  Compare that to an Instagram story that has a shelf life of just 24 hours.   The 3 types of YouTube content and where you should start The fundamentals of building a great YouTube Channel Plus more!

We’ve all had the following experience.  We’re on a quest for a specific product hoping if will fulfill a very specific need.  So we visit a product page on Amazon or another eCommerce site hoping that this might be the product we’ve been eagerly searching for….But, to our disappointment the product page doesn’t clearly tell us if the product will meet our need or not.  So we don’t buy. Uh-oh. Pop quiz.  What can increase customer engagement, improve conversion rates by 2-10x, and drive substantial organic traffic?  Easy - Q&A content. My guest this week is James Arnold, the Co-Founder of Answer Base a SaaS platform that makes it easy to collect and leverage Q&A and FAQ content.  In this episode we dive into the following: Why Q&A content on product details pages is so powerful Taking a cue from Amazon where and how to use Q&A content on PDPs How to build a Knowledge Based that answers 80%+ of your shoppers questions How to structure your Q&A content to rank well on Google….HINT:  Google

Quick - what’s the best, most effective viral video ad you’ve seen?  Poo-Pourri? Purple Mattress? Maybe Squatty Potty? Chatbooks? Each of those videos (plus dozens more) were created by my guest today and his team at Harmon Brothers.  And not only where these videos viral hits…they SOLD stuff. Funny. Memorable. And persuasive to the tunes of hundreds of millions in sales. That's hard to accomplish.   In this episode, we dig into some of the tips, tactics and secrets behind the Harmon Brother’s unrivaled success.  We dive into the following: 3 big mistakes most companies make when it comes to video ads Why humor is NOT a silver bullet  The inside scoop behind Poo-Pourri and haw it launched the Harmon Brothers to national prominence How do you land on the right “BIG idea” How and when to get feedback on your script and initial video edits How to think and create videos like the Harmon Brothers Plus more