Want more? Sarah shares how buyer based Psychology- Based Creative is changing the DTC space.

In this episode your host Sarah Levinger and Paul Rafaelson break down key DTC trends from the perspective of a creative strategist.

Pitstop is hosted by Sarah Levinger. Find her on Twitter, or get in touch at HG Performance Creative.

Want more? Sarah shares how buyer based Psychology- Based Creative is changing the DTC space.

In this episode your host Sarah Levinger and Paul Rafaelson break down key DTC trends from the perspective of a creative strategist.

Pitstop is hosted by Sarah Levinger. Find her on Twitter, or get in touch at HG Performance Creative.

Want more? Sarah shares how buyer based Psychology- Based Creative is changing the DTC space.

In this episode your host Sarah Levinger breaks down key DTC trends from the perspective of a creative strategist.

Pitstop is hosted by Sarah Levinger. Find her on Twitter, or get in touch at HG Performance Creative.

Want more? Sarah shares how buyer based Psychology- Based Creative is changing the DTC space.

In this episode your host Sarah Levinger and Caleb Polley break down key DTC trends from the perspective of a creative strategist.

Pitstop is hosted by Sarah Levinger. Find her on Twitter, or get in touch at HG Performance Creative.

Want more? Sarah shares how buyer based Psychology- Based Creative is changing the DTC space.

In this episode your host Sarah Levinger and Caleb Polley break down key DTC trends from the perspective of a creative strategist.

Pitstop is hosted by Sarah Levinger. Find her on Twitter, or get in touch at HG Performance Creative.

Want more? Sarah shares how buyer based Psychology- Based Creative is changing the DTC space.

In this episode your host Sarah Levinger along with Caleb Polley break down key DTC trends from the perspective of a creative strategist.

Pitstop is hosted by Sarah Levinger. Find her on Twitter, or get in touch at HG Performance Creative.

Want more? Sarah shares how buyer based Psychology- Based Creative is changing the DTC space.

Sarah Levinger breaks down ad trends with Katherine McKee.

Pitstop is hosted by Sarah Levinger. Find her on Twitter, or get in touch at HG Performance Creative.

Want more? Sarah shares how buyer based Psychology- Based Creative is changing the DTC space.

Sarah Levinger breaks down ad trends with Katherine McKee.

Pitstop is hosted by Sarah Levinger. Find her on Twitter, or get in touch at HG Performance Creative.

Want more? Sarah shares how buyer based Psychology- Based Creative is changing the DTC space.

Sarah Levinger breaks down ad trends with Katherine McKee.

Pitstop is hosted by Sarah Levinger. Find her on Twitter, or get in touch at HG Performance Creative.

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

Want more? Sarah shares how buyer based Psychology- Based Creative is changing the DTC space.

Sarah Levinger and Nicole Crowell break down the landing page from The Farmers Dog.

Pitstop is hosted by Sarah Levinger. Find her on Twitter, or get in touch at HG Performance Creative.

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

Want more? Sarah shares how buyer based Psychology- Based Creative is changing the DTC space.

Sarah Levinger breaks down static image ads and the creative choices in simple but high converting ads.

Pitstop is hosted by Sarah Levinger. Find her on Twitter, or get in touch at HG Performance Creative.

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Triple Whale - Whale Mail

Want more? Sarah shares how buyer based Psychology- Based Creative is changing the DTC space.

In this episode your host Sarah Levinger breaks down key DTC trends from the perspective of a creative strategist along with Nicole, a seasoned ad buyer.

Pitstop is hosted by Sarah Levinger. Find her on Twitter, or get in touch at HG Performance Creative.

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Triple Whale - Whale Mail

Want more? Sarah shares how buyer based Psychology- Based Creative is changing the DTC space.

What can this example teach us about conversion rate optimization?

You can’t hack your way to conversion rate optimization.

Flip the script - sometimes the best CRO is done by simply changing the order of things.

Pitstop is hosted by Sarah Levinger. Find her on Twitter, or get in touch at HG Performance Creative.

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Want more? Sarah shares how buyer based Psychology- Based Creative is changing the DTC space.

What’s the biggest lift you’ve seen from a small CRO change? This example shows how small changes that activate dopamine can make a big difference.

Pitstop is hosted by Sarah Levinger. Find her on Twitter, or get in touch at HG Performance Creative.

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Want more? Sarah shares how buyer based Psychology- Based Creative is changing the DTC space.

Sarah and Carl break down this tweet, and the keys to increasing your conversion rates 8.21% and it all starts with increasing the amount of trust.

Pitstop is hosted by Sarah Levinger. Find her on Twitter, or get in touch at HG Performance Creative.

Want more? Sarah shares how buyer based Psychology- Based Creative is changing the DTC space.

This was originally posted to YouTube, do you like the audio only version? Let me know!

I'm going to show you the exact process I use to generate an entire customer profile based on psychographic markers, not demographic ones.

Pitstop is hosted by Sarah Levinger. Find her on Twitter, or get in touch at HG Performance Creative.

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Triple Whale - Whale Mail

Want more? Sarah shares how buyer based Psychology- Based Creative is changing the DTC space.

Abir Syed is a DTC CPA who was VP Finance at a startup where he and his team raised over $50M. They ended up acquiring an ecom brand which Abir stepped in to run and he fell in love with everything ecom and marketing. Now he runs an ecom consulting firm where we help brands with accounting, marketing, and Amazon strategy.

Pitstop is hosted by Sarah Levinger. Find her on Twitter, or get in touch at HG Performance Creative.

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

Want more? Sarah shares how buyer based Psychology- Based Creative is changing the DTC space.

Abir Syed is a DTC CPA who was VP Finance at a startup where he and his team raised over $50M. They ended up acquiring an ecom brand which Abir stepped in to run and he fell in love with everything ecom and marketing. Now he runs an ecom consulting firm where we help brands with accounting, marketing, and Amazon strategy.

Pitstop is hosted by Sarah Levinger. Find her on Twitter, or get in touch at HG Performance Creative.

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

Want more? Sarah shares how buyer based Psychology- Based Creative is changing the DTC space.

Abir Syed is a DTC CPA who was VP Finance at a startup where he and his team raised over $50M. They ended up acquiring an ecom brand which Abir stepped in to run and he fell in love with everything ecom and marketing. Now he runs an ecom consulting firm where we help brands with accounting, marketing, and Amazon strategy.

In this episode, he breaks down what more DTC brands need to understand from an accounting perspectic.

Pitstop is hosted by Sarah Levinger. Find her on Twitter, or get in touch at HG Performance Creative.

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

Want more? Sarah shares how buyer based Psychology- Based Creative is changing the DTC space.

Head of brand at Triple Whale, Alexa Kilroy is a long time ecom pro, currently building the personality and brand of one of the biggest DTC data solutions in the industry. Training the “whale” to scale. Find her on Twitter.

• What is the new Fin Hub?
• Other Triple Whale products including creative cockpit and affluencer hub.
• Upcoming API access, products, and Amazon analytics.
• Ideal Triple Whale Customers and who gets the most value out of the platform, not charging by seat, charges by brand account.

Pitstop is hosted by Sarah Levinger. Find her on Twitter, or get in touch at HG Performance Creative.

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Triple Whale - Whale Mail

Want more? Sarah shares how buyer based Psychology- Based Creative is changing the DTC space.

Head of brand at Triple Whale, Alexa Kilroy is a long time ecom pro, currently building the personality and brand of one of the biggest DTC data solutions in the industry. Training the “whale” to scale. Find her on Twitter.

• Brand is how someone perceives your company. It goes through the product and the language used in the software, to how the customers 
• Working on project based sprints to keep everything aligned vs being reactive.
• Building out a brand personality around a product that doesn’t have a lot of animation around it.
• Data driven approach to brand building, and the power of talking to customers.

Pitstop is hosted by Sarah Levinger. Find her on Twitter, or get in touch at HG Performance Creative.

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Triple Whale - Whale Mail

Want more? Sarah shares how buyer based Psychology- Based Creative is changing the DTC space.

Head of brand at Triple Whale, Alexa Kilroy is a long time ecom pro, currently building the personality and brand of one of the biggest DTC data solutions in the industry. Training the “whale” to scale. Find her on Twitter.

• Going to school for teaching, and pivoting her career from education to ed-tech. Her first role was talking to customers to win them back.
• Moving through various ecommerce companies, and finally moved to Triple Whale.
• How does the background of being a teacher and talking to customers brought her where she is and helped with the high level strategy, as well as execution.

Pitstop is hosted by Sarah Levinger. Find her on Twitter, or get in touch at HG Performance Creative.

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Want more? Sarah shares how buyer based Psychology- Based Creative is changing the DTC space.

Danavir Sarria, @danavirsarria is back, reviewing BFCM emails with Sarah. \

• Beautifully designed email, clearly articulates that it’s a Cyber Monday sales email
• They make multiple offers, something that is hard to execute
• Great use of fonts and graphic design to make it easy to skim and read at a distance (or on your phone without your contacts in).
• Make promotions clearer to understand, especially if some promotions are add ons or enter to win. Bad promotions will create headaches for your CX team.
• Too many capital letters for paragraph text makes it hard to read, and understand.
• Now is the time to give value to loyal followers (not awareness or acquisition), and get them to take action.
• You don’t have to be clever, you can create urgency by telling it like it is.

Pitstop is hosted by Sarah Levinger. Find her on Twitter, or get in touch at HG Performance Creative.

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Triple Whale - Whale Mail

Want more? Sarah shares how buyer based Psychology- Based Creative is changing the DTC space.

Sarah and Danavir break down this BFCM. Learn from the mistakes others have made so you don't burn cash!

• Very dark email 
• BFCM shoppers are price sensitive now, they’re expecting discounts 
• Put the offer at the top if it’s a sales email
• Critical mistake the copy looks like fine print 
• Weak headlines 
• Sales Product Display page put into the email.
• Minimal social proof at the bottom 
• Subject line has a bad typo

Pitstop is hosted by Sarah Levinger. Find her on Twitter, or get in touch at HG Performance Creative.

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Want more? Sarah shares how buyer based Psychology- Based Creative is changing the DTC space.

Danavir is a 13 year direct response marketer who runs SupplyDrop, the email agency 8 figure brands recommend. He and Sarah break down this Halloween email from Me Undies.

Pitstop is hosted by Sarah Levinger. Find her on Twitter, or get in touch at HG Performance Creative.

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

Want more? Sarah shares how buyer based Psychology- Based Creative is changing the DTC space.

In this episode your host Sarah Levinger breaks down key DTC trends from the perspective of a creative strategist.

Pitstop is hosted by Sarah Levinger. Find her on Twitter, or get in touch at HG Performance Creative.

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

Want more? Sarah shares how buyer based Psychology- Based Creative is changing the DTC space.

Matt Giovanisci is back to talk about the long form value of your brand having a YouTube strategy.

In this episode your host Sarah Levinger breaks down key DTC trends from the perspective of a creative strategist.

Pitstop is hosted by Sarah Levinger. Find her on Twitter, or get in touch at HG Performance Creative.

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Want more? Sarah shares how buyer based Psychology- Based Creative is changing the DTC space.

In this episode your host Sarah Levinger chats with brand owner and successful entrepreneur Matt Giovanisci about the personal skills required to grow fast in 2022.

Pitstop is hosted by Sarah Levinger. Find her on Twitter, or get in touch at HG Performance Creative.

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Want more? Sarah shares how buyer based Psychology- Based Creative is changing the DTC space.

In this episode your host Sarah Levinger breaks down key DTC trends from the perspective of a creative strategist.

Pitstop is hosted by Sarah Levinger. Find her on Twitter, or get in touch at HG Performance Creative.

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

Want more? Sarah shares how buyer based Psychology- Based Creative is changing the DTC space.

What is the evolution of creative strageist in a post iOS14 world? Sarah chats with Lucas Walker about it.

Pitstop is hosted by Sarah Levinger. Find her on Twitter, or get in touch at HG Performance Creative.

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Want more? Sarah shares how buyer based Psychology- Based Creative is changing the DTC space.

Lucas and Sarah break down this ad from Obvi and why it's so strong.

Pitstop is hosted by Sarah Levinger. Find her on Twitter, or get in touch at HG Performance Creative.

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Want more? Sarah shares how buyer based Psychology- Based Creative is changing the DTC space.

Sarah Levinger chats with Barry Hott about the advertising, marketing, and all things DTC.

Follow Barry on Twitter.

Pitstop is hosted by Sarah Levinger. Find her on Twitter, or get in touch at HG Performance Creative.

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Want more? Sarah shares how buyer based Psychology- Based Creative is changing the DTC space.

Sarah breaks down how one of her favourite brands keeps her happy and spending more.

Pitstop is hosted by Sarah Levinger. Find her on Twitter, or get in touch at HG Performance Creative.

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Want more? Sarah shares how buyer based Psychology- Based Creative is changing the DTC space.

Sarah Levinger is back, hosting Pitstop in this episode about how Magic Spoon creates amazing UGC.

Pitstop is hosted by Sarah Levinger. Find her on Twitter, or get in touch at HG Performance Creative.

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Want more? Sarah shares how buyer based Psychology- Based Creative is changing the DTC space.

Social proof is incredibly powerful! Lucas and Sarah break down more ways you can unleash the power of the social proof in your ads.

Pitstop is hosted by Sarah Levinger. Find her on Twitter, or get in touch at HG Performance Creative.

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Want more? Sarah shares how buyer based Psychology- Based Creative is changing the DTC space.

Sarah is joined by Lucas to break down the ways that brands are wasting money when buying ads.

Pitstop is hosted by Sarah Levinger. Find her on Twitter, or get in touch at HG Performance Creative.

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Want more? Sarah shares how buyer based Psychology- Based Creative is changing the DTC space.

Sarah Levinger has been an ad buyer and UGC strategist. She helps DTC brands utilize psychology based creative to increase conversions and profits.

Pitstop is hosted by Sarah Levinger. Find her on Twitter, or get in touch at HG Performance Creative.

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Triple Whale - Whale Mail

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Triple Whale - Whale Mail

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• You need some sort of authority. This could be a verified account, social media presence, or podcast
• You will have to put in work reaching out to retailers. You may not need to smile and dial, but you'll DM until your thumbs fall off.
• The more you work early on, the faster you can outsource.

Pitstop is a tactical podcast for DTC/ecommerce/Shopify entrepreneurs to keep their store on the track and winning. Updated a few times a week, these short episodes get right to the point with none of the fluff. Hear real stories from operators and experts to get fast fixes and find free money.

Pitstop is presented by Mesa.

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

• Go where your customer is.
• Looking for different types of advantages.
• Shutting down and pivoting when needed.

Pitstop is a tactical podcast for DTC/ecommerce/Shopify entrepreneurs to keep their store on the track and winning. Updated a few times a week, these short episodes get right to the point with none of the fluff. Hear real stories from operators and experts to get fast fixes and find free money.

Pitstop is presented by Mesa.

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

Pitstop is a tactical podcast for DTC/ecommerce/Shopify entrepreneurs to keep their store on the track and winning. Updated a few times a week, these short episodes get right to the point with none of the fluff. Hear real stories from operators and experts to get fast fixes and find free money.

Pitstop is presented by Mesa.

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

What happens during account planning? In short it’s a collaborative process when everyone, from the team at Omnium, heads of sales, account management, and customer marketing go over weeks and years of data to drive and execute the strategy for each account (retail store).

When one store can have 2500 locations, the strategy of a single SKU can make a big impact, it’s about a $1.3M sales opportunity.

Turn Strategy into action

Prior to an account planning session, it’s easy to talk about what would be nice to do in terms of promotions and prices, but it’s not until the account planning actually happens that action can actually be taken. Otherwise you’re just guessing and gambling big dollars away.

Hone in on each account to see what you can, and should run.

Timing is everything

Typically account planning will look at a year of promotions in advance, this could be your fiscal year, the calendar year or even the customer’s fiscal year. It’s critical to line up your promotions with high seasonality points. If the most shoppers are in the category during Thanksgiving, run your promotions then.

More seasonal than you think

Many products have opposite seasonality, and will come in strong, but finish the year weak. For instance, health products and foods to get healthier typically they do well at the start of the year because people want to undo the unhealthy habits at the start of the year.

You want to avoid running promotions when nobody is buying in your category.

Hedge Your Risks

Spending $100,000 on an event can be expensive, work with your retailers to come up with variable rate or blended rates. This mitigates your risk if you run a promotion but environmental factors make it harder to sell.

The best tool you have

Historical data is the best friend you have. Looking backwards at how products and promotions have run, will be the best tool for predicting the future.

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When you walk the grocery store, you always see the same products. Why is that? It might be easy to ignore when launching a new product, but most products that are launched, don’t make it. Your favourite brands probably started out with one product, and even if you do succeed, it’s very hard to replicate that.

Analytics before launches

As much as we want to launch the next best item in a category, which is why it’s important to use the analytics and numbers to lower expectations and set budgets accordingly. Other things to consider before launching a product are the previous attempts to launch in the category. Even if you do everything right, you may only have a 5% chance of success.

Plan for 0% margin

This comes from the CEO of Wild Planet, Terry Hunt, if you are putting revenue into the plan, plan for 0% margin. Your sales team still has a number to hit, but if it is a flop, that’s what you planned for. Any profit, no matter how small is exceeding your plan.

DTC launches are also risk free environments, especially in small batches.

There’s always a leap of faith

No matter what you do, you can’t predict the future. Even when you do everything right you can still flop, you need actual sales data to predict what will happen. Velocity in the first 13 weeks is what will determine what your sales look like.

Promotions and Bursts of Sales

Promotions have a quick burst of sales, but it’s short lived. Over time, more promotions will lead to more sales because customers are used to seeing your promotions but that takes time.

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Cofounder Alex shares how he builds out a strategy around selling on Reddit including the margins required.

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• Opt-in best practices. Aim for a 5% conversion rate, including from sources like SEO. Connor finds quizzes to be the best way to generate sales, and ways to get zero party data.
• This creates an educational funnel as well, even as simply as reminding subscribers they can order directly from the website.
• Bluebird's welcome series lasts about 2 months and sends 10-12 emails with the goal of equipping customers to make purchase decisions and bust objections like shipping thresholds.
• Look to integrate your helpdesk to your email flows.
• Using SMS for post purchase and welcome series in an intimate way as the founder of the company.
• Immediate post purchase upsells.

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• Lower your customer acquisition cost
• Increase the number of "the right" customers.
• Make it easy by custom writing forwardable emails and text messages, and giving them something to make it worth while.
• What should your budget be for a referral customer? Look at your CAC through traditional advertising channels and cut that in half.
• Giving people a sense of involvement is a great strategy
• Where do you place the messaging? Post purchase emails as a P.S. statement highlighting an aspirational number gives people something to strive too.
• Customers aren't another marketing channel. If they're going to

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• Start on page with your site. There are some apps you can use to make sure your site is optimized for SEO. Make sure your site format is being submitted to Google for rich snippets
• Make sure you preview what your preview will look like.
• When looking at your keyword research, aim for high intent and low competition.
• The skysraper technique for SEO is looking at the first result, then making that article better, longer, more questions answered. You can beef them up with quotes from experts, infographics, and media.
• Once you have your skyscrapper content, create a cluster of content around that article to help building it up.
• You can use your Shopify blog for most of your content.
• Using HARO (Help a Reporter Out) as a way to get traffic and links to your website.

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• Looking at automation as LEGO building blocks.
• Categories of integrations and building into over 50 apps
• Examples of simple, but powerful automations like name capitalization.
• Avoiding the customer support death spiral

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Some ways to add automation into your store lieu of an ERP include.

• Prevent long annual contracts of enterprise software and professional fees for integrations.
• Build up the integrations that you need.
• Solving problems through automation.

Pitstop is a tactical podcast for DTC/ecommerce/Shopify entrepreneurs to keep their store on the track and winning. Updated a few times a week, these short episodes get right to the point with none of the fluff. Hear real stories from operators and experts to get fast fixes and find free money.

Pitstop is presented by Mesa.

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Shoppad CMO Ryan O'Donnell

• Setting up automation as a piece of your process
• Asking yourself the questions to discover what you can be automating.
• Removing mundane tasks from you (or your team's workload).
• Triagging and sorting refund requests and taking action from 1 star reviews.
• Connecting data from different sources
• Reducing workload from daily life

Pitstop is a tactical podcast for DTC/ecommerce/Shopify entrepreneurs to keep their store on the track and winning. Updated a few times a week, these short episodes get right to the point with none of the fluff. Hear real stories from operators and experts to get fast fixes and find free money.

Pitstop is presented by Mesa.

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

• Before you create more content, try to increase the effectiveness by re cutting your existing content
• Metrics to view include 3 second views, average view duration, click-through rate
• Uncover hidden gems and ads to find what's working (and what's not)
• If someone doesn't watch the first 3 seconds, the rest of the ad might be great

Pitstop is a tactical podcast for DTC/ecommerce/Shopify entrepreneurs to keep their store on the track and winning. Updated a few times a week, these short episodes get right to the point with none of the fluff. Hear real stories from operators and experts to get fast fixes and find free money.

Pitstop is presented by Mesa.

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

• Tell stories with your content.
• Cohesive visuals from the ad, to your website.
• Employee generated content builds trust with first time adopters
• Your founder is your first influencer (and spokesperson)
• You need people in your photos!
• Don't be afraid to test video, everything is video now
• Long form video works

Pitstop is a tactical podcast for DTC/ecommerce/Shopify entrepreneurs to keep their store on the track and winning. Updated a few times a week, these short episodes get right to the point with none of the fluff. Hear real stories from operators and experts to get fast fixes and find free money.

Pitstop is presented by Mesa.

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

• You can get decent product photos with your phone, but they still need to tell a story.
• How do your images remind your customers of the problem they have?
• Consistency is as important as quality when it comes to images. Do your ad images match the atheistic of your website.
• What's the converting factor in your images?
• At a 30,000 foot view - to these product images help me get there?

Pitstop is a tactical podcast for DTC/ecommerce/Shopify entrepreneurs to keep their store on the track and winning. Updated a few times a week, these short episodes get right to the point with none of the fluff. Hear real stories from operators and experts to get fast fixes and find free money.

Pitstop is presented by Mesa.

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Tactics Jonathan shares in this episode:

• Moving data to SMS to notify customers of upcoming orders resulting in increased retention.
• Making sure customers are educated on their first order, and ways to consume products for future orders.
• Problem solving vs nice to have automations, including low inventory alerts.

Pitstop is a tactical podcast for DTC/ecommerce/Shopify entrepreneurs to keep their store on the track and winning. Updated a few times a week, these short episodes get right to the point with none of the fluff. Hear real stories from operators and experts to get fast fixes and find free money.

Pitstop is presented by MESA.

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

Jonathan Crawford is back to talk about adding elements of automations to your Shopify store.

• Building out your core ecommerce stack
• Saving money and increasing your site speed by automating similar apps and getting more customization.
• Reducing Fraud through instant notifications of suspicious orders.
• Reducing losses due to

Pitstop is a tactical podcast for DTC/ecommerce/Shopify entrepreneurs to keep their store on the track and winning. Updated a few times a week, these short episodes get right to the point with none of the fluff. Hear real stories from operators and experts to get fast fixes and find free money.

Pitstop is presented by MESA.

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

Jonathan Crawford has worked on brands like Mud\Wtr and Gruvi.

Part of his success has come from automating his workflows to solve more problems. In this episode we talk about

• The need for automation may not be obvious at first, look for opportunities to keep data flowing and moving.
• Tagging orders and customers is a great way to get started with automation, and impacting marking today, and down the road.
• Customers who stay opted in to SMS are your super fans that want to hear from you.
• Advanced automations allow for very personal automations.

Pitstop is a tactical podcast for DTC/ecommerce/Shopify entrepreneurs to keep their store on the track and winning. Updated a few times a week, these short episodes get right to the point with none of the fluff. Hear real stories from operators and experts to get fast fixes and find free money.

Pitstop is presented by Mesa.

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• Work to your strengths, Jarrod ran a small agency so he knows what tasks his team is great at.
• Ability to deploy quicker for fast and dirty
• Working with agencies on bigger, more intricate products like packaging?
• Working with tools you love like Figma.

Pitstop is a tactical podcast for DTC/ecommerce/Shopify entrepreneurs to keep their store on the track and winning. Updated a few times a week, these short episodes get right to the point with none of the fluff. Hear real stories from operators and experts to get fast fixes and find free money.

Pitstop is presented by Mesa.

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

• What makes Tik Tok unique, and why brands shy away.
• Creator tools to make videos special like sounds and stickers.
• Trending sounds and verification limitations
• First experiences running Tik Tok ads.

Pitstop is a tactical podcast for DTC/ecommerce/Shopify entrepreneurs to keep their store on the track and winning. Updated a few times a week, these short episodes get right to the point with none of the fluff. Hear real stories from operators and experts to get fast fixes and find free money.

Pitstop is presented by Mesa.

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

• Making sure chocolate doesn't melt before it reaches customers (and enhancing the customer experience)
• Price differences in volume pricing
• What customers are expecting
• Managing customer expectations pre and post purchase

Pitstop is a tactical podcast for DTC/ecommerce/Shopify entrepreneurs to keep their store on the track and winning. Updated a few times a week, these short episodes get right to the point with none of the fluff. Hear real stories from operators and experts to get fast fixes and find free money.

Pitstop is presented by Mesa.

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

Pitstop is a tactical podcast for DTC/ecommerce/Shopify entrepreneurs to keep their store on the track and winning. Updated a few times a week, these short episodes get right to the point with none of the fluff. Hear real stories from operators and experts to get fast fixes and find free money.

Pitstop is presented by Mesa.

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

To tap into their business buyers and consumers, Swan recreated Monica from Friends apartment and went live.

Pitstop is a tactical podcast for DTC/ecommerce/Shopify entrepreneurs to keep their store on the track and winning. Updated a few times a week, these short episodes get right to the point with none of the fluff. Hear real stories from operators and experts to get fast fixes and find free money.

Pitstop is presented by Mesa.

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Triple Whale - Whale Mail

David Foulstone, marketing director at Swan brands, joins me to talk about managing partnerships with retailers while selling online.

Dropship and fulfilled by is a strategy you can use to build relationships with your suppliers and grow sales.

Pitstop is a tactical podcast for DTC/ecommerce/Shopify entrepreneurs to keep their store on the track and winning. Updated a few times a week, these short episodes get right to the point with none of the fluff. Hear real stories from operators and experts to get fast fixes and find free money.

Pitstop is presented by Mesa.

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

Contrary to this widely held belief though, not all business related friction is bad. That's what Phillip Jackson found out when he and Rightpoint set out to study customer behaviour and buying habits.

Good Friction Vs Bad Friction

There are two types of business friction, generally defined as Good Friction and Bad Friction.

• Good Friction - Something in the buying process that allows a customer to engage further with your brand a product, without interrupting their purchasing of the product
• Bad Friction - Something in the buying process that slows the process without adding any value to the customer in return, creating "speedbumps" between them and completing their purchase

"How do I tell good friction from bad?" 

Where friction is placed in the shopping process is a good indicator, and knowing how shoppers approach your customer support experience is the best way to determine if you've applied too much or too little friction.

The vast majority of post-purchase customers contact service for two reasons:

1. Delivery questions
2. Return questions

There's a smaller but potentially helpful third reason though;

          3. Can you help me with more information?

Whereas any interruption that addresses the first two before checkout will be seen as bad friction, slowing the process to provide unwanted annoyance, one that provides the details of the third (accounting for around a third itself of all customers) before the customer either checks out, or has to return themselves to ask the detailed extra questions, is good friction, helping them to make a better purchase and have a better overall experience.

Examples of Customer Experience  Design Centric Friction

Pop-up assistants, preferred by almost 30% of all customers, are an excellent example of how to use good friction, and how it could result in bad friction. 

• If a customer arrives at your store, and is unsure what to get, a pop-up assistant, like an in-store assistant, can be very helpful in pointing in the  right direction. It is a form of friction, because you have interrupted their shopping flow, but it's good friction because it has actually accelerated their buying experience, delivered through a positive brand engagement. This means that the shopper not only has what they want faster, but now trust your company a little more.
• If however the pop-up needlessly interrupts someone going through the checkout, product in cart with their shopping experience nearly finished, this previously good example breaks bad. The customer has now been slowed unnecessarily, and will carry a negative association not only with your product, but with the feature itself.

Another good use of these chat features, which can be either automated or human-driven, is to offer customers ways that they could fix any problems they have themselves while waiting for escalation, empowering them to feel responsible for their own good outcome with your product and brand, with even less needed interaction or engagement.

The happier the customer is, the better their customer experience through either applied good friction or a noted lack of bad friction, the more likely they'll return to buy again.

Our Sponsors

Omnisend - Typically, any business be it online or offline seeks to deliver their service in the most efficient way possible, getting the customer in, getting them their order, and getting them out so you can repeat the cycle at a high rate. Anything that got in the way, or slowed down this process, is called "friction", and it's the big bad F-word of the commercial world.

Contrary to this widely held belief though, not all business related friction is bad. That's what Phillip Jackson found out when he and Rightpoint set out to study customer behaviour and buying habits.

Good Friction Vs Bad Friction

There are two types of business friction, generally defined as Good Friction and Bad Friction.

• Good Friction - Something in the buying process that allows a customer to engage further with your brand a product, without interrupting their purchasing of the product
• Bad Friction - Something in the buying process that slows the process without adding any value to the customer in return, creating "speedbumps" between them and completing their purchase

Omnisend - ShipBob - Gorgias

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

Here are Ben's top 5 take-aways for Technical SEO

• 1:22 Product Schema. Google doesn't treat all search results the same, and presents them to users with clearly market favourites. Those golden-starred front-runners in the search response are using a piece of code that's available to you, usually through your review app, that syncs the product reviews in your shop with Google. Once installed, you can expect to see results within days.
• 3:20 Broken Internal & External Links. If Google can't follow a link into, around or out of your store, then it's not going to include any of the affected pages in search results. Use a broken-link-checker app frequently to make sure your links are active, internally & externally.
• 5:28 Orphaned Pages. No blog post or content should stand alone, and if Google can't find a way to a  page on your site, it will never get traffic. Be sure that every page is linked to at least 5 other pages on your site, either with related links in the content or standard links to shop sections
• 6:34 Broken JS Code. The bane of many merchants, broken JS code are parts of old apps and features still left in your shop's site that can cause endless errors for you and your users, and disrupt Google's web crawlers. Make sure all previous apps have always been properly uninstalled and fully removed with an online scanner.
• 8:05 Links To MyShopify.com URL. Every Shopify store gets an initial MyShopify.com URL that hosts your content until you've purchased and set up your final brand URL, and often these will be used to link pages together when building a site. Make sure after you're done that you relink all of these back to your brand URL, or MyShopify.com will eat your traffic.

Our Sponsors

Omnisend - ShipBob - Gorgias

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"Shouldn't I get something in return?"

When you work in the world of e-commerce, so much of your life revolves around transactions, and it can seem very strange to offer costly items in return for no guaranteed promotional content.

The secret, explains Lagace, is to trust your influencers and trust your product.

• A properly curated and chosen list of essential influencers, chosen for their potential interest in your product and approached in a friendly, non-transactional manner, will return positive responses and posts from at least 30% of recipients, many of who will make at least two pieces of content

If that's just 100 items sent to 100 influencers, you've generated between 30 and 60+ promotional spots. Most influencers who see positive responses to a product will also agree to share the usage rights to any created content, with the understanding that continuing the relationship would be mutually profitable and beneficial. 

Now it's time to get transactional.

Once you've purchased the usage rights to a dozen or so of the best performing responses from the most reliable influencers, establishing the explicit transactional nature of the relationship, offer to take it to the next level with exclusive contracts.

This is where you'll be able to set clear terms and openly state your expectations, while paying your content creators drastically less than if you hadn't invested in winning them over with some low-cost gifted product and a small investment in their earlier promotional content.

Never stop seeding for new influencers.

Always be on the lookout for the next big name and face to push your product and spread brand awareness, while keeping your best and brightest curious and interested.  Repeat this process constantly to ensure a steady flow of cost-effective, engaging and genuine promotional content.

Pitstop is a tactical podcast for DTC/ecommerce/Shopify entrepreneurs to keep their store on the track and winning. Updated a few times a week, these short episodes get right to the point with none of the fluff. Hear real stories from operators and experts to get fast fixes and find free money.

Pitstop is presented by Mesa.

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

Pitstop is presented by Mesa.

Things to take away from this episode.

1:30 Types of chargebacks. Service-related chargebacks are for things like an order not showing up, or not as described. Alternatively they call their bank and call fraud. 

3:05 Card not present. When a fraudulent purchase is made in person, the liability is on the bank, but online that liability, even for fraud chargebacks is on the merchant.

7:58 Review the reason codes of your chargeback, but take it with a gain of salt. If there are common issues like “not as described, or order didn’t arrive” you can adjust your descriptions, follow up, etc.

9:06 Make it obvious who they’re buying from. This include on your credit card statement the part that shows up as “sp*yourstore.com”and can be edited in your Shopify admin under /admin/settings/payments https://monosnap.com/file/x3hFgYMYaEhaWCuZPzKp4Dvq97YsEV

9:20 Have a phone number, especially if your customers are a bit older.

12:00 For subscription-based businesses, Chargebacks can be issued for up to 3 months of services, and making it known you can cancel makes customers feel safe. Don’t make your customers feel like they’re ordering from an adult video store to cancel meat box subscription.

14:06 Having clear policies, particularly your refund policy. They can be an insurance policy for if you do get a chargeback. Being able to show what you did to help customers will go a long way.

Tactics to reduce service related chargebacks

• Work with quality suppliers and partners. Test your fulfilment centre, and make sure you’re working with one that offers a guarantee.
• Clearly communicate what’s happening with orders. If there are delays, or items are out of stock, don’t hide.
• Don’t act like an adult website for subscription based business, and make it easy to cancel at any time.
• Adjust your messaging on site, and through your pre-and post purchase automations.

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

• If advertising a discount code, add "today" in the copy like promo code TENTODAY for 10% off today. It naturally creates urgency.
• Instagram stories ads continue to convert well, and give you formats perfect for Snapchat and Tik Tok.
• Nothing beats understanding your customers, and what they like, but it's important to understand the nuances of each platform.
• Why the best ads make customer feel noticed, show the product, and tell a story in under 15 seconds.

Pitstop is a tactical podcast for DTC/ecommerce/Shopify entrepreneurs to keep their store on the track and winning. Updated a few times a week, these short episodes get right to the point with none of the fluff. Hear real stories from operators and experts to get fast fixes and find free money.

Pitstop is presented by Mesa.

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

An expert designer of Shopify add-ons and template packs, Toronto based Anne Thomas knows that the mobile user experience is the frontline for the modern consumer. While you never know how customers will be looking at and engaging with your site, an increasing number of users are navigating online over their mobile devices, some doing all of their shopping from the palm of their hand. An optimized, easy to navigate and enjoyable user experience over their mobile device will drive both increased brand engagement and sales overall, and Anne has three important rules for any Shopify user to follow to get the most out of their site.  

1. Not every smartphone or mobile device is equal. Some consumers will be using older devices, with slower processors or older operating systems. Some have larger screens than others, or details appear with less clarity. One easy trick Anne has for any mobile designer is to use the Chrome extension ‘Web Inspector’, which allows you to preview your designs on a wide variety of device screen sizes.
2. Be as careful optimizing your Shopify design packs and site features as you are optimizing to fit and function on mobile platforms. Some common and relied upon features, available across all mobile devices, may be limited un unavailable all together, such as pinch to zoom or swiping, depending on the template or design‘s programming. Always remember to test every aspect of your site, as you never know where an error may arise.
3. Regularly inspect and analyze your mobile experience. Mobile device companies, operating systems programs, app developers and browser technicians are always at work updating their product for the next step in technological evolution, and no matter how adaptive your mobile design is, eventually a platform will be released that doesn’t support it.

Pitstop is a tactical podcast for DTC/ecommerce/Shopify entrepreneurs to keep their store on the track and winning. Updated a few times a week, these short episodes get right to the point with none of the fluff. Hear real stories from operators and experts to get fast fixes and find free money.

Pitstop is presented by Mesa.

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

Generating an active and dynamic business ecosystem that engages the customer as a community member, not just a source of sale.

• Use randomized leech-in options, like gift codes of varying amounts, to continue to drive incentivization and interactions with the brand.
• Stick to more tangible offered benefits, such as gift codes, that customerscan understand. A percentage off a purchase can be vague and distancing for the consumer, but a flat rate, such as $5 off, is more likely to drive engagement and purchases as it’s something more concrete and relatable.
• 10 or 10,000 visits or engagements a dayYou should be doing everything you can to encourage your customers to entrust you with their email or contact information, putting you in control of future engagements with those consumers. Anything you can do to capture first party data will generate future leads.
• Remain engaged and active with your leads throughout your business relationship, not just sporadically. Make contact as often as possible, in the form of product and brand updates, gifts codes and special offers, feedback requests and direct emails upon new purchases, to continue their engagement with your brand even after their transaction has been completed.
• Email is your primary and fundamental point of contact, but always drive further engagement from your lists to your other available content-options. such as SMS updates or offers using a tool like Omnisend or Privy.
• Reward those engagements. Provide unique offers through your various engagement mediums, not just the same offers repeated. Push them up your value ladder, from would be one time buyer to dedicated subscriber, one step at a time.
• Become familiar with the average timeline of product turnover for customers. If it takes a week to finish a bag of coffee, then a week after your system registers a purchase, reach out to that customer with an offer for their next purchase. This drives a sense of community and creates a special bond between the brand and the consumer.

Why continue to use email as a primary contact when we live in a world of social media and text messaging?

• Email remains the most cost effective and direct means for reaching out to your customers, while driving active engagements from the consumer back to your product.
• Automated email systems are by far the cheapest option for mass-contact, and can be randomized to avoid stale or repeating content.
• Customers can easily engage with your brand in return, providing valuable active and up to date feedback on your products, again with no extra cost beyond the initial price of the email campaign.
• Unlike SMS which can only appear as text or static images, or social media which requires the consumer to come to your brand constantly for updates, emails also allow for flyer-style marketing, turning your outreach into a storefront from which they can directly purchase product.

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

• Tailor your general product categories and sections based on customer behaviour and specific lifestyles. Instead of, for example, His & hers Tops, group them based on the kinds of activities consumers can use the items for, like Winter Apparel, Active Wear or Business Casual. This can also help identify your brand with those activities, driving further interest and engagement from interested communities.
• Use dynamic combination suggestions that adapt based on your customer base’s buying behaviour. If someone buys a winter jacket from a clothing store, chances are they would be interested in a pair of gloves and a warm hat as well,  or a kitchen mixer purchase could be paired with a set of bowls, whisks and recipe books. Presenting these combo suggestions before they hit the final checkout can lead to some great last minute sales, and provide you with valuable information about your customer’s purchasing style.
• Curate special collections to allow for one-stop-shopping. Based on the information gathered from the previous suggestions, build specific collections of products to sell as complete packages, be it selling entire outfits, decore remodelling sets, home garden centres; regardless of the product, offer your consumer a ground floor total package that they can buy into a lifestyle with, instead of returning piecemeal. Even if provided at full price, customers will appreciate not having to go through the hassle of shop around, and will identify your brand with convenience and quality.
• Find out how people look for your products, and adapt accordingly. If consumers typically find the items you sell through more traditional catalogue searches, then keep with catalogues, but if word about new product is more often spread through blogs discussing and reviewing them, include a blog on-site, or pay for an affiliate blog to help drum up conversation and traffic for your store. Tailor the shopping experience to the consumer base’s liking as much as possible, for maximum engagement.

Sign up to learn more at https://seonotebook.com/

Pitstop is a tactical podcast for DTC/ecommerce/Shopify entrepreneurs to keep their store on the track and winning. Updated a few times a week, these short episodes get right to the point with none of the fluff. Hear real stories from operators and experts to get fast fixes and find free money.

Pitstop is presented by Mesa.

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

Pitstop is a tactical podcast for DTC/ecommerce/Shopify entrepreneurs to keep their store on the track and winning. Updated a few times a week, these short episodes get right to the point with none of the fluff. Hear real stories from operators and experts to get fast fixes and find free money.

Pitstop is presented by Mesa.

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

In this episode, we discuss.

• Burnout is a huge thing, and not enough people talk about it. It's hard to celebrate when you're feeling down.
• Celebrating when you're down, to remind yourself who you are. You can't let your mental thoughts control your emotions. One of the best things to do is not let the highs get too high, and not let the lows get too low.
• Responding to dopamine hits too hard can turn you into an addict.
• Finding happiness from shipped orders and reviews vs orders and revenue .
• What depression can feel like as an entrepreneur.
• The importance of taking time off and time away.

Pitstop is a tactical podcast for DTC/ecommerce/Shopify entrepreneurs to keep their store on the track and winning. Updated a few times a week, these short episodes get right to the point with none of the fluff. Hear real stories from operators and experts to get fast fixes and find free money.

Pitstop is presented by Mesa.

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

• Ship with a mailer instead of a box to avoid height charges.
• Warehousing in shipping zones near your customers.
• USPS is best for heavy and small.
• UPS is always best for big and heavy
• FedEx is always best for fast

Pitstop is a tactical podcast for DTC/ecommerce/Shopify entrepreneurs to keep their store on the track and winning. Updated a few times a week, these short episodes get right to the point with none of the fluff. Hear real stories from operators and experts to get fast fixes and find free money.

Pitstop is presented by Mesa.

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

In this episode we talk about

• The Rise of Tik Tok and how content
• The impact of attention spans dropping, especially for ads
• Less polished content performs and resonates better
• The ability to go viral from your phone
• Update content to fit your rapidly changing and growing business

Pitstop is a tactical podcast for DTC/ecommerce/Shopify entrepreneurs to keep their store on the track and winning. Updated a few times a week, these short episodes get right to the point with none of the fluff. Hear real stories from operators and experts to get fast fixes and find free money.

Pitstop is presented by Mesa.

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

In this episode of Pitstop, we talk about:

• Taking back your life by controlling what you eat.
• The speed of how fast you can put a business together.
• Advantages of living a mobile life, including being able to show up.
• Break rules while you're an early stage company

Pitstop is a tactical podcast for DTC/ecommerce/Shopify entrepreneurs to keep their store on the track and winning. Updated a few times a week, these short episodes get right to the point with none of the fluff. Hear real stories from operators and experts to get fast fixes and find free money.

Pitstop is presented by Mesa.

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

• The cost of mislabeling packaging, and getting your write slapped by MSC.
• The importance of the water test.
• Making smart choices to reduce packaging cost that meets your needs

Pitstop is a tactical podcast for DTC/ecommerce/Shopify entrepreneurs to keep their store on the track and winning. Updated a few times a week, these short episodes get right to the point with none of the fluff. Hear real stories from operators and experts to get fast fixes and find free money.

Pitstop is presented by Mesa.

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

• Leveraging technology to preserve foods without altering the taste or nutrition profile.
• Working with quality assurance and lab testing to make sure that the food maintains it's flavour profile, while also keeping it's nutrition and shelf stability.
• Following quality assurance for producing internally vs a co-manufature, and keeping them honest.
• The importance of doing a mock recall.
• Why you need to listen to your customers.

Pitstop is a tactical podcast for DTC/ecommerce/Shopify entrepreneurs to keep their store on the track and winning. Updated a few times a week, these short episodes get right to the point with none of the fluff. Hear real stories from operators and experts to get fast fixes and find free money.

Pitstop is presented by Mesa.

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

This episode of Pitstop is presented by Mesa.

In this episode of Pitstop, Claudia and I talk about

• Finding opportunity to help others, in this case it was Claudia seeing empty grocery store shelves in the pandemic. She used her experience from the pet food industry to
• Launching as a publicly traded company by merging with another company allowed them to combine resources and assets to bring better products to market.
• Don't let your fear get in the way of opportunity when it comes to financing. You can get amazing mentors as a new company.
• The more mentors your can bring to your table with different viewpoints saves you so much heartache down the road
• If you are a publicly traded company it will be expensive, you may need to allocated $600K - $1M in annual costs for being public.
• Infrastructure and short cuts can come back to bite you in the butt if you don't have a plan.
• Want to see how clean a restaurant is? Check the staff bathrooms.

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

1. Get ready to serve your customers!
2. Proactively bust any objections like shipping time, or discounts.
3. Work with your agents to give them script and context, same with a contact centre partner.
4. Proactively communicate with your customers what to expect from lead times to postage times, or things like inventory levels.
5. Increase sales now -- avoid returns or chargebacks later
6. Add Urgency where you can -- now is the time to step on the gas.
7. BFCMTODAY is a discount code that naturally creates urgency (with TODAY in the code). Changing up discount codes is also a great reason to send an email this week, versus time is running out.
8. Housekeeping! 
9. Record a lot! What’s working, how you’re feeling etc. It will get your data context and the memories are still fresh. 
10. What can you automate going into the new year? Mesa from Shop Pad is coming on as a sponsor, and they’ll be a future episode or two talking about some of the automations like easily collecting customer birthdays and more.
11. Save your URLS! This is one of my number one SEO tips from Steve Toth, I’ll repost the episode over the holiday break. If you were fortunate enough to get some press this year -- keep those URLs so that next year they add to your BFCM link juice.

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

• The value of living vicariously through family members.
• Motorcycles are a sesonal activity, but it's a long season, even in colder climates you still have five months of riding. This means some people want to buy year round but need their products by the end of the year.
• Compared to winter season sports, there is a short season to sell that isn't clearance items.
• October, January, and February are low in sales, but November and December are strong, even with seasonality of the business.
• Capitalizing on preorders during off peak seasons is a great way to talk about products twice. When it's announced, and when it ships. This lets you pick up off season products.
• Tobacco runs an off season clearance sale called the Garage Sale
• Off seasons can be a great way to launch lifestyle clothing as well and bring customers in to see your quality at a lower price point.
• Why you should greet your friends with good'n'u?

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

In this episode we talk about

• Keeping customers as less frustrated as possible when supplies are in short demand.
• Shifting preorders as an occasional thing to part of the product launch strategy.
• Putting out fires using capital as your fire extinguisher, and putting out fires early on before it's expensive.
• Using customer feedback to feel more involved with products, and connecting closer to the brand, and serve your customers better

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

In this episode we talk about

• The importance of customer success
• Building a community by giving it a name, Tobacco Motowear has built the Buildr community and even started a podcast with the same name.
• Building all this goodwill proactively (hopefully) outweighs dissatisfaction
• Keeping customers who care engaged with your growth.

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

Hear how they got started in this episode of Pitstop.

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

2:45 Supplier issues are hard. Don’t be afraid to be flexible or look towards finding someone closer to you as your volumes go up.

3:45 The biggest question was how much of the initial sale was their audience? Once it was obvious it was not reliant on the community, it made sense to spend more on marketing through paid ads.

5:30 Ryan loves the Jeff Walker Product Launch Formula. It may seem obvious of getting your audience involved and engaging and building your audience to participate in the development of what you’re working on.

This can be as simple as questions, surveys, and polls.

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

• 1:00 Great brand partnerships that make everyone happy is the goal. Ryan has been on both sides of the deal. As an influencer, it’s important to work with brands that you’re proud to promote. The biggest deal Ryan’s ever been presented with he turned down!
• You need to remember when you’re pitching if you tarnish your influence, nobody will take what you say seriously.
• 3:45 When working with a brand, reach out and see if they work directly or with an agency for any brand deals. They may be able to bring you a better brand deal than you originally though.
• 5:00 The brand deals don’t have to be a direct product you’d use, but need to make sense. When Heinz was promoting their Super Bowl commercial, Crusoe was a brand ambassador for this campaign.
• 7:00 Influencers go beyond Instagram and maybe Tik Tok, work with creators to know where their community will be most engaged.
• 8:00 Ryan talks how he got started with the Doggo Ramp
• 9:20 Working as an influencer set Ryan up as a brand to work with influencers. They’re still a smaller brand so they aren’t paying top dollar influencers. The best influencers are not too big or too small, and also representative of the brands you want to reach. Ryan loves when brands reach out to him proactively.

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

In this episode of Pitstop, we talk about how he grew his following and the nuances of each platform.

Pitstop is proudly sponsored by:

Omnisend - ShipBob

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

• 1:30 What were your customers doing before they found you? What products did they like, and how did they like to buy? It will give you all kinds of insights. Most people are willing to help when you show them under the hood because it helps them scratch an entrepreneurial itch. When you show them under the hood, and be proactive with your customer support it enhances everything from product or branding pipeline to the copy to use in your ads.
• 4:50 Take care fo your best customers. Some DTC customers will order wholesale volumes. This is the time to do things that don’t scale and treat them to things like bagels from their favourite place or a birthday cake. They might not scale, but they also don’t cost that much either.
• 9:20 Your perspective is only one. There will always be elements of what you think that are just wrong. You might have the best looking PDP in the world, but some customers will just add to cart from the collections page. Your website is your one store, if you don’t remerchandise your site will go stale.
• 12:00 Tools without technique is nothing. As we approach an automated world, a little bit counterintuitive, the more manual effort around things get over indexed when it comes to exposure. A balance of work and technology is the key to over indexing success.

Pitstop is proudly sponsored by:

Omnisend - ShipBob

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

Matt Mullenax shares Huron's strategy for building, engaging, and incentivizing a community.

• 2:01 Building an engaged community on Slack with 400 users
• 4:39 When it comes to prelaunch, a Typeform is sent out, and there's a mutual agreement that the product is free but reviews and UGC are greatly appreciated. It goes to a ghost SKU that can be taken right to checkout.
• 7:03 The power of personalized notes
• 9:02 Treating CX as something that's proactive instead of reactive.

Pitstop is proudly sponsored by:

Omnisend - ShipBob

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

Highlights and takeaways from this episode.

• 2:16 How Huron won Esquire's best Shampoo of 2021. It starts with a good product. No bad products are going to win best of awards by any reputable source.
• 3:35 Building relationships with the communities of influencers rather than relying on transactional conversations. You're not going to bat 100% so build a pipeline before you need it.
• 6:15 Reviews vs third party validations.
• 9:30 Leveraging reviews to use real language when describing your products.
• 11:43 Working with your existing customers and brand loyalists to get UGC and reviews on launch day.

Pitstop is proudly sponsored by:

Omnisend - ShipBob

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

• Setting goals and milestones for your campaigns
• Choosing the right agency to work with
• Maximizing your engaged audience.

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

• 1:30 Headless fulfilment and using one logistics centre to fulfil in multiple places, plus wondering if dropshipping is dead for the time being.
• 6:04 The biggest mistake I made as a founder and operator by expanding too early.
• 7:58 Amazon vs Walmart and Amazon search strategies.

Pitstop is proudly sponsored by:

Omnisend - ShipBob

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

Key moments in this episode:

• 4:00 Organic growth in 2022 will look different than in the past. Uncover strategies to be discovered by your customers without increasing your 
• 7:00 Seasonal SEO is something that continues to get better every year. Don't be afraid to use holidays, marketing events, or make your own as a cause for celebration.
• 14:00 Chum the water. Your VIP customers give you tons of first party data. Don't be afraid to cater to them.
• 15:49 Don’t be shy with SMS. If you're not spamming, and it's something your customers want, don't be afraid to message them more regularly. It can be a great way to remind your customers you exist.

Pitstop is proudly sponsored by:

Omnisend - ShipBob

Mentioned in this episode:

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Want more? Sarah shares how buyer based Psychology- Based Creative is changing the DTC space.

• 1:47 Small runs save lives. Occasionally some SKUs will be retired through a discount or end of life run. Getting started they always start with the lowest quantity they can to test. They also know their sales patterns to adjust for free orders. One more thing that Colin and team do is test patterns first before ordering large amounts
• 3:27 Long shelf life is key. The products all have long shelf lives, which is key. This allows the team to store any unsold inventory and organize flash sales around the holidays and BFCM. 
• 4:16 Sourcing Local. Camskns is sourced locally in Charleston S.C. They've been able to work together and share different products, eventually growing and expanding into new territory. It also helps combat having inventory stuck on the boat.
• 6:03 SKU Management. Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you mismanage your inventory. One Tik Tok went viral and drove a ton of sales to other SKUs. Sometimes you get stuck with a bunch of rustic bronze because it just doesn't sell as well.

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Want more? Sarah shares how buyer based Psychology- Based Creative is changing the DTC space.

• 1:01 Before asking for a review, a post purchase email that asks for content first, then a review. This strengthens the relationship by building a community first asking for a photo or video, then this can be used to post and tag the customer on social media, and then ask for a review. This helps both Camskns, and their photographer clients.
• 2:58 Use UGC for new launches. One of the biggest thing Colin has learned is all the benefits of nurturing your customers post sale. They bring all kinds of value including getting you product photos and videos you can use on your site and in your ads.
• 3:45 Show your customers first. One of Camskns biggest issues was customers who weren't able to get their install right. One day after purchase, Colin sends a video, of him, showing what is needed before the install so customers have time to get it. He also explains how to contact support, and sends the video again 10 days after purchase.
• 6:35 Making interactions more human. One of the ways to reduce the number of low reviews is to show customers how to succeed, in this case, with installs. Whatever your post purchase is from your customers, ask yourself how you can improve it.

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Want more? Sarah shares how buyer based Psychology- Based Creative is changing the DTC space.

Key moments in this episode of Pitstop.

• 1:30 Getting started with just a couple of samples and a solid, local manufacturer, Colin  was able to go live with a variety of options for Sony cameras. They quickly expanded, and dropped the Sony from the name, rebranding as Camskns. There were other camera skins out there, but they were all dark and overly masculine.
• 4:46 Expanding smart. When it came time to add new brands of cameras they supported, it helped that Colin was already a member of the photography community. This saved headaches and money by not making products for cameras that aren't popular. This is also the value of a community, even on Instagram, where you can solicit feedback from your members and followers.
• 5:31 First sales came from building an organic Instagram audience. They posted three times a day, various photos and videos, of cameras and the product which led to sales and UGC content. The bigger the community, the more organic sales and creative they would have for their ads. It makes sense that
• 8:08 Social proof seen around the world is easily created from customers. It shows that people do buy the product, they ship to you, and capture the product actually being used, in ways that you wouldn't be able to demonstrate.

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• 2:00 Give your product as much shelf life as possible. The first product was a ready to drink product that needed to be chilled in storage. It also had a 30 day shelf life. After this, they reformulated the drink to a powder. Now they can ship around the world.
• 4:22 By partnering with Shipbob, they're able to expand to other countries  and grow in marketplaces like Amazon and Walmart.
• 7:02  What does a modern 3PL look like? A dashboard showing all your orders in one place, and offering better customer experiences.
• 9:01 If you're switching between categories like food or food supplements, you may have to blend how you're perceived. This can impact packaging requirements and taxes. It's much cheaper to decide before you do a large packaging run.

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P.S. If you're wondering how Leonie was able to get back 50% of her time, check out this case study from Shipbob.

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• 1:30 Juspy wants consumers to be able to have their cake and eat it too. Because it's a product that's good for you, and tastes good, it needs to be visually appealing too.
• 2:45 Before starting Juspy, Leonie did a PHD in visual marketing. Her children joke that she's not a real doctor, but a brain doctor. This comes through in the product through communicating with visual literacy. While the packaging isn't the same giant abstract canvas she's uses what she learned in visual literacy to communicate with her customers.
• 5:30 In crowded markets, you need a differentiator to stand out and connect with your customers. For Juspy, this meant creating a visual brand customers identified with.
• 8:35 After listening to their customers, they started creating Spotify playlists for their customers who were reading the blog. It gives insight into the founder, and helps customers use more product. It also is a way to connect with influencers and match music at festivals or events. It's also a way to connect with customers without trying to sell someone to something.

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P.S. If you're wondering how Leonie was able to get back 50% of her time, check out this case study from Shipbob.

Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail

Key moments in this episode:

• 1:30 Getting started with launchpad  used to be invite only, but if you're a small seller with less than $5M in revenue, you can apply. It's an easy way to own your Amazon listing, without going through a reseller or distributor.
• 2:30 Keeping track of the Amazon process with a good old fashioned notebook, and the headaches caused by bad ASIN management. If you have the same product in different market places, using different ASIN's can be a big issue.
• 4:30 One of the biggest benefits of being a part of the Launchpad program was the access to premium seller support, especially when something goes wrong, like moving categories.
• 6:00 Amazon has tough requirements in place, but they don't always tell you about them. While relisting a product that was already live, Leonie had to provide just about every piece of evidence you're a real brand imaginable. Including photos of you with the product.
• 7:00 Nothing is a quick fix with Amazon. It took weeks to get their product relisted. Ultimately it's on you to learn Amazon as best as you can, including finding a coach who has done it before. They can help you navigate things like contacting support to reduce your wait times. Always have them send you a transcript.
• 11:00 A+ plus content are additional areas to make your Amazon listing feel like yours. You can use it to bust objections, tell your story, and sell more products.

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• Delivery speed, use WFS or 3PL if you cannot fulfil 2 day
  • Large brands may be able to do this
  
  
• Content: listing quality must be 95% or better; Pro Seller Badge
• Price

Large brands: household names already being searched for and may be in store (PUT/SFS opportunities)

• Pick up in store

Small brands: private label - need to get to the first page, have strong content, good reviews, and good prices. The premium brands don’t always jive on walmart.

• Get on Walmart - either you’ll sell your products or some 3rd party will. First mover advantage

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• Amazon has over 110 active fulfillment centers in USA
• Walmart Fulfillment Service has 20 thus far

Membership:

• Amazon Prime has over 100 million prime members
• Walmart Plus has around 8 million members ($98 per year)
  • Benefits are Free shipping, free deliver from stores, etc
  
  

Brick and Mortar

• Still massive: 90% of Americans live within 10 miles of a Walmart store
• Walmart redesigning over 1,000 stores to improve shopping experience (eventually with more tech = digitally enabled shopping experiences)
• Amazon just entering B&M

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• Price is a big factor for shoppers, it's the main reason for choosing Wal-Mart over Costco, Best-Buy etc.
• Pick up connivence of being able to pick up today is something customers go to Wal-Mart for, versus Amazon.
• Wal-Mart as a portion of online sales have doubled, and they have 400M online visitors a month.
• Only 9% of shoppers care who the seller is.
• Customers are very discount driven, Roll Back is the biggest driver of sales.
• Customer search on walmart.com is very brand driven, the first thing customers interact with is the search bar
• The impact of shipping for customers, and being able to deliver customer products in under two days.

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Prepping for Q4 and BFCM.

2:06 Know Your Inventory Avoiding sell outs too early and knowing how your product will sell. For Touchland, new scents are easy ways to get PR and sell bundles, particularly as stocking stuffer ideas. Use last year's sales.

3:36 Strategies for PR Editors don't want to take a risk on an unknown brand, leverage your social proof and customers to lower the risk of being featured. PR also increases authority and credibility, making your paid advertising more effective.

6:17 Logistics Planning Believe it or not, weather can have a big impact on business, with things like late hurricanes having a bigger impact than you think, you need to think of the absolute worst case scenario. You need to have not just plan A and B, but C,D,E, etc as well.

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After doing 700 orders a day during the pandemic, Touchland CEO and Founder Andrea Lisbona shares some of her numbers behind her growth.

Getting started in ecommerce early through Kickstarter, and launching in the US in 2018, 

2:30 Give customers options to increase AOV. By focusing on scents, touchland is able to sell more units as customers like to wear different fragrances. If you sell different flavors or scents, make sure to 

4:53 The biggest challenge Andrea faces is keeping up with demand. Which is a great product, but like she says, brand is built in a lifetime, but lost in a minute. Balancing out of stock with customer demand.

7:01 Focused on customer service has always been a part of their strategy. From cancelling pre-orders on their launch to letting customers know their orders will be a while before shipping out. 

8:54 Expanding into the US market can always be tricky. US customers are keen to try new things, but you have to meet their expectations.

Sponsors

Omnisend - Stop monkeying around with your marketing automation and switch to Omnisend today. Trusted by 70,000 ecommerce merchants. 

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Gorgias- The number 1 helpdesk for ecommerce, automate your customer success.

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Success wasn't achieved overnight for Toronto's Vivian Kaye, who started out 15 years ago with a side business doing wedding decor and designs. While she was able to turn VD&D into a 6-figure company, it wasn't until  she thought about herself and her own needs first, rather than her client's, that she discovered the product and mission that would change her life.

Here's how VIvian Kaye and KinkyCurlyYaki went from at-home DIY  to hair-care product must-buy.

6:15 At Home Solutions. The best selling products fill a need, solve a problem, and improve the life of the customer, and there is no customer's need you understand more than you own. When the hair-care industry couldn't offer Vivian the quality other customers could expect, she struck out on her own to do it herself.

Simply looking to make her own life a little easier, so she could focus on her then-main business, she learned how to make the product she wanted, who could help her make it, and familiarized herself with the common complaints of other customers so she could avoid those problems.

• What have you already innovated, researched or developed to make your own life easier, that you're not yet taking full opportunity of?

7:55 Grow It Organically. Any product, company or brand can buy some advertising space on Facebook, the site isn't too picky about whose money they'll take, and there's always more to flood its closed network with. 

To make a real, lasting impact and impression with your first customers, you have to get personal, and let them get a little personal with you. 

Though Vivian saw a potential gap in the market, providing professional looking protective styles for Black women with a more natural look, but didn't see an opportunity to capitalize on the idea. It wasn't until she was read the experiences of others online, and was approached at an event where she was promoting her decor business, that she saw her chance and her market.

• Your first customers can be your most powerful brand ambassadors.  Their satisfaction with the product & excitement from getting in on the ground floor is the best promotion for your business, costs you nothing in marketing dollars, and they'll never hesitate to eagerly and proudly share with any new potential customers.
• Find someone you know would love the product just as much as you do, and send them some free samples. They will not only generate leads, they'll give you honest reviews and fantastic promotional copy, in the honest language of the customers.
• Be honest, open and yourself with your earliest customers and any potential customers you gather market research from. People only feel used and abused when they've been outright ignored, taken advantage of by someone they don't know, or are quickly forgotten. Be there for your community, and they'll be there for you.

10:00 Build Your Inventory Brick By Brick. You may think that in order to sell $ 1 million in product, you have to have $1 million worth of product, but that's taking an unnecessary gamble, and putting the cart far ahead of the horse.

Relying on the revenue from her previous wedding design business, Vivian took it slow and steady, re-investing any profits from sales back into buying more product, and playing the waiting game until word of mouth lead to ever increasing sales and clicks. This allowed her to take KinkyCurlyYaki from a couple of Rubbermade buckets to a 1000 square foot warehouse.

• Only buy the stock you need until you've found a promotional partner who will take your brand awareness to a new level. This...]]>It's every entrepreneur's dream to create a 7-figure earning brand with their own hands, but few have the skills or hustle needed, and even fewer still have the luck, to find the right opportunity at the right moment, and know how to take advantage of it.

  Success wasn't achieved overnight for Toronto's Vivian Kaye, who started out 15 years ago with a side business doing wedding decor and designs. While she was able to turn VD&D into a 6-figure company, it wasn't until  she thought about herself and her own needs first, rather than her client's, that she discovered the product and mission that would change her life.

  Here's how VIvian Kaye and KinkyCurlyYaki went from at-home DIY  to hair-care product must-buy.

  6:15 At Home Solutions. The best selling products fill a need, solve a problem, and improve the life of the customer, and there is no customer's need you understand more than you own. When the hair-care industry couldn't offer Vivian the quality other customers could expect, she struck out on her own to do it herself.

  Simply looking to make her own life a little easier, so she could focus on her then-main business, she learned how to make the product she wanted, who could help her make it, and familiarized herself with the common complaints of other customers so she could avoid those problems.

  • What have you already innovated, researched or developed to make your own life easier, that you're not yet taking full opportunity of?
  
  

  7:55 Grow It Organically. Any product, company or brand can buy some advertising space on Facebook, the site isn't too picky about whose money they'll take, and there's always more to flood its closed network with. 

  To make a real, lasting impact and impression with your first customers, you have to get personal, and let them get a little personal with you. 

  Though Vivian saw a potential gap in the market, providing professional looking protective styles for Black women with a more natural look, but didn't see an opportunity to capitalize on the idea. It wasn't until she was read the experiences of others online, and was approached at an event where she was promoting her decor business, that she saw her chance and her market.

  • Your first customers can be your most powerful brand ambassadors.  Their satisfaction with the product & excitement from getting in on the ground floor is the best promotion for your business, costs you nothing in marketing dollars, and they'll never hesitate to eagerly and proudly share with any new potential customers.
  • Find someone you know would love the product just as much as you do, and send them some free samples. They will not only generate leads, they'll give you honest reviews and fantastic promotional copy, in the honest language of the customers.
  • Be honest, open and yourself with your earliest customers and any potential customers you gather market research from. People only feel used and abused when they've been outright ignored, taken advantage of by someone they don't know, or are quickly forgotten. Be there for your community, and they'll be there for you.
  
  

  10:00 Build Your Inventory Brick By Brick. You may think that in order to sell $ 1 million in product, you have to have $1 million worth of product, but that's taking an unnecessary gamble, and putting the cart far ahead of the horse.

  Relying on the revenue from her previous wedding design business, Vivian took it slow and steady, re-investing any profits from sales back into buying more product, and playing the waiting game until word of mouth lead to ever increasing sales and clicks. This allowed her to take KinkyCurlyYaki from a couple of Rubbermade buckets to a 1000 square foot warehouse.

  • Only buy the stock you need until you've found a promotional partner who will take your brand awareness to a new level. This will help you avoid unexpected loss should the business fall through, but will also keep things manageable, and allow you to maintain the highest quality.
  
  

  16:25 Adopt, adapt & Always improve. It's not just the customer's taste that changes over time. As personal technology and ecommerce advance and become more integral to everyone's day to day lives, so will their inherent understanding of the tech, and how they use it.

  With the advent of pay-to-play promotion, for-purchase bots and other algorithm based systems, plus competition from larger overseas markets who can manufacture products for penny on the dollar and dig into deep pockets to hire talent, Vivian and KinkyCurlyYaki have had to work extra hard to stay on top of the industry.

  • Always keep one eye open for market, technology and behavioural changes, be it from customers, industry or providers. Seeing the next big wave coming can mean the difference between riding it to new heights, and seeing it all come crashing down.
  
  

  Put yourself out there, be open and honest, and be the company Amazon and your overseas competitors never can be

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  ]]>bad2645c-c89a-4428-844a-ca6fc6fb8282Fri, 10 Sep 2021 04:05:00 -050030:39nofull113Founder and CEO of KinkyCurlyYaki, providing professional grade hair extensions for hundreds of thousands of Black women, the "bad ass female entrepreneur" Vivian Kaye joins Pitstop for a very special, extra long 1-on-1 about building your brand from scratch to cash.Lucas WalkerSocial Enterprise & Crazy Socks - John & Mark CroninWith over $11.5 million in revenue, shipped to 85 country, and worn by hundreds of thousands across the world, including former American Presidents, John's Crazy Socks is an example to follow, not only for their financial success, but also their inspiring message of inclusion and support for people with intellectual & physical disabilities.

  Says co-founder Mark Cronin, hiring and supporting disabled employees "is not altruism, it's good business", and business can be good for you too if you open your workforce to be more supportive for the differently abled.

  Here's how social enterprise & inclusive hiring can make your business stronger

  4:25/8:05 Recognize Your Own Potential. If you consider your brand just another one of thousands of providers of a lifeless product, simply in it for the profit, odds are you'll never break out. 

  Recognizing the potential in others, can help you see the potential in yourself, and seeing both necessity and opportunity turned John & Mark from internet start-up entrepreneurs into the largest sock store in the world in just a few years.  

  When you look at your brand, consider where you came from to understand where you really want to go.

  • What opportunities lead you here?
  • What opportunities are you not taking advantage of?
  • What opportunities can you offer to others?
  
  

  5:15/13:20 Offer A Truly Next Level Customer Experience. Many companies and brands claim to be ethical, offer exciting opportunities to be the in-crowd and make overtures to spreading positivity, but few can prove it quite like social enterprises. 

  There's no substitute for the feeling customers get when they are given a chance to legitimately connect commerce with charity, and they will both spend and donate freely and often to relive that feeling again and again. This has allowed John's Crazy Socks to not only raise over $140,000 for the Special Olympics, but also pull in over $11 million in online sales.

  • Initially, John would hand deliver sock orders himself, in person,  sometimes far outside the typical delivery hours. While having the co-founder on the road personally dropping off product to customers would seem ridiculous and costly to many business owners, it helped turn John into an overnight sensation in his home town, with customers placing orders just so they can meet him, then returning to order more so he would come back. Learn to look outside the box for ideas, and understand the importance of one-on-one outreach in building brand identity & awareness.
  • People love to support a good cause, especially if it means they get a great product along with it, and won't be shy letting you know when they love something. For John & Mark, that's been proven not just in sales figures, but with over 29,000 online reviews (4.9 average rating overall)  an incredible 95.7 percent of which scored 5 of out 5. No one can buy that kind of positive publicity and popularity, it can only come from being genuine.
  
  

  6:45/9:15/18:30 Give Employees A Mission Bigger Than Themselves. Workers can only be so energized about making you money, beyond that attention drops off, quickly followed by retention.  

  Hiring and supporting workers with disabilities, and getting behind their causes, reinvigorates employees by giving them something much more to strive for, while helping to make lives better. 

  What's more, it can offer self-reliance, useful skills and social access to those who often have little or no choice or chances in their lives, helping to give them purpose and a living wage.

  • Unemployment with the disabled community is as high in some areas as 80%. Those are not just capable & willing workers, those are people who need the support your business can offer them. In return, you'll gain the most loyal workforce]]>With over $11.5 million in revenue, shipped to 85 country, and worn by hundreds of thousands across the world, including former American Presidents, John's Crazy Socks is an example to follow, not only for their financial success, but also their inspiring message of inclusion and support for people with intellectual & physical disabilities.

    Says co-founder Mark Cronin, hiring and supporting disabled employees "is not altruism, it's good business", and business can be good for you too if you open your workforce to be more supportive for the differently abled.

    Here's how social enterprise & inclusive hiring can make your business stronger

    4:25/8:05 Recognize Your Own Potential. If you consider your brand just another one of thousands of providers of a lifeless product, simply in it for the profit, odds are you'll never break out. 

    Recognizing the potential in others, can help you see the potential in yourself, and seeing both necessity and opportunity turned John & Mark from internet start-up entrepreneurs into the largest sock store in the world in just a few years.  

    When you look at your brand, consider where you came from to understand where you really want to go.

    • What opportunities lead you here?
    • What opportunities are you not taking advantage of?
    • What opportunities can you offer to others?
    
    

    5:15/13:20 Offer A Truly Next Level Customer Experience. Many companies and brands claim to be ethical, offer exciting opportunities to be the in-crowd and make overtures to spreading positivity, but few can prove it quite like social enterprises. 

    There's no substitute for the feeling customers get when they are given a chance to legitimately connect commerce with charity, and they will both spend and donate freely and often to relive that feeling again and again. This has allowed John's Crazy Socks to not only raise over $140,000 for the Special Olympics, but also pull in over $11 million in online sales.

    • Initially, John would hand deliver sock orders himself, in person,  sometimes far outside the typical delivery hours. While having the co-founder on the road personally dropping off product to customers would seem ridiculous and costly to many business owners, it helped turn John into an overnight sensation in his home town, with customers placing orders just so they can meet him, then returning to order more so he would come back. Learn to look outside the box for ideas, and understand the importance of one-on-one outreach in building brand identity & awareness.
    • People love to support a good cause, especially if it means they get a great product along with it, and won't be shy letting you know when they love something. For John & Mark, that's been proven not just in sales figures, but with over 29,000 online reviews (4.9 average rating overall)  an incredible 95.7 percent of which scored 5 of out 5. No one can buy that kind of positive publicity and popularity, it can only come from being genuine.
    
    

    6:45/9:15/18:30 Give Employees A Mission Bigger Than Themselves. Workers can only be so energized about making you money, beyond that attention drops off, quickly followed by retention.  

    Hiring and supporting workers with disabilities, and getting behind their causes, reinvigorates employees by giving them something much more to strive for, while helping to make lives better. 

    What's more, it can offer self-reliance, useful skills and social access to those who often have little or no choice or chances in their lives, helping to give them purpose and a living wage.

    • Unemployment with the disabled community is as high in some areas as 80%. Those are not just capable & willing workers, those are people who need the support your business can offer them. In return, you'll gain the most loyal workforce available, whose joy at being included, being able to support themselves and do something they believe in is infectious, and  will spread to your other employees.
    • Success can also bring access, and with great opportunity comes great responsibility to take every chance you have to help others. For John & Mark, that's meant many chances to network with the nation's movers and shakers, hobnobbing with America's political elite. But they never lose focus of what matters, and that's making the world a better place, be it through spreading happiness with socks or bending the ear of the rich and powerful towards a good cause. If you offer your employees a mission bigger then themselves, never forget that includes you too.
    
    

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    ]]>9c20e92b-b559-4da4-9aea-5436e6c63bf0Thu, 09 Sep 2021 04:05:00 -050034:36nofull112Co-founder of the runaway online social enterprise John's Crazy Socks, Special Olympian and sock buddy to former Presidents, John Lee Cronin and his father Mark have discovered that the best road to profit is paved with happiness and acceptance, and they want you to share their joy.John Lee CroninTime Waits For No Brand - Brad HoosYou've reached out, connected and grown a reliable and positive relationship with an influencer or two, you've learned the in's and out's of content sites like YouTube and Spotify, and you're confidently satisfied with the returns you're getting from the campaign.

    The time is finally right for you to take your influencers to the next level, start paying them directly for their work, and make them a bigger part of your marketing team.

    Here's how to transition to a paid influencer program, and when to take the relationship to the next level.

    Which type of influencer program is right for you?

    • 1:30 Different Types Of Influencer Programs. While many brands will simply put a creator on the payroll and call it a day, that's only one type of influencer program you could take advantage of. Consider what would work best for your brand/creator relationship.
      • 2:15 Many Creators On Many Levels. Just because you've started paying one or two big creators doesn't mean you have to stop reaching out for free content from the little guys or the up and comers. Consider a healthy mix of the two, and keep sending out those freebies and generating those positive responses, and your brand's cache will continue to grow along with these newer influencers.
      • 2:40 Organic Reach.  A hands off approach where you routinely send your influencers products instead of money, while letting them decide what kind of content best speaks to their audience. Simple, cost effective and low effort on your part.
      • 2:53 Paid Programs. More expensive certainly, but  typically with greater control and say over the content. If you have some clear messages in mind you want to get out there about your brand, and a solid relationship with an influencer who is willing to work with you more or less exclusively, this is the choice for you
      
      
    
    

    Remember, 4:00 creators are creative people, and reached a level of success and recognition themselves before even partnering with your brand. Trust them to know their audience, and listen to their needs for that content. You may never have to transition them to a paid program, allowing you to save money while reaping the benefits.

    If however you both agree it's time to take it to the next level, there are two (and a half) ways to include your brand in their content.

    • 4:35 Integrated Content. These are the most familiar to anyone whose listened to podcasts or watched YouTube. integrated Content often takes the forms of mid-show shout outs, host-read ad breaks and on-air testimonials from the influencer themselves. This is the most authentic form of content, and viewers can instinctively tell the difference, but it also affords you less control over what topics your brand is associated with.
    • 5:12 Dedicated Content. A much more time consuming and hands-on approach, dedicated content sees you working closely with the influencer on specific content, such as topics related to your brand or product. While this affords you much more editorial control, it also demands a lot of your time, or that of your marketing team, and can prove very expensive if the production budget gets out of control.
    • 5:50 Paid Social. This is less about how involved you are in the production, and where it gets release. Known also as white listing  and boosted content, this is putting out content you and the influencer both had a hand in developing, but is put out on their channel as if it were their own organic content. This allows both control, and a priceless sense of authenticity.
    
    

    7:00 If you do decide to step up to a paid social program, make sure your company can handle it. Does this go under your influencer team, or your social team? Don't leave these decisions for the last minute, create a spirit of collaboration...]]>You've reached out, connected and grown a reliable and positive relationship with an influencer or two, you've learned the in's and out's of content sites like YouTube and Spotify, and you're confidently satisfied with the returns you're getting from the campaign.

    The time is finally right for you to take your influencers to the next level, start paying them directly for their work, and make them a bigger part of your marketing team.

    Here's how to transition to a paid influencer program, and when to take the relationship to the next level.

    Which type of influencer program is right for you?

    • 1:30 Different Types Of Influencer Programs. While many brands will simply put a creator on the payroll and call it a day, that's only one type of influencer program you could take advantage of. Consider what would work best for your brand/creator relationship.
      • 2:15 Many Creators On Many Levels. Just because you've started paying one or two big creators doesn't mean you have to stop reaching out for free content from the little guys or the up and comers. Consider a healthy mix of the two, and keep sending out those freebies and generating those positive responses, and your brand's cache will continue to grow along with these newer influencers.
      • 2:40 Organic Reach.  A hands off approach where you routinely send your influencers products instead of money, while letting them decide what kind of content best speaks to their audience. Simple, cost effective and low effort on your part.
      • 2:53 Paid Programs. More expensive certainly, but  typically with greater control and say over the content. If you have some clear messages in mind you want to get out there about your brand, and a solid relationship with an influencer who is willing to work with you more or less exclusively, this is the choice for you
      
      
    
    

    Remember, 4:00 creators are creative people, and reached a level of success and recognition themselves before even partnering with your brand. Trust them to know their audience, and listen to their needs for that content. You may never have to transition them to a paid program, allowing you to save money while reaping the benefits.

    If however you both agree it's time to take it to the next level, there are two (and a half) ways to include your brand in their content.

    • 4:35 Integrated Content. These are the most familiar to anyone whose listened to podcasts or watched YouTube. integrated Content often takes the forms of mid-show shout outs, host-read ad breaks and on-air testimonials from the influencer themselves. This is the most authentic form of content, and viewers can instinctively tell the difference, but it also affords you less control over what topics your brand is associated with.
    • 5:12 Dedicated Content. A much more time consuming and hands-on approach, dedicated content sees you working closely with the influencer on specific content, such as topics related to your brand or product. While this affords you much more editorial control, it also demands a lot of your time, or that of your marketing team, and can prove very expensive if the production budget gets out of control.
    • 5:50 Paid Social. This is less about how involved you are in the production, and where it gets release. Known also as white listing  and boosted content, this is putting out content you and the influencer both had a hand in developing, but is put out on their channel as if it were their own organic content. This allows both control, and a priceless sense of authenticity.
    
    

    7:00 If you do decide to step up to a paid social program, make sure your company can handle it. Does this go under your influencer team, or your social team? Don't leave these decisions for the last minute, create a spirit of collaboration between your departments so they can work together, not against or in competition with each other.

    I've had some success with influencers and want to move forward into a more formal paid influencer program. What are my next steps?

    There are two roads forward for your brand marked by two signs, the Practical Way, and the Strategic Way.

    • 7:45 The Practical Way. Do as much as you can for free, test the limits of what you can get away with, and soon enough you'l find the limits of what you can accomplish. It is very tough to scale influencer marketing, and you may find  that some creators simply have a niche market, and some simply won't work dozens of hours on a post for some free content.
    • 8:30 The Strategic Way. A straight line from sales to brand exposure, this tactic seeks to first push the product, then once its seeing healthy sales, transition the influencer content over to covering and promoting your general brand, avoiding any possible stagnation. Once you've established both a profitable line of products and a positive brand association, consider formalizing the most successful creators who helped get you there.
    
    

    An effective paid influencer can be worth many times more than you may ever invest in them, allowing you access and exposure to markets you had never before considered, so don't be shy or afraid to reach out and build those relationships. 

    Our Sponsors

    Omnisend - ShipBob - Gorgias

    Mentioned in this episode:

    Triple Whale - Whale Mail

    ]]>773cded8-3f8d-4af0-a3d8-92bfc91f1168Thu, 02 Sep 2021 04:05:00 -050013:47nofull111Brad Hoos, Chief Growth Officer for The Outloud Group, a full-service influencer marketing agency that creates and executes strategic campaigns at scale, returns to Pitstop to detail when the time is right for your brand to start directly paying influencers for promotional contentLucas WalkerFree Money & Fast Fixes - Brad HoosInfluencer marketing can breath new life into your brand's image and dramatically boost traffic, but that doesn't mean it isn't without its potential pitfalls. If you don't know how to accurately measure success and failure, or outright make some common mistakes, it can quickly spiral into an expensive and disappointing endeavour.

    Here's how you can measure the success of your influencer marketing campaign, and avoid making costly mistakes while working with your  influencers

    • 1:16 KPIs & Influencer Metrics. Unlike typical ad-buys, influencers and content on platforms such as YouTube last months and even years after a campaign's conclusion, and has to be measured by totally different values. Think of them less as a single buy, more as a  full funnel marketing channel itself, covering the three stages of Awareness, Consideration and Conversion all without further involvement or investment from your brand.
      • Consider both the Number Of Views and Efficiency Of Views to measure success or failure. How much did you pay per view during your campaign? How much have you gotten in coverage since the end of the campaign? Over time, a typically successful YouTube video will continue to get  hits long after the promotion that paid for the content has finished, meaning the efficiency just grows.
      • Avoid indexing success to engagement with the content. People watch content from providers like YouTube differently than how they absorb content from an email or a brand site. Allow the audience to behave naturally, and the traffic will come to you.
      
      
    • 2:55 Middle Funnel Consideration. This is where things really get interesting and start giving you real metrics you can rely on, rather than just watching the views and likes on a video climb with anticipation.
      • Once the campaign has been up and running, start looking at the clickthrough rate from YouTube or the host site, to your brand. Since it's unlikely anyone else would coincidentally  follow from A (content) to B (your store) the figure this gives you should be very accurate for assessing how well the promotion is doing. You'll be able to start segmenting the audience and customers, and plan for ways to reach others while taking advantage of those who do click through.
      • Understand that not everyone will click the link in the video to visit your site, but still count as a mid-funnel success due to exposure. They may not be buying from you directly from the content (Attributable Traffic), but they will begin to grow a sense of familiarity with your brand that chances are will lead them to your store in time (Unattributable Traffic) through Google or your main url
      
      
    • 4:15 Three Factors For Measuring Consideration-Success. Rather than trying to view a mid-funnel promotion the same way as you would an email or ad-space buy, look for and consider these factors:
      1. How efficiently have we done this?  
      2. What is the cost per session/view/visit? 
      3. What's the quality of the traffic?
      
      
    • 4:45 End Funnel Conversion Rate. The bread and butter of a promotion, turning the audience you've spent so much money, time and attention on into paying customers. When measuring the conversion rate for YouTube and other influencer buys, consider;
      • How many viewers ultimately are visiting your site and buying products,? Combine the two previous metrics, views and site conversions with the final goal, how many sales are driven directly through influencer traffic. You won't get all those swayed by the content, but you'll have enough to  gauge a success or a failure, and how to correct next time.
      • What are the quality of these visitors? Are these viewers valuable customers, or are they unreliable as return...]]>Influencer marketing can breath new life into your brand's image and dramatically boost traffic, but that doesn't mean it isn't without its potential pitfalls. If you don't know how to accurately measure success and failure, or outright make some common mistakes, it can quickly spiral into an expensive and disappointing endeavour.

        Here's how you can measure the success of your influencer marketing campaign, and avoid making costly mistakes while working with your  influencers

        • 1:16 KPIs & Influencer Metrics. Unlike typical ad-buys, influencers and content on platforms such as YouTube last months and even years after a campaign's conclusion, and has to be measured by totally different values. Think of them less as a single buy, more as a  full funnel marketing channel itself, covering the three stages of Awareness, Consideration and Conversion all without further involvement or investment from your brand.
          • Consider both the Number Of Views and Efficiency Of Views to measure success or failure. How much did you pay per view during your campaign? How much have you gotten in coverage since the end of the campaign? Over time, a typically successful YouTube video will continue to get  hits long after the promotion that paid for the content has finished, meaning the efficiency just grows.
          • Avoid indexing success to engagement with the content. People watch content from providers like YouTube differently than how they absorb content from an email or a brand site. Allow the audience to behave naturally, and the traffic will come to you.
          
          
        • 2:55 Middle Funnel Consideration. This is where things really get interesting and start giving you real metrics you can rely on, rather than just watching the views and likes on a video climb with anticipation.
          • Once the campaign has been up and running, start looking at the clickthrough rate from YouTube or the host site, to your brand. Since it's unlikely anyone else would coincidentally  follow from A (content) to B (your store) the figure this gives you should be very accurate for assessing how well the promotion is doing. You'll be able to start segmenting the audience and customers, and plan for ways to reach others while taking advantage of those who do click through.
          • Understand that not everyone will click the link in the video to visit your site, but still count as a mid-funnel success due to exposure. They may not be buying from you directly from the content (Attributable Traffic), but they will begin to grow a sense of familiarity with your brand that chances are will lead them to your store in time (Unattributable Traffic) through Google or your main url
          
          
        • 4:15 Three Factors For Measuring Consideration-Success. Rather than trying to view a mid-funnel promotion the same way as you would an email or ad-space buy, look for and consider these factors:
          1. How efficiently have we done this?  
          2. What is the cost per session/view/visit? 
          3. What's the quality of the traffic?
          
          
        • 4:45 End Funnel Conversion Rate. The bread and butter of a promotion, turning the audience you've spent so much money, time and attention on into paying customers. When measuring the conversion rate for YouTube and other influencer buys, consider;
          • How many viewers ultimately are visiting your site and buying products,? Combine the two previous metrics, views and site conversions with the final goal, how many sales are driven directly through influencer traffic. You won't get all those swayed by the content, but you'll have enough to  gauge a success or a failure, and how to correct next time.
          • What are the quality of these visitors? Are these viewers valuable customers, or are they unreliable as return customers, buying at most once and then never returning or engaging with your brand  through memberships, emails or further purchases.
          
          
        • 6:00 Stop Burning Good Money Chasing Bad Content. Regardless of how much money you spend on influencers and sites like YouTube, there are some good and bad decisions you can make about what gets published, and more importantly how it gets published.
          • 6:25 Invest in ever-green content that will far outlive your promotion. Don't worry if the subject is entirely unrelated, what matters is the longevity of the promotion. There are many types of videos that have extra long shelf lives due to their content, like science and history videos, that will reach millions of viewers over the many years it's published. That will reduce your cost per view to cents and fractions of a cent, given enough time and a popular enough influencer.
          • 10:35 Don’t force the ad at the start. YouTube and podcast audiences are used to having to skip over ads at the top of the content they watch, and will do so by habit regardless of the ad. Likewise, few viewers stay until the end of a video for any ads there, so make sure your ad is read in the content itself. Most influencers will take a moment after the show's intro to run any promotional copy, forcing the audience to engage with the content and wait through the ad to reach the rest of the video on the other side.
          • 11:25 Give your influencer a landing page on your site. If a viewer follows through from video content to your site, landing on a specific page that continues their engagement with both you and the influencer, chances are a bridging page will keep them moving forward into your store, and allow you even greater access to useable metrics.
          
          
        
        

        Don't focus on traditional metrics, like traffic within the first day, or week, or even month. Learn to play the long game, and look for the building momentum over a long-term investment.

        Our Sponsors

        Omnisend - ShipBob - Gorgias

        Mentioned in this episode:

        Triple Whale - Whale Mail

        ]]>1ba26a4e-2763-4e91-b0db-14d50a90632dTue, 31 Aug 2021 04:05:00 -050014:46nofull110Brad Hoos, Chief Growth Officer for The Outloud Group, a full-service influencer marketing agency that creates and executes strategic campaigns at scale, returns to Pitstop to explain how to really measure the success of your promotional campaign, and avoid making costly mistakesBrad HoosDo’s & Don'ts Of Influencer Marketing - Brad HoosInfluencers can mean the difference between a humdrum, typical promotion and something that really catches and keeps the consumer's attention. All too often though, businesses don't know how to make the most of their influencer partners, and end up wasting the potential through misunderstanding and misusing the talent they've hired.

        Here are strategy-expert Brad Hoos' Do's and Don'ts of Influencer Marketing

        • 1:50 DO Let Creators Be Themselves - Trying to micromanage your influencers or use them to try to recreate your brand's voice will be a waste of your money and their time. You hired them for their presence and personality, not to just repeat the same copy you produce everywhere else.  Let them handle the message, you don't want a second rate brand conduit, you want a first rate messenger for your brand in their own voice
        • 4:25 DON'T Mistake The Scope Of Your Campaign. Influencer marketing is a full funnel marketing program that doesn't fit cleaning into any branding or acquisition buckets. This can mean many businesses will have misaligned expectations for their campaigns, resulting in promotions that fail in their eyes because they were mishandled from the start
        • 5:50 DO Understand Where influencer marketing exists in your marketing organization.  While influencer marketing is certainly no longer the new kid on the block, they're still pretty fresh, and few brands really understand yet where they fit in their strategy and company, resulting in misuse and mismanagement. Take the lesson of scope from earlier, and  approach influencer marketing as an umbrella that reaches into every aspect of your business, rather than trying to restrict it and reshape it into something your brand already understands.
        • 7:28 DON'T Underestimate The Importance Of A Landing Page. The entire point of partnering with an influencer is to gain the access and trust of their already interested audience, and a landing page that clearly and unquestionably links the influencer to your brand is absolutely necessary.
        • 8:17 DO Get Involved With Influencers Even If You're A Legacy Brand.  No one is too big or too well known not to enjoy the benefits of influencer marketing. Often  big-named brands can come off stale and detached from their consumers, consistently providing a reliable service without much fanfare, often to the same customer base. Influencers can break your brand out of that rut, find you a fresh voice and approach, and help you reach audiences you never even considered.
        
        

        There is no company too big or small and no product too common or unique to not take full advantage of influencer marketing  today, and turn their novelty & familiarity craving audiences into your new customers.

        Our Sponsors

        Omnisend - ShipBob - Gorgias

        Mentioned in this episode:

        Triple Whale - Whale Mail

        ]]>Influencers can mean the difference between a humdrum, typical promotion and something that really catches and keeps the consumer's attention. All too often though, businesses don't know how to make the most of their influencer partners, and end up wasting the potential through misunderstanding and misusing the talent they've hired.

        Here are strategy-expert Brad Hoos' Do's and Don'ts of Influencer Marketing

        • 1:50 DO Let Creators Be Themselves - Trying to micromanage your influencers or use them to try to recreate your brand's voice will be a waste of your money and their time. You hired them for their presence and personality, not to just repeat the same copy you produce everywhere else.  Let them handle the message, you don't want a second rate brand conduit, you want a first rate messenger for your brand in their own voice
        • 4:25 DON'T Mistake The Scope Of Your Campaign. Influencer marketing is a full funnel marketing program that doesn't fit cleaning into any branding or acquisition buckets. This can mean many businesses will have misaligned expectations for their campaigns, resulting in promotions that fail in their eyes because they were mishandled from the start
        • 5:50 DO Understand Where influencer marketing exists in your marketing organization.  While influencer marketing is certainly no longer the new kid on the block, they're still pretty fresh, and few brands really understand yet where they fit in their strategy and company, resulting in misuse and mismanagement. Take the lesson of scope from earlier, and  approach influencer marketing as an umbrella that reaches into every aspect of your business, rather than trying to restrict it and reshape it into something your brand already understands.
        • 7:28 DON'T Underestimate The Importance Of A Landing Page. The entire point of partnering with an influencer is to gain the access and trust of their already interested audience, and a landing page that clearly and unquestionably links the influencer to your brand is absolutely necessary.
        • 8:17 DO Get Involved With Influencers Even If You're A Legacy Brand.  No one is too big or too well known not to enjoy the benefits of influencer marketing. Often  big-named brands can come off stale and detached from their consumers, consistently providing a reliable service without much fanfare, often to the same customer base. Influencers can break your brand out of that rut, find you a fresh voice and approach, and help you reach audiences you never even considered.
        
        

        There is no company too big or small and no product too common or unique to not take full advantage of influencer marketing  today, and turn their novelty & familiarity craving audiences into your new customers.

        Our Sponsors

        Omnisend - ShipBob - Gorgias

        Mentioned in this episode:

        Triple Whale - Whale Mail

        ]]>d557ce5b-5756-4d20-8003-baa306c393cbMon, 30 Aug 2021 04:05:00 -050011:50nofull109Brad Hoos, Chief Growth Officer for The Outloud Group, a full-service influencer marketing agency that creates and executes strategic campaigns at scale, joins Lucas in the Pitstop garage to talk about the do's and don't of including influencers in your marketing campaignLucas WalkerFind Your Golden Ticket - Dustin RiechmannIf you've dotted all your i's and crossed every t when it comes to the fundamentals of selling online, connecting with other sellers and podcasts for free promotion, optimized your automated messages to make the most out of every member, and still feel like you're coming up short, why not try something a little more fantastical?

        For seasoned ecommerce expert Dustin Riechmann and FireCreek Snacks, it was childhood whimsy that proved their most successful promotional campaign yet, and just the ticket for standing out above the crowd.

        1:15 The FireCreek Golden Ticket Giveaway

        Inspired by the passing of Gene Wilder, Dustin came up with FireCreek's own variation of the famous contest from Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory. 

        One in every 200 orders of $99 bundles would include a ticket for $1000 (maximum 5 winners) , and if the winner was referred to FireCreek by a friend, that friend would get $100. The winning tickets were entirely random, so no customers could game the chances. 

        If all works out evenly, that's nearly $20,000 in sales, at the cost of $1000-$1100 in promotion.

        Here's 4 ways you can make the most of your own Golden Ticket giveaway.

        • 2:20/6:20 Positive Personal Engagement. Typically serious and business focussed, Ryan the face of FireCreek was able to show a more free-spirited side during the promotion, entertaining customers while generating positive engagement. Allow your customers to connect with you personally, and they'll be more likely to think of you.
        • 3:10 Expanding Your Base. $100 for a referral may sound steep, especially since it means FireCreek essentially bought them a $99 bundle for $1 more, but getting there means you've gained two very happy customers who already have a history of ordering from you (to great personal gain) who will likely be back to order much more. It's a small price to pay.
        • 3:30 Good Value Reminder. If the product you use to push your 'Golden Ticket' promotion is a good enough deal on its own, then customers will keep buying it long after the giveaway has ended. Attach it to something that is already a proven success to maximize consumer coverage, and use the promotion as an opportunity to remind them how good a deal it already was.
        • 4:00 Free Social Media Content & Promotions. Giveaways and contests, anything with a deadline, are instant- content generators. Showcasing the prize or products needed to buy, hyping up the approaching deadline to take part, featuring and promoting winners and good old fashion FOMO could keep your social media manager busy for months and provide hours of shareable content. As well you can bring the promotion to podcasts and shows as topic, providing novelty content in exchange for reaching more potential consumers.
        
        

        Let your imagination run wild, and take a chance on a crazy idea. You never know when it just might be a winner.

        Our Sponsors

        Omnisend - ShipBob - Gorgias

        Mentioned in this episode:

        Triple Whale - Whale Mail

        ]]>If you've dotted all your i's and crossed every t when it comes to the fundamentals of selling online, connecting with other sellers and podcasts for free promotion, optimized your automated messages to make the most out of every member, and still feel like you're coming up short, why not try something a little more fantastical?

        For seasoned ecommerce expert Dustin Riechmann and FireCreek Snacks, it was childhood whimsy that proved their most successful promotional campaign yet, and just the ticket for standing out above the crowd.

        1:15 The FireCreek Golden Ticket Giveaway

        Inspired by the passing of Gene Wilder, Dustin came up with FireCreek's own variation of the famous contest from Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory. 

        One in every 200 orders of $99 bundles would include a ticket for $1000 (maximum 5 winners) , and if the winner was referred to FireCreek by a friend, that friend would get $100. The winning tickets were entirely random, so no customers could game the chances. 

        If all works out evenly, that's nearly $20,000 in sales, at the cost of $1000-$1100 in promotion.

        Here's 4 ways you can make the most of your own Golden Ticket giveaway.

        • 2:20/6:20 Positive Personal Engagement. Typically serious and business focussed, Ryan the face of FireCreek was able to show a more free-spirited side during the promotion, entertaining customers while generating positive engagement. Allow your customers to connect with you personally, and they'll be more likely to think of you.
        • 3:10 Expanding Your Base. $100 for a referral may sound steep, especially since it means FireCreek essentially bought them a $99 bundle for $1 more, but getting there means you've gained two very happy customers who already have a history of ordering from you (to great personal gain) who will likely be back to order much more. It's a small price to pay.
        • 3:30 Good Value Reminder. If the product you use to push your 'Golden Ticket' promotion is a good enough deal on its own, then customers will keep buying it long after the giveaway has ended. Attach it to something that is already a proven success to maximize consumer coverage, and use the promotion as an opportunity to remind them how good a deal it already was.
        • 4:00 Free Social Media Content & Promotions. Giveaways and contests, anything with a deadline, are instant- content generators. Showcasing the prize or products needed to buy, hyping up the approaching deadline to take part, featuring and promoting winners and good old fashion FOMO could keep your social media manager busy for months and provide hours of shareable content. As well you can bring the promotion to podcasts and shows as topic, providing novelty content in exchange for reaching more potential consumers.
        
        

        Let your imagination run wild, and take a chance on a crazy idea. You never know when it just might be a winner.

        Our Sponsors

        Omnisend - ShipBob - Gorgias

        Mentioned in this episode:

        Triple Whale - Whale Mail

        ]]>a056aaa0-736c-44bd-a016-fc99f7927b62Thu, 26 Aug 2021 04:05:00 -050010:33nofull108Partner at FireCreek Snacks and head of Simple Success Coaching, Dustin Riechmann returns to Pitstop one last time to tell how finding the joy and whimsy in your e-commerce business, and sharing it with your customers, can foster both customer engagement and increase salesLucas WalkerClean-Up With Email Campaigns- Dustin RiechmannWhile every Shopify store owner loves to see their email subscriptions grow higher and higher, if you're not getting as much as you can out of each member, you're wasting money chasing ghosts. 

        With Dustin's "Clean-Up" email campaigns, you can breathe some new life back into those phantom leads, and raise your sales along with their spirits. 

        1:48 "What is a 'Clean-Up' email campaign?"

        The 'Clean-Up' is a special email campaign sent at the end of each month. These emails include offers that are only sent to new email subscribers who had joined that month, but have not purchase anything yet. 

        This last-chance engagement allows you to pull out some tricks you have not yet tried to get a sale, or might be reluctant to offer to a larger consumer base.

        • 2:25 Re-entice the would-be customer with any offers they may have missed during the month
        • 3:10 Provide special and exclusive discount without your entire list seeing or expecting the same discount
        • 3:30 Attempt to build a relationship that had previously stalled by empathizing with them personally
        • 4:15 Avoid publicly overdoing sales by offering discounts only to those who haven't taken advantage of previous sales
        
        

        This campaign model can also be rehashed as a laddered discount campaign, sent only to your older and even less active cold leads/customers.  5:55 Running a "Reactivation Campaigns" once a quarter will help you keep your lists fresh and healthy, and bring in any lost customers from the cold.

        Our Sponsors

        Omnisend - ShipBob - Gorgias

        Mentioned in this episode:

        Triple Whale - Whale Mail

        ]]>While every Shopify store owner loves to see their email subscriptions grow higher and higher, if you're not getting as much as you can out of each member, you're wasting money chasing ghosts. 

        With Dustin's "Clean-Up" email campaigns, you can breathe some new life back into those phantom leads, and raise your sales along with their spirits. 

        1:48 "What is a 'Clean-Up' email campaign?"

        The 'Clean-Up' is a special email campaign sent at the end of each month. These emails include offers that are only sent to new email subscribers who had joined that month, but have not purchase anything yet. 

        This last-chance engagement allows you to pull out some tricks you have not yet tried to get a sale, or might be reluctant to offer to a larger consumer base.

        • 2:25 Re-entice the would-be customer with any offers they may have missed during the month
        • 3:10 Provide special and exclusive discount without your entire list seeing or expecting the same discount
        • 3:30 Attempt to build a relationship that had previously stalled by empathizing with them personally
        • 4:15 Avoid publicly overdoing sales by offering discounts only to those who haven't taken advantage of previous sales
        
        

        This campaign model can also be rehashed as a laddered discount campaign, sent only to your older and even less active cold leads/customers.  5:55 Running a "Reactivation Campaigns" once a quarter will help you keep your lists fresh and healthy, and bring in any lost customers from the cold.

        Our Sponsors

        Omnisend - ShipBob - Gorgias

        Mentioned in this episode:

        Triple Whale - Whale Mail

        ]]>3bf9f6e5-f305-4c78-8f35-23271dbb24c0Tue, 24 Aug 2021 04:05:00 -050009:56nofull107Partner at FireCreek Snacks and head of Simple Success Coaching, Dustin Riechmann is back to show how clean-up email campaigns can help your struggling & inactive customers get “un-stuck” and spending freelyLucas WalkerProfit With Podcast Partnership Marketing - Dustin RiechmannAppearing on a podcast can be a fantastic and cost-free way to not only get some exposure for your brand, but lend you and your business another already-successful brand's audience and legitimacy. 

        Partnership marketing with podcasts has been Dustin's secret to driving direct-to-consumer sales 3 times higher in 12 months, all for $0, and over the years he's developed guidelines for appearing on shows that maximize the audience and consumer impact.

        "How do I get on a podcast?"

        3:52 Consider these two factors when looking for potential partners

        1. Who has an audience that would be interested in your product, either directly or indirectly?
        2. What value can you offer their show that will entice them to invite you on?
        
        

        If their audience has an interest in your brand, product or industry, and you can provide the host with an episode of content, chances are they will be interested in talking to you if you reach out.

        6:15 Research & listen to a few episodes of podcasts that catch your attention, and reach out. Make sure to include positive comments and references to the show to prove you've actually listened to their work and aren't just spamming shows. As well, offer free trials or products for the hosts to use, and encourage them to post a review regardless of if it's good or bad.

        Once on, there are 4 rules you should follow when planning your appearance to make the most out of the free exposure.

        While these rules are specific for podcasts, they can be adapted for any media, and should be thought of as "any audience you can borrow"

        • 7:24 PURPOSE. What specifically do you want to get out of this podcast appearance? What is your goal for this show?
        • 7:35 PLAN. Identify shows that are both potential partner and potential competitors, and identify shows they are associated or related to. Know who all the players are on the field, so that you don't waste your time on shows that will never book you.
        • 8:20 PITCH. Research the top 4 episodes of the chosen show to establish 'relational anchors' & find the best way to contact the host. Pitch your appearance using the Perfect Pitch email template, and follow up routinely until you book at least one. Offer to provide as much content as possible to not only increase the chance of appearing, but retain as much message control as possible
        • 10:04 PERFORM. Plan your ideal story, connect deeply with the audience, and deliver a strong call-to-action that maximizes your results. Prepare for success with minimal time investment to nail your interview, then follow-up post-appearance to optimize the results
        
        

        Leverage these proven and any new partnerships in a cycle to get high-impact results by creating a marketing flywheel to achieve   exponential growth, all for the low cost of some of your time and attention.

        Our Sponsors

        Omnisend - ShipBob - Gorgias

        Mentioned in this episode:

        Triple Whale - Whale Mail

        ]]>Appearing on a podcast can be a fantastic and cost-free way to not only get some exposure for your brand, but lend you and your business another already-successful brand's audience and legitimacy. 

        Partnership marketing with podcasts has been Dustin's secret to driving direct-to-consumer sales 3 times higher in 12 months, all for $0, and over the years he's developed guidelines for appearing on shows that maximize the audience and consumer impact.

        "How do I get on a podcast?"

        3:52 Consider these two factors when looking for potential partners

        1. Who has an audience that would be interested in your product, either directly or indirectly?
        2. What value can you offer their show that will entice them to invite you on?
        
        

        If their audience has an interest in your brand, product or industry, and you can provide the host with an episode of content, chances are they will be interested in talking to you if you reach out.

        6:15 Research & listen to a few episodes of podcasts that catch your attention, and reach out. Make sure to include positive comments and references to the show to prove you've actually listened to their work and aren't just spamming shows. As well, offer free trials or products for the hosts to use, and encourage them to post a review regardless of if it's good or bad.

        Once on, there are 4 rules you should follow when planning your appearance to make the most out of the free exposure.

        While these rules are specific for podcasts, they can be adapted for any media, and should be thought of as "any audience you can borrow"

        • 7:24 PURPOSE. What specifically do you want to get out of this podcast appearance? What is your goal for this show?
        • 7:35 PLAN. Identify shows that are both potential partner and potential competitors, and identify shows they are associated or related to. Know who all the players are on the field, so that you don't waste your time on shows that will never book you.
        • 8:20 PITCH. Research the top 4 episodes of the chosen show to establish 'relational anchors' & find the best way to contact the host. Pitch your appearance using the Perfect Pitch email template, and follow up routinely until you book at least one. Offer to provide as much content as possible to not only increase the chance of appearing, but retain as much message control as possible
        • 10:04 PERFORM. Plan your ideal story, connect deeply with the audience, and deliver a strong call-to-action that maximizes your results. Prepare for success with minimal time investment to nail your interview, then follow-up post-appearance to optimize the results
        
        

        Leverage these proven and any new partnerships in a cycle to get high-impact results by creating a marketing flywheel to achieve   exponential growth, all for the low cost of some of your time and attention.

        Our Sponsors

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        Mentioned in this episode:

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        ]]>ab914d95-581c-4206-84b1-2eb7fedc2f94Mon, 23 Aug 2021 04:05:00 -050014:19nofull106Partner at FireCreek Snacks and head of Simple Success Coaching, Dustin Riechmann’s experience helping struggling businesses get “un-stuck” on their journey to success has helped him identify the 4 Rules of Podcast Partnership Marketing.Dustin RiechmannHands Off Customer Service Experience - Matt SchroederEvery business owner believes that if you want something truly done right, you have to get your hands dirty and do it yourself. Often for self-made successes who are used to putting in hard work for their brand, the toughest lesson for many to learn can be that most of their time is better spent delegating and focussing on the bigger picture.

        Here are why you should delegate customer service to your staff, and ways you can stay involved with your customer's experience, without getting in the way of your team. 

        • 2:35 Recognize Biases Toward Yourself. It's you business and your bottom line, so you may take criticism a little harder than the average employee. You may even feel like you're right in denying a refund, simply because as the boss you're the final word. But this is business, so don't make it personal.
        • 3:10 Remove Yourself, Remove The Bias. The best customer service isn't an advocate for either the customer or the store exclusively, but  a team dedicated to resolving shopping issues as fast as possible. They are working to protect your reputation just as much as serve your customers or defend your bottom line, without getting hung up on the details.Don't worry about how much it costs, within reason, just get it done.
        • 4:45 Use Customer Service As An Opportunity To Learn. Don't treat every customer complaint as a negative interaction that didn't go your way. Listen to what they have problems with, and take steps to improve them. Put their feedback to work for you.
        • 5:15 Share Outliers And Experiences Among The Team. Don't let your team members work in isolation or keep them in the dark. Set up an internal chat among your staff, and share with each other. Good experiences, bad experiences, reoccurring issues, upcoming crunches. The more your entire team knows, the few chances for mistakes and the better they will perform.
        • 5:35 Weekly Meetings For Recurring Issues. If you do identify an ongoing problem that keeps popping up no matter what, coordinate weekly strategy sessions to go over the latest data and brainstorm solutions. Two heads are better than one, and the more minds working a problem, the more likely you'll quickly arrive at a solution that benefits your business. At the very least, stay updated yourself, so that nothing surprises you down the road.
        
        

        Remember, you're not losing control, you're just delegating responsibly. None of this means you can't hop on when your team gets hit by heavy traffic and it's all hands on deck. It just means that unless it's extraordinary circumstances like Black Friday sales, you shouldn't have to to personally maintain the standards you expect for your customer experience.

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        Mentioned in this episode:

        Triple Whale - Whale Mail

        ]]>Every business owner believes that if you want something truly done right, you have to get your hands dirty and do it yourself. Often for self-made successes who are used to putting in hard work for their brand, the toughest lesson for many to learn can be that most of their time is better spent delegating and focussing on the bigger picture.

        Here are why you should delegate customer service to your staff, and ways you can stay involved with your customer's experience, without getting in the way of your team. 

        • 2:35 Recognize Biases Toward Yourself. It's you business and your bottom line, so you may take criticism a little harder than the average employee. You may even feel like you're right in denying a refund, simply because as the boss you're the final word. But this is business, so don't make it personal.
        • 3:10 Remove Yourself, Remove The Bias. The best customer service isn't an advocate for either the customer or the store exclusively, but  a team dedicated to resolving shopping issues as fast as possible. They are working to protect your reputation just as much as serve your customers or defend your bottom line, without getting hung up on the details.Don't worry about how much it costs, within reason, just get it done.
        • 4:45 Use Customer Service As An Opportunity To Learn. Don't treat every customer complaint as a negative interaction that didn't go your way. Listen to what they have problems with, and take steps to improve them. Put their feedback to work for you.
        • 5:15 Share Outliers And Experiences Among The Team. Don't let your team members work in isolation or keep them in the dark. Set up an internal chat among your staff, and share with each other. Good experiences, bad experiences, reoccurring issues, upcoming crunches. The more your entire team knows, the few chances for mistakes and the better they will perform.
        • 5:35 Weekly Meetings For Recurring Issues. If you do identify an ongoing problem that keeps popping up no matter what, coordinate weekly strategy sessions to go over the latest data and brainstorm solutions. Two heads are better than one, and the more minds working a problem, the more likely you'll quickly arrive at a solution that benefits your business. At the very least, stay updated yourself, so that nothing surprises you down the road.
        
        

        Remember, you're not losing control, you're just delegating responsibly. None of this means you can't hop on when your team gets hit by heavy traffic and it's all hands on deck. It just means that unless it's extraordinary circumstances like Black Friday sales, you shouldn't have to to personally maintain the standards you expect for your customer experience.

        Our Sponsors

        Omnisend - ShipBob - Gorgias

        Mentioned in this episode:

        Triple Whale - Whale Mail

        ]]>fdb2a565-4c8e-440a-bd42-7d467cf77d0fThu, 19 Aug 2021 04:05:00 -050011:35nofull105Founder and CEO of Shelly Cove and co-founder of TidalWave Holdings, Matt is back in the Pitstop garage one more time to talk about staying focussed on offering a great customer service experience without losing perspective Lucas WalkerBig Mistakes As A Founder - Matt SchroederAt-home advertising can pay off big-time for your ecommerce business, but it can also be a painful and expensive path to profits, full of mistakes if you're not properly prepared. Thankfully Matt Schroeder's made some of them already, and shares his hard learned  lessons in the hopes you'll avoid repeating these common missteps.

        The Three Biggest Mistakes  First-Time Ecommerce Marketers Make:

        • 1:30 Stay Focussed. Don't get overwhelmed with too many options & apps. Make a list of every extra thing your brand does or uses, and keep only the top 5 performing activities. Everything else will simply stall progress by eating up your time and money. No matter the allure, there are no magic apps or additions that will transform your store into a success overnight, so choose hard work and reliable growth instead.
        • 4:53 Don't Jump The Gun. Promotional tactics like campus referral programs are a great way to build a community of customers once you're known and noticed, but are an entirely unnecessary and wasteful strategy for anyone to concentrate on starting out. Without brand recognition, your campus referral program and other promotional tactics will flunk out long before finals.
        • 6:03 Diversify To Avoid Surprises & Shocks. You may have a fantastic deal with a wholesale retailer now, but what happens when they change their mind and stop buying? Is your business ready to take losing such a large client? Will this just undermine your profit margin, or could it result in layoffs and closures? Not all wholesale is to be avoided early, but you must make sure it doesn't start making your business decisions for you. Don't put all your eggs in one basket, and never stop looking for more markets to carry your product.
        
        

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        Mentioned in this episode:

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        ]]>At-home advertising can pay off big-time for your ecommerce business, but it can also be a painful and expensive path to profits, full of mistakes if you're not properly prepared. Thankfully Matt Schroeder's made some of them already, and shares his hard learned  lessons in the hopes you'll avoid repeating these common missteps.

        The Three Biggest Mistakes  First-Time Ecommerce Marketers Make:

        • 1:30 Stay Focussed. Don't get overwhelmed with too many options & apps. Make a list of every extra thing your brand does or uses, and keep only the top 5 performing activities. Everything else will simply stall progress by eating up your time and money. No matter the allure, there are no magic apps or additions that will transform your store into a success overnight, so choose hard work and reliable growth instead.
        • 4:53 Don't Jump The Gun. Promotional tactics like campus referral programs are a great way to build a community of customers once you're known and noticed, but are an entirely unnecessary and wasteful strategy for anyone to concentrate on starting out. Without brand recognition, your campus referral program and other promotional tactics will flunk out long before finals.
        • 6:03 Diversify To Avoid Surprises & Shocks. You may have a fantastic deal with a wholesale retailer now, but what happens when they change their mind and stop buying? Is your business ready to take losing such a large client? Will this just undermine your profit margin, or could it result in layoffs and closures? Not all wholesale is to be avoided early, but you must make sure it doesn't start making your business decisions for you. Don't put all your eggs in one basket, and never stop looking for more markets to carry your product.
        
        

        Our Sponsors

        Omnisend - ShipBob - Gorgias

        Mentioned in this episode:

        Triple Whale - Whale Mail

        ]]>9f3269ee-de0a-4db3-9850-c205a0756d1aTue, 17 Aug 2021 04:05:00 -050012:32nofull104Founder and CEO of Shelly Cove and co-founder of TidalWave Holdings, Matt returns to Pitstop to warn you away from three of the biggest mistakes you're likely to make on your first time out the gate.Matt SchroederHow To Use Out Of Home Advertising To Gain More Retailers - Matt Schroeder' More than just billboard-buys and magazine ads, out-of-home marketing is often seen as the standard of true advertising, when reaching either the consumer or the wholesaler. While anyone can buy some ad-space online, out-of-home marketing is an investment, and like any investment can lead to nothing but a money-pit for the inexperienced.

        Here's a cost-effective experiment you can run for your own business that can help you break into your hardcore niche markets with out-of-home marketing and give your brand a smarter start to making you money

        • 2:18 The $1000 Ad Buy. If you're looking to move into out-of-home marketing, start small to get your bearings and to test your potential audience. If $1000 for a full page ad is too much for you, you're not ready for the next step
        • 3:20 Know your audience. Make that $1000 ad buy stretch as far as it can by knowing who is reading it. Find a publication within or popular with your industry, define who you specifically want the ad to attract the attention of (consumer, or business?) and craft the message just for them. "Not a big distribution" says Matt, "just extremely targeted"
        • 3:46 Funnel your replies. Before you can measure any ad campaign, you need to have a way to gauge the reaction to that specific ad, and not just general consumer traffic. Include a unique url or link in the ad, and direct readers to that rather than your landing page. If the only way to find the page is through the ad, then just the traffic for the page alone will tell you if it was a success or not
        • 4:05 Count what you have. You may feel like your ad's a failure, but take a closer look at the figures once responses start rolling in. Matt may have only received 12 replies from wholesalers to his ad in one week, but that's 12 interested parties taking the next step to buying or selling the product. That's just $90 for a lead that then has to spend at least $500 minimum for a wholesale order through Matt's store. If even just half of them make a purchase, that's a return 3 times as much as was spent on the ad. For Matt, the figure was actually closer to 10 times as much.
        
        

        If you're not taking these small, affordable chances and  always looking for ways to make your marketing strategy more effective and efficient, you'll soon find yourself left behind by both customers and competitors. 

        Our Sponsors

        Omnisend - ShipBob - Gorgias

        Mentioned in this episode:

        Triple Whale - Whale Mail

        ]]>' More than just billboard-buys and magazine ads, out-of-home marketing is often seen as the standard of true advertising, when reaching either the consumer or the wholesaler. While anyone can buy some ad-space online, out-of-home marketing is an investment, and like any investment can lead to nothing but a money-pit for the inexperienced.

        Here's a cost-effective experiment you can run for your own business that can help you break into your hardcore niche markets with out-of-home marketing and give your brand a smarter start to making you money

        • 2:18 The $1000 Ad Buy. If you're looking to move into out-of-home marketing, start small to get your bearings and to test your potential audience. If $1000 for a full page ad is too much for you, you're not ready for the next step
        • 3:20 Know your audience. Make that $1000 ad buy stretch as far as it can by knowing who is reading it. Find a publication within or popular with your industry, define who you specifically want the ad to attract the attention of (consumer, or business?) and craft the message just for them. "Not a big distribution" says Matt, "just extremely targeted"
        • 3:46 Funnel your replies. Before you can measure any ad campaign, you need to have a way to gauge the reaction to that specific ad, and not just general consumer traffic. Include a unique url or link in the ad, and direct readers to that rather than your landing page. If the only way to find the page is through the ad, then just the traffic for the page alone will tell you if it was a success or not
        • 4:05 Count what you have. You may feel like your ad's a failure, but take a closer look at the figures once responses start rolling in. Matt may have only received 12 replies from wholesalers to his ad in one week, but that's 12 interested parties taking the next step to buying or selling the product. That's just $90 for a lead that then has to spend at least $500 minimum for a wholesale order through Matt's store. If even just half of them make a purchase, that's a return 3 times as much as was spent on the ad. For Matt, the figure was actually closer to 10 times as much.
        
        

        If you're not taking these small, affordable chances and  always looking for ways to make your marketing strategy more effective and efficient, you'll soon find yourself left behind by both customers and competitors. 

        Our Sponsors

        Omnisend - ShipBob - Gorgias

        Mentioned in this episode:

        Triple Whale - Whale Mail

        ]]>adeccc43-f494-457c-8d29-9b94be6e09ddMon, 16 Aug 2021 04:05:00 -050011:16nofull103Founder and CEO of Shelly Cove & co-founder of TidalWave Holdings, Matt Schroeder stops by the Pitstop garage to fill you in on the secrets to successful out-of-home advertising.Lucas WalkerDon't Get Put-Off Off-Site - Ben GoldenTo paraphrase Oscar Wilde, "the only think worse than being linked to is not being linked to". Being the talk of the town is great for brand exposure, but if others are sending your potential customers to dead links, or tarnishing your good name with low-quality traffic, then you might feel you were better off not being known at all.

        Here are Ben's top 5 take-aways for Off-Site SEO

        • 1:04 Broken Backlinks. The more backlinks a site has, the higher it will rate among its competitors, so a broken backlink, an old link to content you have moved or changed, can be crippling, because it appears as if you're up and running, but the traffic is at a standstill.  Make sure to map your backlinks at least once a year, and redirect any inactive page to more relevant pages or your main page.
        • 2:53 Disavow Spammy Domains. Not all web crawlers and traffic are worth having, and automated coupon sites that scrap through the internet for deals will drag you into the content sewers. Map your spammy domain links, gather a list and present it to Google as traffic your want disavowed from your brand
        • 4:26 Unlinked Brand Mentions. If someone else is talking about your brand, but doesn't include a link, they may as well not say anything at all. Search for mentions of your site outside your backlink map with a scanner tool once a month, and reach out to ask any sites hosting unlinked mentions to include a simple link to your store.
        • 5:37 Easy Link-building  With Coupon Sites. Not all coupon sites are spammy, and some can even help you get a much needed extra push. Do some reach into the best coupon sites in your region, and sign up with them to enjoy the benefits of their extended reach.
        • 6:19 Leverage Affiliate Marketing. Look at who you are already working with, be it brand partners, influencers, blogs, podcasts etc. Organize the power of friendship with an affiliate program, and get the most out of that good will
        
        

        Our Sponsors

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        Mentioned in this episode:

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        ]]>To paraphrase Oscar Wilde, "the only think worse than being linked to is not being linked to". Being the talk of the town is great for brand exposure, but if others are sending your potential customers to dead links, or tarnishing your good name with low-quality traffic, then you might feel you were better off not being known at all.

        Here are Ben's top 5 take-aways for Off-Site SEO

        • 1:04 Broken Backlinks. The more backlinks a site has, the higher it will rate among its competitors, so a broken backlink, an old link to content you have moved or changed, can be crippling, because it appears as if you're up and running, but the traffic is at a standstill.  Make sure to map your backlinks at least once a year, and redirect any inactive page to more relevant pages or your main page.
        • 2:53 Disavow Spammy Domains. Not all web crawlers and traffic are worth having, and automated coupon sites that scrap through the internet for deals will drag you into the content sewers. Map your spammy domain links, gather a list and present it to Google as traffic your want disavowed from your brand
        • 4:26 Unlinked Brand Mentions. If someone else is talking about your brand, but doesn't include a link, they may as well not say anything at all. Search for mentions of your site outside your backlink map with a scanner tool once a month, and reach out to ask any sites hosting unlinked mentions to include a simple link to your store.
        • 5:37 Easy Link-building  With Coupon Sites. Not all coupon sites are spammy, and some can even help you get a much needed extra push. Do some reach into the best coupon sites in your region, and sign up with them to enjoy the benefits of their extended reach.
        • 6:19 Leverage Affiliate Marketing. Look at who you are already working with, be it brand partners, influencers, blogs, podcasts etc. Organize the power of friendship with an affiliate program, and get the most out of that good will
        
        

        Our Sponsors

        Omnisend - ShipBob - Gorgias

        Mentioned in this episode:

        Triple Whale - Whale Mail

        ]]>5637f23c-511f-4479-a20f-0d7026d7b440Thu, 12 Aug 2021 04:05:00 -050009:24nofull102Ben Golden, founder and CEO of GoldenWeb, specializing in SEO for Shopify, shares 5 quick-win off-site opportunities with Pitstop to rapidly growing your organic trafficLucas WalkerTackling Technical SEO Tactics - Ben Golden'Optimizing your Technical SEO' may sound like a big, scary and expensive process, with with a little help from a few handy apps, it's no more than another step towards your traffic goals.

        Here are Ben's top 5 take-aways for Technical SEO

        • 1:22 Product Schema. Google doesn't treat all search results the same, and presents them to users with clearly market favourites. Those golden-starred front-runners in the search response are using a piece of code that's available to you, usually through your review app, that syncs the product reviews in your shop with Google. Once installed, you can expect to see results within days.
        • 3:20 Broken Internal & External Links. If Google can't follow a link into, around or out of your store, then it's not going to include any of the affected pages in search results. Use a broken-link-checker app frequently to make sure your links are active, internally & externally.
        • 5:28 Orphaned Pages. No blog post or content should stand alone, and if Google can't find a way to a  page on your site, it will never get traffic. Be sure that every page is linked to at least 5 other pages on your site, either with related links in the content or standard links to shop sections
        • 6:34 Broken JS Code. The bane of many merchants, broken JS code are parts of old apps and features still left in your shop's site that can cause endless errors for you and your users, and disrupt Google's web crawlers. Make sure all previous apps have always been properly uninstalled and fully removed with an online scanner.
        • 8:05 Links To MyShopify.com URL. Every Shopify store gets an initial MyShopify.com URL that hosts your content until you've purchased and set up your final brand URL, and often these will be used to link pages together when building a site. Make sure after you're done that you relink all of these back to your brand URL, or MyShopify.com will eat your traffic.
        
        

        Our Sponsors

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        Mentioned in this episode:

        Triple Whale - Whale Mail

        ]]>'Optimizing your Technical SEO' may sound like a big, scary and expensive process, with with a little help from a few handy apps, it's no more than another step towards your traffic goals.

        Here are Ben's top 5 take-aways for Technical SEO

        • 1:22 Product Schema. Google doesn't treat all search results the same, and presents them to users with clearly market favourites. Those golden-starred front-runners in the search response are using a piece of code that's available to you, usually through your review app, that syncs the product reviews in your shop with Google. Once installed, you can expect to see results within days.
        • 3:20 Broken Internal & External Links. If Google can't follow a link into, around or out of your store, then it's not going to include any of the affected pages in search results. Use a broken-link-checker app frequently to make sure your links are active, internally & externally.
        • 5:28 Orphaned Pages. No blog post or content should stand alone, and if Google can't find a way to a  page on your site, it will never get traffic. Be sure that every page is linked to at least 5 other pages on your site, either with related links in the content or standard links to shop sections
        • 6:34 Broken JS Code. The bane of many merchants, broken JS code are parts of old apps and features still left in your shop's site that can cause endless errors for you and your users, and disrupt Google's web crawlers. Make sure all previous apps have always been properly uninstalled and fully removed with an online scanner.
        • 8:05 Links To MyShopify.com URL. Every Shopify store gets an initial MyShopify.com URL that hosts your content until you've purchased and set up your final brand URL, and often these will be used to link pages together when building a site. Make sure after you're done that you relink all of these back to your brand URL, or MyShopify.com will eat your traffic.
        
        

        Our Sponsors

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        Mentioned in this episode:

        Triple Whale - Whale Mail

        ]]>c61d21d6-75d8-4feb-b839-32e9075987a1Tue, 10 Aug 2021 04:05:00 -050012:24nofull101Ben Golden, founder and CEO of GoldenWeb, specializing in SEO for Shopify, shares 5 quick-win technical opportunities with Pitstop to rapidly growing your organic trafficLucas WalkerShopify On-Site SEO - Ben GoldenOn-Page SEO  is the first line of attack for any successful strategy to gain and hold Google's attention. The easier you make it for their web-crawlers to accurately find your content the more traffic they'll send you.

        Here are Ben's top 5 take-aways for On-Site SEO

        • 1:42 Keyword Mapping. If you don't know what you want, you'll never get it. Identify & define the target keywords for your specialization, and make sure you have at least 1 on every page of your site . Have a blueprint of what keywords you want to rank for on Google, and apply them across your store.
        • 3:06 Optimizing Meta-Titles.  It may seem obvious, but the main title of any page affects its SEO performance. Unless otherwise changed in the meta-title options, the title you and your customers read is also what Google reads, so make sure if your main title isn't using a target keyword, that it at least gets included in the meta-title.
        • 4:16 Missing & Multiple H1 Tags.  The frequently forgotten, user-targeted  third part of SEO keyword optimization, the H1 or 'First Header' tags are an important part of how Google tells what you're trying to push. Make sure you include one (and only one, too many confuse Google) target keyword in every unique H1 tag.
        • 6:50 Using H2, H3, H4 Tags To Break-Up Content Pieces. Not just a way to break up how your content looks on a page, H2, H3 and H4 tags allow you to add specialization to your target keywords, helping Google find your perfect niche audience faster
        • 7:55 Content On Collection & Product pages (Shortly AI).  Google will always prioritize a page that has either more content or better targeted content than the next competing page. Fill your pages with content asap to drive as much traffic as possible. If writing isn't your forte or you're in a rush, use a content AI writer like Shoply
        
        

        Our Sponsors

        Omnisend - ShipBob - Gorgias

        Mentioned in this episode:

        Triple Whale - Whale Mail

        ]]>On-Page SEO  is the first line of attack for any successful strategy to gain and hold Google's attention. The easier you make it for their web-crawlers to accurately find your content the more traffic they'll send you.

        Here are Ben's top 5 take-aways for On-Site SEO

        • 1:42 Keyword Mapping. If you don't know what you want, you'll never get it. Identify & define the target keywords for your specialization, and make sure you have at least 1 on every page of your site . Have a blueprint of what keywords you want to rank for on Google, and apply them across your store.
        • 3:06 Optimizing Meta-Titles.  It may seem obvious, but the main title of any page affects its SEO performance. Unless otherwise changed in the meta-title options, the title you and your customers read is also what Google reads, so make sure if your main title isn't using a target keyword, that it at least gets included in the meta-title.
        • 4:16 Missing & Multiple H1 Tags.  The frequently forgotten, user-targeted  third part of SEO keyword optimization, the H1 or 'First Header' tags are an important part of how Google tells what you're trying to push. Make sure you include one (and only one, too many confuse Google) target keyword in every unique H1 tag.
        • 6:50 Using H2, H3, H4 Tags To Break-Up Content Pieces. Not just a way to break up how your content looks on a page, H2, H3 and H4 tags allow you to add specialization to your target keywords, helping Google find your perfect niche audience faster
        • 7:55 Content On Collection & Product pages (Shortly AI).  Google will always prioritize a page that has either more content or better targeted content than the next competing page. Fill your pages with content asap to drive as much traffic as possible. If writing isn't your forte or you're in a rush, use a content AI writer like Shoply
        
        

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        Omnisend - ShipBob - Gorgias

        Mentioned in this episode:

        Triple Whale - Whale Mail

        ]]>1e44afe8-51b5-4fdc-8a1e-91886b9db61fMon, 09 Aug 2021 04:05:00 -050011:22nofull100Ben Golden, founder and CEO of GoldenWeb, specializing in SEO for Shopify, shares 5 quick-win on-site opportunities with Pitstop to rapidly grow your organic trafficBen GoldenGet That Money Back - Karisse HendrickYou've heard Karisse explain how to reduce the rate of innocent chargebacks and how to avoid making yourself an easy target for fraudsters, but what do you do if it's already too late, they've taken your money and your product, and you want it back?

        Things to take away from this episode.

        Service related incidents

        • 2:14 Study the reason code attached to service related chargebacks. Know what you’re dealing with before getting into a claim with a customer, and don’t let yourself be caught off-guard. So long as the reason code given is accurate, having strategies to deal with the most common ones will save you time and money.
        • 2:40 Dig into your data. Make your own case, the same way you would as a lawyer, based around the reason code given. Use their own shopping habits and freely given information  as proof of continued and intended behaviour, or to contradict any claims they may make to the contrary. Trust what the data is telling you, and make others trust it as well, then link it back to that specific chargeback reason code given.
        • 3:08 Don't issue refunds unless necessary. It may seem easy to just avoid the conflict and issue the refund, but this is a mistake that may cost you unnecessary charge backs for innocent mistakes or impatient customers, or see you become intentionally targeted as an easy mark at the hands of online scammers. Only accept the chargeback when it truly is the fairest option for your consumer
        
        

        Fraud related incidents

        All you have to do when it comes to dismissing chargebacks in cases when you suspect fraud or a customer claims it, legally speaking, is prove that the card holder asking for a chargeback did participate in the transaction, and all of that data is already safe  in your hands. It’s just a matter of how you decide to use it.

        • 4:46 Don’t just accept a claim of fraud. Just as before, trust your data, even if it’s saying everything is business as usual while a customer is claiming a recent purchase wasn’t made by them. If the package hasn’t been diverted, the payment was verified, and their contact info all tracks, call their bluff.
        • 6:00 Know the rules and regulations. Again, knowing is half the battle, and that includes your responsibilities to the client, theirs to you, and both of your to the credit companies. Know your rights, know what is expected of you, and know how these rules will be used against you
        • 6:50 Hire a third party security options or build an in-house team. Also previously stated, hire security and fraud analysts,  do some shopping around yourself for who can provide the best protection for your products and profits, and see what you can do for yourself without spending even more
        • 9:00 Beware of chargeback management companies. They may seem like the obvious answer for getting your money back, but frequently they’re too interested in their fee, ignore the context of a claim, and have cost others much more than a chargeback ever would have, says Karisse. Do your research, and go with a company that is transparent in how they work and what they do for you.
        • 13:00 Additional legal options. If all else fails, consider action like third party collections or small claims court to recoup your money. Litigation is a nasty and expensive business, but if you feel you have a clear cut case, make it yourself and hope for the best
        
        

        Our Sponsors

        Omnisend - ShipBob - Gorgias

        Mentioned in this...]]>You've heard Karisse explain how to reduce the rate of innocent chargebacks and how to avoid making yourself an easy target for fraudsters, but what do you do if it's already too late, they've taken your money and your product, and you want it back?

        Things to take away from this episode.

        Service related incidents

        • 2:14 Study the reason code attached to service related chargebacks. Know what you’re dealing with before getting into a claim with a customer, and don’t let yourself be caught off-guard. So long as the reason code given is accurate, having strategies to deal with the most common ones will save you time and money.
        • 2:40 Dig into your data. Make your own case, the same way you would as a lawyer, based around the reason code given. Use their own shopping habits and freely given information  as proof of continued and intended behaviour, or to contradict any claims they may make to the contrary. Trust what the data is telling you, and make others trust it as well, then link it back to that specific chargeback reason code given.
        • 3:08 Don't issue refunds unless necessary. It may seem easy to just avoid the conflict and issue the refund, but this is a mistake that may cost you unnecessary charge backs for innocent mistakes or impatient customers, or see you become intentionally targeted as an easy mark at the hands of online scammers. Only accept the chargeback when it truly is the fairest option for your consumer
        
        

        Fraud related incidents

        All you have to do when it comes to dismissing chargebacks in cases when you suspect fraud or a customer claims it, legally speaking, is prove that the card holder asking for a chargeback did participate in the transaction, and all of that data is already safe  in your hands. It’s just a matter of how you decide to use it.

        • 4:46 Don’t just accept a claim of fraud. Just as before, trust your data, even if it’s saying everything is business as usual while a customer is claiming a recent purchase wasn’t made by them. If the package hasn’t been diverted, the payment was verified, and their contact info all tracks, call their bluff.
        • 6:00 Know the rules and regulations. Again, knowing is half the battle, and that includes your responsibilities to the client, theirs to you, and both of your to the credit companies. Know your rights, know what is expected of you, and know how these rules will be used against you
        • 6:50 Hire a third party security options or build an in-house team. Also previously stated, hire security and fraud analysts,  do some shopping around yourself for who can provide the best protection for your products and profits, and see what you can do for yourself without spending even more
        • 9:00 Beware of chargeback management companies. They may seem like the obvious answer for getting your money back, but frequently they’re too interested in their fee, ignore the context of a claim, and have cost others much more than a chargeback ever would have, says Karisse. Do your research, and go with a company that is transparent in how they work and what they do for you.
        • 13:00 Additional legal options. If all else fails, consider action like third party collections or small claims court to recoup your money. Litigation is a nasty and expensive business, but if you feel you have a clear cut case, make it yourself and hope for the best
        
        

        Our Sponsors

        Omnisend - ShipBob - Gorgias

        Mentioned in this episode:

        Triple Whale - Whale Mail

        ]]>be4b1a35-9a29-40af-ac48-b91e0426cc85Thu, 05 Aug 2021 04:05:00 -050016:02nofull99Having saved over $100 million from being lost to fraud, Karisse Hendrick joins Pitstop to give you the rundown on what to do to do win those inevitable chargebacks and fraudulent claims, and keep more of your cashLucas WalkerFight Back Against Fraud - Karisse HendrickAlthough  the vast majority of  chargebacks are both innocent and easily prevantable, what’s left are the real bad apples of the bunch, the fraudsters & scammers looking to either make a quick buck off your hard work, get some free merchandise or destroy you altogether for nothing more than a laugh.

        Things to take away from this episode.

        • 1:50 Fraud is inevitable. Sooner or later, your store will come to the attention of a fraudster who will try to take advantage of you. If you sell big ticket items or get a lot of press, expect them sooner than later. No one avoids being targeted forever, so be prepared and don’t get caught by surprise.
        • 2:15 A bank transaction is not a guarantee of security. Just because the bank pushed the purchase and charge through doesn’t necessarily mean their client and your customer has the money, or intention, to cover it. That money may be clawed back days later, at your cost, so don’t rush to ship the order or count your cash. It is your responsibility as a merchant to recognize fraudulent activity
        • 3:40 Be mindful of your orders. You may be overjoyed to suddenly be doing tons of business, but check the details and make sure the transactions are valid so they don't come back to bite you. Make sure there are no red flags before processing their order.
        • 4:30 Legitimate customers and fraudsters act differently. Both online and irl, pay close attention to the details and clues both customers and suspected frauds leave behind while browsing, in the checkout and even post-purchase,  to learn how to spot and follow the trail that leads back to them.
        • 5:30 If you’re making a profit, they can make a profit. You may find it hard to believe that your boutique or niche brand may be targeted by professional fraudsters, but your success just proves that there’s a market for your product, which means there’s a blackmarket too. Even if you’re a small business with no highly valuable merchandise to scam, they can hijack your checkout to test stolen credit cards with minor, often random purchases.
        • 6:25 Where there’s one, there’s bound to me more. Modern fraudsters and scammers are members of vast communities barely hiding among the social media and message boards many businesses rely on themselves for promotion. When one finds a weakness in a store, they don’t keep it to themselves for long, so you have to move quick to protect yourself first.
        
        

        Tools and tactics you can implement tomorrow to protect your store

        • 8:20 The best offence is a good defence. Consider hiring an indemnifying fraud prevention company, someone who will take care of the entire process from top to bottom and cover any chargebacks that get passed them. If you prefer a more cost-effective and hands on approach, train someone on-staff to work with a third party security and monitoring system, or one of Shopify's own security apps and services (though with warning as these apps can be very basic and sloppy)
        • 9:06 Make it obvious who they’re buying from. This includes on your credit card statement the part that shows up as “sp*http://yourstore.com”and can be edited in your Shopify admin under “/admin/settings/payments https://monosnap.com/file/x3hFgYMYaEhaWCuZPzKp4Dvq97YsEV“
        • 11:38 Use common sense. Stay calm, slow down, and think about the purchases your customers are making. Paying attention is your first, last and best defence for fraud prevention, and by far the cheapest.
        • 12:05 Watch your flank. If a scammers senses that you’ve caught onto them online, they may switch to a different approach, like ordering over the phone. Be aware of the signs of social engineering, and don’t be afraid to ask questions if you get...]]>Although  the vast majority of  chargebacks are both innocent and easily prevantable, what’s left are the real bad apples of the bunch, the fraudsters & scammers looking to either make a quick buck off your hard work, get some free merchandise or destroy you altogether for nothing more than a laugh.

          Things to take away from this episode.

          • 1:50 Fraud is inevitable. Sooner or later, your store will come to the attention of a fraudster who will try to take advantage of you. If you sell big ticket items or get a lot of press, expect them sooner than later. No one avoids being targeted forever, so be prepared and don’t get caught by surprise.
          • 2:15 A bank transaction is not a guarantee of security. Just because the bank pushed the purchase and charge through doesn’t necessarily mean their client and your customer has the money, or intention, to cover it. That money may be clawed back days later, at your cost, so don’t rush to ship the order or count your cash. It is your responsibility as a merchant to recognize fraudulent activity
          • 3:40 Be mindful of your orders. You may be overjoyed to suddenly be doing tons of business, but check the details and make sure the transactions are valid so they don't come back to bite you. Make sure there are no red flags before processing their order.
          • 4:30 Legitimate customers and fraudsters act differently. Both online and irl, pay close attention to the details and clues both customers and suspected frauds leave behind while browsing, in the checkout and even post-purchase,  to learn how to spot and follow the trail that leads back to them.
          • 5:30 If you’re making a profit, they can make a profit. You may find it hard to believe that your boutique or niche brand may be targeted by professional fraudsters, but your success just proves that there’s a market for your product, which means there’s a blackmarket too. Even if you’re a small business with no highly valuable merchandise to scam, they can hijack your checkout to test stolen credit cards with minor, often random purchases.
          • 6:25 Where there’s one, there’s bound to me more. Modern fraudsters and scammers are members of vast communities barely hiding among the social media and message boards many businesses rely on themselves for promotion. When one finds a weakness in a store, they don’t keep it to themselves for long, so you have to move quick to protect yourself first.
          
          

          Tools and tactics you can implement tomorrow to protect your store

          • 8:20 The best offence is a good defence. Consider hiring an indemnifying fraud prevention company, someone who will take care of the entire process from top to bottom and cover any chargebacks that get passed them. If you prefer a more cost-effective and hands on approach, train someone on-staff to work with a third party security and monitoring system, or one of Shopify's own security apps and services (though with warning as these apps can be very basic and sloppy)
          • 9:06 Make it obvious who they’re buying from. This includes on your credit card statement the part that shows up as “sp*http://yourstore.com”and can be edited in your Shopify admin under “/admin/settings/payments https://monosnap.com/file/x3hFgYMYaEhaWCuZPzKp4Dvq97YsEV“
          • 11:38 Use common sense. Stay calm, slow down, and think about the purchases your customers are making. Paying attention is your first, last and best defence for fraud prevention, and by far the cheapest.
          • 12:05 Watch your flank. If a scammers senses that you’ve caught onto them online, they may switch to a different approach, like ordering over the phone. Be aware of the signs of social engineering, and don’t be afraid to ask questions if you get suspicious.
          
          

          Our Sponsors

          Omnisend - ShipBob - Gorgias

          Mentioned in this episode:

          Triple Whale - Whale Mail

          ]]>b2126e6f-dfcc-47d5-91fb-309b8bec18b4Wed, 04 Aug 2021 04:05:00 -050018:15nofull98An inevitable part of doing business, there's no ecommerce scam Karisse Hendrick hasn't seen, and she's returned to Pitstop to tell you not only how to spot a fraud, but where and when to cut them off before they cut your purse strings and into your profits Karisse HendrickAvoid Costly Chargebacks - Karisse HendrickThings to take away from this episode.

          1:30 Types of chargebacks. Service-related chargebacks are for things like an order not showing up, or not as described. Alternatively they call their bank and call fraud. 

          3:05 Card not present. When a fraudulent purchase is made in person, the liability is on the bank, but online that liability, even for fraud chargebacks is on the merchant.

          7:58 Review the reason codes of your chargeback, but take it with a gain of salt. If there are common issues like “not as described, or order didn’t arrive” you can adjust your descriptions, follow up, etc.

          9:06 Make it obvious who they’re buying from. This include on your credit card statement the part that shows up as “sp*yourstore.com”and can be edited in your Shopify admin under /admin/settings/payments https://monosnap.com/file/x3hFgYMYaEhaWCuZPzKp4Dvq97YsEV

          9:20 Have a phone number, especially if your customers are a bit older.

          12:00 For subscription-based businesses, Chargebacks can be issued for up to 3 months of services, and making it known you can cancel makes customers feel safe. Don’t make your customers feel like they’re ordering from an adult video store to cancel meat box subscription.

          14:06 Having clear policies, particularly your refund policy. They can be an insurance policy for if you do get a chargeback. Being able to show what you did to help customers will go a long way.

          Tactics to reduce service related chargebacks

          • Work with quality suppliers and partners. Test your fulfilment centre, and make sure you’re working with one that offers a guarantee.
          • Clearly communicate what’s happening with orders. If there are delays, or items are out of stock, don’t hide.
          • Don’t act like an adult website for subscription based business, and make it easy to cancel at any time.
          • Adjust your messaging on site, and through your pre-and post purchase automations.
          
          

          Tools that will help you avoid chargebacks

          Gorgias Help Desk. Set up your automations to tag any tickets with chargeback type language like “If I don’t hear from you, I’ll contact my bank.

          Shipbob, who offers 99.95% accuracy rate in shipping orders, and has warehouses around the world.

          Omnisend, I sat in the co-host seat of Season 3 Cart Insiders podcast, talking about automations and workflows. If you’re experiencing any changes, update your automations so your customers know what they need.

          Mentioned in this episode:

          Triple Whale - Whale Mail

          ]]>Things to take away from this episode.

          1:30 Types of chargebacks. Service-related chargebacks are for things like an order not showing up, or not as described. Alternatively they call their bank and call fraud. 

          3:05 Card not present. When a fraudulent purchase is made in person, the liability is on the bank, but online that liability, even for fraud chargebacks is on the merchant.

          7:58 Review the reason codes of your chargeback, but take it with a gain of salt. If there are common issues like “not as described, or order didn’t arrive” you can adjust your descriptions, follow up, etc.

          9:06 Make it obvious who they’re buying from. This include on your credit card statement the part that shows up as “sp*yourstore.com”and can be edited in your Shopify admin under /admin/settings/payments https://monosnap.com/file/x3hFgYMYaEhaWCuZPzKp4Dvq97YsEV

          9:20 Have a phone number, especially if your customers are a bit older.

          12:00 For subscription-based businesses, Chargebacks can be issued for up to 3 months of services, and making it known you can cancel makes customers feel safe. Don’t make your customers feel like they’re ordering from an adult video store to cancel meat box subscription.

          14:06 Having clear policies, particularly your refund policy. They can be an insurance policy for if you do get a chargeback. Being able to show what you did to help customers will go a long way.

          Tactics to reduce service related chargebacks

          • Work with quality suppliers and partners. Test your fulfilment centre, and make sure you’re working with one that offers a guarantee.
          • Clearly communicate what’s happening with orders. If there are delays, or items are out of stock, don’t hide.
          • Don’t act like an adult website for subscription based business, and make it easy to cancel at any time.
          • Adjust your messaging on site, and through your pre-and post purchase automations.
          
          

          Tools that will help you avoid chargebacks

          Gorgias Help Desk. Set up your automations to tag any tickets with chargeback type language like “If I don’t hear from you, I’ll contact my bank.

          Shipbob, who offers 99.95% accuracy rate in shipping orders, and has warehouses around the world.

          Omnisend, I sat in the co-host seat of Season 3 Cart Insiders podcast, talking about automations and workflows. If you’re experiencing any changes, update your automations so your customers know what they need.

          Mentioned in this episode:

          Triple Whale - Whale Mail

          ]]>1dd043f9-82cf-4a50-b652-53c3291f2d4fTue, 03 Aug 2021 04:05:00 -050018:25yesfull97For every $1 you’re charged back, it costs you $3.36. After saving her clients $100M in preventable losses, Karisse Hendrick joins Pitstop to help you avoid fraud and chargebacks. The rules for online businesses aren’t fair, but you can prevent chargebacks Lucas WalkerGrow With The Flow - Chase DimondYour opens may be dead, but that doesn't mean they were all that important when they were alive to begin with. Some of the craftier brand operators and marketing agents have been making the most out of everything else available from customers while the majority of the industry was happy with a steady diet of staple open rates. 

          While in the past some have mocked them for ignoring the easiest to gather intel, with the rollout of iOS 15, they're the ones comfortably laughing now, far ahead of the game and worry free.

          Thankfully, Chase Dimond has connected 6 key customer segments you should pay attention to today and after iOS 15 has launched that will give you the insight those lucky few have until now exclusively enjoyed, and lead your customers to be all they can buy.

          Laying Out The Track

          These groups are determined by a combination of order data, revenue data and  click data, so there will be absolutely no loss or effect come iOS 15, allowing you to continue the process uninterrupted.

          The  secret to the success of understanding and utilizing these 6 key customer segments, says Chase, is to use them in succession, pushing and pulling VIP customers from one level to the next, processing them into better, more loyal and engaged customers every step of the way. 

          1. Dead Weight. Non-purchasers who have signed up for emails they don't open, promoting sales they don't take advantage of. This segment is a money pit, and the smaller it is the less cash it will cost you. Contact them occasionally to see if there's a nibble, but don't chase after them
          2. Nearly There's. The interest is there, but the purchase history is not with the next group, people who seem interested and active on your site and in your emails, but never leads to a sale. These people are looking for a reason to buy from you, so give them one. Try anything, getting them across that buying threshold is all that matters.
          3. Potential Brand Enthusiasts. They've made a few purchases, and are clicking through to some emails. Up their engagement and get them really interested and into your brand culture, so they can move on to...
          4. Brand Enthusiasts. Die hard loyalty and a history of purchasing, but with potentially months long spaces between purchases. The interest in your brand is there, you just need to capitalize on it with special offers and direct engagement
          5. Potential High Rollers. These are your soon-to-be VIPs who already have a healthy buying history and love of your brand, but haven't quite yet committed to dropping the big bucks. Entice them with a taste of real exclusivity, then wait as they come to you to take the next step.
          6. High Rollers. These are your big-money spenders, who like to make frequent and frequently large purchases. These people love you already, so maintaining their loyalty is mostly a matter of staying the course, and not upsetting or annoying them. The only thing they can't easily buy is the status of exclusivity, so give them that.
          
          

          Our Sponsors

          Omnisend - ShipBob - Gorgias

          Mentioned in this episode:

          Triple Whale - Whale Mail

          ]]>Your opens may be dead, but that doesn't mean they were all that important when they were alive to begin with. Some of the craftier brand operators and marketing agents have been making the most out of everything else available from customers while the majority of the industry was happy with a steady diet of staple open rates. 

          While in the past some have mocked them for ignoring the easiest to gather intel, with the rollout of iOS 15, they're the ones comfortably laughing now, far ahead of the game and worry free.

          Thankfully, Chase Dimond has connected 6 key customer segments you should pay attention to today and after iOS 15 has launched that will give you the insight those lucky few have until now exclusively enjoyed, and lead your customers to be all they can buy.

          Laying Out The Track

          These groups are determined by a combination of order data, revenue data and  click data, so there will be absolutely no loss or effect come iOS 15, allowing you to continue the process uninterrupted.

          The  secret to the success of understanding and utilizing these 6 key customer segments, says Chase, is to use them in succession, pushing and pulling VIP customers from one level to the next, processing them into better, more loyal and engaged customers every step of the way. 

          1. Dead Weight. Non-purchasers who have signed up for emails they don't open, promoting sales they don't take advantage of. This segment is a money pit, and the smaller it is the less cash it will cost you. Contact them occasionally to see if there's a nibble, but don't chase after them
          2. Nearly There's. The interest is there, but the purchase history is not with the next group, people who seem interested and active on your site and in your emails, but never leads to a sale. These people are looking for a reason to buy from you, so give them one. Try anything, getting them across that buying threshold is all that matters.
          3. Potential Brand Enthusiasts. They've made a few purchases, and are clicking through to some emails. Up their engagement and get them really interested and into your brand culture, so they can move on to...
          4. Brand Enthusiasts. Die hard loyalty and a history of purchasing, but with potentially months long spaces between purchases. The interest in your brand is there, you just need to capitalize on it with special offers and direct engagement
          5. Potential High Rollers. These are your soon-to-be VIPs who already have a healthy buying history and love of your brand, but haven't quite yet committed to dropping the big bucks. Entice them with a taste of real exclusivity, then wait as they come to you to take the next step.
          6. High Rollers. These are your big-money spenders, who like to make frequent and frequently large purchases. These people love you already, so maintaining their loyalty is mostly a matter of staying the course, and not upsetting or annoying them. The only thing they can't easily buy is the status of exclusivity, so give them that.
          
          

          Our Sponsors

          Omnisend - ShipBob - Gorgias

          Mentioned in this episode:

          Triple Whale - Whale Mail

          ]]>45fcf6d1-cd7f-48e9-baab-277c88085f50Thu, 29 Jul 2021 04:05:00 -050010:38nofull96Email marketing expert Chase Dimond returns one more time to the Pitstop garage to give Lucas the rundown on 6 key customer segments to watch that will let you make the most of your consumersChase DimondStick To The Plan - Chase DimondIf you feel anxious or stressed about the loss of open rates and ip tracking with the upcoming iOS 15 update later this year, just imagine how the companies who make their money off email marketing feel.

          Thankfully, the leaders of these companies recently came together to discuss what the update means for their industry and what they should do to survive it, and Chase Dimond was there to hear their plans, tactics and strategies.

          Omnisend

          • Rytis Lauris, CEO of Omnisend, detailed the company's belief that opens were only a proxy score to begin with, and that the best approach is to educate their clients. Through their campaign Opens Are Dead Omnisend has been helping brands understand the changes coming and how they can best adapt. They also are committing to a focus on recency, repeat and returning customers, and how they drive profitability.
          
          

          Klaviyo

          • Pre-built segment options will be available for clients  who want to take a less hands-on approach to dealing with iOS 15. The segments will track resulting visits to your website, on-site activity and their rate and weight of clicks, and engage inactive members in break-up email series, giving brands a broad overview of consumer behaviour and a worry free automated experience.
          
          

          Privy

          • The new goal for emails won't just be getting customers to open them, it will be getting customers to go the extra step and respond to them. According to Privy, this will be the best new metric for telling if your list is sick or healthy, as if a customer can't even be bothered to click a link, vote in a poll or share a post, they probably won't be shopping any time soon either.
          
          

          MessageBird

          • Looking to put an end to batching and blasting once and for all with the new updates, MessageBird will be offering clients as yet undefined automated options, that will be driven by the customer's own actions.
          
          

          Send Lane

          • Improving post-master tools is Send Lane's goal, allowing you to draw metrics directly from Google itself rather than more costly monitoring and automation options. If brands want to see more activity, then it will just be up to them to put in the extra effort and make themselves noticed.
          
          

          Drip

          • Sunset flows will be the new name of the game, according to Drip,  based on the still remaining core deliverability data, so a mere adjustment in analysis is all that's required.
          
          

          Every major and minor email marketing brand is working on how they can make the most out of iOS 15's shakeup, and while not everyone will get it right, inevitably working strategies will win out, and the rest of the industry will invariably follow step, hopefully in a continued spirit of cooperation between competitors.

          Our Sponsors

          Omnisend - ShipBob - Gorgias

          Mentioned in this episode:

          Triple Whale - Whale Mail

          ]]>If you feel anxious or stressed about the loss of open rates and ip tracking with the upcoming iOS 15 update later this year, just imagine how the companies who make their money off email marketing feel.

          Thankfully, the leaders of these companies recently came together to discuss what the update means for their industry and what they should do to survive it, and Chase Dimond was there to hear their plans, tactics and strategies.

          Omnisend

          • Rytis Lauris, CEO of Omnisend, detailed the company's belief that opens were only a proxy score to begin with, and that the best approach is to educate their clients. Through their campaign Opens Are Dead Omnisend has been helping brands understand the changes coming and how they can best adapt. They also are committing to a focus on recency, repeat and returning customers, and how they drive profitability.
          
          

          Klaviyo

          • Pre-built segment options will be available for clients  who want to take a less hands-on approach to dealing with iOS 15. The segments will track resulting visits to your website, on-site activity and their rate and weight of clicks, and engage inactive members in break-up email series, giving brands a broad overview of consumer behaviour and a worry free automated experience.
          
          

          Privy

          • The new goal for emails won't just be getting customers to open them, it will be getting customers to go the extra step and respond to them. According to Privy, this will be the best new metric for telling if your list is sick or healthy, as if a customer can't even be bothered to click a link, vote in a poll or share a post, they probably won't be shopping any time soon either.
          
          

          MessageBird

          • Looking to put an end to batching and blasting once and for all with the new updates, MessageBird will be offering clients as yet undefined automated options, that will be driven by the customer's own actions.
          
          

          Send Lane

          • Improving post-master tools is Send Lane's goal, allowing you to draw metrics directly from Google itself rather than more costly monitoring and automation options. If brands want to see more activity, then it will just be up to them to put in the extra effort and make themselves noticed.
          
          

          Drip

          • Sunset flows will be the new name of the game, according to Drip,  based on the still remaining core deliverability data, so a mere adjustment in analysis is all that's required.
          
          

          Every major and minor email marketing brand is working on how they can make the most out of iOS 15's shakeup, and while not everyone will get it right, inevitably working strategies will win out, and the rest of the industry will invariably follow step, hopefully in a continued spirit of cooperation between competitors.

          Our Sponsors

          Omnisend - ShipBob - Gorgias

          Mentioned in this episode:

          Triple Whale - Whale Mail

          ]]>2582feef-f0ec-4630-9403-83dba7bbf2f7Tue, 27 Jul 2021 04:05:00 -050013:12nofull95Record breaker Chase Dimond is back in the Pitstop garage to tell Lucas how the biggest names in email marketing are planning to deal with the roll out of iOS 15Chase DimondPivot Today To Profit Tomorrow - Chase DimondAt a recent roundtable with some of the giants of the e-commerce marketing industry, Chase Dimond was able to ask some very important questions about how they expect the iOS 15 update to roll out, and what it will mean for your email marketing strategies.

          "Is iOS 15 the death of email marketing?"

          In short, no

          While it may seem like the loss of open rate tracking undermines the entire point of email marketing, industry leaders are confident that email as a promotional tool is far from finished, and will only become more active once the new normal is fully settled.

          "Will revenue or deliverability decline with iOS 15?"

          Again, no

          It is almost unanimously agreed that conversion rates of 20-40% will continue, as customer behaviour itself it unlikely to change, aside from increase in engagement as even more people shop online. 

          Rather than adapting your tactics based on data you receive from open rates to generate this revenue, brands will have to adjust to analyzing a new set of information, and maintain a faithful course ahead sending emails without the much missed metrics, as well as an aggressive approach to list hygiene, and the removal of inactive and unprofitable members.

          "What can I do now to prepare for these changes?"

          Whether or not you agree that open rates are a vanity metric, they can still tell you more than just the binary of if your customers are opening an email or not. While you still have access to open rate data, look for the following specific details to learn how to look around and beyond the open rates themselves:

          • What is the actual percent of opens that lead to engagement with the email? How many people explore the offer?
          • What is the click through-to-open rate ratio? How many people end up in your store?
          
          

          Knowing currently how many people engage with your emails, and comparing later figures will give you a way to spot your open rate without having the direct data of them available.

          Traffic Driving Tip:  If an email for a new sale or promotion hasn't been opened, resend it with a different title, and try to see what works. The first email to newly signed up customers is often the most successful, so do everything you can to gain and keep their attention

          Our Sponsors

          Omnisend - ShipBob - Gorgias

          Mentioned in this episode:

          Triple Whale - Whale Mail

          ]]>At a recent roundtable with some of the giants of the e-commerce marketing industry, Chase Dimond was able to ask some very important questions about how they expect the iOS 15 update to roll out, and what it will mean for your email marketing strategies.

          "Is iOS 15 the death of email marketing?"

          In short, no

          While it may seem like the loss of open rate tracking undermines the entire point of email marketing, industry leaders are confident that email as a promotional tool is far from finished, and will only become more active once the new normal is fully settled.

          "Will revenue or deliverability decline with iOS 15?"

          Again, no

          It is almost unanimously agreed that conversion rates of 20-40% will continue, as customer behaviour itself it unlikely to change, aside from increase in engagement as even more people shop online. 

          Rather than adapting your tactics based on data you receive from open rates to generate this revenue, brands will have to adjust to analyzing a new set of information, and maintain a faithful course ahead sending emails without the much missed metrics, as well as an aggressive approach to list hygiene, and the removal of inactive and unprofitable members.

          "What can I do now to prepare for these changes?"

          Whether or not you agree that open rates are a vanity metric, they can still tell you more than just the binary of if your customers are opening an email or not. While you still have access to open rate data, look for the following specific details to learn how to look around and beyond the open rates themselves:

          • What is the actual percent of opens that lead to engagement with the email? How many people explore the offer?
          • What is the click through-to-open rate ratio? How many people end up in your store?
          
          

          Knowing currently how many people engage with your emails, and comparing later figures will give you a way to spot your open rate without having the direct data of them available.

          Traffic Driving Tip:  If an email for a new sale or promotion hasn't been opened, resend it with a different title, and try to see what works. The first email to newly signed up customers is often the most successful, so do everything you can to gain and keep their attention

          Our Sponsors

          Omnisend - ShipBob - Gorgias

          Mentioned in this episode:

          Triple Whale - Whale Mail

          ]]>ba1da73b-9274-45bf-bc9a-7c2b819254aeMon, 26 Jul 2021 04:05:00 -050012:37nofull94Email marketing expert & partner at Boundless Labs and Structured, Chase Dimond, makes Pitstop podcast history as the first returning guest, to talk about how you can prepare for iOS 15Lucas WalkerGotta Get Money To Make Money - Andrew GluckIt doesn't matter how innovative a business idea, industry perspective or consumer product may be, if you don't have that crucial first pile of cash to invest in getting a brand off the ground, it all amounts to nothing. 

          Since someone usually starts a business to sell an item to make more money that they currently have, paying for the initial start-up can seem like a constant cycle of catch-22s.

          Thankfully, angel investor expert Andrew Gluck  is here to keep your wheels from spinning any longer, and get you off on the road to success with these  tips for raising that initial capital.

          1. Friends and Family First. The most forgivable loans with the lowest interest rtes you can ever find may come from those closest to you. While not everyone has a crazy-rich relation they can beg for money, friends and family often want to see you succeed, and might at least  contribute to getting you closer to your goal.
          2. Lift Yourself By Your Bootstraps. You don't necessarily need every cent of that initial capital to get going at full speed, just enough to get a little momentum forward. If possible, invest in yourself first, and spend whatever you can from your personal funds to get your business off the ground. If you can afford it, build a promotional site, order a prototype and start taking pre-orders to raise the rest, until you can afford to enter full-production.
          3. Sign Up For An Accelerator. Join a growing community of young developers and interested entrepreneurs to mutually help each other move forward with accelerator services like Y Combinator, Techstars, XRC, financiers like Clearco, Shopify Capital or even smaller, more populist sites like AngelList and crowdfunders like Kickstarter and IndieGoGo
          4. Fortune Favours The Bold. Chances are you already know some of the movers and shakers in your niche market, and are familiar with who are some of the bigger investors in them. Find out who is pumping cash into your competition, no matter what size, and approach them with your own proposal. If what you bring to the table is innovative or engaging enough, you may find them very interested.
          
          

          "When can I get involved with venture capital?"

          Maybe you just want to skip to the end and find  someone with deep pockets who will offer up all the security your brand needs, with a healthy cut. There is little if no turning back from this route, says Andrew, so be very sure that this is the direction you want to follow, and be certain that your business is capable of reaching the kinds of heights, millions & billions of dollars heights that is, that will be expected of you.

          BE WARE: Raising capital can have strict limits and laws based on where your business is located, what industry it's in, and if there is cross-state or even international-trade. Carefully research the rules before you raise a single cent, you don't want to wind up in trouble before you've even had a chance to make a single sale

          Our Sponsors

          Omnisend - ShipBob - Gorgias

          Mentioned in this episode:

          Triple Whale - Whale Mail

          ]]>It doesn't matter how innovative a business idea, industry perspective or consumer product may be, if you don't have that crucial first pile of cash to invest in getting a brand off the ground, it all amounts to nothing. 

          Since someone usually starts a business to sell an item to make more money that they currently have, paying for the initial start-up can seem like a constant cycle of catch-22s.

          Thankfully, angel investor expert Andrew Gluck  is here to keep your wheels from spinning any longer, and get you off on the road to success with these  tips for raising that initial capital.

          1. Friends and Family First. The most forgivable loans with the lowest interest rtes you can ever find may come from those closest to you. While not everyone has a crazy-rich relation they can beg for money, friends and family often want to see you succeed, and might at least  contribute to getting you closer to your goal.
          2. Lift Yourself By Your Bootstraps. You don't necessarily need every cent of that initial capital to get going at full speed, just enough to get a little momentum forward. If possible, invest in yourself first, and spend whatever you can from your personal funds to get your business off the ground. If you can afford it, build a promotional site, order a prototype and start taking pre-orders to raise the rest, until you can afford to enter full-production.
          3. Sign Up For An Accelerator. Join a growing community of young developers and interested entrepreneurs to mutually help each other move forward with accelerator services like Y Combinator, Techstars, XRC, financiers like Clearco, Shopify Capital or even smaller, more populist sites like AngelList and crowdfunders like Kickstarter and IndieGoGo
          4. Fortune Favours The Bold. Chances are you already know some of the movers and shakers in your niche market, and are familiar with who are some of the bigger investors in them. Find out who is pumping cash into your competition, no matter what size, and approach them with your own proposal. If what you bring to the table is innovative or engaging enough, you may find them very interested.
          
          

          "When can I get involved with venture capital?"

          Maybe you just want to skip to the end and find  someone with deep pockets who will offer up all the security your brand needs, with a healthy cut. There is little if no turning back from this route, says Andrew, so be very sure that this is the direction you want to follow, and be certain that your business is capable of reaching the kinds of heights, millions & billions of dollars heights that is, that will be expected of you.

          BE WARE: Raising capital can have strict limits and laws based on where your business is located, what industry it's in, and if there is cross-state or even international-trade. Carefully research the rules before you raise a single cent, you don't want to wind up in trouble before you've even had a chance to make a single sale

          Our Sponsors

          Omnisend - ShipBob - Gorgias

          Mentioned in this episode:

          Triple Whale - Whale Mail

          ]]>62843c8e-8ff6-4653-b66d-6a377816bbfaFri, 23 Jul 2021 04:05:00 -050014:56nofull93Andrew Gluck, GP with irrvrntVC, a next-gen commerce investment fund, drops by Pitstop to let Lucas in on some of the secrets to raisin that ever important starting capitalLucas WalkerKeep Calm & Email On - Stephanie GriffithChances are that either you, or someone on your team, after hearing that open rate tracking and ip tracking were coming to an end with iOS 15, likely felt a deep and foreboding  sense of dread. 

          As the engagement metrics you rely the most on vanish before your very eyes, you may worry that your brand has been left blind to your customer's behaviour.

          Says Stephanie Griffith, DON'T PANIC

          The next year is going to see a lot of businesses make a lot of mistakes as everyone gets used to the new normal, and old habits are left behind. 

          Here's how to avoid becoming someone else's lesson of what not to do.

          1. No seriously, don't panic. It's going to be a slow integration for everyone, and no one knows the full potential of 15's updates yet. Even if you get caught off guard, you're still no further behind anyone else in terms of rolling out a responsive strategy
          2. Don't send "too many damn emails". Until you learn how to read the new metrics, you may worry that emails aren't being read, let lone received, and could start burying consumers in promotional messages, desperate for a  measurable sale. Rest assured, nothing is changing about how emails are delivered, and they will be getting through
          3. Don't just sit on your hands and wait. You still have access to open rate and ip metrics for the time being, so make the most out of them. Learn as much as you can about current and projected customer behaviour, so that you can be confident in your strategy continuing during the interim period between iOS 15's launch and your systems adapting to the new metrics
          4. Build out your other audiences. IOS 15 updates will have no effect on SMS or how you track their metrics, and while SMS is certainly no replacement for email promotion, take this opportunity to expand on your lists, to get a great sense of consumer behaviour to measure future metrics in comparison with, while also reaping the benefits of more consumers engaging with your brand beyond email
          
          

          Approach these upcoming changes with a calm curiosity, and you'll find your business will only get better.

          Our Sponsors

          Omnisend - ShipBob - Gorgias

          Mentioned in this episode:

          Triple Whale - Whale Mail

          ]]>Chances are that either you, or someone on your team, after hearing that open rate tracking and ip tracking were coming to an end with iOS 15, likely felt a deep and foreboding  sense of dread. 

          As the engagement metrics you rely the most on vanish before your very eyes, you may worry that your brand has been left blind to your customer's behaviour.

          Says Stephanie Griffith, DON'T PANIC

          The next year is going to see a lot of businesses make a lot of mistakes as everyone gets used to the new normal, and old habits are left behind. 

          Here's how to avoid becoming someone else's lesson of what not to do.

          1. No seriously, don't panic. It's going to be a slow integration for everyone, and no one knows the full potential of 15's updates yet. Even if you get caught off guard, you're still no further behind anyone else in terms of rolling out a responsive strategy
          2. Don't send "too many damn emails". Until you learn how to read the new metrics, you may worry that emails aren't being read, let lone received, and could start burying consumers in promotional messages, desperate for a  measurable sale. Rest assured, nothing is changing about how emails are delivered, and they will be getting through
          3. Don't just sit on your hands and wait. You still have access to open rate and ip metrics for the time being, so make the most out of them. Learn as much as you can about current and projected customer behaviour, so that you can be confident in your strategy continuing during the interim period between iOS 15's launch and your systems adapting to the new metrics
          4. Build out your other audiences. IOS 15 updates will have no effect on SMS or how you track their metrics, and while SMS is certainly no replacement for email promotion, take this opportunity to expand on your lists, to get a great sense of consumer behaviour to measure future metrics in comparison with, while also reaping the benefits of more consumers engaging with your brand beyond email
          
          

          Approach these upcoming changes with a calm curiosity, and you'll find your business will only get better.

          Our Sponsors

          Omnisend - ShipBob - Gorgias

          Mentioned in this episode:

          Triple Whale - Whale Mail

          ]]>7eb74df3-6e5d-450c-982a-d8434306dfcbThu, 22 Jul 2021 04:05:00 -050012:45nofull92Stephanie "Your Opens Are Dead" Griffith, founder of Email Preview.io joins Lucas Walker again on Pitstop to assure you that though open rate tracking is ending, you'll be just fineLucas WalkerCatering To A Captive Audience - Stephanie GriffithNow that the end has finally come for email open rate tracking with the recently rolled out updates for iOS 15 from Apple, as explained by marketing expert Stephanie Griffith in our last episode, it's time to step up your customer tracking and list curation to the next level.

          High Intent Captures & The Fall Of Contests

          One hacky and tired tool that email experts will be glad to see sidelined are capture contests, emails designed to result in opens by offering the chance at a prize. Without needless vanity metrics like open rates, this option for growing lists has become completely unnecessary and useless, except for the very few customers who happened to win them.

          Such old school, wide-net methods are a thing of the past and will only waste your money and time chasing after consumers who just don't care enough about your brand or products.  Instead, it's time to focus on those customers who have proven brand loyalty and buying power, with just 3 simple steps.

          1. Don't focus on the size of your lists. Quantity of responses is a vanity metric, based on years and years of tracking open rates. Let them go, they're only pointing you in the wrong direction. Stop looking at the numbers you want to have and focus on what you do
          2. Ruthlessly curate your signed-up members. If someone is making you money, then why are you spending any on trying to get their attention? If you're not seeing click activity on sent emails over your store, even within under a month since their last visit, cut them out. If they're really interested in your brand, they'll return themselves
          3. Pay absolute attention to what few truly committed customers you do have, their traffic, movements, interests and the idiosyncrasies click tracking affords you, and cater to those tastes and behaviours
          
          

          Give yourself a true 360 view of the behaviour of your best consumers, not just the binary "yes" or "no" of if an email was opened or not, and they will feed you shopping habit data until you're fit to burst.

          Our Sponsors

          Omnisend - ShipBob - Gorgias

          Mentioned in this episode:

          Triple Whale - Whale Mail

          ]]>Now that the end has finally come for email open rate tracking with the recently rolled out updates for iOS 15 from Apple, as explained by marketing expert Stephanie Griffith in our last episode, it's time to step up your customer tracking and list curation to the next level.

          High Intent Captures & The Fall Of Contests

          One hacky and tired tool that email experts will be glad to see sidelined are capture contests, emails designed to result in opens by offering the chance at a prize. Without needless vanity metrics like open rates, this option for growing lists has become completely unnecessary and useless, except for the very few customers who happened to win them.

          Such old school, wide-net methods are a thing of the past and will only waste your money and time chasing after consumers who just don't care enough about your brand or products.  Instead, it's time to focus on those customers who have proven brand loyalty and buying power, with just 3 simple steps.

          1. Don't focus on the size of your lists. Quantity of responses is a vanity metric, based on years and years of tracking open rates. Let them go, they're only pointing you in the wrong direction. Stop looking at the numbers you want to have and focus on what you do
          2. Ruthlessly curate your signed-up members. If someone is making you money, then why are you spending any on trying to get their attention? If you're not seeing click activity on sent emails over your store, even within under a month since their last visit, cut them out. If they're really interested in your brand, they'll return themselves
          3. Pay absolute attention to what few truly committed customers you do have, their traffic, movements, interests and the idiosyncrasies click tracking affords you, and cater to those tastes and behaviours
          
          

          Give yourself a true 360 view of the behaviour of your best consumers, not just the binary "yes" or "no" of if an email was opened or not, and they will feed you shopping habit data until you're fit to burst.

          Our Sponsors

          Omnisend - ShipBob - Gorgias

          Mentioned in this episode:

          Triple Whale - Whale Mail

          ]]>2d54eaff-c2b8-44d2-9d1d-434714dae2e6Tue, 20 Jul 2021 04:05:00 -050014:12nofull91Founder of Email Preview.io, Stephanie "Your Opens Are Dead" Griffith, returns to Pitstop to show how you can survive the latest sea-change in email marketing thanks to i0S 15Stephanie GriffithMeet The New Metrics - Stephanie GriffithThe only constant in business, online or offline, is that change is inevitable, and if you don't ride the wave of the next tidal shift, you risk being swept away and going under.

          With the release of Apple's iOS 15 update comes some major changes that every Shopify and e-commerce brands absolutely needs to be aware of when it comes to email marketing, and engagement expert Stephanie Griffith is here to make sure you understand them all.

          What has been lost

          • Open rate tracking. In an increasingly open world, customers want to be tracked less, and enjoy their privacy more. Previously, tracking your paid media, such as advertising, has been all that's affected, but the limitations have now expanded to emails, along with...
          • IP address tracking. Further looking to protect consumer privacy, you'll no longer be able to track I addresses, which many customers have been demanding for years
          
          

          What has been gained

          While these new restrictions may, on the face, mean your job and e-commerce marketers has become much more difficult, says Griffith this should instead be seen as an opportunity to embrace change and adapt to better, metrics-based business practices that should have been adopted long before.

          • Clicks to replace open rates for tracking activity, giving you more on the ground information on their UX behaviour and interests, without invading your customer's privacy
          • An expanded definition of "successful conversion". A conversion isn't just a sale, it can be a sign up to SMS, engagement in a contest, feedback on an event or sharing a new product with their friends and followers, giving you a total sense of engagement, not just at the checkout
          • A newfound focus on making sure the message you convey is the best quality it can be, and that the customer's email experience is fully optimized to result in action and engagement, via mapping and understanding your entire customer funnel, from start to finish. This will allow you to see not only what works, but what doesn't, and let you focus on those weak spots
          
          

          BE AWARE: With these changes will come some very odd behaviour in the data, as the systems adapt to the new restrictions. This will likely result in inflated numbers, showing many more artificial engagements than customer driven, organic activity. Don't respond or base any marketing campaign decisions on these numbers, wait to see if they settle down after a few months to be sure that they are accurate before adapting your outreach strategies.

          Our Sponsors

          Omnisend - ShipBob - Gorgias

          Mentioned in this episode:

          Triple Whale - Whale Mail

          ]]>The only constant in business, online or offline, is that change is inevitable, and if you don't ride the wave of the next tidal shift, you risk being swept away and going under.

          With the release of Apple's iOS 15 update comes some major changes that every Shopify and e-commerce brands absolutely needs to be aware of when it comes to email marketing, and engagement expert Stephanie Griffith is here to make sure you understand them all.

          What has been lost

          • Open rate tracking. In an increasingly open world, customers want to be tracked less, and enjoy their privacy more. Previously, tracking your paid media, such as advertising, has been all that's affected, but the limitations have now expanded to emails, along with...
          • IP address tracking. Further looking to protect consumer privacy, you'll no longer be able to track I addresses, which many customers have been demanding for years
          
          

          What has been gained

          While these new restrictions may, on the face, mean your job and e-commerce marketers has become much more difficult, says Griffith this should instead be seen as an opportunity to embrace change and adapt to better, metrics-based business practices that should have been adopted long before.

          • Clicks to replace open rates for tracking activity, giving you more on the ground information on their UX behaviour and interests, without invading your customer's privacy
          • An expanded definition of "successful conversion". A conversion isn't just a sale, it can be a sign up to SMS, engagement in a contest, feedback on an event or sharing a new product with their friends and followers, giving you a total sense of engagement, not just at the checkout
          • A newfound focus on making sure the message you convey is the best quality it can be, and that the customer's email experience is fully optimized to result in action and engagement, via mapping and understanding your entire customer funnel, from start to finish. This will allow you to see not only what works, but what doesn't, and let you focus on those weak spots
          
          

          BE AWARE: With these changes will come some very odd behaviour in the data, as the systems adapt to the new restrictions. This will likely result in inflated numbers, showing many more artificial engagements than customer driven, organic activity. Don't respond or base any marketing campaign decisions on these numbers, wait to see if they settle down after a few months to be sure that they are accurate before adapting your outreach strategies.

          Our Sponsors

          Omnisend - ShipBob - Gorgias

          Mentioned in this episode:

          Triple Whale - Whale Mail

          ]]>c798ec94-05a9-4df1-ad22-74580c273d69Mon, 19 Jul 2021 04:05:00 -050012:30nofull90Stephanie "Your Opens Are Dead" Griffith, founder of Email Preview.io joins Lucas Walker on this episode of Pitstop to reveal the big changes to e-commerce coming with Apple's iOS 15 updateLucas WalkerLet Your Brand Be Heard - Mark AsquithMore than just That British Podcast Guy, Mark Asquith is also a veteran serial entrepreneur who knows the value of low-cost direct promotional content.

          And according to Mark, too few businesses, both e-commerce and traditional brick & mortar shops alike, take advantage of the wildly popular, widely available and cost effective consumer engagement available through podcasting. 

          "How Can My Brand Use Podcasts?"

          There are 3 easy ways that you can spread the word about your consumer brand with podcasting

          1. Buy Ad Space. The tip of the iceberg, nearly every podcast produced is looking for financial sponsorship, and will be more than happy to carry either bumper adds, or read on-air promotional copy. Find a show that fits your brand, and offer to sponsor them in exchange for a call out once an episode for a fraction of the price of a traditional commercial
          2. Tell Your Own Story. Unlike most other promotional media, podcasts can be cheaply and easily produced in-house, allowing you flexibility with the content, and how you use it to engage your listeners and customers. Tell your story your own way, control the narrative around your brand, and get people engaged with you beyond your products or services
          3. Answer The Big Questions. Don't feel like your brand has a grand story to offer, or your stumped for content episode after episode? Use your podcast space as an opportunity to provide an entertaining, engaging and informative FAQ for your product. Most people are principally auditory learners, and providing clear step-by-step instructions and trouble-shooting in a friendly manner will result in a better customer experience.
          
          

          "I'm not a writer, how am I supposed to come up with content?"

          Look at what you already have available to draw from, and aggressively mine that wealth of brand knowledge; no one understands your product better than you do, and no one understands your store better than you do. 

          • Provide product tips. Don't wait for a user to ask how something works, or how to use it. Be proactive in educating your customers about use and maintenance, help inspire how they enjoy your product, and your brand will gain a reputation as an authority in its field.
          • Assume that every podcast is someone's first. You may be talking to long-time users, you may be talking to brand new-comers. You never know what level of interest or expertise a listener has in a topic, so don't hesitate to sit down and explain everything. If your product has more than one part, explain the parts, how they work together, what you can do with them. Take your customers through everything as if they had never heard of your product before
          
          

          Don't think of podcasting as something apart from your promotional or customer service strategies, but as a tie that binds them. 

          Start integrating recordings into your daily business, if you're explaining a new system or tactic, designing a new product, or planning an event, and invite your listeners and customers closer. 

          How much it becomes a part of your overall business strategy is entirely up to you, so don't worry about scale. Production can be as small as one person with a laptop or an entire media team; there's no right or wrong way of doing it, just general guidelines.

          1. More is not better. Quality trumps quantity when it comes to content, and while daily content get the immediate numbers, it's the slow-boiled content that gets the long term traffic and attention
          2. Build your skillset. Don't think of your podcast as some promotional activity you do on the side. Broadcasting is very complicated, and there are a plethora of tips & tricks to consider, and pitfalls to avoid. Always be on top of the latest developments and tactics for...]]>More than just That British Podcast Guy, Mark Asquith is also a veteran serial entrepreneur who knows the value of low-cost direct promotional content.

             And according to Mark, too few businesses, both e-commerce and traditional brick & mortar shops alike, take advantage of the wildly popular, widely available and cost effective consumer engagement available through podcasting. 

             "How Can My Brand Use Podcasts?"

             There are 3 easy ways that you can spread the word about your consumer brand with podcasting

             1. Buy Ad Space. The tip of the iceberg, nearly every podcast produced is looking for financial sponsorship, and will be more than happy to carry either bumper adds, or read on-air promotional copy. Find a show that fits your brand, and offer to sponsor them in exchange for a call out once an episode for a fraction of the price of a traditional commercial
             2. Tell Your Own Story. Unlike most other promotional media, podcasts can be cheaply and easily produced in-house, allowing you flexibility with the content, and how you use it to engage your listeners and customers. Tell your story your own way, control the narrative around your brand, and get people engaged with you beyond your products or services
             3. Answer The Big Questions. Don't feel like your brand has a grand story to offer, or your stumped for content episode after episode? Use your podcast space as an opportunity to provide an entertaining, engaging and informative FAQ for your product. Most people are principally auditory learners, and providing clear step-by-step instructions and trouble-shooting in a friendly manner will result in a better customer experience.
             
             

             "I'm not a writer, how am I supposed to come up with content?"

             Look at what you already have available to draw from, and aggressively mine that wealth of brand knowledge; no one understands your product better than you do, and no one understands your store better than you do. 

             • Provide product tips. Don't wait for a user to ask how something works, or how to use it. Be proactive in educating your customers about use and maintenance, help inspire how they enjoy your product, and your brand will gain a reputation as an authority in its field.
             • Assume that every podcast is someone's first. You may be talking to long-time users, you may be talking to brand new-comers. You never know what level of interest or expertise a listener has in a topic, so don't hesitate to sit down and explain everything. If your product has more than one part, explain the parts, how they work together, what you can do with them. Take your customers through everything as if they had never heard of your product before
             
             

             Don't think of podcasting as something apart from your promotional or customer service strategies, but as a tie that binds them. 

             Start integrating recordings into your daily business, if you're explaining a new system or tactic, designing a new product, or planning an event, and invite your listeners and customers closer. 

             How much it becomes a part of your overall business strategy is entirely up to you, so don't worry about scale. Production can be as small as one person with a laptop or an entire media team; there's no right or wrong way of doing it, just general guidelines.

             1. More is not better. Quality trumps quantity when it comes to content, and while daily content get the immediate numbers, it's the slow-boiled content that gets the long term traffic and attention
             2. Build your skillset. Don't think of your podcast as some promotional activity you do on the side. Broadcasting is very complicated, and there are a plethora of tips & tricks to consider, and pitfalls to avoid. Always be on top of the latest developments and tactics for podcasting, and your shows quality over time will reflect it
             3. Never compromise  on your brand standards. Your listener may not have paid to hear your show, but they are giving you the most precious thing they have, their time. Don't waste it by giving them something that isn't up to the level of quality you demand for everything else
             
             

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - ShipBob - Gorgias

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>0def3901-e9dd-4faf-a16b-330c7c0041fdFri, 16 Jul 2021 04:05:00 -050014:58nofull86Mark Asquith, founder and CEO of Rebel Base Media, joins Pitstop to tell Lucas how consumer brands should take advantage of podcasts for low-cost customer engagementLucas WalkerSMS Outreach Do's & Dont's - Jordan WestIf you  haven't jumped onto the SMS bandwagon for customer outreach yet, there is good news, you're not too late. But, time is running out to get a headstart on collecting numbers and being an early adopter among your competitors.

             Luckily, mindful marketer Jordan West has a crash course on how to use SMS to grow your brand's customer community.

             "How does SMS differ from email?"

             Your first instinct when using text messaging for consumer outreach may be to just recycle your email content.

             Don't.

             SMS is a text-based medium, and any message you chose to send should be optimized for a customer to read on any device that receives text. Treat it like a VIP channel, and only provide the best service you can.

             • Don't send pictures, videos, or multi-media links
             • Do treat the conversation as casual and friendly
             • Don't send too many messages and annoy the customer, stick to a few a month maximum
             • Do let them know up front what to expect in terms of content and frequency
             • Don't make international customers pay to receive or respond to SMS
             
             

             Try to only text your customer when you have something to say, such as a new product announcement. If you feel this doesn't provide you with enough contact, consider launching more new products to have something to announce rather than bothering a customer when you have nothing new to offer. 

             It may seem counter-intuitive to be forgotten by consumers, but it will make what messages you do send all the more valuable, and likely to be opened.

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - ShipBob - Gorgias

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>If you  haven't jumped onto the SMS bandwagon for customer outreach yet, there is good news, you're not too late. But, time is running out to get a headstart on collecting numbers and being an early adopter among your competitors.

             Luckily, mindful marketer Jordan West has a crash course on how to use SMS to grow your brand's customer community.

             "How does SMS differ from email?"

             Your first instinct when using text messaging for consumer outreach may be to just recycle your email content.

             Don't.

             SMS is a text-based medium, and any message you chose to send should be optimized for a customer to read on any device that receives text. Treat it like a VIP channel, and only provide the best service you can.

             • Don't send pictures, videos, or multi-media links
             • Do treat the conversation as casual and friendly
             • Don't send too many messages and annoy the customer, stick to a few a month maximum
             • Do let them know up front what to expect in terms of content and frequency
             • Don't make international customers pay to receive or respond to SMS
             
             

             Try to only text your customer when you have something to say, such as a new product announcement. If you feel this doesn't provide you with enough contact, consider launching more new products to have something to announce rather than bothering a customer when you have nothing new to offer. 

             It may seem counter-intuitive to be forgotten by consumers, but it will make what messages you do send all the more valuable, and likely to be opened.

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - ShipBob - Gorgias

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>21c4db1a-ecd5-43b5-b373-d1cf914eb7adThu, 15 Jul 2021 04:05:00 -050009:11nofull89Mindful Marketing co-founder, and host of Secrets To Scaling Your E-Commerce Brand, Jordan West, returns to Pitstop to talk about some of the SMS strategies the experts use.Lucas WalkerBuilding Communities That Care - Jordan WestWhen setting up your gated event, a VIP customer group can be an excellent way to get guaranteed attendees quick, but according to marketing specialist Jordan West, that's just a fraction of the potential profit-driving power groups & communities can bring if you know how to use them.

             Building your Community

             "What counts as a VIP group?"

             • Your email list does not count as a VIP group, it is far too broad, impersonal and easy to miss, block or ignore. These are the customers who took the extra step above and beyond, signing up for SMS, joining official forums and sites, or signing into official apps. An in-group customer is a proven and interested customer
             
             

             "How do I build my VIP group?"

             • The best VIP communities are made by the community themselves, not the brand or product the community gathers around. Simply set up the space, entice customers to join, provide light moderation and allow them to make it into the kind of community they want to have
             
             

             "Where should I set up my group?"

             • Facebook remains the best option for a basic, universally accessible private or public communities with all the important tools for promotion and moderation. There are of course many other options, some free and some at cost, focussed around a wide variety of mediums. Choose what feels right for your customers, and listen to their feedback
             
             

             "What else can VIP groups do for my brand?"

             • Far more than just an available contact list, VIP community members are deeply committed to your brand, and will provide innumerable amounts of free promotional material, positive exposure, product testing and customer support, amounting to thousands of dollars in free material, coverage and assistance. Even a small community is capable of explosively exponential exposure, and provide a positive and supportive space for their brand loyalty to grow
             
             

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - ShipBob - Gorgias

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>When setting up your gated event, a VIP customer group can be an excellent way to get guaranteed attendees quick, but according to marketing specialist Jordan West, that's just a fraction of the potential profit-driving power groups & communities can bring if you know how to use them.

             Building your Community

             "What counts as a VIP group?"

             • Your email list does not count as a VIP group, it is far too broad, impersonal and easy to miss, block or ignore. These are the customers who took the extra step above and beyond, signing up for SMS, joining official forums and sites, or signing into official apps. An in-group customer is a proven and interested customer
             
             

             "How do I build my VIP group?"

             • The best VIP communities are made by the community themselves, not the brand or product the community gathers around. Simply set up the space, entice customers to join, provide light moderation and allow them to make it into the kind of community they want to have
             
             

             "Where should I set up my group?"

             • Facebook remains the best option for a basic, universally accessible private or public communities with all the important tools for promotion and moderation. There are of course many other options, some free and some at cost, focussed around a wide variety of mediums. Choose what feels right for your customers, and listen to their feedback
             
             

             "What else can VIP groups do for my brand?"

             • Far more than just an available contact list, VIP community members are deeply committed to your brand, and will provide innumerable amounts of free promotional material, positive exposure, product testing and customer support, amounting to thousands of dollars in free material, coverage and assistance. Even a small community is capable of explosively exponential exposure, and provide a positive and supportive space for their brand loyalty to grow
             
             

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - ShipBob - Gorgias

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>ebfc9816-628e-4f18-9d78-c43e02f927f9Tue, 13 Jul 2021 04:05:00 -050009:06yesfull88Host of Secrets To Scaling Your E-Commerce Brand & co-founder of Mindful Marketing, Jordan West, explains how VIP groups & consumer communities can give you so much more than just a list of reliable shoppers.Lucas WalkerCustomers At The Gates - Jordan WestWhile common sense would say if you want to make a sale then your store should never close its door on potential shoppers, marketing expert Jordan West says that actually, it can be incredibly helpful to your bottom line and drive customer engagement.

             Build Exclusivity

             Gated Launches are the secret weapon to generating excitement and FOMO, the fear of missing out, two major factors to getting modern shoppers through the door and past the checkout.

             "What is a gated launch?"

             A gated launch is when a store closes all sales and advertising temporarily, often for 24 hours, allowing access only to those special customers who have been invited. Instead of locking the front door and only letting a few people inside, like a brick & mortar store, online gated launches lock all traffic on the site down, blocking shoppers from browsing the site unless they have a special passcode or sign-in to a registered account.

             "Who do I allow in, and how do my customers get access?"

             While the sense of exclusivity is important to a gated launch, it's all for nothing if you can't get those curious shoppers into the VIP experience. Allow ample opportunities for customers to join your exclusive access list, in exchange for further brand engagement, such as by:

             1. Joining and promoting a Facebook VIP group for your brand
             2. Signing up for SMS promotions
             3. Downloading and signing into an app for your brand
             
             

             You don't want to make it impossible for shoppers to find the password and gain access, you just want to make sure those gaining access are committed customers. Clearly state how they can gain access, and watch as both your lists and profit margins grow.

             DONT FORGET: Notify your customers far ahead of time that you're going to have a gated launch for the next sale or product release. You want to build that excitement and engagement, so that they can't wait to sign in with the exclusive password, not have them trying to go about their normal shopping experience and suddenly find themselves barred from their favourite store.

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - ShipBob - Gorgias

              

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>While common sense would say if you want to make a sale then your store should never close its door on potential shoppers, marketing expert Jordan West says that actually, it can be incredibly helpful to your bottom line and drive customer engagement.

             Build Exclusivity

             Gated Launches are the secret weapon to generating excitement and FOMO, the fear of missing out, two major factors to getting modern shoppers through the door and past the checkout.

             "What is a gated launch?"

             A gated launch is when a store closes all sales and advertising temporarily, often for 24 hours, allowing access only to those special customers who have been invited. Instead of locking the front door and only letting a few people inside, like a brick & mortar store, online gated launches lock all traffic on the site down, blocking shoppers from browsing the site unless they have a special passcode or sign-in to a registered account.

             "Who do I allow in, and how do my customers get access?"

             While the sense of exclusivity is important to a gated launch, it's all for nothing if you can't get those curious shoppers into the VIP experience. Allow ample opportunities for customers to join your exclusive access list, in exchange for further brand engagement, such as by:

             1. Joining and promoting a Facebook VIP group for your brand
             2. Signing up for SMS promotions
             3. Downloading and signing into an app for your brand
             
             

             You don't want to make it impossible for shoppers to find the password and gain access, you just want to make sure those gaining access are committed customers. Clearly state how they can gain access, and watch as both your lists and profit margins grow.

             DONT FORGET: Notify your customers far ahead of time that you're going to have a gated launch for the next sale or product release. You want to build that excitement and engagement, so that they can't wait to sign in with the exclusive password, not have them trying to go about their normal shopping experience and suddenly find themselves barred from their favourite store.

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - ShipBob - Gorgias

              

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>66cfd307-4a2d-4d03-a6dc-2560083b6653Mon, 12 Jul 2021 04:05:00 -050009:46nofull87Mindful Marketing co founder, and host of Secrets To Scaling Your E-Commerce Brand, Jordan West drops by the Pitstop garage to talk to Lucas about how Gated Launches can actually increase customer interestJordan WestSummer Sneak Peak - Lucas WalkerJune was a great month for Pitstop and Rolled Up Podcasts, and July & August promises to be even better.

             Up-coming guests of the show include:

             • Jordan West, co-founder of Mindful Marketing Co, will talk about Gated Launches, SMS and VIP Facebook groups
             • Marketing veteran Chase Diamond will return to share his insights into ESP, Email Service Providers, and what the top CEO of ESP services are saying
             • Stefani Arden, founder of Arden Trading Co will drop by to discuss all the latest updates in IOS 15
             • Investor Andrew Gluck will answer listener Anthony Watts' question about raising funds from friends and family
             
             

             As well, don't forget to catch Lucas on Omnisend's Cart Insider's Podcast, and an upcoming webinar with ShipBob exploring how you can break into the Canadian market.

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - ShipBob - Gorgias

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>June was a great month for Pitstop and Rolled Up Podcasts, and July & August promises to be even better.

             Up-coming guests of the show include:

             • Jordan West, co-founder of Mindful Marketing Co, will talk about Gated Launches, SMS and VIP Facebook groups
             • Marketing veteran Chase Diamond will return to share his insights into ESP, Email Service Providers, and what the top CEO of ESP services are saying
             • Stefani Arden, founder of Arden Trading Co will drop by to discuss all the latest updates in IOS 15
             • Investor Andrew Gluck will answer listener Anthony Watts' question about raising funds from friends and family
             
             

             As well, don't forget to catch Lucas on Omnisend's Cart Insider's Podcast, and an upcoming webinar with ShipBob exploring how you can break into the Canadian market.

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - ShipBob - Gorgias

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>a435e279-dc53-436e-a3a6-41eb617fbd35Fri, 09 Jul 2021 04:00:00 -050004:24nofull85Lucas Walker spins by Pitstop for a quick update about all the great guests coming to Rolled Up Podcasts this July, and more!Rolled Up Podcast NetworkFight Your Fear of Friction - Phillip JacksonTypically, any business be it online or offline seeks to deliver their service in the most efficient way possible, getting the customer in, getting them their order, and getting them out so you can repeat the cycle at a high rate. Anything that got in the way, or slowed down this process, is called "friction", and it's the big bad F-word of the commercial world.

             Contrary to this widely held belief though, not all business related friction is bad. That's what Phillip Jackson found out when he and Rightpoint set out to study customer behaviour and buying habits.

             Good Friction Vs Bad Friction

             There are two types of business friction, generally defined as Good Friction and Bad Friction.

             • Good Friction - Something in the buying process that allows a customer to engage further with your brand a product, without interrupting their purchasing of the product
             • Bad Friction - Something in the buying process that slows the process without adding any value to the customer in return, creating "speedbumps" between them and completing their purchase
             
             

             "How do I tell good friction from bad?" 

             Where friction is placed in the shopping process is a good indicator, and knowing how shoppers approach your customer support experience is the best way to determine if you've applied too much or too little friction.

             The vast majority of post-purchase customers contact service for two reasons:

             1. Delivery questions
             2. Return questions
             
             

             There's a smaller but potentially helpful third reason though;

                       3. Can you help me with more information?

             Whereas any interruption that addresses the first two before checkout will be seen as bad friction, slowing the process to provide unwanted annoyance, one that provides the details of the third (accounting for around a third itself of all customers) before the customer either checks out, or has to return themselves to ask the detailed extra questions, is good friction, helping them to make a better purchase and have a better overall experience.

             Examples of Customer Experience  Design Centric Friction

             Pop-up assistants, preferred by almost 30% of all customers, are an excellent example of how to use good friction, and how it could result in bad friction. 

             • If a customer arrives at your store, and is unsure what to get, a pop-up assistant, like an in-store assistant, can be very helpful in pointing in the  right direction. It is a form of friction, because you have interrupted their shopping flow, but it's good friction because it has actually accelerated their buying experience, delivered through a positive brand engagement. This means that the shopper not only has what they want faster, but now trust your company a little more.
             • If however the pop-up needlessly interrupts someone going through the checkout, product in cart with their shopping experience nearly finished, this previously good example breaks bad. The customer has now been slowed unnecessarily, and will carry a negative association not only with your product, but with the feature itself.
             
             

             Another good use of these chat features, which can be either automated or human-driven, is to offer customers ways that they could fix any problems they have themselves while waiting for escalation, empowering them to feel responsible for their own good outcome with your product and brand, with even less needed interaction or engagement.

             The happier the customer is, the better their customer experience through either applied good friction or a noted lack of bad friction, the more likely they'll return to buy again.

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - Typically, any business be it online or offline seeks to deliver their service in the most efficient way possible, getting the customer in, getting them their order, and getting them out so you can repeat the cycle at a high rate. Anything that got in the way, or slowed down this process, is called "friction", and it's the big bad F-word of the commercial world.

             Contrary to this widely held belief though, not all business related friction is bad. That's what Phillip Jackson found out when he and Rightpoint set out to study customer behaviour and buying habits.

             Good Friction Vs Bad Friction

             There are two types of business friction, generally defined as Good Friction and Bad Friction.

             • Good Friction - Something in the buying process that allows a customer to engage further with your brand a product, without interrupting their purchasing of the product
             • Bad Friction - Something in the buying process that slows the process without adding any value to the customer in return, creating "speedbumps" between them and completing their purchase
             
             

             "How do I tell good friction from bad?" 

             Where friction is placed in the shopping process is a good indicator, and knowing how shoppers approach your customer support experience is the best way to determine if you've applied too much or too little friction.

             The vast majority of post-purchase customers contact service for two reasons:

             1. Delivery questions
             2. Return questions
             
             

             There's a smaller but potentially helpful third reason though;

                       3. Can you help me with more information?

             Whereas any interruption that addresses the first two before checkout will be seen as bad friction, slowing the process to provide unwanted annoyance, one that provides the details of the third (accounting for around a third itself of all customers) before the customer either checks out, or has to return themselves to ask the detailed extra questions, is good friction, helping them to make a better purchase and have a better overall experience.

             Examples of Customer Experience  Design Centric Friction

             Pop-up assistants, preferred by almost 30% of all customers, are an excellent example of how to use good friction, and how it could result in bad friction. 

             • If a customer arrives at your store, and is unsure what to get, a pop-up assistant, like an in-store assistant, can be very helpful in pointing in the  right direction. It is a form of friction, because you have interrupted their shopping flow, but it's good friction because it has actually accelerated their buying experience, delivered through a positive brand engagement. This means that the shopper not only has what they want faster, but now trust your company a little more.
             • If however the pop-up needlessly interrupts someone going through the checkout, product in cart with their shopping experience nearly finished, this previously good example breaks bad. The customer has now been slowed unnecessarily, and will carry a negative association not only with your product, but with the feature itself.
             
             

             Another good use of these chat features, which can be either automated or human-driven, is to offer customers ways that they could fix any problems they have themselves while waiting for escalation, empowering them to feel responsible for their own good outcome with your product and brand, with even less needed interaction or engagement.

             The happier the customer is, the better their customer experience through either applied good friction or a noted lack of bad friction, the more likely they'll return to buy again.

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - ShipBob - Gorgias

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>24b23226-333d-49f2-92ec-d18c5ee70680Thu, 08 Jul 2021 04:05:00 -050013:55nofull84Chief Commerce Officer at Rightpoint and host of Future Commerce podcast, Phillip Jackson, joins Lucas and Pitstop one more time to talk about how you can gain customer traction with good friction, and avoid getting burned by bad frictionPhillip JacksonThe 3 Habits Of Highly Profitable Shoppers - Phillip JacksonThe only way to truly capitalize on your customer base, regardless of the product offered, is to understand them. Only after examining & analyzing customer buying habits and behaviour patterns can you begin to directly and specifically cater to their needs.

             Thankfully, Phillip Jackson has been doing just that, digging deep into the data to determine how consumers are currently shopping, and how they're likely to shop in the future

             Seekers Vs Stockers

             There are essentially two kinds of customers, explains Jackson.

             • Stockers: Consumers who find brands and products they trust, and loyally return to purchase those same products at a fairly predictable and consistent rate for years.
             • Seekers: "Disloyal" shoppers who enjoy the novelty of discovering new brands and products, who are much less likely to return for repeat business on a consistent or predictable basis
             
             

             No matter what you do, no matter how you sell your product, customers will behave as either one or the other, you'll never have a customer base made of just Stockers, or have to worry about relying on the random and chaotic Seekers. 

             That means that the most important and influential thing you can do to make a sale to either group is to give them the best initial sales interaction. Luckily, there are some important trends fr you to know about that will help you make the most out of your first impression and chances to score a buyer.

             Customers love e-commerce. Despite the naysayers and prophets of doom, customer appreciation for online shopping has never been higher, and their spending habits show this. Rather than going to market occasionally, modern shoppers are always buying or browsing, often from the palm of their hand. This means there is practically no down-time  for e-commerce brands, customers will always be encountering your shop for the first time, giving you lots of chances to get it right.

             Most First Impressions Already Are Positive. 94% of polled shoppers said they had a positive impression of e-commerce and buying their favourite products online. That means the vast majority of the industry is doing exactly what they need to for customer satisfaction and retention. Follow the trends you see from other brands, and you'll be golden.

             Shoppers Only Expect To Buy More And Be More Satisfied. Contrary to expectation coming out of the pandemic crisis, customer confidence is high, and while brick and mortar stores are opening back up, most responding shopper still expect to do even more of their buying online in the near future, due entirely to the shopping experience itself.

             How do I capitalize on these projections?

             Jackson says that to get the most out of your already excited and energized customers, you have to consider the three things every consumer is looking for, and make sure your service provides each accordingly.

             • Convenience - 79% of responses said that online shopping was the best way to shop. people want to shop online, and the more you can offer them, the better
             • Variety - 81% of affluent shoppers, those who can afford any brand or variation of a product they want, prefer choice and a wide selection
             • Consistency - 70% of shoppers said they were looking specifically and only at online goods, with the intention to only buy from online retailers for the foreseeable future
             
             

             Consider how your business could meet these behaviour patterns and shopping expectations, and consider how others brands don't. If you can provide any, or all, of the three to a sector of customer who isn't being catered to, then you've found your money-maker.

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend -]]>The only way to truly capitalize on your customer base, regardless of the product offered, is to understand them. Only after examining & analyzing customer buying habits and behaviour patterns can you begin to directly and specifically cater to their needs.

             Thankfully, Phillip Jackson has been doing just that, digging deep into the data to determine how consumers are currently shopping, and how they're likely to shop in the future

             Seekers Vs Stockers

             There are essentially two kinds of customers, explains Jackson.

             • Stockers: Consumers who find brands and products they trust, and loyally return to purchase those same products at a fairly predictable and consistent rate for years.
             • Seekers: "Disloyal" shoppers who enjoy the novelty of discovering new brands and products, who are much less likely to return for repeat business on a consistent or predictable basis
             
             

             No matter what you do, no matter how you sell your product, customers will behave as either one or the other, you'll never have a customer base made of just Stockers, or have to worry about relying on the random and chaotic Seekers. 

             That means that the most important and influential thing you can do to make a sale to either group is to give them the best initial sales interaction. Luckily, there are some important trends fr you to know about that will help you make the most out of your first impression and chances to score a buyer.

             Customers love e-commerce. Despite the naysayers and prophets of doom, customer appreciation for online shopping has never been higher, and their spending habits show this. Rather than going to market occasionally, modern shoppers are always buying or browsing, often from the palm of their hand. This means there is practically no down-time  for e-commerce brands, customers will always be encountering your shop for the first time, giving you lots of chances to get it right.

             Most First Impressions Already Are Positive. 94% of polled shoppers said they had a positive impression of e-commerce and buying their favourite products online. That means the vast majority of the industry is doing exactly what they need to for customer satisfaction and retention. Follow the trends you see from other brands, and you'll be golden.

             Shoppers Only Expect To Buy More And Be More Satisfied. Contrary to expectation coming out of the pandemic crisis, customer confidence is high, and while brick and mortar stores are opening back up, most responding shopper still expect to do even more of their buying online in the near future, due entirely to the shopping experience itself.

             How do I capitalize on these projections?

             Jackson says that to get the most out of your already excited and energized customers, you have to consider the three things every consumer is looking for, and make sure your service provides each accordingly.

             • Convenience - 79% of responses said that online shopping was the best way to shop. people want to shop online, and the more you can offer them, the better
             • Variety - 81% of affluent shoppers, those who can afford any brand or variation of a product they want, prefer choice and a wide selection
             • Consistency - 70% of shoppers said they were looking specifically and only at online goods, with the intention to only buy from online retailers for the foreseeable future
             
             

             Consider how your business could meet these behaviour patterns and shopping expectations, and consider how others brands don't. If you can provide any, or all, of the three to a sector of customer who isn't being catered to, then you've found your money-maker.

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - ShipBob - Gorgias

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>139b3ba1-c51f-445d-9d3b-853e0f84721cTue, 06 Jul 2021 04:05:00 -050012:37nofull83Phillip Jackson, the host of Future Commerce podcast and Chief Commerce Officer at Rightpoint returns to Pitstop to catch Lucas up on his recent research into consumer behaviour and projected buying habits.Phillip JacksonShopify Unite 2021 Highlights With Affan ImranThis year's Shopify Unite presentation was the e-commerce platform's biggest yet, revealing a giant leap forward for the service provider and their users. Here are the top new announcements, much anticipated launches, and upcoming changes that will take both Shopify and your store to a truly global level.

             Sections Everywhere Finally Arrives

             First announced in 2018, then followed by three years of radio silence, the now renamed Online Store 2.0 will give store owners unprecedented  levels of flexibility and customization, allowing you to personalize every single aspect of your shop, from interface to checkout. Not only that, the interface and tutorials  for learning how to use these tools are more user friendly than ever. 

             Along with the release of Hydrogen, a new React framework, and Oxygen, a future hosting platform, users will have more freedom than every to build their store their way.

             July 15 will also see the Shopify Theme Store accepting submissions from developers, allowing store owners to share their unique builds and tools with others.

             Shopify Truly Goes Global

             Unite saw the announcement of 3 planetary-scale updates for users: 

             1. Major investments in server farms around the word, speeding up the ecosystem until it is an incredible 50 milliseconds away from any buyer on Earth, achieved by installing so many servers that no one is ever more than 100km away from one
             2. An expansion of payment options beyond the tried and true, but regionally locked, Paypal. From Venmo and Interac to the many cryptocurrencies currently in circulation and beyond, your store will be able to accept payments however really works best for your customers
             3. New theme apps and customization features that will allow your store to offer localized shopping for almost any location worldwide
             
             

             No customer or market will be out of your Shopify store's reach ever again

             Putting Their Money Where Their Mouth Is

             Beginning August 1st, Shopify is letting shop owners keep more of their money by not only rolling back all revenue share for businesses with less than $1 million in sales per year, dropping that cost from 20% to nothing, they're lowering their take on larger brands from 20% to 15%. 

             This goes the same for Theme Store developers offering their builds, and the $1 million benchmark resets every year

             What Wasn't Mentioned

             While Unite 2021 was packed with announcements, there were a few notable developments that were noticeable no-shows 

             • The Shopify Fulfillment Network 
             • The Shopify Bank & Card
             
             

             Whether or not these developments will appear a few years from now under a different name, like Sections Everywhere, or if they fell to the wayside due to the effect Covid-19 had in speeding up e-commerce expansion, Shopify fans will just have to wait and see.

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>This year's Shopify Unite presentation was the e-commerce platform's biggest yet, revealing a giant leap forward for the service provider and their users. Here are the top new announcements, much anticipated launches, and upcoming changes that will take both Shopify and your store to a truly global level.

             Sections Everywhere Finally Arrives

             First announced in 2018, then followed by three years of radio silence, the now renamed Online Store 2.0 will give store owners unprecedented  levels of flexibility and customization, allowing you to personalize every single aspect of your shop, from interface to checkout. Not only that, the interface and tutorials  for learning how to use these tools are more user friendly than ever. 

             Along with the release of Hydrogen, a new React framework, and Oxygen, a future hosting platform, users will have more freedom than every to build their store their way.

             July 15 will also see the Shopify Theme Store accepting submissions from developers, allowing store owners to share their unique builds and tools with others.

             Shopify Truly Goes Global

             Unite saw the announcement of 3 planetary-scale updates for users: 

             1. Major investments in server farms around the word, speeding up the ecosystem until it is an incredible 50 milliseconds away from any buyer on Earth, achieved by installing so many servers that no one is ever more than 100km away from one
             2. An expansion of payment options beyond the tried and true, but regionally locked, Paypal. From Venmo and Interac to the many cryptocurrencies currently in circulation and beyond, your store will be able to accept payments however really works best for your customers
             3. New theme apps and customization features that will allow your store to offer localized shopping for almost any location worldwide
             
             

             No customer or market will be out of your Shopify store's reach ever again

             Putting Their Money Where Their Mouth Is

             Beginning August 1st, Shopify is letting shop owners keep more of their money by not only rolling back all revenue share for businesses with less than $1 million in sales per year, dropping that cost from 20% to nothing, they're lowering their take on larger brands from 20% to 15%. 

             This goes the same for Theme Store developers offering their builds, and the $1 million benchmark resets every year

             What Wasn't Mentioned

             While Unite 2021 was packed with announcements, there were a few notable developments that were noticeable no-shows 

             • The Shopify Fulfillment Network 
             • The Shopify Bank & Card
             
             

             Whether or not these developments will appear a few years from now under a different name, like Sections Everywhere, or if they fell to the wayside due to the effect Covid-19 had in speeding up e-commerce expansion, Shopify fans will just have to wait and see.

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>49c64928-fe03-4929-a512-6e73cecb2ac6Tue, 29 Jun 2021 23:22:44 -050015:14nofull82Affan Imran, co-founder of Toronto's Nuscreen Inc, joins Lucas & Pitstop to recap & review Shopify Unite 2021's major announcements, and how they will make your business betterAffan ImranAbove & Beyond Customer Expectations - Sylvester Louis CastilloNow that you’ve gotten your most loyal and interested customers to sign up for your SMS program, it’s time to show them what your brand can really offer.

             Get to know your consumers

             Take that personal touch SMS allows you to the next level, and show your shoppers how much they, individually, matter to you. Get to know them, not their buying habits or their order history, but who they are. 

             • Reply to any SMS inquiries with their first name, without asking for it in the interaction. You have it on file, put it to use. Eventually you will begin to remember them naturally.
             • Engage them in small talk, such as asking them about how they use your product, and remember to bring it up in later engagements, such as offers for those specific interests. Show that you remember them, and that they made an impact on you
             • Know your product inside and out. You are the final level of customer service, the pinnacle of what your brand offers, and if you don’t know the product, then your customer won’t trust you
             • Believe in your core brand mission and what you do. The highest quality service has the highest quality expectations, and SMS interactions are no place for you to be lackluster and disengaged.
             • Follow the most basic rule of both customer service and human behaviour; treat them like you would want to be treated
             
             

             At the end of the day, your customers aren’t just a set of data points, or profit margins, or conversion rates; they’re people, with their own cares, concerns and presumptions, and it’s incredibly important not to lose sight of that. Be interested in them, be patient with them and be available for them, and they will never forget your brand.

             If you'd like to check out Beardbrand's SMS membership and talk to Sylvester, just text STYLE 512-879-3297

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>Now that you’ve gotten your most loyal and interested customers to sign up for your SMS program, it’s time to show them what your brand can really offer.

             Get to know your consumers

             Take that personal touch SMS allows you to the next level, and show your shoppers how much they, individually, matter to you. Get to know them, not their buying habits or their order history, but who they are. 

             • Reply to any SMS inquiries with their first name, without asking for it in the interaction. You have it on file, put it to use. Eventually you will begin to remember them naturally.
             • Engage them in small talk, such as asking them about how they use your product, and remember to bring it up in later engagements, such as offers for those specific interests. Show that you remember them, and that they made an impact on you
             • Know your product inside and out. You are the final level of customer service, the pinnacle of what your brand offers, and if you don’t know the product, then your customer won’t trust you
             • Believe in your core brand mission and what you do. The highest quality service has the highest quality expectations, and SMS interactions are no place for you to be lackluster and disengaged.
             • Follow the most basic rule of both customer service and human behaviour; treat them like you would want to be treated
             
             

             At the end of the day, your customers aren’t just a set of data points, or profit margins, or conversion rates; they’re people, with their own cares, concerns and presumptions, and it’s incredibly important not to lose sight of that. Be interested in them, be patient with them and be available for them, and they will never forget your brand.

             If you'd like to check out Beardbrand's SMS membership and talk to Sylvester, just text STYLE 512-879-3297

             Our Sponsors

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             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>560acba1-8746-47e3-9a82-d4cee18ae2aaMon, 28 Jun 2021 04:05:00 -050006:25nofull81Sylvester Louis Castillo, senior style consultant and business analyst at Beardbrand, visits Pitstop one last time to hammer home how your SMS engagement, and customer relations, can reach their fullest value added potential.Lucas WalkerNext Level Personal Service - Sylvester Louis CastilloYou may be ready to connect with your customers via SMS, says Beardbrand's Sly Castillo, but does your store or site reflect that?

             Are you really offering the most you can for your membership program?

             The best way to turn visitors into subscribers is to make the choice and process as easy and enticing as possible. Promote your opt-in text membership as frequently as you can without overstating your case. Have your SMS number, and the basic steps for subscribing and cancelling, clearly posted on your most active pages. Link the promo, banner or copy the number appears in to a page that clearly details membership benefits and agreements.

             Much more important though, is to not be satisfied at just wooing customers with membership features, such as special offers, tips & tricks, in-depth tutorials or sneak peaks of new products and services. 

             Design a membership experience that is beyond your customer's expectation 

             • Make every membership engagement post sign-up personal, casually-intimate and as one-on-one as possible to ensure memorable and lasting connections
             • Offer a place for your customers to belong, a way for them to bond with each other through your brand and products, and let them feel apart of your success
             
             

             Invest the time and attention and turn your SMS membership strategy into more than just another brand account for customers to sign up to. Make it a value added factor not just for their shopping experience but for their lives, and they will return again and again.

             If you'd like to check out Beardbrand's SMS membership and talk to Sylvester, just text STYLE 512-879-3297

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>You may be ready to connect with your customers via SMS, says Beardbrand's Sly Castillo, but does your store or site reflect that?

             Are you really offering the most you can for your membership program?

             The best way to turn visitors into subscribers is to make the choice and process as easy and enticing as possible. Promote your opt-in text membership as frequently as you can without overstating your case. Have your SMS number, and the basic steps for subscribing and cancelling, clearly posted on your most active pages. Link the promo, banner or copy the number appears in to a page that clearly details membership benefits and agreements.

             Much more important though, is to not be satisfied at just wooing customers with membership features, such as special offers, tips & tricks, in-depth tutorials or sneak peaks of new products and services. 

             Design a membership experience that is beyond your customer's expectation 

             • Make every membership engagement post sign-up personal, casually-intimate and as one-on-one as possible to ensure memorable and lasting connections
             • Offer a place for your customers to belong, a way for them to bond with each other through your brand and products, and let them feel apart of your success
             
             

             Invest the time and attention and turn your SMS membership strategy into more than just another brand account for customers to sign up to. Make it a value added factor not just for their shopping experience but for their lives, and they will return again and again.

             If you'd like to check out Beardbrand's SMS membership and talk to Sylvester, just text STYLE 512-879-3297

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>68018b53-a803-4153-af32-4f4a971eb092Fri, 25 Jun 2021 04:05:00 -050007:30nofull80Senior style consultant and business analyst at Beardbrand, Sylvester Louis Castillo, returns to Pitstop to tell Lucas how getting personal with your customers over SMS pays off in more ways than mere profitsLucas WalkerConnect With Your Customers - Sylvester Louis CastilloDespite being very common for personal use, SMS outreach for connecting consumers with business remains under-utilized, often misunderstood and an infrequently-turned to tool for customer engagement. Although an incredibly cost effective option, most businesses fail to see the true potential for consumer outreach. 

             Beardbrand is not such a company, says Castillo, and your brand shouldn't be either.

             Measuring Up

             The biggest problem most companies have with using SMS is not knowing how to measure the response. Text messages led to very different behaviour from customers than emails do, and if you gauge their effectiveness by the metrics of another medium, like email, you'll be completely lost.

             Look at connection per week and per month rates, NOT conversion to sale rates. 

             This may seem counter-intuitive, since your ultimate goal is to improve profits, but the real power of SMS is to engage customers on a more intimate, personal level, humanizing your brand. 

             Consider everything you send your customers through SMS as purely Value Added:

             • Give them a sneak peak of new products or brand news
             • Grant early access to trial products
             • Provide tutorials, guidance and advice about using your products
             
             

             The more you generate those Connections, letting customers interact with your company for reasons aside from buying your product, the more you will enjoy both high-consumer trust & loyalty to your product and brand.

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>Despite being very common for personal use, SMS outreach for connecting consumers with business remains under-utilized, often misunderstood and an infrequently-turned to tool for customer engagement. Although an incredibly cost effective option, most businesses fail to see the true potential for consumer outreach. 

             Beardbrand is not such a company, says Castillo, and your brand shouldn't be either.

             Measuring Up

             The biggest problem most companies have with using SMS is not knowing how to measure the response. Text messages led to very different behaviour from customers than emails do, and if you gauge their effectiveness by the metrics of another medium, like email, you'll be completely lost.

             Look at connection per week and per month rates, NOT conversion to sale rates. 

             This may seem counter-intuitive, since your ultimate goal is to improve profits, but the real power of SMS is to engage customers on a more intimate, personal level, humanizing your brand. 

             Consider everything you send your customers through SMS as purely Value Added:

             • Give them a sneak peak of new products or brand news
             • Grant early access to trial products
             • Provide tutorials, guidance and advice about using your products
             
             

             The more you generate those Connections, letting customers interact with your company for reasons aside from buying your product, the more you will enjoy both high-consumer trust & loyalty to your product and brand.

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>c7b2acc9-e393-4076-bbbd-9a347bf72125Thu, 24 Jun 2021 04:05:00 -050007:53nofull79Sylvester Louis Castillo, business analyst and senior style consultant at Beardbrand, joins Lucas and Pitstop to detail how they connect with their customers one-on-one with SMS outreach.Sylvester Louis CastilloKeep More Customers Coming Back - Jacob SappingtonToo often, business owners think about retention as having to go out and drag customers back so they can shop at your store again, says Sappington. 

             They design a few basic single-use messages, or automatically repeating discount offers, then assume everything will work out for the best, and if the customers don't come back, that's just how their consumers behave.

             You get what you put into your retention marketing

             Instead, consider retention to be the basic goal of  any customer-outreach, be it a special offer, new product or dynamic and engaging discounts. 

             Try to keep the conversation going post-purchase by refining contact and engagement to their interests through email marketing:

             • Present products and sales list data shows they are interested in
             • Keep them updated about your brand, and familiarize your business
             • Challenge them to share your brand or product on social media for a prize
             • Ask for reviews
             
             

             If the contact between customer and business never really ends, then you'll rarely if ever have to turn to the old retention methods again.

             What if I haven't been keeping up, and want those customers back?

             You're never too late to start engaging with your customer lists. Why not start with a friendly hello and reminder that your store exists? 

             Begin slow, don't bombard them with offers and discounts, just get them interested again and some, more than enough to negate the low-cost of the message, will inevitably return.

             Should I use SMS for retention marketing?

             There's nothing wrong with using SMS, says Sappington, but you have to know your customers well to do it. SMS is a much more intimate for of communication, so your messages should reflect that, and not seem like automatically generated blanket offers.

             You should also use them sparingly, as too many and too oftenly-repeated messages from brands can annoy customers, driving them away.

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>Too often, business owners think about retention as having to go out and drag customers back so they can shop at your store again, says Sappington. 

             They design a few basic single-use messages, or automatically repeating discount offers, then assume everything will work out for the best, and if the customers don't come back, that's just how their consumers behave.

             You get what you put into your retention marketing

             Instead, consider retention to be the basic goal of  any customer-outreach, be it a special offer, new product or dynamic and engaging discounts. 

             Try to keep the conversation going post-purchase by refining contact and engagement to their interests through email marketing:

             • Present products and sales list data shows they are interested in
             • Keep them updated about your brand, and familiarize your business
             • Challenge them to share your brand or product on social media for a prize
             • Ask for reviews
             
             

             If the contact between customer and business never really ends, then you'll rarely if ever have to turn to the old retention methods again.

             What if I haven't been keeping up, and want those customers back?

             You're never too late to start engaging with your customer lists. Why not start with a friendly hello and reminder that your store exists? 

             Begin slow, don't bombard them with offers and discounts, just get them interested again and some, more than enough to negate the low-cost of the message, will inevitably return.

             Should I use SMS for retention marketing?

             There's nothing wrong with using SMS, says Sappington, but you have to know your customers well to do it. SMS is a much more intimate for of communication, so your messages should reflect that, and not seem like automatically generated blanket offers.

             You should also use them sparingly, as too many and too oftenly-repeated messages from brands can annoy customers, driving them away.

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>855e24bc-6c4b-4e48-9c57-ce4b288cdb4bTue, 22 Jun 2021 04:05:00 -050008:25nofull784X400 and Email Isn't Dead's Jacob Sappington returns to Pitstop to tell Lucas about his true focus, and the one thing businesses often don't put enough work into: Retention MarketingLucas WalkerThe Truth About Email Marketing - Jacob SappingtonSocial media promotional buys and Facebook ads may seem like an attention grabbing, high-risk for big-potential reward gamble, but it's the dependable and cost-effective email that consistently pays the bills and keeps the lights on.

             Says Jacob Sappington, too few business owners really understand the importance email plays in the majority of their sales, or how to properly utilize them. Despite having healthy and productive email systems, or investing in optimizing their email systems, too many e-commerce brands will chase the better promises of Facebook ads rather than work on the good email offers.

             The Truth: Facebook ads have consistently been getting more expensive, while not offering a better, more targeted service

             Email however has only gotten cheaper and easier to automate. It can be near-infinitely adaptable, for whatever the needs of your brand or customers, at a fraction of the cost of paying a social media provider to generate new potential leads, and with much greater creative and market-responsive control when you do land a new contact.

             Centring your marketing campaign around a cost-effective and efficient email strategy allows you to:

             • Stay in touch with your customers at your whim or need
             • Allow you more flexibility in providing and promoting special offers
             • Create a closer sense of producer-brand-consumer relationship through an ongoing conversation
             • Remain in control of your assets, and where every cent of your promotional budget is spent
             • Give you more content for every dollar, allowing you to generate far more content and connections
             
             

             No one is going to cut off all spending on social media promotions, every brand needs a constant stream of new customers, and you have to generate your lists somewhere if they're not already visiting your store. 

             However, by supplementing your Facebook and social media spending with email marketing, using social media promotions just for the initial draw and not continued contact with customers, you can drastically cut down on costs while increasing engagement and conversions.

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>Social media promotional buys and Facebook ads may seem like an attention grabbing, high-risk for big-potential reward gamble, but it's the dependable and cost-effective email that consistently pays the bills and keeps the lights on.

             Says Jacob Sappington, too few business owners really understand the importance email plays in the majority of their sales, or how to properly utilize them. Despite having healthy and productive email systems, or investing in optimizing their email systems, too many e-commerce brands will chase the better promises of Facebook ads rather than work on the good email offers.

             The Truth: Facebook ads have consistently been getting more expensive, while not offering a better, more targeted service

             Email however has only gotten cheaper and easier to automate. It can be near-infinitely adaptable, for whatever the needs of your brand or customers, at a fraction of the cost of paying a social media provider to generate new potential leads, and with much greater creative and market-responsive control when you do land a new contact.

             Centring your marketing campaign around a cost-effective and efficient email strategy allows you to:

             • Stay in touch with your customers at your whim or need
             • Allow you more flexibility in providing and promoting special offers
             • Create a closer sense of producer-brand-consumer relationship through an ongoing conversation
             • Remain in control of your assets, and where every cent of your promotional budget is spent
             • Give you more content for every dollar, allowing you to generate far more content and connections
             
             

             No one is going to cut off all spending on social media promotions, every brand needs a constant stream of new customers, and you have to generate your lists somewhere if they're not already visiting your store. 

             However, by supplementing your Facebook and social media spending with email marketing, using social media promotions just for the initial draw and not continued contact with customers, you can drastically cut down on costs while increasing engagement and conversions.

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>852a45c5-c393-401b-9bba-b9af9dafbceeMon, 21 Jun 2021 04:05:00 -050007:37nofull77Jacob Sappington, Manager of Retention at 4X400 and writer of Email Isn't Dead, visits Pitstop to tell Lucas how e-commerce brands can see big savings and higher conversion rates by relying on good old, tried and true email.Lucas WalkerQuality, In Great Quantity - Taylor LagaceYou have to know how to walk before you can try to run, and the same goes for dealing with influencers. 

             These content creator's audiences come in all shapes and sizes, from the very small and niche to the extremely broad and mainstream, and can generally be separated into two types: the Micro Influencers and the Macro Influencers.

             Macro influencers are often celebrities with impressive personal brands themselves, and while they have vast reach, they are incredibly expensive to do business with, let alone repeatedly.

             Micro influencers, by contrast, have very focused and specific audiences, smaller in scope but more likely to be interested in products related to shared interests. 

             There are two key reasons to avoid the allure of the big name Macro Influencer, and invest in dozens, if not hundreds, of Micro Influencers:

             1. Save More Money. Micro Influencers are much cheaper and more likely to cooperate with any creative demands you may have.
             2. Make More Money. They're a more effective means of repeatedly targeting dedicated, interest-driven potential buyers, producing many times more content than a single advertisement, on a personal/community level, with much higher engagement & conversion rates.
             
             

             This means many more consumers who are already likely to buy your product will see it, and for a far lower cost than hiring a known Macro Influencer.

             That more personal touch also goes both ways, as working with Micro-Influencers is a far more collaborative experience than the typical stiff business of contracting a big name, often through their agent. 

             You'll be more satisfied that the content best reflects the high standards of your brand, in whatever form and medium you want, for future advertising use however and whenever you need it.

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>You have to know how to walk before you can try to run, and the same goes for dealing with influencers. 

             These content creator's audiences come in all shapes and sizes, from the very small and niche to the extremely broad and mainstream, and can generally be separated into two types: the Micro Influencers and the Macro Influencers.

             Macro influencers are often celebrities with impressive personal brands themselves, and while they have vast reach, they are incredibly expensive to do business with, let alone repeatedly.

             Micro influencers, by contrast, have very focused and specific audiences, smaller in scope but more likely to be interested in products related to shared interests. 

             There are two key reasons to avoid the allure of the big name Macro Influencer, and invest in dozens, if not hundreds, of Micro Influencers:

             1. Save More Money. Micro Influencers are much cheaper and more likely to cooperate with any creative demands you may have.
             2. Make More Money. They're a more effective means of repeatedly targeting dedicated, interest-driven potential buyers, producing many times more content than a single advertisement, on a personal/community level, with much higher engagement & conversion rates.
             
             

             This means many more consumers who are already likely to buy your product will see it, and for a far lower cost than hiring a known Macro Influencer.

             That more personal touch also goes both ways, as working with Micro-Influencers is a far more collaborative experience than the typical stiff business of contracting a big name, often through their agent. 

             You'll be more satisfied that the content best reflects the high standards of your brand, in whatever form and medium you want, for future advertising use however and whenever you need it.

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>5a08c9f8-6fb0-4bbb-b3eb-aa36be5921a6Thu, 17 Jun 2021 04:05:00 -050008:57nofull73Taylor Lagace, partner and co-founder of Kynship, returns to Pitstop to explain how smaller influencers will lead you to bigger profitsRolled Up Podcast NetworkGive A Little To Get A Lot - Taylor LagaceIt doesn't matter how good the sales figures are, when store owners are told their best bet for a positive influencer-relationship is to simply give some of their product away, they start having second thoughts. 

             "Shouldn't I get something in return?"

             When you work in the world of e-commerce, so much of your life revolves around transactions, and it can seem very strange to offer costly items in return for no guaranteed promotional content.

             The secret, explains Lagace, is to trust your influencers and trust your product.

             • A properly curated and chosen list of essential influencers, chosen for their potential interest in your product and approached in a friendly, non-transactional manner, will return positive responses and posts from at least 30% of recipients, many of who will make at least two pieces of content
             
             

             If that's just 100 items sent to 100 influencers, you've generated between 30 and 60+ promotional spots. Most influencers who see positive responses to a product will also agree to share the usage rights to any created content, with the understanding that continuing the relationship would be mutually profitable and beneficial. 

             Now it's time to get transactional.

             Once you've purchased the usage rights to a dozen or so of the best performing responses from the most reliable influencers, establishing the explicit transactional nature of the relationship, offer to take it to the next level with exclusive contracts.

             This is where you'll be able to set clear terms and openly state your expectations, while paying your content creators drastically less than if you hadn't invested in winning them over with some low-cost gifted product and a small investment in their earlier promotional content.

             Never stop seeding for new influencers.

             Always be on the lookout for the next big name and face to push your product and spread brand awareness, while keeping your best and brightest curious and interested.  Repeat this process constantly to ensure a steady flow of cost-effective, engaging and genuine promotional content.

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>It doesn't matter how good the sales figures are, when store owners are told their best bet for a positive influencer-relationship is to simply give some of their product away, they start having second thoughts. 

             "Shouldn't I get something in return?"

             When you work in the world of e-commerce, so much of your life revolves around transactions, and it can seem very strange to offer costly items in return for no guaranteed promotional content.

             The secret, explains Lagace, is to trust your influencers and trust your product.

             • A properly curated and chosen list of essential influencers, chosen for their potential interest in your product and approached in a friendly, non-transactional manner, will return positive responses and posts from at least 30% of recipients, many of who will make at least two pieces of content
             
             

             If that's just 100 items sent to 100 influencers, you've generated between 30 and 60+ promotional spots. Most influencers who see positive responses to a product will also agree to share the usage rights to any created content, with the understanding that continuing the relationship would be mutually profitable and beneficial. 

             Now it's time to get transactional.

             Once you've purchased the usage rights to a dozen or so of the best performing responses from the most reliable influencers, establishing the explicit transactional nature of the relationship, offer to take it to the next level with exclusive contracts.

             This is where you'll be able to set clear terms and openly state your expectations, while paying your content creators drastically less than if you hadn't invested in winning them over with some low-cost gifted product and a small investment in their earlier promotional content.

             Never stop seeding for new influencers.

             Always be on the lookout for the next big name and face to push your product and spread brand awareness, while keeping your best and brightest curious and interested.  Repeat this process constantly to ensure a steady flow of cost-effective, engaging and genuine promotional content.

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>b9376930-ccc7-4c53-b7ef-6d4faa941c9eTue, 15 Jun 2021 04:05:00 -050011:01nofull72Co-founder and managing partner of Kynship, Taylor Lagace, returns to Pitstop to explain why giving your product away to influencers is your best money-saving move.Taylor LagaceWin Fans & Influence Customers - Taylor LagaceWorking with influencers can be an incredibly financially reward experience for some brands, and a frustrating nightmare for others. A great brand-influencer relationship can thrust your business into the international spotlight and near overnight success for pennies on the dollar of what a traditional promotional campaign would cost. Meanwhile a mismanaged or ill-planned promotional campaign can devour promotional budgets, distance already invested customers and leave you picking up the pieces of your brands identity.

             How do you avoid making rookie mistakes and get the most out of your influencers? Taylor Lagace, co-founder of Kynship, shows you what brands need to have to enjoy a happy and successful business-influencer relationship.

             Put your best foot forward

             Some inexperienced brands will presume that dealing with influencers is entirely transactional; you hire them to promote your product, they mention it X amount of times, they get content, free merch and/or money, thus completing the contract.

             This is the number one major mistake you can make, says Lagace. 

             These promoters get flooded with such requests constantly, and are often in a position to pick and choose who they want to work with. if you don't grab their attention, make your brand engaging for them personally, and get them invested in your brand culture, you'll never land  a major personality. 

             • Get to know them a little better. Don't just contact influencers because you've heard of them and they're available, look for those who share your outlook, or have an interest in what you can offer. Show that you bothered to get to know them, and can offer something they would actually enjoy.
             • Cast a wide net. There are untold thousands of influencers across the world, and in every field. Even with a super-specific product, you may be looking at potentially hundreds of would partners, of which you can expect a 20-30% response rate. The more you snare, the better your product will do in the market, so try to entice as many as you can while retaining strict quality and content control.
             • Treat them as your best customer. You want your influencers to be as excited about your products are your customers, so everything you have them promote must first appeal to them before they can make it appealing to others. Give them the best unboxing experience, send them surprise items, and get them to identify with your company as a personal choice, not a business decision. Sell yourself, sell your brand, sell your product, and they'll amplify your message to the world.
             • Let them get hands on. Involve them in product roll-outs and give-aways for items they're not even promoting but would likely enjoy. Allow their natural curiosity and showmanship to do the rest, and enjoy the essentially free positive press.
             • No restrictions, just suggestions. Don't tell an influencer what you specifically don't want them to post, this can create a sense of negativity and suspicion about the quality of your product. Instead, focus on the messages you do want them to pass along, and listen to how they respond.
             • Always follow up. Your relationship doesn't have to end after they've posted your promotional content. Let them know how happy you are they enjoyed the product and shared it with their audience, and request if you can  have usage rights to the content involved for future publishing, with additional residuals for the influencer. This will incentivize them to continue promoting your brand even if you no longer send them any products to post about.
             
             

             Start your relationship off on the right foot, and influencers will carry your brand far.

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend -...]]>Working with influencers can be an incredibly financially reward experience for some brands, and a frustrating nightmare for others. A great brand-influencer relationship can thrust your business into the international spotlight and near overnight success for pennies on the dollar of what a traditional promotional campaign would cost. Meanwhile a mismanaged or ill-planned promotional campaign can devour promotional budgets, distance already invested customers and leave you picking up the pieces of your brands identity.

             How do you avoid making rookie mistakes and get the most out of your influencers? Taylor Lagace, co-founder of Kynship, shows you what brands need to have to enjoy a happy and successful business-influencer relationship.

             Put your best foot forward

             Some inexperienced brands will presume that dealing with influencers is entirely transactional; you hire them to promote your product, they mention it X amount of times, they get content, free merch and/or money, thus completing the contract.

             This is the number one major mistake you can make, says Lagace. 

             These promoters get flooded with such requests constantly, and are often in a position to pick and choose who they want to work with. if you don't grab their attention, make your brand engaging for them personally, and get them invested in your brand culture, you'll never land  a major personality. 

             • Get to know them a little better. Don't just contact influencers because you've heard of them and they're available, look for those who share your outlook, or have an interest in what you can offer. Show that you bothered to get to know them, and can offer something they would actually enjoy.
             • Cast a wide net. There are untold thousands of influencers across the world, and in every field. Even with a super-specific product, you may be looking at potentially hundreds of would partners, of which you can expect a 20-30% response rate. The more you snare, the better your product will do in the market, so try to entice as many as you can while retaining strict quality and content control.
             • Treat them as your best customer. You want your influencers to be as excited about your products are your customers, so everything you have them promote must first appeal to them before they can make it appealing to others. Give them the best unboxing experience, send them surprise items, and get them to identify with your company as a personal choice, not a business decision. Sell yourself, sell your brand, sell your product, and they'll amplify your message to the world.
             • Let them get hands on. Involve them in product roll-outs and give-aways for items they're not even promoting but would likely enjoy. Allow their natural curiosity and showmanship to do the rest, and enjoy the essentially free positive press.
             • No restrictions, just suggestions. Don't tell an influencer what you specifically don't want them to post, this can create a sense of negativity and suspicion about the quality of your product. Instead, focus on the messages you do want them to pass along, and listen to how they respond.
             • Always follow up. Your relationship doesn't have to end after they've posted your promotional content. Let them know how happy you are they enjoyed the product and shared it with their audience, and request if you can  have usage rights to the content involved for future publishing, with additional residuals for the influencer. This will incentivize them to continue promoting your brand even if you no longer send them any products to post about.
             
             

             Start your relationship off on the right foot, and influencers will carry your brand far.

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>5eabc992-5a1a-4780-a5b9-82cfa5ea2bfbMon, 14 Jun 2021 04:05:00 -050014:59nofull71Taylor Lagace, partner and co-founder of Kynship, talks to Lucas and Pitstop about starting your journey with influencers off on the right road to success.Taylor LagaceLaugh All The Way To The Bank - Lianna PatchA joke may be cheap, but the effect it can have on your conversion rate is simply priceless. That's what Lianna Patch believes anyway, and as both a comedian and founder of a successful e-commerce copywriting company, she may be on to something.

             Most brands tend to shy away from using humour in their website and promotional copy, feeling that it doesn't fit into their brand identity, worried that they won't be taken seriously among their peers in the industry, or downright certain that they're not funny to begin with. These are lost opportunities to engage personally with your users and customers on a human level, winning you lifetimes of brand loyalty.

             "Comedy improves memory"

             You may not remember who won Superbowl XLIV, or even what year it was, but you probably remember the Old Spice ad that ran during it, "The Man Your Man Could Smell like", starring Isaiah Mustafa. Even over a decade after, consumers can have strong memories and positive associations with a brand that made them laugh.

             Creating those positive associations and good will means customers will:

             • Be more likely to think of you when shopping
             • Buy from you while comparing prices from others
             • Forgive you for errors or delays when they occur
             
             

             Here's how to lighten your brand up a little, and where to put your punchlines to get your guests giggling:

             1. Funny Asked Questions

             Rather than including a direct but boring description of a product or answer to a common question, try channelling your inner frustration. 

             If a shirt is promoted based on its blended fabric, chances are its because single-cloth products like wool makes everyone sweat like it's the deep summer. Relate with the discomfort other products offer, to sell the better quality of your own. Allow consumers to hear their unspoken complaints come from you, and they'll see you as more than a store.

             2. Telling Tall Tales

             A business should never lie about or be dishonest about their product; hyperbolically bragging though, about how incredible an item is in a way that is clearly and obviously nonsense, can excite and entertain customers, even though they know the claims are false. 

             It's all about offering balance to the user, allowing the consumer to contrast your reliable service, customer care and overall quality with a playful spirit, creating a deeper sense of trust.

             3. A Spoonful of Sugar

             No one likes getting bad news, especially about an order you have been eagerly awaiting. A light touch and a laugh can be just the ticket to help stave off any annoyance and anger, for a time at least. 

             Don't push it with the jokes when it comes to customers who repeatedly have issues, but do try to take the opportunity to set positive expectations for resolution by first empathizing with your customer (who is likely upset with you) by laughing at yourself.

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>A joke may be cheap, but the effect it can have on your conversion rate is simply priceless. That's what Lianna Patch believes anyway, and as both a comedian and founder of a successful e-commerce copywriting company, she may be on to something.

             Most brands tend to shy away from using humour in their website and promotional copy, feeling that it doesn't fit into their brand identity, worried that they won't be taken seriously among their peers in the industry, or downright certain that they're not funny to begin with. These are lost opportunities to engage personally with your users and customers on a human level, winning you lifetimes of brand loyalty.

             "Comedy improves memory"

             You may not remember who won Superbowl XLIV, or even what year it was, but you probably remember the Old Spice ad that ran during it, "The Man Your Man Could Smell like", starring Isaiah Mustafa. Even over a decade after, consumers can have strong memories and positive associations with a brand that made them laugh.

             Creating those positive associations and good will means customers will:

             • Be more likely to think of you when shopping
             • Buy from you while comparing prices from others
             • Forgive you for errors or delays when they occur
             
             

             Here's how to lighten your brand up a little, and where to put your punchlines to get your guests giggling:

             1. Funny Asked Questions

             Rather than including a direct but boring description of a product or answer to a common question, try channelling your inner frustration. 

             If a shirt is promoted based on its blended fabric, chances are its because single-cloth products like wool makes everyone sweat like it's the deep summer. Relate with the discomfort other products offer, to sell the better quality of your own. Allow consumers to hear their unspoken complaints come from you, and they'll see you as more than a store.

             2. Telling Tall Tales

             A business should never lie about or be dishonest about their product; hyperbolically bragging though, about how incredible an item is in a way that is clearly and obviously nonsense, can excite and entertain customers, even though they know the claims are false. 

             It's all about offering balance to the user, allowing the consumer to contrast your reliable service, customer care and overall quality with a playful spirit, creating a deeper sense of trust.

             3. A Spoonful of Sugar

             No one likes getting bad news, especially about an order you have been eagerly awaiting. A light touch and a laugh can be just the ticket to help stave off any annoyance and anger, for a time at least. 

             Don't push it with the jokes when it comes to customers who repeatedly have issues, but do try to take the opportunity to set positive expectations for resolution by first empathizing with your customer (who is likely upset with you) by laughing at yourself.

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>55fe9b30-e054-4729-8d3d-83d659aa7d3fThu, 10 Jun 2021 04:05:00 -050010:55nofull70The talented and hilarious Lianna Patch joins Lucas on Pitstop one last time to detail how you can get your customers laughing with you and buying from you.Lianna PatchPlay To Your Audience - Lianna PatchIf you want your shot at the big time, says  e-commerce copy-editing expert and comedian Lianna Patch, then you've got to tighten your act up beyond the basic general conversion optimizing, such as image load time and page speed, tightened copy, segmented lists, presented social proof, reviews, guarantees and all the other fundamentals  you see everywhere.

             Here are 3 above and beyond features every great converting website share, milestones of quality and creativity, that can help you elevate your brand to a much bigger stage.

             1. Focussed and fun attention to detail

             You'd be surprised where customers will end up on your site, either by accident or intention, and no matter how deep content may be buried, if you post it, someone will eventually find and read it. Once you have the all-important minor details included, have a little fun with the rest and reward your customer's curiosity and interest.

             Include easter eggs for perceptive users, such as:

             • Bonus playful content
             • Exclusive special offers
             • Secret discounts
             
             

             2.  Promotional copy on a customer-feedback loop

             There's no need to agonize over coming up with great copy if your customers already have. It's time to talk their language and get on the same page. 

             • Read the reviews the consumers leave about your products, services and business, then incorporate them into your next blog article, sale or product description.
             
             

             This will both build trust with your customers, and ensure accurate product copy.

             3. Brevity, wit and clarity

             The faster and easier any information is to read, the more likely it will be understood. 

             • Condense your most important and most frequently asked product details into bullets, and include a concise answer to the question 'so what?' if ask about the information you included.
             
             

             This will make sure you include the most important details, while answering the most common customer questions. 

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>If you want your shot at the big time, says  e-commerce copy-editing expert and comedian Lianna Patch, then you've got to tighten your act up beyond the basic general conversion optimizing, such as image load time and page speed, tightened copy, segmented lists, presented social proof, reviews, guarantees and all the other fundamentals  you see everywhere.

             Here are 3 above and beyond features every great converting website share, milestones of quality and creativity, that can help you elevate your brand to a much bigger stage.

             1. Focussed and fun attention to detail

             You'd be surprised where customers will end up on your site, either by accident or intention, and no matter how deep content may be buried, if you post it, someone will eventually find and read it. Once you have the all-important minor details included, have a little fun with the rest and reward your customer's curiosity and interest.

             Include easter eggs for perceptive users, such as:

             • Bonus playful content
             • Exclusive special offers
             • Secret discounts
             
             

             2.  Promotional copy on a customer-feedback loop

             There's no need to agonize over coming up with great copy if your customers already have. It's time to talk their language and get on the same page. 

             • Read the reviews the consumers leave about your products, services and business, then incorporate them into your next blog article, sale or product description.
             
             

             This will both build trust with your customers, and ensure accurate product copy.

             3. Brevity, wit and clarity

             The faster and easier any information is to read, the more likely it will be understood. 

             • Condense your most important and most frequently asked product details into bullets, and include a concise answer to the question 'so what?' if ask about the information you included.
             
             

             This will make sure you include the most important details, while answering the most common customer questions. 

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>05ca9140-a9b0-4b70-b6f3-80d6e3c491a4Tue, 08 Jun 2021 04:05:00 -050013:51nofull70Comedian and founder of Punchline Conversion Copywriting, Lianna Patch, returns to Pitstop to tell Lucas about the three key features every high-converting Shopify store gets right.Lucas WalkerPunch-Up Your Shopify Page - Lianna PatchE-commerce can be very difficult. There are a thousand and one things you have to keep track of, stay ahead of and prepare for, yet any of them could start dragging your business down while your attention is elsewhere. These all too common and easily preventable mistakes are no laughing matter, says comedian and copywriter Lianna Patch, who wants to make sure your Shopify store doesn't turn into a bad joke.

             Here are her top 4 most irritating Shopify mistakes eager new business owners make and how to avoid them.

             1. Ad traffic driving customers to your home page

             • You're not trying to sell your Shopify store, you're trying to move product. Don't waste money on ads that just bring people to your front door and expect them to find their way around from there. Keep it simple and make it easy for your users. Link your ads directly to the product the promote, and bring your customers as close as you can to making that purchase
             
             

             2.  Choosing aesthetics over information

             A stripped down and bare product page may be fashionable and design-forward, but it's not so helpful for the curious customer who may have some questions. Lianna  suggests a few key details that should always be included:

             1. Brief and pithy copy to draw the customer in and compel them to include the product in their life
             2. A list of the top 3-5 things every customer should know about the product, with clear reasons given for why
             3. Additional information such as shipping and return policies, reviews and contact information
             
             

             3. Using default boilerplate emails

             • Inject a little personality into your brand during any one-on-one customer engagement. Instead of using the default welcome or order confirmation emails available through your e-commerce platform, show a little creativity and draw the customer in with some humourous and amusing copy
             
             

             4.  Having a boring 'About Us' page

             • When a customer clicks on your 'About' page, they don't want to hear how committed you are to making the best darn product you can, they want to hear about why you, the person who founded the company, sunk all of their time and money into doing this.  Be open, be honest, be raw and be witty, just whatever you do don't be boring.
             
             

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>E-commerce can be very difficult. There are a thousand and one things you have to keep track of, stay ahead of and prepare for, yet any of them could start dragging your business down while your attention is elsewhere. These all too common and easily preventable mistakes are no laughing matter, says comedian and copywriter Lianna Patch, who wants to make sure your Shopify store doesn't turn into a bad joke.

             Here are her top 4 most irritating Shopify mistakes eager new business owners make and how to avoid them.

             1. Ad traffic driving customers to your home page

             • You're not trying to sell your Shopify store, you're trying to move product. Don't waste money on ads that just bring people to your front door and expect them to find their way around from there. Keep it simple and make it easy for your users. Link your ads directly to the product the promote, and bring your customers as close as you can to making that purchase
             
             

             2.  Choosing aesthetics over information

             A stripped down and bare product page may be fashionable and design-forward, but it's not so helpful for the curious customer who may have some questions. Lianna  suggests a few key details that should always be included:

             1. Brief and pithy copy to draw the customer in and compel them to include the product in their life
             2. A list of the top 3-5 things every customer should know about the product, with clear reasons given for why
             3. Additional information such as shipping and return policies, reviews and contact information
             
             

             3. Using default boilerplate emails

             • Inject a little personality into your brand during any one-on-one customer engagement. Instead of using the default welcome or order confirmation emails available through your e-commerce platform, show a little creativity and draw the customer in with some humourous and amusing copy
             
             

             4.  Having a boring 'About Us' page

             • When a customer clicks on your 'About' page, they don't want to hear how committed you are to making the best darn product you can, they want to hear about why you, the person who founded the company, sunk all of their time and money into doing this.  Be open, be honest, be raw and be witty, just whatever you do don't be boring.
             
             

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>1560ef5b-043c-4064-ab93-25089db4da70Mon, 07 Jun 2021 04:05:00 -050014:10yesfull70Lianna Patch, comedian and founder of Punchline Conversion Copywriting, joins Lucas Walker on Pitstop to talk about her dream of saving your Shopify store and making your customers pause, smile and click.Lianna PatchKing Of Your Own Castle - Conor LewisOver the last two episodes, Conor and Lucas have shown you how to build brand anticipation, how to capitalize on it using crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter and how to continue to grow from there, but what happens when you've gotten too big for that small kickstarting-pond?

             It's high time for you to break out, and found your own online realm to reign over, says Conor, who shares how he took FORT from one of the most successful Kickstarter campaigns ever, to one of the hottest up and coming  companies for safe and fun children's furniture.

             My Kickstarter has plateaued, where do I go now?

             At this point, you really have two options, depending on how much faith you have in your product, and how prepared you feel your team is. You can either:

             • Consider baby steps to the next level. Try IndieGoGo's  Indemand platform, which features a blend of crowdfunding and e-commerce features, without the restrictions or resource-investment of either. Use this to keep one foot in the crowdfunding sphere, raising additional capital, while freeing yourself to grow beyond.
             • Make the big leap. Build your own e-commerce site with Shopify, start taking pre-orders and hit the ground running. If you're confident in your brand, and the data shows you've grown as much as you can with just crowdfunding, then there's no reason to hesitate. Don't forget to turn off your crowdfunding campaign once you no longer need it.
             
             

             I'm ready to dive right into pre-orders. What do I need?

             There's a big difference in behaviour and expectations between people who support innovations on Kickstarter, and buying customers who expect merchandise for their money. Take the time between platforms to build your benchmarks.

             • Figure out your cost of acquisition. Sourcing manufacturing for prototypes and limited special order runs are one thing, but if you turn that tap on and start getting flooded with orders, you need a supply chain that can handle it without breaking your bank. Manufacturing and resource costs may quickly rise, so make sure your bottom line can handle it without shocking the price tag too much.
             • Know your retention rate for returning customers. Most crowdfunders don't donate repeatedly to the same campaign, but people can spend years buying from the same company. You need to figure out if people keep coming back to your store, in how great a number, and most importantly, what drives them to return. Only then can you focus and capitalize on them.
             • Have a clear strategy for converting your lists. Your momentum may quickly disappear if your social media supporters don't  join you on the new platform. Have data driven expectations of how many will, and  design messaging campaigns to entice anyone who havn't already followed  through.
             
             

             How do I get my followers to migrate over to my new store?

             It's a lot harder for an e-commerce store to catch the attention of potential customers than a crowdfunding campaign. Unless you have a plan for growing new followers and retaining the old, your traffic will get very quiet very quick.

             • Build an email and SMS list from your crowdfunders just for  moving customers from one spot to another, removing them from the list once they've signed up with your new store.
             • Include special offers and exclusives for supporters who share and promote your new site within the community of supporters, and beyond.
             • Introduce new products to your inventory, even if they're just colour-swaps of the original product. FOMO is an incredible market driver, and including ideas and suggestions from excited customers will only grow their sense of engagement. Basic changes are also cheap and easy to apply to your manufacturing and supply process, while potentially multiplying sales.
             
             

             Our Sponsors

             Over the last two episodes, Conor and Lucas have shown you how to build brand anticipation, how to capitalize on it using crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter and how to continue to grow from there, but what happens when you've gotten too big for that small kickstarting-pond?

             It's high time for you to break out, and found your own online realm to reign over, says Conor, who shares how he took FORT from one of the most successful Kickstarter campaigns ever, to one of the hottest up and coming  companies for safe and fun children's furniture.

             My Kickstarter has plateaued, where do I go now?

             At this point, you really have two options, depending on how much faith you have in your product, and how prepared you feel your team is. You can either:

             • Consider baby steps to the next level. Try IndieGoGo's  Indemand platform, which features a blend of crowdfunding and e-commerce features, without the restrictions or resource-investment of either. Use this to keep one foot in the crowdfunding sphere, raising additional capital, while freeing yourself to grow beyond.
             • Make the big leap. Build your own e-commerce site with Shopify, start taking pre-orders and hit the ground running. If you're confident in your brand, and the data shows you've grown as much as you can with just crowdfunding, then there's no reason to hesitate. Don't forget to turn off your crowdfunding campaign once you no longer need it.
             
             

             I'm ready to dive right into pre-orders. What do I need?

             There's a big difference in behaviour and expectations between people who support innovations on Kickstarter, and buying customers who expect merchandise for their money. Take the time between platforms to build your benchmarks.

             • Figure out your cost of acquisition. Sourcing manufacturing for prototypes and limited special order runs are one thing, but if you turn that tap on and start getting flooded with orders, you need a supply chain that can handle it without breaking your bank. Manufacturing and resource costs may quickly rise, so make sure your bottom line can handle it without shocking the price tag too much.
             • Know your retention rate for returning customers. Most crowdfunders don't donate repeatedly to the same campaign, but people can spend years buying from the same company. You need to figure out if people keep coming back to your store, in how great a number, and most importantly, what drives them to return. Only then can you focus and capitalize on them.
             • Have a clear strategy for converting your lists. Your momentum may quickly disappear if your social media supporters don't  join you on the new platform. Have data driven expectations of how many will, and  design messaging campaigns to entice anyone who havn't already followed  through.
             
             

             How do I get my followers to migrate over to my new store?

             It's a lot harder for an e-commerce store to catch the attention of potential customers than a crowdfunding campaign. Unless you have a plan for growing new followers and retaining the old, your traffic will get very quiet very quick.

             • Build an email and SMS list from your crowdfunders just for  moving customers from one spot to another, removing them from the list once they've signed up with your new store.
             • Include special offers and exclusives for supporters who share and promote your new site within the community of supporters, and beyond.
             • Introduce new products to your inventory, even if they're just colour-swaps of the original product. FOMO is an incredible market driver, and including ideas and suggestions from excited customers will only grow their sense of engagement. Basic changes are also cheap and easy to apply to your manufacturing and supply process, while potentially multiplying sales.
             
             

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>73a467c5-381a-4348-8771-9098d0a7db16Thu, 03 Jun 2021 04:05:00 -050015:11nofull70The King of Kickstarter, Conor Lewis of FORT, returns to Pitstop one last time to show you how to make the leap from crowdfunding to launching your own e-commerce store.Lucas WalkerBuild Your Kickstarter Kingdom - Conor LewisRaising over $3 million through Kickstarter, over $2 million of that in less than half a day, doesn't come easy, even for the Conor Lewis, who did just that. Investors didn't just flock to the page for FORT by coincidence or a passing curiosity, Lewis and his team carefully built their ad campaign brick by brick to make sure their kid friendly castle concept didn't topple under siege. Here are some of the insights and brand-awareness battle tactics he shared with Lucas and Pitstop for crafting a clear and cost effective advertising strategy.

             Everyone Starts Somewhere. Don't worry if you're not an expert on how to best market your Kickstarter page, GoFundMe drive or Shopify store, Conor certainly wasn't when he started out. Like many in e-commerce, he had the tools and expertise for working with Shopify, Facebook and other online, user based markets. While bringing over his lists to Kickstarter gave FORT a terrific break out of the gates, there was no campaign plan beyond initially getting them to follow from one site to another, or to keep them engaged once there.  Don't worry if you don't have a plan, have faith that your followers and supporters will get you through the first few days, more than enough time to strategize your next step.

             Spend Money To Make Money. The vast majority of Kickstarter campaigns are built entirely off ads, rather than from organic traffic or SEO. As such, anyone who relies on their imported followers from before they launched on Kickstarter for too long will soon see their well of potential wealth dry up. No matter how much money is spent on sites like Facebook to funnel users to your Kickstarter page, you'll find your money is better spent on Kickstarter ads directly, speaking to interested customers already in a culture, and mood, for spending , rather than the looky-loos and maybe-laters who will inevitably overtake your external lists. Every dollar spent on ads within Kickstarter itself will stretch much farther than on social media.

             Your Medium May Be Your Message. Study your list data and make smart ad-buying decisions based on what it tells you about your demographics. Are you mostly dealing with young, trendy parents? Why not invest in automated SMS, which will put you a step ahead of the competition in vying for their attention, in a much more personal and intimate manner. Are they older, or are many of them outside your region? Then keep the hassle, and cost down, by relying on classic email messaging, which some older consumers still trust more than a text, which they may find intrusive. Consider how you are communicating with your customers, and adapt to the medium they prefer.

             Make The Most Of Your Messaging. If you know what mediums your paying public positively respond to, then you should also have the data about what specifically it is about that medium that they enjoy. Don't just settle for sending them the bare minimum, make that medium work extra hard for you. Make your texts or emails engaging, challenging, curious, insightful, informative, fun or creative. Let people take a peak into your design process if its visually exciting, or explain the technical specs if it's complicated, or include call and response challenges for social media. Test the waters fearlessly and frequently, and when in doubt, simply ask some of your most loyal supporters what they think is and isn't working.

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale...]]>Raising over $3 million through Kickstarter, over $2 million of that in less than half a day, doesn't come easy, even for the Conor Lewis, who did just that. Investors didn't just flock to the page for FORT by coincidence or a passing curiosity, Lewis and his team carefully built their ad campaign brick by brick to make sure their kid friendly castle concept didn't topple under siege. Here are some of the insights and brand-awareness battle tactics he shared with Lucas and Pitstop for crafting a clear and cost effective advertising strategy.

             Everyone Starts Somewhere. Don't worry if you're not an expert on how to best market your Kickstarter page, GoFundMe drive or Shopify store, Conor certainly wasn't when he started out. Like many in e-commerce, he had the tools and expertise for working with Shopify, Facebook and other online, user based markets. While bringing over his lists to Kickstarter gave FORT a terrific break out of the gates, there was no campaign plan beyond initially getting them to follow from one site to another, or to keep them engaged once there.  Don't worry if you don't have a plan, have faith that your followers and supporters will get you through the first few days, more than enough time to strategize your next step.

             Spend Money To Make Money. The vast majority of Kickstarter campaigns are built entirely off ads, rather than from organic traffic or SEO. As such, anyone who relies on their imported followers from before they launched on Kickstarter for too long will soon see their well of potential wealth dry up. No matter how much money is spent on sites like Facebook to funnel users to your Kickstarter page, you'll find your money is better spent on Kickstarter ads directly, speaking to interested customers already in a culture, and mood, for spending , rather than the looky-loos and maybe-laters who will inevitably overtake your external lists. Every dollar spent on ads within Kickstarter itself will stretch much farther than on social media.

             Your Medium May Be Your Message. Study your list data and make smart ad-buying decisions based on what it tells you about your demographics. Are you mostly dealing with young, trendy parents? Why not invest in automated SMS, which will put you a step ahead of the competition in vying for their attention, in a much more personal and intimate manner. Are they older, or are many of them outside your region? Then keep the hassle, and cost down, by relying on classic email messaging, which some older consumers still trust more than a text, which they may find intrusive. Consider how you are communicating with your customers, and adapt to the medium they prefer.

             Make The Most Of Your Messaging. If you know what mediums your paying public positively respond to, then you should also have the data about what specifically it is about that medium that they enjoy. Don't just settle for sending them the bare minimum, make that medium work extra hard for you. Make your texts or emails engaging, challenging, curious, insightful, informative, fun or creative. Let people take a peak into your design process if its visually exciting, or explain the technical specs if it's complicated, or include call and response challenges for social media. Test the waters fearlessly and frequently, and when in doubt, simply ask some of your most loyal supporters what they think is and isn't working.

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>86bdc3b7-a22f-48d5-80f6-ca3e7ba4b46fTue, 01 Jun 2021 04:05:00 -050015:14nofull70FORT founder and King of Kickstarter Conor Lewis returns to Pitstop with his top tactics for keeping the curious customers coming in.Lucas WalkerThe King Of Kickstarter - Conor LewisWhile Kickstarter remains one of the best platforms creators can use to get interest and investments in their new innovations, it has lost some of its luster over the decade since it first debuted, and is far from the only hot spot for fresh ideas anymore.  Rather than hosting the first looks at new and exciting products and services, Kickstarter has found an unexpected niche,  allowing consumers to invest in innovations they're already excited about, and have been eagerly awaiting. That's how founder of FORT, Conor Lewis, was able to raise over $2 million in his first 10 hours on Kickstarter alone to fund magnetic pillow fort construction sets, by building a huge, highly involved and emotionally invested following and fandom off-platform, then channeling them to the fundraising page at the exact moment their excitement peaks. Here's how Lewis and FORT unleashed the true power of crowdfunding.

             Grow Your Audience Where They Are. Like it or loathe it, Facebook is one of the central hubs for users online, always on the look out for novel and original content. A minor investment in a page and Facebook based advertising can result in a massive audience, with pre-existing features for collecting further contact information, and disseminating wide-scale product updates and brand messaging. Before you've sold a single product, make sure your customers are there.

             Identify Your Customers. Thanks to your use of Facebook ads, you now have data about who responds positively to your brand and product. Focus your next round of promotion and advertising around the demographics those details are telling you are most interested. Chances are they will remain your core consumer base.

             Incentivize Your Supporters.  If you want fans to spread the word about your idea, you have to make it worth their time and effort. Incentivize them with discounts, contests and special offers, just for those who take part in sharing posts, bringing in new followers and helping to raise brand awareness. Consumers love feeling involved, but no one likes feeling used, so make sure the potential reward far exceeds the effort.

             Talk About Your Product. It may seem obvious, but so often new developers get bogged down in the daily grind, and lose track of what brought people to them in the first place; the exciting new product. Never stop promoting, updating and showcasing your product, document as much as you can, and turn that into content to further promote and raise brand awareness, no matter how long you've been going.

             Educate Your Followers. Not everyone has a good instinct for navigating online and despite being nearly 30 years old, some users still have a hard time with the internet, especially when it comes to spending money. If you want your supporters, and their wallets, to follow you to Kickstarter, explain to them the process, show them exactly how to donate, share and take part in promoting your fundraiser. Their support will be far more profitable and effective when properly applied. This goes double for making sure customers understand and know how to use your product long before they ever get their hands on one. The deeper they grasp what you're selling, the better they can promote it to others, and the fewer problems you'll run into with customers at launch.

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>While Kickstarter remains one of the best platforms creators can use to get interest and investments in their new innovations, it has lost some of its luster over the decade since it first debuted, and is far from the only hot spot for fresh ideas anymore.  Rather than hosting the first looks at new and exciting products and services, Kickstarter has found an unexpected niche,  allowing consumers to invest in innovations they're already excited about, and have been eagerly awaiting. That's how founder of FORT, Conor Lewis, was able to raise over $2 million in his first 10 hours on Kickstarter alone to fund magnetic pillow fort construction sets, by building a huge, highly involved and emotionally invested following and fandom off-platform, then channeling them to the fundraising page at the exact moment their excitement peaks. Here's how Lewis and FORT unleashed the true power of crowdfunding.

             Grow Your Audience Where They Are. Like it or loathe it, Facebook is one of the central hubs for users online, always on the look out for novel and original content. A minor investment in a page and Facebook based advertising can result in a massive audience, with pre-existing features for collecting further contact information, and disseminating wide-scale product updates and brand messaging. Before you've sold a single product, make sure your customers are there.

             Identify Your Customers. Thanks to your use of Facebook ads, you now have data about who responds positively to your brand and product. Focus your next round of promotion and advertising around the demographics those details are telling you are most interested. Chances are they will remain your core consumer base.

             Incentivize Your Supporters.  If you want fans to spread the word about your idea, you have to make it worth their time and effort. Incentivize them with discounts, contests and special offers, just for those who take part in sharing posts, bringing in new followers and helping to raise brand awareness. Consumers love feeling involved, but no one likes feeling used, so make sure the potential reward far exceeds the effort.

             Talk About Your Product. It may seem obvious, but so often new developers get bogged down in the daily grind, and lose track of what brought people to them in the first place; the exciting new product. Never stop promoting, updating and showcasing your product, document as much as you can, and turn that into content to further promote and raise brand awareness, no matter how long you've been going.

             Educate Your Followers. Not everyone has a good instinct for navigating online and despite being nearly 30 years old, some users still have a hard time with the internet, especially when it comes to spending money. If you want your supporters, and their wallets, to follow you to Kickstarter, explain to them the process, show them exactly how to donate, share and take part in promoting your fundraiser. Their support will be far more profitable and effective when properly applied. This goes double for making sure customers understand and know how to use your product long before they ever get their hands on one. The deeper they grasp what you're selling, the better they can promote it to others, and the fewer problems you'll run into with customers at launch.

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>2274b4cb-be7d-479b-9e39-3d2decedef57Fri, 28 May 2021 04:05:00 -050014:40nofull73Conor Lewis, founder of FORT, joins Lucas Walker on Pitstop to reveal how he raised over $2 million in under 12 hours on Kickstarter.Lucas WalkerAutomating Customer Service With Gorgias - Jason WongWhat can your business do to automate the customer support process to save not only you and your team money and time, but the customer's time as well? Automating turns any customer support process into customer success, with each automation saving you, on average, one minute, which can quickly compound into hours per week extra that you can take advantage of, freeing you up for more important and valuable work. Doe Lashes own Jason Wong explains how you can get your average ticket-time down from over a day to just two hours, and other major savings.
             • Going Manual. You may ask, 'why not just go automated to begin with?' It seems like it would save you time and money on first consideration, but in truth you would be going about it blindly.  Without the hands on experience with your business, discovering its specific habits, hazards and hinderances, how you automate may not address any problems it should be fixing, or losing effectiveness altogether. Start from the bottom before you climb your way to the top.
             • Know Your Data To Grow Your Data. What is the most common concern for most customer service contacts? Identify what is taking up most of your time, and automate it away. Chances are your number one time-waste for your service branch are tracking order requests, a process that was automated years ago for the majority of the industry. Know what problem takes up your time to begin with, then automate the solution with Macros, like those available through Gorgias.
             • Automate Your Initial Response.  No one likes feeling ignored, especially not paying customers.  By automating the beginning of every customer service interaction to be as positively and receptively as possible, you not only keep a potentially frustrated or upset customer  calm and engaged, you buy your team some time to do some leg work that might otherwise annoy the customer, or may even solve the problem. It doesn't matter if it's obviously automatically generated if the following contact is answering the initial question or solving the client's problem.
             • Teamwork Makes The Dream Work. Now that you've saved your customer support team from the doldrums of being an on-call FAQ, it's time to put them to work where they are most needed. Study your traffic figures, and determine when your customers are most likely to send in a ticket. If there's periods during the day when there are only a few tickets per hour, then there's really no need to have someone getting paid to do then what could easily be done later during busier hours. Develop a shift schedule that makes your team more efficient, and saves you money on staffed hours.
             • Go To The Next Level. Eventually you'll start noticing patterns in other aspects of your business, such as outreach to potential partners, suppliers or promotional teams, which can be tedious and time consuming, and often left in the hands of you, the shop owner, who already is far too busy. Don't hate, automate. The same systems that help your customer service team can help you. Automate your systems, automate your operations, automate your outreach, automate your promotion  and marketing. Automate as much as you can, and never stop looking for new ways to save time.
             
             

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>What can your business do to automate the customer support process to save not only you and your team money and time, but the customer's time as well? Automating turns any customer support process into customer success, with each automation saving you, on average, one minute, which can quickly compound into hours per week extra that you can take advantage of, freeing you up for more important and valuable work. Doe Lashes own Jason Wong explains how you can get your average ticket-time down from over a day to just two hours, and other major savings.
             • Going Manual. You may ask, 'why not just go automated to begin with?' It seems like it would save you time and money on first consideration, but in truth you would be going about it blindly.  Without the hands on experience with your business, discovering its specific habits, hazards and hinderances, how you automate may not address any problems it should be fixing, or losing effectiveness altogether. Start from the bottom before you climb your way to the top.
             • Know Your Data To Grow Your Data. What is the most common concern for most customer service contacts? Identify what is taking up most of your time, and automate it away. Chances are your number one time-waste for your service branch are tracking order requests, a process that was automated years ago for the majority of the industry. Know what problem takes up your time to begin with, then automate the solution with Macros, like those available through Gorgias.
             • Automate Your Initial Response.  No one likes feeling ignored, especially not paying customers.  By automating the beginning of every customer service interaction to be as positively and receptively as possible, you not only keep a potentially frustrated or upset customer  calm and engaged, you buy your team some time to do some leg work that might otherwise annoy the customer, or may even solve the problem. It doesn't matter if it's obviously automatically generated if the following contact is answering the initial question or solving the client's problem.
             • Teamwork Makes The Dream Work. Now that you've saved your customer support team from the doldrums of being an on-call FAQ, it's time to put them to work where they are most needed. Study your traffic figures, and determine when your customers are most likely to send in a ticket. If there's periods during the day when there are only a few tickets per hour, then there's really no need to have someone getting paid to do then what could easily be done later during busier hours. Develop a shift schedule that makes your team more efficient, and saves you money on staffed hours.
             • Go To The Next Level. Eventually you'll start noticing patterns in other aspects of your business, such as outreach to potential partners, suppliers or promotional teams, which can be tedious and time consuming, and often left in the hands of you, the shop owner, who already is far too busy. Don't hate, automate. The same systems that help your customer service team can help you. Automate your systems, automate your operations, automate your outreach, automate your promotion  and marketing. Automate as much as you can, and never stop looking for new ways to save time.
             
             

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>f8cf277f-b3d9-43e2-a9cf-75b6df04cb37Thu, 27 May 2021 04:05:00 -050013:56nofull72Jason Wong, founder of Doe Lashes, returns to Pitstop to share with Lucas how automating your customer support response can save you money and bring your customers closer.Lucas WalkerTouring The ShipBob Warehouse - Jason WongA clean warehouse is as important to a business that ships out their product as a clean kitchen is to a restaurant. How your company and employees treat the space where you do your most important work speaks volumes about how they and you treat your business overall.  When cosmetic entrepreneur Jason Wong joined ShipBob  for a tour of their Fulfillment Centre warehouse, he found a workplace in perfect flow and harmony, where  problems were anticipated by design, and errors were corrected before they could even happen. Redundancies are important for the continued function of any suitably complex system, and your business is not immune to the failures a few safeties and extra steps can help you avoid. Here are Jason's  top three take-aways from Shipbob's own  facilities.
             • Double check. The most basic but important practice you or any business can undertake to solve or reduce errors is to simply check the paperwork. Making a sale? Check the paperwork to make sure you're sending it to the right customer. Receiving a shipment? Check the paperwork to make sure it's the products you ordered, in the quantity you ordered. Simply taking a few moments to double check the details of an order can save you untold hours wasted trying to fix problems that never had to exist in the first place. Regardless of the size of the company, taking the time to check the details will lead to saving wasted tie and money.
             • Happy workers make for happy work. Employees who care about the company they work for, and feel like they are cared about by, will put in the extra effort that can take your service to the top of your industry. A happy and fulfilled workforce is magnitudes more efficient, effective and overall profitable. Listen to their requests, acknowledge and accept their viewpoints, and integrate solutions that make them feel not only supported, but listened to.
             • Talk to your customer. Proactive communication is key to a healthy and dynamic business-customer relationship, capable of  weathering any unexpected market storms, such as shipping delays due to international traffic gridlock, or product delays due to industries shutting down for much of the last year and a half. As the front line experience your consumer will have, the power is in your hands to be open and frank with them about any issues and thus retain a customer who trust your honesty, or loss them when they disappointment and frustration over delays and errors turns into anger.  Taking the time to just talk to them  can make a customer for life.
             
             

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>A clean warehouse is as important to a business that ships out their product as a clean kitchen is to a restaurant. How your company and employees treat the space where you do your most important work speaks volumes about how they and you treat your business overall.  When cosmetic entrepreneur Jason Wong joined ShipBob  for a tour of their Fulfillment Centre warehouse, he found a workplace in perfect flow and harmony, where  problems were anticipated by design, and errors were corrected before they could even happen. Redundancies are important for the continued function of any suitably complex system, and your business is not immune to the failures a few safeties and extra steps can help you avoid. Here are Jason's  top three take-aways from Shipbob's own  facilities.
             • Double check. The most basic but important practice you or any business can undertake to solve or reduce errors is to simply check the paperwork. Making a sale? Check the paperwork to make sure you're sending it to the right customer. Receiving a shipment? Check the paperwork to make sure it's the products you ordered, in the quantity you ordered. Simply taking a few moments to double check the details of an order can save you untold hours wasted trying to fix problems that never had to exist in the first place. Regardless of the size of the company, taking the time to check the details will lead to saving wasted tie and money.
             • Happy workers make for happy work. Employees who care about the company they work for, and feel like they are cared about by, will put in the extra effort that can take your service to the top of your industry. A happy and fulfilled workforce is magnitudes more efficient, effective and overall profitable. Listen to their requests, acknowledge and accept their viewpoints, and integrate solutions that make them feel not only supported, but listened to.
             • Talk to your customer. Proactive communication is key to a healthy and dynamic business-customer relationship, capable of  weathering any unexpected market storms, such as shipping delays due to international traffic gridlock, or product delays due to industries shutting down for much of the last year and a half. As the front line experience your consumer will have, the power is in your hands to be open and frank with them about any issues and thus retain a customer who trust your honesty, or loss them when they disappointment and frustration over delays and errors turns into anger.  Taking the time to just talk to them  can make a customer for life.
             
             

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>da70635e-0487-463a-b12f-5c646fe5c175Tue, 25 May 2021 04:05:00 -050012:58nofull71Doe Lashes founder Jason Wong returns to Rolled Up Podcasts and Pitstop to tell Lucas Walker about his latest visit to the ShipBob facilities, and the importance of building your business around redundancies.Jason WongSwing For The Green - Harley AbramsAs Operations Manager for SuperSpeed Golf, Harley Abrams knows that the main channels for consumers into golf, the two primary ways that players get the equipment they need to play the game, are direct to consumer sales, such as ordering clubs, bags or apparel straight from Ping or Titleist, and big box stores like Golf Town, who specialize in having every major brand names at brick and mortar locations, but generally make their profits on marking up the product offered.  

             Unique to golf though, explains Abrams, is a third avenue, what those in the industry call Green Grass stores, the pro shops, located on every golf course on Earth, big or small. The product in these stores can range from tailored sets and limited editions,  to ziplock bags of lost balls sold by the pound, but they all sell at the very least a round of golf, often acting as the course's front office, which means any customer who enters that store is a reliable buyer, someone already putting down money on the sport. What's more, while Covid-19 shut down or heavily restricted how many customers could use big box stores, pro shops and golf courses maintained a low but steady number of customers on and off the course, thanks to the four-player nature of the sport. This allowed SuperSpeed Golf to continue selling and promoting to active customers, craving escape in the great outdoors.

             Here's what the phenomenon of Green Grass stores can teach other e-commerce operators and business owners about blended distribution channels.

             • Find your own patch of Green Grass. Getting in with the big box stores can take years of constant hustle and stress, and winning your way to partnering with a major direct to consumer brand more often than not means selling part if not all of your product to them, rights and all.  You need somewhere safe that you can establish your brand and start making your presence known, without having to bend to the terms of a larger partner, where you can have a more personal engagement with your core customers. Not every product is going to have a communal spot like a pro shop, you may have to look for other universal touch points, like famous fans and users of your product, or annual events. Sales will be spotty at first, but above all you're selling your brand at this point, and buying exposure to a wider audience of interested buyers.
             • Settle down and get comfortable. Don't spend your time trying to get the attention of the big box retailers you dream of someday seeing yourself in, they don't make decisions about which products to partner with based on how persistent they are. Establish your brand, first and foremost. Sales, and the potential profit others can make from your product, are what matters, so spend your time focussing on selling as much as you can through smaller Green Grass channels. Prove that your products are popular and your brand is capable first, the big box stores will eventually take notice and follow in their own time, often eager to make a deal.
             • Invite your friends. Celebrate and share stories about your users and product, how people use your products, who uses them, and new ways people come up with using your product. Your consumers, all of your consumers not just the influencers and celebrities, are your product testers, so listen to them when they find errors, fixes, new uses and unexpected outcomes.  Their ideas, freely offered, may be what takes your brand into the mass market, or finds a weakness that could have irrevocably broken it if left unaddressed.  Positive buzz and word of mouth are still the most trusted ways to make a sale, no matter how advanced marketing technology becomes.
             
             

             Find your own patch of Green Grass, set up shop wherever you can lay down roots, and let your brand and product become known to your customers by presence, convenience and word of mouth, and soon enough you won't]]>As Operations Manager for SuperSpeed Golf, Harley Abrams knows that the main channels for consumers into golf, the two primary ways that players get the equipment they need to play the game, are direct to consumer sales, such as ordering clubs, bags or apparel straight from Ping or Titleist, and big box stores like Golf Town, who specialize in having every major brand names at brick and mortar locations, but generally make their profits on marking up the product offered.  

             Unique to golf though, explains Abrams, is a third avenue, what those in the industry call Green Grass stores, the pro shops, located on every golf course on Earth, big or small. The product in these stores can range from tailored sets and limited editions,  to ziplock bags of lost balls sold by the pound, but they all sell at the very least a round of golf, often acting as the course's front office, which means any customer who enters that store is a reliable buyer, someone already putting down money on the sport. What's more, while Covid-19 shut down or heavily restricted how many customers could use big box stores, pro shops and golf courses maintained a low but steady number of customers on and off the course, thanks to the four-player nature of the sport. This allowed SuperSpeed Golf to continue selling and promoting to active customers, craving escape in the great outdoors.

             Here's what the phenomenon of Green Grass stores can teach other e-commerce operators and business owners about blended distribution channels.

             • Find your own patch of Green Grass. Getting in with the big box stores can take years of constant hustle and stress, and winning your way to partnering with a major direct to consumer brand more often than not means selling part if not all of your product to them, rights and all.  You need somewhere safe that you can establish your brand and start making your presence known, without having to bend to the terms of a larger partner, where you can have a more personal engagement with your core customers. Not every product is going to have a communal spot like a pro shop, you may have to look for other universal touch points, like famous fans and users of your product, or annual events. Sales will be spotty at first, but above all you're selling your brand at this point, and buying exposure to a wider audience of interested buyers.
             • Settle down and get comfortable. Don't spend your time trying to get the attention of the big box retailers you dream of someday seeing yourself in, they don't make decisions about which products to partner with based on how persistent they are. Establish your brand, first and foremost. Sales, and the potential profit others can make from your product, are what matters, so spend your time focussing on selling as much as you can through smaller Green Grass channels. Prove that your products are popular and your brand is capable first, the big box stores will eventually take notice and follow in their own time, often eager to make a deal.
             • Invite your friends. Celebrate and share stories about your users and product, how people use your products, who uses them, and new ways people come up with using your product. Your consumers, all of your consumers not just the influencers and celebrities, are your product testers, so listen to them when they find errors, fixes, new uses and unexpected outcomes.  Their ideas, freely offered, may be what takes your brand into the mass market, or finds a weakness that could have irrevocably broken it if left unaddressed.  Positive buzz and word of mouth are still the most trusted ways to make a sale, no matter how advanced marketing technology becomes.
             
             

             Find your own patch of Green Grass, set up shop wherever you can lay down roots, and let your brand and product become known to your customers by presence, convenience and word of mouth, and soon enough you won't have to worry about putting your neck on the line selling to big box retailers, they'll follow the customers back to you.

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>954fba67-e1ff-4229-9ac5-25a25ca84651Thu, 20 May 2021 04:05:00 -050015:14nofull70SuperSpeed Golf's Harley Abrams tells Pitstop's Lucas Walker how blended distribution channels, and the unique economy of golf, allowed the brand to thrive under pressure during Covid-19.Harley AbramsUp Your International Game - Harley AbramsGoing for that long drive into international markets can be a tricky shot for any growing e-commerce business. There are any number of hazards and unexpected obstacles along the way that you'll have to avoid or overcome. Harley Abrams, Operations Manager at SuperSpeed Golf, has already played through to the greens beyond, and has some important pointers for you to pick up.
             • Localize your user experience: An international customer already has the frustration of dealing with higher delivery costs and  currency exchange rates, so don't unintentionally make shopping out-of-country any harder.  Make sure the digital storefront they land on is already set for their nationality or region, with item prices and sizes already converted. A reliable and relaxing shopping experience will bring customers back every time.
             • Have a clear SEO line of sight: It's hard enough to get attention in your own market, but you're fighting for space twice as hard in any foreign  sectors. Make doubly sure your search lines are clear and direct to avoid inefficient cannibalization by other pages on your site, and know how customers in those regions and languages think about your brand and search for products.  Adapt your SEO to the consumer's vernacular, not yours.
             • Be aware of regional practices and standards: While common enough in North America, minimum advertised pricing is outright illegal in some markets, while others may demand a more grounded and registered level of involvement or complicated tax laws, necessitating expensive and time consuming business permit applications and regional accountancy. Don't let yourself get caught off-guard or unawares, as the penalties can be devastating.
             • Buy out your distribution partner: Occasionally you have to take a calculated risk and  venture off the beaten path, like SuperSpeed Golf did. Buying out your distribution partner and bringing everything you need in-house, so that you have more direct control over your deliveries, logistics and packaging, is an option for the very few, but should not be missed out on. Being able to adapt the process to best suit your business and customers needs, and those alone, fosters a closer sense of engagement between you and your consumers, along with clearer communication, as your brand is present every step, assuring the highest quality service always.
             
             

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>Going for that long drive into international markets can be a tricky shot for any growing e-commerce business. There are any number of hazards and unexpected obstacles along the way that you'll have to avoid or overcome. Harley Abrams, Operations Manager at SuperSpeed Golf, has already played through to the greens beyond, and has some important pointers for you to pick up.
             • Localize your user experience: An international customer already has the frustration of dealing with higher delivery costs and  currency exchange rates, so don't unintentionally make shopping out-of-country any harder.  Make sure the digital storefront they land on is already set for their nationality or region, with item prices and sizes already converted. A reliable and relaxing shopping experience will bring customers back every time.
             • Have a clear SEO line of sight: It's hard enough to get attention in your own market, but you're fighting for space twice as hard in any foreign  sectors. Make doubly sure your search lines are clear and direct to avoid inefficient cannibalization by other pages on your site, and know how customers in those regions and languages think about your brand and search for products.  Adapt your SEO to the consumer's vernacular, not yours.
             • Be aware of regional practices and standards: While common enough in North America, minimum advertised pricing is outright illegal in some markets, while others may demand a more grounded and registered level of involvement or complicated tax laws, necessitating expensive and time consuming business permit applications and regional accountancy. Don't let yourself get caught off-guard or unawares, as the penalties can be devastating.
             • Buy out your distribution partner: Occasionally you have to take a calculated risk and  venture off the beaten path, like SuperSpeed Golf did. Buying out your distribution partner and bringing everything you need in-house, so that you have more direct control over your deliveries, logistics and packaging, is an option for the very few, but should not be missed out on. Being able to adapt the process to best suit your business and customers needs, and those alone, fosters a closer sense of engagement between you and your consumers, along with clearer communication, as your brand is present every step, assuring the highest quality service always.
             
             

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>13afc0f6-1b6e-467b-8da6-3396497c65a0Tue, 18 May 2021 04:05:00 -050012:40nofull69Harley Abrams of SuperSpeed Golf talks international expansion tips with Pitstop's Lucas Walker, and how to avoid any trouble along the way.Lucas WalkerTeeing Up Your Shipping Costs - Harley AbramsAn often solitary game, played in the wide open spaces of spacious fields and breezy pastures, the popularity fo golf exploded over the past year and a half as Covid-19 brought nearly every other sport to a sudden halt, forcing many to delay games and restrict players. With at most four participants per group, spread out over hundreds of square feet at a time, golf is the perfect sport for the infectious-aware, and consumer buying habits have proven this. With traditional sporting-goods stores closed or heavily limited in how many customers could enter for so long, those same consumers have shifted away from relying on local brick & mortar stores and familiar retail brands, and towards buying directly from the distributer, skipping the middleman altogether to get what they want at a better price. 

             This presents those wholesale distributers with a new set of problems, as suddenly their shipping costs for direct to customer sales have more than doubled, and consumers are beginning to expect a higher quality of engagement, both from the brand and in their deliverable products and packaging. Harley Abrams, Operations manager at SuperSpeed Golf knows these problems all too well, and shares with Pitstop some of his essential answers and easy fixes for shipping direct to your consumer.

             • Partner up to solve problems: SuperSpeed Golf's flagship product, weighted training clubs, are roughly the same length as a typical golf club, which all share a similar shipping struggle in that they're an irregular shape & size, and require special processing. That special processing often costs extra, adding to already substantial delivery costs. Try leveraging any relationships you have in the industry, such as cutting a deal with a company that has already-established delivery services and contracts, and make a deal to ship like-with-like to your mutual profit. Leveraging the increased combined volume can lead you to an even sweeter delivery deal from your choice of shipping companies, allowing both you and your partner to pay less for a higher grade of shipping service.  You can also leverage this for packaging design companies, finding solutions for your similar products that otherwise don't fit traditional boxes or sealed packaging.
             • Consider the unboxing experience: Customers demand more from their brands, and the packaging an item arrives in is not immune to this. Thanks to unboxing culture, consumers have expectations that the process of getting a product is itself gratifying, and the harder a company leans into it, the more engaged and excited your customers will be. Consider the careful presentation of Apple products, or the informative details included in some subscription boxes, or even making the box itself worth the order.
             • Have a clear dialogue with your customers: Talk to you customers throughout the purchase and delivery process, with frequent updates, additional information, options for returns and feedback, and any delays in delivery. Simply offering proactive communication with your customers any errors or issues in filling an order can buy you more time if you are having packaging issues. This can also lead to additional purchases, which you can bundle to save on overall shipping costs while selling more product overall.
             • Have a clear dialogue with your partners: In the case of returns, who is responsible for the various associated costs?  Where does the package go? Have these questioned clearly answered and agreed upon with your partners to avoid any unnecessary friction and headaches in the future. Know your costs before you ever pay a single penny.
             
             

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - Shogun - An often solitary game, played in the wide open spaces of spacious fields and breezy pastures, the popularity fo golf exploded over the past year and a half as Covid-19 brought nearly every other sport to a sudden halt, forcing many to delay games and restrict players. With at most four participants per group, spread out over hundreds of square feet at a time, golf is the perfect sport for the infectious-aware, and consumer buying habits have proven this. With traditional sporting-goods stores closed or heavily limited in how many customers could enter for so long, those same consumers have shifted away from relying on local brick & mortar stores and familiar retail brands, and towards buying directly from the distributer, skipping the middleman altogether to get what they want at a better price. 

             This presents those wholesale distributers with a new set of problems, as suddenly their shipping costs for direct to customer sales have more than doubled, and consumers are beginning to expect a higher quality of engagement, both from the brand and in their deliverable products and packaging. Harley Abrams, Operations manager at SuperSpeed Golf knows these problems all too well, and shares with Pitstop some of his essential answers and easy fixes for shipping direct to your consumer.

             • Partner up to solve problems: SuperSpeed Golf's flagship product, weighted training clubs, are roughly the same length as a typical golf club, which all share a similar shipping struggle in that they're an irregular shape & size, and require special processing. That special processing often costs extra, adding to already substantial delivery costs. Try leveraging any relationships you have in the industry, such as cutting a deal with a company that has already-established delivery services and contracts, and make a deal to ship like-with-like to your mutual profit. Leveraging the increased combined volume can lead you to an even sweeter delivery deal from your choice of shipping companies, allowing both you and your partner to pay less for a higher grade of shipping service.  You can also leverage this for packaging design companies, finding solutions for your similar products that otherwise don't fit traditional boxes or sealed packaging.
             • Consider the unboxing experience: Customers demand more from their brands, and the packaging an item arrives in is not immune to this. Thanks to unboxing culture, consumers have expectations that the process of getting a product is itself gratifying, and the harder a company leans into it, the more engaged and excited your customers will be. Consider the careful presentation of Apple products, or the informative details included in some subscription boxes, or even making the box itself worth the order.
             • Have a clear dialogue with your customers: Talk to you customers throughout the purchase and delivery process, with frequent updates, additional information, options for returns and feedback, and any delays in delivery. Simply offering proactive communication with your customers any errors or issues in filling an order can buy you more time if you are having packaging issues. This can also lead to additional purchases, which you can bundle to save on overall shipping costs while selling more product overall.
             • Have a clear dialogue with your partners: In the case of returns, who is responsible for the various associated costs?  Where does the package go? Have these questioned clearly answered and agreed upon with your partners to avoid any unnecessary friction and headaches in the future. Know your costs before you ever pay a single penny.
             
             

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

              

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>89a71f1a-67e2-4644-8a3e-6c6275eba014Mon, 17 May 2021 04:05:00 -050014:18nofull68SuperSpeed Golf's Harley Abrams joins Lucas Walker and Pitstop to tell you how keep your shipping costs on par.Lucas WalkerBONUS: Rolled Up with Omnisend CEO Rytis LaurisNeedless to say, the Walt Disney Company has become one of the largest single business entities, in the world of media at least, that have ever existed, crawling their way up from two brothers and an easel to a global land development and merchandise producer. no matter how big a company like Disney gets though, there are still some very important lessons even single-operator small businesses can take away from the monopolistic House of Mouse.

             Take for instance the way they treat and interact with their customers, who they call anything but the overly transactional term “customers”, bringing them into a larger cultural identity as Disney consumers, with all the auspices of magic and wonder they can muster. While this may seem like patronizing your patrons, pretending they’re more than just people buying an item or service your selling, many industry experts and insiders, like Omnisend CEO Rytis Lauris, view this re-associative labelling as all important to not just defining your brands relationship with its clients and consumers, but as well re-enforcing that specific approach to relationships in the minds of you and your staff.

             To Rytis, customers, who he calls “investors”, are the true focus of any business. A product without a buyer is still a product, unchanged and inactive, but a buyer without a product is anything but, capable of a great deal of change and activity to achieve their goals, acting in anyway from starting their own business to fill a void in the market, to inventing an alternative, shopping at a competitor, or outright stealing a desired product. Losing track of the importance of your consumers to you, losing focus on empathy, and making sure your customers get a higher value experience out of your store than just being able to buy an item, is the difference between being a faceless supplier and being a brand people are proud and excited to shop at, and how you consider them should reflect this close relationship, trust and reliance.

             For e-commerce businesses, the previous year’s global crisis has been both a blessing and curse. While the industry exploded in terms of size and sales, reaching heights not expected for another decade, this sudden rise to the forefront of the market has lead to a lot of unexpected stress for some operators. “At the very beginning of Covid and the lock downs, there was a lot of uncertainty” explained Rytis. “We saw some of our customers going out of business or having layoffs, and we had those questions and concerns raised by our team members as well”.  Rather than allowing worry, uncertainty and fear take hold, Rytis and Omnisend doubled down on believing in the community of customers they had built, on the strength of their relationships with clients, and on helping to keep them afloat to help keep Omnisend successful.

             Investing in empathy, says Rytis, is the true difference between making it and breaking it for many businesses, especially those that have a proven track record and should be wildly profitable in good times. Downturns happen, be it personally, in your business, or on a global scale, and we all of us always remember who was there in the hard and lean times, and who wasn’t. Being considerate of a customer’s needs at their time of need, can win you a valued partner for years to come when they’re back on their feet, or rob you of long term investment in disdainful protest of your negligence.

             Put your customer at the centre of your business, focus everything you do around best serving them and their needs, and they will not only remain with you through thick and thin, but will spread the word about your brand and help you reach even higher, loftier goals of your own. Ultimately, they are the ones buying your product, and paving your road to success, so give them the focus, time, respect and attention they deserve.

             Our...]]>Needless to say, the Walt Disney Company has become one of the largest single business entities, in the world of media at least, that have ever existed, crawling their way up from two brothers and an easel to a global land development and merchandise producer. no matter how big a company like Disney gets though, there are still some very important lessons even single-operator small businesses can take away from the monopolistic House of Mouse.

             Take for instance the way they treat and interact with their customers, who they call anything but the overly transactional term “customers”, bringing them into a larger cultural identity as Disney consumers, with all the auspices of magic and wonder they can muster. While this may seem like patronizing your patrons, pretending they’re more than just people buying an item or service your selling, many industry experts and insiders, like Omnisend CEO Rytis Lauris, view this re-associative labelling as all important to not just defining your brands relationship with its clients and consumers, but as well re-enforcing that specific approach to relationships in the minds of you and your staff.

             To Rytis, customers, who he calls “investors”, are the true focus of any business. A product without a buyer is still a product, unchanged and inactive, but a buyer without a product is anything but, capable of a great deal of change and activity to achieve their goals, acting in anyway from starting their own business to fill a void in the market, to inventing an alternative, shopping at a competitor, or outright stealing a desired product. Losing track of the importance of your consumers to you, losing focus on empathy, and making sure your customers get a higher value experience out of your store than just being able to buy an item, is the difference between being a faceless supplier and being a brand people are proud and excited to shop at, and how you consider them should reflect this close relationship, trust and reliance.

             For e-commerce businesses, the previous year’s global crisis has been both a blessing and curse. While the industry exploded in terms of size and sales, reaching heights not expected for another decade, this sudden rise to the forefront of the market has lead to a lot of unexpected stress for some operators. “At the very beginning of Covid and the lock downs, there was a lot of uncertainty” explained Rytis. “We saw some of our customers going out of business or having layoffs, and we had those questions and concerns raised by our team members as well”.  Rather than allowing worry, uncertainty and fear take hold, Rytis and Omnisend doubled down on believing in the community of customers they had built, on the strength of their relationships with clients, and on helping to keep them afloat to help keep Omnisend successful.

             Investing in empathy, says Rytis, is the true difference between making it and breaking it for many businesses, especially those that have a proven track record and should be wildly profitable in good times. Downturns happen, be it personally, in your business, or on a global scale, and we all of us always remember who was there in the hard and lean times, and who wasn’t. Being considerate of a customer’s needs at their time of need, can win you a valued partner for years to come when they’re back on their feet, or rob you of long term investment in disdainful protest of your negligence.

             Put your customer at the centre of your business, focus everything you do around best serving them and their needs, and they will not only remain with you through thick and thin, but will spread the word about your brand and help you reach even higher, loftier goals of your own. Ultimately, they are the ones buying your product, and paving your road to success, so give them the focus, time, respect and attention they deserve.

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>17bf4d36-ef82-4246-9614-4cde04070601Fri, 14 May 2021 04:05:00 -050036:05nofull67Today's Pitstop crosses lanes with Rolled Up as host Lucas Walker sits down with Omnisend CEO Rytis Lauris to talk the value of empathic-philosophies and the vices of e-commerce business.Lucas WalkerThe $1000 Marketing LaunchLaunching any business is a leap of faith, a gamble that your belief in a product will be shared by enough consumers that your investments in it, both time and money,  will be paid back and then some. Keeping your opening capital spending under control  can make or break many new businesses  or product roll outs, with marketing costs always threatening to spiral out of control.

             Here's two ways you can avoid runaway spending and have a successful marketing strategy for as little as one thousand dollars.

             Focus on your strengths: Consider what you as a creator can offer to your brand. Are you tech savvy, artistic, can you compose music, write content?  Don't outsource a job to an expensive third party when you could do it yourself for free.  Hire only for things you can't do or don't have time to handle.

             Dry launch with test customers:  Find those consumers who are most likely to become your core customer base, with a special focus on any would-be influencers among them, and offer them some exclusive trial products in return for exclusive tailored promotional material. A good influencer is  just as much a skilled content creator, and their approaches to your product, written, filmed or photographed, should be your first choice for how you promote the product at launch, across the entire campaign.

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>Launching any business is a leap of faith, a gamble that your belief in a product will be shared by enough consumers that your investments in it, both time and money,  will be paid back and then some. Keeping your opening capital spending under control  can make or break many new businesses  or product roll outs, with marketing costs always threatening to spiral out of control.

             Here's two ways you can avoid runaway spending and have a successful marketing strategy for as little as one thousand dollars.

             Focus on your strengths: Consider what you as a creator can offer to your brand. Are you tech savvy, artistic, can you compose music, write content?  Don't outsource a job to an expensive third party when you could do it yourself for free.  Hire only for things you can't do or don't have time to handle.

             Dry launch with test customers:  Find those consumers who are most likely to become your core customer base, with a special focus on any would-be influencers among them, and offer them some exclusive trial products in return for exclusive tailored promotional material. A good influencer is  just as much a skilled content creator, and their approaches to your product, written, filmed or photographed, should be your first choice for how you promote the product at launch, across the entire campaign.

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>bcba5bd8-6294-4ec9-a4d2-c4871673973eThu, 13 May 2021 04:05:00 -050007:19nofull66Pitstop host Lucas Walker lets you in on how you can launch a new product or business for as little as $1000 on marketing.Lucas WalkerLockdown Your Key Performance IndicatorsKnowing your KPIs, or Key Performance Indicators,  is a must for any Shopify or e-commerce business looking for reliable and sustainable growth as they expand from small to medium to large scale operation. Here are three main factors you should include when  searching for and considering your KPIs.
             • Conversion Rate: Determining what your conversion rate is saying about your site's performance depends on what you're looking for. If you spend a large amount of your budget on advertising, you'll want to see a high conversion rate to make up for the cost. If however you're using a smaller company relying long tail conversions,  that is using long tail keywords, there are two aspects to be aware of; sales pages, anywhere that someone clicks to learn more about your brand or products, that will drive interest towards purchasing, versus content and  leading pages, that is blog posts, podcasts, promotional videos, ad campaign, anything that is meant to draw the audience in, collect their contact information and turn them into a customer.
             
             

             Which of the two groups is your biggest factor in bringing in sales? Direct your resources and attention to what is shown to work.

             • Cost Of Goods Sold.  The best way to get a useful perspective on your COGS is to study a blended average of your margins across similar products, such as items that go together by use, season, design influence or sales combining.
             
             

             The more detailed the data you have at hand, the more comparisons and contrasts you can set against each other, the better you will understand how your products sell individually, and can tailor strategies for them.

             • Customer Lifetime Value: While certainly an important feature to consider as a KPI, your CLTV  can be a tricky and deceiving data-set if you don't look at it in context. A long time customer may be considered high value as they've made many purchases over years, but a new customer may get ignored despite making more purchases in a single year. Look for the sweet spot, usually after a customer's third order. By then they're familiar with your brand, happy with the product and willing to further familiarize and associate with your business, including signing up for emails, text messages and even product and content subscriptions.
             
             

             Get people to their third order no matter what, even if it means giving out some of your product just to get them hooked.

             For more great information, tips and tricks about getting the most out of your KPIs, checkout this link from  ShipBob.

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>Knowing your KPIs, or Key Performance Indicators,  is a must for any Shopify or e-commerce business looking for reliable and sustainable growth as they expand from small to medium to large scale operation. Here are three main factors you should include when  searching for and considering your KPIs.
             • Conversion Rate: Determining what your conversion rate is saying about your site's performance depends on what you're looking for. If you spend a large amount of your budget on advertising, you'll want to see a high conversion rate to make up for the cost. If however you're using a smaller company relying long tail conversions,  that is using long tail keywords, there are two aspects to be aware of; sales pages, anywhere that someone clicks to learn more about your brand or products, that will drive interest towards purchasing, versus content and  leading pages, that is blog posts, podcasts, promotional videos, ad campaign, anything that is meant to draw the audience in, collect their contact information and turn them into a customer.
             
             

             Which of the two groups is your biggest factor in bringing in sales? Direct your resources and attention to what is shown to work.

             • Cost Of Goods Sold.  The best way to get a useful perspective on your COGS is to study a blended average of your margins across similar products, such as items that go together by use, season, design influence or sales combining.
             
             

             The more detailed the data you have at hand, the more comparisons and contrasts you can set against each other, the better you will understand how your products sell individually, and can tailor strategies for them.

             • Customer Lifetime Value: While certainly an important feature to consider as a KPI, your CLTV  can be a tricky and deceiving data-set if you don't look at it in context. A long time customer may be considered high value as they've made many purchases over years, but a new customer may get ignored despite making more purchases in a single year. Look for the sweet spot, usually after a customer's third order. By then they're familiar with your brand, happy with the product and willing to further familiarize and associate with your business, including signing up for emails, text messages and even product and content subscriptions.
             
             

             Get people to their third order no matter what, even if it means giving out some of your product just to get them hooked.

             For more great information, tips and tricks about getting the most out of your KPIs, checkout this link from  ShipBob.

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>2f4b401e-4440-4582-b26f-003353892e8eTue, 11 May 2021 04:05:00 -050007:59yesfull65Pitstop Host Lucas Walker runs down the top Key Performance Indicators you and your e-commerce team should keep yours eye on.Rolled Up Podcast NetworkMake Amazon Pay With These Basic StepsDespite their bad reputation over some business practices, Amazon is an important and powerful  tool that you can use to test your wholesale or retail strategy without having to dive into the deep end before you've learned how to swim. The searches on Amazon are very purchase-intensive, the vast majority of user who look for an item aren't looking to read reviews or how-to's of that product, they're looking for the product itself with intent to buy.  

             This means you can use the platform to focus your strategy around how customers search for your product, and products like yours, among a large and competitive market with a diverse user base who can be intensely loyal to  brands they find there.

             Here are the three most important basic steps to getting your products selling on Amazon

             1. Build and use your email list: chances are some of the consumers on your listing  are avid Amazon users,  who should be alerted that their favorite brand is now available through the mega-market. Using a contest, sign-in poll or promotional code give-away to gather the contact information of Amazon users, then target those emails with exclusive offers.
             2. Increase your sales velocity: Invest in sponsored search results, that is those handful of options Amazon always comes up with near the top of any list, watermarked with "sponsored result".  These are pay-per-click products that retailers have tagged  with a variety of relevant keywords, that show up whenever those keywords are searched, regardless of other parameters.  Keep an eye on your expenses with this method, as it is pay per click, not sale, costs can quickly run-away if your item ends up competing with a bigger named brand that gets hundreds of thousands of searches a day, or more.  Use negative keywords to avoid being lumped in with major name brands you can't compete with.
             3. Use automatic targeting:  Expand your keyword association vocabulary , and find out how customers are most likely to search for you.  Chances are, how you search for your brand and products isn't quite the same way your consumers search for them, due to your closer familiarity with the items. You'd be surprised how many ways a customer, with wildly varying degrees of understanding of the product, will describe what they're looking for, and it will pay to include some of the more often used search terms you and your team may never have considered.
             
             

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

              

              

              

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>Despite their bad reputation over some business practices, Amazon is an important and powerful  tool that you can use to test your wholesale or retail strategy without having to dive into the deep end before you've learned how to swim. The searches on Amazon are very purchase-intensive, the vast majority of user who look for an item aren't looking to read reviews or how-to's of that product, they're looking for the product itself with intent to buy.  

             This means you can use the platform to focus your strategy around how customers search for your product, and products like yours, among a large and competitive market with a diverse user base who can be intensely loyal to  brands they find there.

             Here are the three most important basic steps to getting your products selling on Amazon

             1. Build and use your email list: chances are some of the consumers on your listing  are avid Amazon users,  who should be alerted that their favorite brand is now available through the mega-market. Using a contest, sign-in poll or promotional code give-away to gather the contact information of Amazon users, then target those emails with exclusive offers.
             2. Increase your sales velocity: Invest in sponsored search results, that is those handful of options Amazon always comes up with near the top of any list, watermarked with "sponsored result".  These are pay-per-click products that retailers have tagged  with a variety of relevant keywords, that show up whenever those keywords are searched, regardless of other parameters.  Keep an eye on your expenses with this method, as it is pay per click, not sale, costs can quickly run-away if your item ends up competing with a bigger named brand that gets hundreds of thousands of searches a day, or more.  Use negative keywords to avoid being lumped in with major name brands you can't compete with.
             3. Use automatic targeting:  Expand your keyword association vocabulary , and find out how customers are most likely to search for you.  Chances are, how you search for your brand and products isn't quite the same way your consumers search for them, due to your closer familiarity with the items. You'd be surprised how many ways a customer, with wildly varying degrees of understanding of the product, will describe what they're looking for, and it will pay to include some of the more often used search terms you and your team may never have considered.
             
             

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

              

              

              

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>d0500496-bf48-4818-91cf-88efc0979131Mon, 10 May 2021 04:05:00 -050005:21yesfull64Pitstop's Lucas Walker brings us back to basic with the Amazon marketplace, and how to get your products selling in the world's largest online retail space.Rolled Up Podcast NetworkIs Going Headless Right For You? Part 3 - Ben KennedyYou've decided that going headless with your Shopify or e-commerce store is the best option for growing your brand and company, you've learned how headless builds can be tailor made to fit the needs of you and your customers, now's the time to figure out who you're going to choose as a service provider. Yes, you could hire a team of developers, or rely entirely on your own in-house team if they have the skills, but chances are your staff aren't experts on Shopify app building, or ecosystem integration, or any of the various aspects and problems that could arise in trying to develop a headless approach yourself, and any new, specialized hires will cost far more than contracting out one of the many services available. Here's what you need to know about picking your headless platform.

             Why should I choose Shogun as my provider?  For Ben and The Feed, Shogun seemed like the best option available due to its balance of offered features and off-your-hands reliability. This allows them to be as invested in the details of their headless build as little or much as they want to or need to be, with direct control over nearly any aspect of their headless build when they feel something needs to be changed, or carefree disregard and trust that it will be maintained and operational when they need to focus on other aspects of their business. 

             Other providers tend to choose one side of that balance over the other, either giving companies the tools they need and more or less walking away, or custom development and retaining control over the build, with any changes having to be brought to the company and applied how they see fit. 

             Only Shogun allows you full control over your code base, while giving you a worry free customer experience, allowing you to focus on what you're good at and what you want to build, while trusting and relying on Shogun to be good at what they're good at, and build what they want to build. 

             How long does it take to implement, from decision to live? How fast or how slow it takes you and your site to go from choosing to go headless to launching your build very much depends on your familiarity with the technology, how clear your plan of attack is, how focussed you are on your goals, and how comfortable you are with the finished product once it's delivered. 

             For Ben and The Feed, it was a brief three months in total, which may be considered an atypically speedy rate of return, thanks to factors like high technical familiarity.  Your build won't happen overnight, nor should it, considering the data driven decisions you'll have to make about how you implement your build. 

             Be patient, be careful, it will take time but it will payoff in the long run.

             How much should going headless cost? In the end it's all about making you more money, and while you have to spend money to make money, there's a fine line between spending and wasting. How do you know you're actually paying a fair price for your provider? If you consider your store as your virtual retail space, a physical store rendered as ones and zeroes, you can get a better sense of the importance of investing in it. If you owned a traditional brick and mortar shop, you wouldn't hesitate to make sure the door worked, the windows were clean, the floor didn't have holes in it, etc etc. Approach improving your site the same way; you're not just buying an expensive blog, this is your store, your business, and it deserves investment.

             You'll have many cost considerations going into a headless build; first your provider, who may be pricier than other do-it-yourself options, but will be well worth every penny spent when chosen with care. Second is an in-house expert, either someone you train up or hire, who can be your direct hand in operating the build (training is cheaper, but hiring gets...]]>You've decided that going headless with your Shopify or e-commerce store is the best option for growing your brand and company, you've learned how headless builds can be tailor made to fit the needs of you and your customers, now's the time to figure out who you're going to choose as a service provider. Yes, you could hire a team of developers, or rely entirely on your own in-house team if they have the skills, but chances are your staff aren't experts on Shopify app building, or ecosystem integration, or any of the various aspects and problems that could arise in trying to develop a headless approach yourself, and any new, specialized hires will cost far more than contracting out one of the many services available. Here's what you need to know about picking your headless platform.

             Why should I choose Shogun as my provider?  For Ben and The Feed, Shogun seemed like the best option available due to its balance of offered features and off-your-hands reliability. This allows them to be as invested in the details of their headless build as little or much as they want to or need to be, with direct control over nearly any aspect of their headless build when they feel something needs to be changed, or carefree disregard and trust that it will be maintained and operational when they need to focus on other aspects of their business. 

             Other providers tend to choose one side of that balance over the other, either giving companies the tools they need and more or less walking away, or custom development and retaining control over the build, with any changes having to be brought to the company and applied how they see fit. 

             Only Shogun allows you full control over your code base, while giving you a worry free customer experience, allowing you to focus on what you're good at and what you want to build, while trusting and relying on Shogun to be good at what they're good at, and build what they want to build. 

             How long does it take to implement, from decision to live? How fast or how slow it takes you and your site to go from choosing to go headless to launching your build very much depends on your familiarity with the technology, how clear your plan of attack is, how focussed you are on your goals, and how comfortable you are with the finished product once it's delivered. 

             For Ben and The Feed, it was a brief three months in total, which may be considered an atypically speedy rate of return, thanks to factors like high technical familiarity.  Your build won't happen overnight, nor should it, considering the data driven decisions you'll have to make about how you implement your build. 

             Be patient, be careful, it will take time but it will payoff in the long run.

             How much should going headless cost? In the end it's all about making you more money, and while you have to spend money to make money, there's a fine line between spending and wasting. How do you know you're actually paying a fair price for your provider? If you consider your store as your virtual retail space, a physical store rendered as ones and zeroes, you can get a better sense of the importance of investing in it. If you owned a traditional brick and mortar shop, you wouldn't hesitate to make sure the door worked, the windows were clean, the floor didn't have holes in it, etc etc. Approach improving your site the same way; you're not just buying an expensive blog, this is your store, your business, and it deserves investment.

             You'll have many cost considerations going into a headless build; first your provider, who may be pricier than other do-it-yourself options, but will be well worth every penny spent when chosen with care. Second is an in-house expert, either someone you train up or hire, who can be your direct hand in operating the build (training is cheaper, but hiring gets you a better outcome). 

             Depending on your provider, what you ask of them, and your in-house team, this can cost anywhere from tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars, no small chunk of change, so be very sure what you want and what you need before dropping a single dime.

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>926db735-affc-4518-aa13-258591f713e8Fri, 07 May 2021 04:05:00 -050016:02yesfull63Ben Kennedy, co-founder and CTO of The Feed, is back one final time for part three of your most frequently asked questions about headless commerce and what providers like Shogun can do for you.Ben KennedyIs Going Headless Right For You? Part 2 - Ben KennedySo now that you are certain a headless build is the best approach for your store, and you've contacted and contracted a service provider, how do you actually move forward? What do you do first to get the speed your customers require? As mentioned in the previous episode, one of the primary draws for going headless is the potential boost in speed you can bring to your store and the quickness and efficiency of your users experience. But how exactly do you achieve this boost in speed?

             First, what  actually is site speed? We all know as users what constitute a fast or slow loading time for a site. It varies over time and with circumstance and expectation, bit it's a fine line that you feel more than know. Google and other aggregators however are a little more specific on how they define it, using a series of equations, primarily based on two factors: first contentful paint, and largest contentful paint. First contentful paint a score of how long it takes for the very first pixel to appear on a page once it loads, while largest contentful paint racks how long it takes from that moment until the largest aspect of the site is visible that the majority of the page can be considered loaded, even if additional minor details are still coming in.

             Be sure to check your speed often, don’t just assume it’s working. Use a service like Lighthouse, and listen to the feedback from your customers to constantly gauge how well your store is operate as a site. 

             While free services like Lighthouse will track this information on your initial landing page, they will not track further activity as your customer moves through your site. For that, you would require a provider like our sponsor Shogun, or other headless developers, who can help speed up your load time by as much as 43%.

             What impact do third-party apps have on my speed? Third-party Shopify apps are and have been a fantastic collection of useful tools kind of haphazardly and patchwork put out there, and applied as store operators see fit. Some of them don’t work together, some of them are meant to work together and yet don’t, or people don’t bother to use them together, and some of them out right will not work or have to be manually adjusted under a headless build. This may seem like a lot of work, and a lot more complicated than it was when you were simply installing add-ons and moving forward, but in the long run this will make those add-ons work more effectively in efficiently. 

             Do I need an in-house team, or can i just rely on my provider? Headless builds are really less about web development, treating your store like it's a traditional site, and more about programming and app development. You're not writing or designing a page that will load faster, you're changing how many individual apps behave and interact with each other. This requires specific but common enough expertise, and you should absolutely have at least someone on staff who knows how to make any changes or address any problems you may run into at any time. The more self sufficient your company is at implementing and managing your headless build, the more control you'll have over your site and the better chance you'll get exactly what you and your customers want out of it.

             Going headless isn't just a matter of switching over to a one-size-fits-all build that is pre-optimized for your ease though, there are many small but important decisions that you'll have to make along the way to get the specific performance out of the site that you and your customers are looking for.  For instance, does your data tell you that the majority of users interact with items and aspects of your site that are near the top of the page? Then you can choose to not have some of the heavier parts of the page load, such as pop ups, images, active apps and other features, until the user...]]>So now that you are certain a headless build is the best approach for your store, and you've contacted and contracted a service provider, how do you actually move forward? What do you do first to get the speed your customers require? As mentioned in the previous episode, one of the primary draws for going headless is the potential boost in speed you can bring to your store and the quickness and efficiency of your users experience. But how exactly do you achieve this boost in speed?

             First, what  actually is site speed? We all know as users what constitute a fast or slow loading time for a site. It varies over time and with circumstance and expectation, bit it's a fine line that you feel more than know. Google and other aggregators however are a little more specific on how they define it, using a series of equations, primarily based on two factors: first contentful paint, and largest contentful paint. First contentful paint a score of how long it takes for the very first pixel to appear on a page once it loads, while largest contentful paint racks how long it takes from that moment until the largest aspect of the site is visible that the majority of the page can be considered loaded, even if additional minor details are still coming in.

             Be sure to check your speed often, don’t just assume it’s working. Use a service like Lighthouse, and listen to the feedback from your customers to constantly gauge how well your store is operate as a site. 

             While free services like Lighthouse will track this information on your initial landing page, they will not track further activity as your customer moves through your site. For that, you would require a provider like our sponsor Shogun, or other headless developers, who can help speed up your load time by as much as 43%.

             What impact do third-party apps have on my speed? Third-party Shopify apps are and have been a fantastic collection of useful tools kind of haphazardly and patchwork put out there, and applied as store operators see fit. Some of them don’t work together, some of them are meant to work together and yet don’t, or people don’t bother to use them together, and some of them out right will not work or have to be manually adjusted under a headless build. This may seem like a lot of work, and a lot more complicated than it was when you were simply installing add-ons and moving forward, but in the long run this will make those add-ons work more effectively in efficiently. 

             Do I need an in-house team, or can i just rely on my provider? Headless builds are really less about web development, treating your store like it's a traditional site, and more about programming and app development. You're not writing or designing a page that will load faster, you're changing how many individual apps behave and interact with each other. This requires specific but common enough expertise, and you should absolutely have at least someone on staff who knows how to make any changes or address any problems you may run into at any time. The more self sufficient your company is at implementing and managing your headless build, the more control you'll have over your site and the better chance you'll get exactly what you and your customers want out of it.

             Going headless isn't just a matter of switching over to a one-size-fits-all build that is pre-optimized for your ease though, there are many small but important decisions that you'll have to make along the way to get the specific performance out of the site that you and your customers are looking for.  For instance, does your data tell you that the majority of users interact with items and aspects of your site that are near the top of the page? Then you can choose to not have some of the heavier parts of the page load, such as pop ups, images, active apps and other features, until the user themselves scroll to and engage with them. 

             These small but important decisions will help you to tailor your site not just to some measurably faster speed, but to what feels faster to both you and your users, based on your own hands on experience and their evident behaviour. Headless builds allow you to focus on what parts of your site are the most popular and successful, and reorient your site's resources to best serve what works rather than wasting them on what doesn't.

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>38ec5845-7f4a-407b-9eb2-5b35183db561Thu, 06 May 2021 04:05:00 -050018:51yesfull62Ben Kennedy, co-founder and CTO of The Feed, returns to Pitstop for part two, and to answer some of your most frequently asked questions about headless commerce and improving your site's speed.Lucas WalkerIs Going Headless Right For You? - Ben KennedyTaking your Shopify and e-commerce sites headless seems to be the hottest new trend for store owners, but for those who worry it’s more a matter of hype and hope than high performance, questions remain about whether going headless is the best option and avenue for their business. Together, Lucas and Ben address some of your most pressing questions about making the switch to headless -e-commerce.

             Why should I go headless? A faster website is a better experience for the customer, which leads to a higher conversion rate and a better profit-per-visitor. When visiting a Shopify page, customers may get any sort of experience, based on how much the store owner is asking from both the site and their theme build. While they may be offering many key and important features, the sheer size of the theme may lead to a draggy experience, as each new page effectivly has to load twice. Using a headless build, de-coupling the front-end customer experience  from the e-commerce tools, will greatly increase the performance of your store, improve your user experience and lead to a marked increase in sales.

             How do I know headless commerce is right for me? Is your Shopify store large enough to spend the time, money and resources on a headless build? Will you benefit from it, or is it too soon for you? No store owner wants to fall down a rabbit hole chasing hype over a new and exciting approach to business when the old model may currently suit them better. There is no set line, no clearly defined profit margin or inventory size when you should make the switch, and it will depend on the particulars of your own operation, but if you’ve reached a point where you feel like you want to be growing faster, like you can handle expansion, possibly even rapid expansion, and that your current size has become only limiting to what you can do, then headless may be the tool you need to take your store to the next level. Above all, you will know when it’s time go to headless, it’s more a matter of realizing that what you need to do next.

             How do I make my operation headless? Be careful, headless commerce is still very new, and the marketplace can be full of pitfalls and false promises. When chosing a provider to help you go headless, go for quality and reputation over flash, big claims and overhyping. Make sure that not only the provider you choose is ready, with a depth of knowledge and experience, but that your own team is ready to handle it too, so that you’re not locked in to the choices and claims of your provider, and so that you can take the power back and walk away if they prove to not live up to expectations, without losing the headless build. Shogun, show sponsor of Pitstop, provides exactly this perfect balance of reliance and control.

             Going headless is not a quick fix that will solve all of your store’s problems, nor even guarantee a faster experience for every Shopify user, but for many it will prove an effective and helpful tool to take their e-commerce operations to the next level, while building bridges of trust between your team and your provider.

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

              

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>Taking your Shopify and e-commerce sites headless seems to be the hottest new trend for store owners, but for those who worry it’s more a matter of hype and hope than high performance, questions remain about whether going headless is the best option and avenue for their business. Together, Lucas and Ben address some of your most pressing questions about making the switch to headless -e-commerce.

             Why should I go headless? A faster website is a better experience for the customer, which leads to a higher conversion rate and a better profit-per-visitor. When visiting a Shopify page, customers may get any sort of experience, based on how much the store owner is asking from both the site and their theme build. While they may be offering many key and important features, the sheer size of the theme may lead to a draggy experience, as each new page effectivly has to load twice. Using a headless build, de-coupling the front-end customer experience  from the e-commerce tools, will greatly increase the performance of your store, improve your user experience and lead to a marked increase in sales.

             How do I know headless commerce is right for me? Is your Shopify store large enough to spend the time, money and resources on a headless build? Will you benefit from it, or is it too soon for you? No store owner wants to fall down a rabbit hole chasing hype over a new and exciting approach to business when the old model may currently suit them better. There is no set line, no clearly defined profit margin or inventory size when you should make the switch, and it will depend on the particulars of your own operation, but if you’ve reached a point where you feel like you want to be growing faster, like you can handle expansion, possibly even rapid expansion, and that your current size has become only limiting to what you can do, then headless may be the tool you need to take your store to the next level. Above all, you will know when it’s time go to headless, it’s more a matter of realizing that what you need to do next.

             How do I make my operation headless? Be careful, headless commerce is still very new, and the marketplace can be full of pitfalls and false promises. When chosing a provider to help you go headless, go for quality and reputation over flash, big claims and overhyping. Make sure that not only the provider you choose is ready, with a depth of knowledge and experience, but that your own team is ready to handle it too, so that you’re not locked in to the choices and claims of your provider, and so that you can take the power back and walk away if they prove to not live up to expectations, without losing the headless build. Shogun, show sponsor of Pitstop, provides exactly this perfect balance of reliance and control.

             Going headless is not a quick fix that will solve all of your store’s problems, nor even guarantee a faster experience for every Shopify user, but for many it will prove an effective and helpful tool to take their e-commerce operations to the next level, while building bridges of trust between your team and your provider.

             Our Sponsors

             Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

              

             Mentioned in this episode:

             Triple Whale - Whale Mail

             ]]>10d9fbf1-9d66-4de1-9c5c-3c99de8b1997Tue, 04 May 2021 04:05:00 -050020:26yesfull61Ben Kennedy, co-founder and CTO of The Feed, joins Lucas and Pitstop to answer some of your most frequently asked questions about headless commerce.Lucas WalkerShipping To CanadaWhile the e-commerce explosion set off by last year’s COVID 19 pandemic has calmed and settled down as the crisis continued and people found ways to adapt their old ways of doing business to this new reality, online sales continue at a pace only dreamed of a few short years ago. This has given Shopify and e-commerce retailers unexpected avenues of revenue, and made available previously unexplored consumer groups and buying cultures, even just next door. Here are some important import/export tricks and helpful tips, care of Lucas and Pitstop, to help you take advantage of spring and summer selling seasons 2021.
             • Howdy neighbor! With the vast majority of Shopify users being American, be it as store owners or customers, there’s a tendency to stay within that market both intentionally (saving on shipping costs within a closed network) and unintentionally (not accounting for monetary conversion rates in pricing offered to foreign buyers). Break this mold this year and try selling to your neighbors to the Great White North; we speak the same language, share the same consumer and entertainment culture, have relatively on-par dollars, terrific trade agreements and shipping from one to another requires insubstantially less cost compared to the potential gain of a fresh 33 million person market.
             • Search your segmentations you know them to be true. You may already have your toes in a new market and not even know it. Look at your traffic and sales data for where customers are coming from, where items are being shipped to, and most importantly what foreign buyers are most interested in. Your product may be otherwise unavailable in-country, handing you an accidental trade monopoly, if only you notice the way the winds are blowing. Always mind your segmentations, and adapt to where they show trends moving. For Canadians, many popular products are frequently delayed due to in-country production agreements, with many maple blooded consumers more than willing and used to spending a little more to get the latest American toy, fashion foodstuff ahead of the curve. Take advantage of this market every opportunity you get.
             • Follow the path. You’re not the first person to trade beyond your nations’ borders, and you will be far from the last. Don’t try to set up shipping yourself, shop around for the best deal in logistics, as the market is packed with companies big and small who will be more than willing to negotiate a better rate with you to move your product north, south east or west. Many of these will also have ways to get better deals on taxes and duty, giving you a chance to help  save your customers money, making a sale even more enticing.
             • Strange ways and days. Contrary to what some popular 90’s movies may claim, Independence Day isn’t a universal holiday. Instead, Canadians for instance celebrate Canada Day just 3 days before, on July 1. Be mindful of the cultural practices and activities of any group you are selling or delivering to, not only for Social Media Holidays you can take advantage of and pitch sales or introduce brands around, but as potential obstacles to be avoided or adapted to, such as delays in postal delivery or processing payments over services like PayPal.
             • Plan for the long haul. Build your new market towards goals that work for you. Expanding into Canada or other markets is great on paper, but never lose track of how to incorporate it into your larger strategies and goals. Consider how you can then bring that new market into already existing campaigns, like Black Friday/Cyber Monday, while incorporating their regional tastes, cultures and expectations, like spreading the major purchasing habits of BFCM all the way to the post-Christmas Boxing Day event. Simply paying attention to the calendar and planning accordingly can turn a one week event into months of active and continuing...]]>While the e-commerce explosion set off by last year’s COVID 19 pandemic has calmed and settled down as the crisis continued and people found ways to adapt their old ways of doing business to this new reality, online sales continue at a pace only dreamed of a few short years ago. This has given Shopify and e-commerce retailers unexpected avenues of revenue, and made available previously unexplored consumer groups and buying cultures, even just next door. Here are some important import/export tricks and helpful tips, care of Lucas and Pitstop, to help you take advantage of spring and summer selling seasons 2021.
               • Howdy neighbor! With the vast majority of Shopify users being American, be it as store owners or customers, there’s a tendency to stay within that market both intentionally (saving on shipping costs within a closed network) and unintentionally (not accounting for monetary conversion rates in pricing offered to foreign buyers). Break this mold this year and try selling to your neighbors to the Great White North; we speak the same language, share the same consumer and entertainment culture, have relatively on-par dollars, terrific trade agreements and shipping from one to another requires insubstantially less cost compared to the potential gain of a fresh 33 million person market.
               • Search your segmentations you know them to be true. You may already have your toes in a new market and not even know it. Look at your traffic and sales data for where customers are coming from, where items are being shipped to, and most importantly what foreign buyers are most interested in. Your product may be otherwise unavailable in-country, handing you an accidental trade monopoly, if only you notice the way the winds are blowing. Always mind your segmentations, and adapt to where they show trends moving. For Canadians, many popular products are frequently delayed due to in-country production agreements, with many maple blooded consumers more than willing and used to spending a little more to get the latest American toy, fashion foodstuff ahead of the curve. Take advantage of this market every opportunity you get.
               • Follow the path. You’re not the first person to trade beyond your nations’ borders, and you will be far from the last. Don’t try to set up shipping yourself, shop around for the best deal in logistics, as the market is packed with companies big and small who will be more than willing to negotiate a better rate with you to move your product north, south east or west. Many of these will also have ways to get better deals on taxes and duty, giving you a chance to help  save your customers money, making a sale even more enticing.
               • Strange ways and days. Contrary to what some popular 90’s movies may claim, Independence Day isn’t a universal holiday. Instead, Canadians for instance celebrate Canada Day just 3 days before, on July 1. Be mindful of the cultural practices and activities of any group you are selling or delivering to, not only for Social Media Holidays you can take advantage of and pitch sales or introduce brands around, but as potential obstacles to be avoided or adapted to, such as delays in postal delivery or processing payments over services like PayPal.
               • Plan for the long haul. Build your new market towards goals that work for you. Expanding into Canada or other markets is great on paper, but never lose track of how to incorporate it into your larger strategies and goals. Consider how you can then bring that new market into already existing campaigns, like Black Friday/Cyber Monday, while incorporating their regional tastes, cultures and expectations, like spreading the major purchasing habits of BFCM all the way to the post-Christmas Boxing Day event. Simply paying attention to the calendar and planning accordingly can turn a one week event into months of active and continuing sales.
               
               

               Our Sponsors

               Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

               Mentioned in this episode:

               Triple Whale - Whale Mail

               ]]>7c406145-ff6b-44bd-87e6-e729003b44b7Mon, 03 May 2021 15:31:11 -050006:34yesfull60Lucas and Pitstop start your week off right by showing how and why Shopify and e-commerce store owners should look far, afield and to the frozen North for their next big market to break into.Lucas WalkerShape Up And Ship Out With ShipBobTypically one of the more difficult aspects of running any retail operation, be it on or offline, inventory planning and management have broken many otherwise healthy and successful brands even at their best. Considering the extra complications, disruptions and global incidences that have caused shipping, production and manufacturing to slow to a trickle world wide, managing and maintaining some control over your store inventory and supply chain has gone from otherwise difficult to stressfully nightmarish. Thanks to our sponsor ShipBob, there are some helpful tools and easy fixes e-commerce operators can take advantage of to get a leg up on the new logistical reality.

               Accurate inventory production lead times. Sometimes restocking is not as simple as ordering more products from a distributer or manufacturer; sometimes those providers need time themselves to literally make the items in question. Knowing of any delays ahead of time will not only save you worry and headaches over later deliveries, but will give you the tools to clearly and accurately communicate to your customers any delivery issues, encouraging an open and effective relationship between consumer and provider.

               Consider your safety stock availability. Your safety stock, that is the extra products you keep available with presumption they will be sold rather than ones purchased with a known buyer, is an excellent way of gauging not only how you’re currently doing, logistically and sales wise, but is a great way to track activity throughout the year, and give you clear ideas of when you’re at your busiest, and when business has slowed. Track your stock closely, and use the data it tells you to improve your sales timing and restocking schedule. 

               Embrace demand forecasting. Listen to your data, not just for when items get delivered, or when you restock, but everything that can be quantified and tracked. Which shipping packages result in more positive outcomes? Do certain items always go up in price during certain times of the year? Are some items becoming more expensive to produce, and others getting cheaper? All these little details can build to a data driven picture that will show you hidden pitfalls and unexpected profit highlights, saving you money, time and make finding and maintaining success easier and less stressful.

               Our Sponsors

               Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

               Mentioned in this episode:

               Triple Whale - Whale Mail

               ]]>Typically one of the more difficult aspects of running any retail operation, be it on or offline, inventory planning and management have broken many otherwise healthy and successful brands even at their best. Considering the extra complications, disruptions and global incidences that have caused shipping, production and manufacturing to slow to a trickle world wide, managing and maintaining some control over your store inventory and supply chain has gone from otherwise difficult to stressfully nightmarish. Thanks to our sponsor ShipBob, there are some helpful tools and easy fixes e-commerce operators can take advantage of to get a leg up on the new logistical reality.

               Accurate inventory production lead times. Sometimes restocking is not as simple as ordering more products from a distributer or manufacturer; sometimes those providers need time themselves to literally make the items in question. Knowing of any delays ahead of time will not only save you worry and headaches over later deliveries, but will give you the tools to clearly and accurately communicate to your customers any delivery issues, encouraging an open and effective relationship between consumer and provider.

               Consider your safety stock availability. Your safety stock, that is the extra products you keep available with presumption they will be sold rather than ones purchased with a known buyer, is an excellent way of gauging not only how you’re currently doing, logistically and sales wise, but is a great way to track activity throughout the year, and give you clear ideas of when you’re at your busiest, and when business has slowed. Track your stock closely, and use the data it tells you to improve your sales timing and restocking schedule. 

               Embrace demand forecasting. Listen to your data, not just for when items get delivered, or when you restock, but everything that can be quantified and tracked. Which shipping packages result in more positive outcomes? Do certain items always go up in price during certain times of the year? Are some items becoming more expensive to produce, and others getting cheaper? All these little details can build to a data driven picture that will show you hidden pitfalls and unexpected profit highlights, saving you money, time and make finding and maintaining success easier and less stressful.

               Our Sponsors

               Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

               Mentioned in this episode:

               Triple Whale - Whale Mail

               ]]>3c52665e-243d-4516-a092-a40c5c2daa4aFri, 30 Apr 2021 13:15:36 -050004:33yesfull59Lucas closes this week on Pitstop with a quick rundown of some of the essential services available for your Shopify and e-commerce store from our sponsor ShipBob that you may have missed. Lucas WalkerAdobe Summit 2021 Week Wrap Up with Philip JacksonAnother Adobe Summit has come and gone, with all the revelations of digital innovations, deep dives into detailed public discussions, and A-list celebrity schmoozing that includes, in so-far as a global economy shaken, confused and disrupted by the last year and a half's COVID-19 pandemic can manage.

               Lucas's fellow e-commerce expert Philip Jackson shares his highlights of this year's announcements, a few surprises to keep your eye on, and the newest developments to help e-commerce retailers stay at the top of their game.

               • Adobe's strategy: Never one to bill themselves a 'House of Brands', Adobe is a 'branded house', adapting and adopting other developers, programs and innovations into the Adobe melting pot, rather than simply becoming their newest distributer, and this winning strategy shows no sign of stopping. Adobe will continue expanding and acquiring new programs, such as Workfront, that allows a seamless connection between Adobe Creative Cloud and Experience Cloud, allowing outside companies to help drive innovations themselves, then integrating those outside ideas to better serve their customers. It's Adobe's intent that someday, the entire e-commerce ecosystem will work closely with its individual parts together, lead by Adobe and their innovation integration strategy.
               • Changes coming to Magento : Adobe's open source e-commerce platform will face a face-value only name change, away from it's original brand Magento to the new in-house label Adobe Commerce. While at this point a veteran of the digital retail landscape, continues to keep up with the competition, no matter how close they increasingly come to overtaking the programming giant. Purchased by Adobe three years ago, Magento once ruled the e-commerce economy, when that ecosystem was a much smaller pond. With so many new platforms taking precedence, the acquisition had lagged somewhat on leading the field. That doesn't mean they're down and out though, with the newly rebranded Adobe Commerce offering a more stable, well rounded experience for digital retailers. The Magento Project itself will continue as a separate organization under the same name, no longer tied to the consumer product offered by Adobe.
               • Expanded features for Audience Manager: Adobe's intelligent segment profiler can now break down a viewer's activities, interests and emotional tells, tracking and measuring a user's interaction and dwell-time on a page, to better determine what specific segments have real emotional and personal impact on a customer. This gives online retailers a much deeper pool of details and personal information to take advantage of when loading and planning automated outreach campaigns, or even page by page personalization.
               • New shipping partnership: Adobe and FedEx are teaming up to bring ShopRunner, FedEx's e-commerce delivery and logistics system to Adobe Commerce, allowing online retailers the ability to offer last minute two-day shipping, a seamless checkout experience, and an easier system for accepting product returns.
               
               

               Our Sponsors

               Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

               Mentioned in this episode:

               Triple Whale - Whale Mail

               ]]>Another Adobe Summit has come and gone, with all the revelations of digital innovations, deep dives into detailed public discussions, and A-list celebrity schmoozing that includes, in so-far as a global economy shaken, confused and disrupted by the last year and a half's COVID-19 pandemic can manage.

               Lucas's fellow e-commerce expert Philip Jackson shares his highlights of this year's announcements, a few surprises to keep your eye on, and the newest developments to help e-commerce retailers stay at the top of their game.

               • Adobe's strategy: Never one to bill themselves a 'House of Brands', Adobe is a 'branded house', adapting and adopting other developers, programs and innovations into the Adobe melting pot, rather than simply becoming their newest distributer, and this winning strategy shows no sign of stopping. Adobe will continue expanding and acquiring new programs, such as Workfront, that allows a seamless connection between Adobe Creative Cloud and Experience Cloud, allowing outside companies to help drive innovations themselves, then integrating those outside ideas to better serve their customers. It's Adobe's intent that someday, the entire e-commerce ecosystem will work closely with its individual parts together, lead by Adobe and their innovation integration strategy.
               • Changes coming to Magento : Adobe's open source e-commerce platform will face a face-value only name change, away from it's original brand Magento to the new in-house label Adobe Commerce. While at this point a veteran of the digital retail landscape, continues to keep up with the competition, no matter how close they increasingly come to overtaking the programming giant. Purchased by Adobe three years ago, Magento once ruled the e-commerce economy, when that ecosystem was a much smaller pond. With so many new platforms taking precedence, the acquisition had lagged somewhat on leading the field. That doesn't mean they're down and out though, with the newly rebranded Adobe Commerce offering a more stable, well rounded experience for digital retailers. The Magento Project itself will continue as a separate organization under the same name, no longer tied to the consumer product offered by Adobe.
               • Expanded features for Audience Manager: Adobe's intelligent segment profiler can now break down a viewer's activities, interests and emotional tells, tracking and measuring a user's interaction and dwell-time on a page, to better determine what specific segments have real emotional and personal impact on a customer. This gives online retailers a much deeper pool of details and personal information to take advantage of when loading and planning automated outreach campaigns, or even page by page personalization.
               • New shipping partnership: Adobe and FedEx are teaming up to bring ShopRunner, FedEx's e-commerce delivery and logistics system to Adobe Commerce, allowing online retailers the ability to offer last minute two-day shipping, a seamless checkout experience, and an easier system for accepting product returns.
               
               

               Our Sponsors

               Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

               Mentioned in this episode:

               Triple Whale - Whale Mail

               ]]>e0dfa901-472a-4916-a0df-5c042838cc1bThu, 29 Apr 2021 13:05:00 -050034:05yesfull58Lucas is joined by Philip Jackson, host of Future Commerce, to run down and wrap up the events of the past week's 2021 Adobe Summit, and go into detail about how the digital giant is far from interested in resting on their laurels.Philip JacksonSummer Holiday Marketing Part 2In the last episode of Pitstop, Lucas detailed how any Shopify or e-commerce store owner can use the hundreds of minor and major Social media Holidays to reignite their brand engagement both during the doldrums of summer and all year 'round by being unexpected, being generous and being recognizably human and playful, before most importantly listening carefully to any and all feedback received from clients and customers. 

               To aid in those SMH engagement campaigns really landing home and hitting hard, include and adapt these two simple presentation features to your ongoing strategies to deepen customer interaction and personal identification with your brand, products and services.

               • Use infographics. Writing a clear and concise explanation, description or suggestion for how, when or why to use a product, or any other information a customer may be interested in knowing (such as question about supply chain sourcing or comparison shopping) can be challenging, considering how many different markets you may be involved in, across multiple languages, cultures and consumer expectations. Infographics however are universal, allowing for easy and effective explanations of even complicated and difficult to use products. What's more, customers respond far better to infographics for purely design reasons, exciting them far more over a product than a written description, no matter what the product may be.
               • Accept charitable donations. Customers love to feel involved, and love to feel like they're helping, even if it's while buying a product solely for themselves and their own needs and interests. Placing a donation feature, like a checkout adjacent button to donate a percentage to a worthy cause, not only engages your consumer in willingly spending more (a sense of positive generosity will often result in people returning for further purchases, now that the purse strings have been loosened), it gives your company a sense of standing for something more, standing above the rest, and thus lending your customers who take part in your charity donation drive that same sense of moral superiority and satisfaction. People love to help others not just to help others, but because it makes them feel good, and giving them the chance to hit that pleasure centre of the brain, in connection with your brand, will do more for engagement and brand awareness than any sale.
               
               

               Our Sponsors

               Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

               Mentioned in this episode:

               Triple Whale - Whale Mail

               ]]>In the last episode of Pitstop, Lucas detailed how any Shopify or e-commerce store owner can use the hundreds of minor and major Social media Holidays to reignite their brand engagement both during the doldrums of summer and all year 'round by being unexpected, being generous and being recognizably human and playful, before most importantly listening carefully to any and all feedback received from clients and customers. 

               To aid in those SMH engagement campaigns really landing home and hitting hard, include and adapt these two simple presentation features to your ongoing strategies to deepen customer interaction and personal identification with your brand, products and services.

               • Use infographics. Writing a clear and concise explanation, description or suggestion for how, when or why to use a product, or any other information a customer may be interested in knowing (such as question about supply chain sourcing or comparison shopping) can be challenging, considering how many different markets you may be involved in, across multiple languages, cultures and consumer expectations. Infographics however are universal, allowing for easy and effective explanations of even complicated and difficult to use products. What's more, customers respond far better to infographics for purely design reasons, exciting them far more over a product than a written description, no matter what the product may be.
               • Accept charitable donations. Customers love to feel involved, and love to feel like they're helping, even if it's while buying a product solely for themselves and their own needs and interests. Placing a donation feature, like a checkout adjacent button to donate a percentage to a worthy cause, not only engages your consumer in willingly spending more (a sense of positive generosity will often result in people returning for further purchases, now that the purse strings have been loosened), it gives your company a sense of standing for something more, standing above the rest, and thus lending your customers who take part in your charity donation drive that same sense of moral superiority and satisfaction. People love to help others not just to help others, but because it makes them feel good, and giving them the chance to hit that pleasure centre of the brain, in connection with your brand, will do more for engagement and brand awareness than any sale.
               
               

               Our Sponsors

               Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

               Mentioned in this episode:

               Triple Whale - Whale Mail

               ]]>9314c75f-a685-43b4-85b8-56ce3fba7a2fTue, 27 Apr 2021 16:05:00 -050006:21yesfull57Host of Pitstop Lucas Walker returns with a couple more important strategies to help drive traffic and engagement during the slower Summer months.Lucas WalkerSummer Holiday Marketing Part 1Are you finding that your promotional campaigns aren't hitting quite as hard as they have in the past, that the dog days of the summer sales slump are too much to handle, or your expectations for your biggest selling days of the year fell flat? The problem may be with how and when you're rolling out your messaging. 

               Typically, consumer behaviour is relatively easy to predict; certain selling holidays will always deliver at least some sales, even during dramatic economic downturns. December will always be a major selling month, tie sales will always jump round Father's Day, and when open, restaurants will always be booked solid on Mother's Day. These annual cultural events are predictable, dependable and reliable, so what's a Shopify or e-commerce store owner to do when one of these golden geese fail to lay an egg?

               Explains Lucas, customer feedback is one of your greatest assets and tools at your disposal. Often ignored or dismissed  as disruptive to plans and already active campaigns, customer feedback is the canary in the coal mine of profitability and sustainability. The first people to know that your latest sales push won't work are the people it is being sold to, and the importance of understanding why they're disinterested cannot be understated for the continued health and success of your brand. Here are some easy and engaging ways to keep your customers interested, while listening to their needs and addressing their concerns.

               1. Don't be too repetitive. If every point of contact from your company is a predictable discount, or announcing a sale, customers are going to tune out and eventually ignore you altogether. Use your email and SMS campaigns to get your customers involved, not only promoting your brand but directly asking them for feedback, be it on which campaigns worked, or what products they prefer to see or may be interested in seeing.
               2. Use interests to gain attention. Not every communique from your brand has to serve a specific sale. Consumers want to feel like they're engaging with a brand made of and run by people, people with individual personalities, interests, and lives, not soulless sales algorithms that only seek to push the next purchase. Post fun content about your employees, your hobbies, how you relax around the office, how you're celebrating a Social Media Holiday or your opinion on an innocuous and non-contentious cultural debate. The more real and human your brand seems, the more feedback and engagement it will receive.
               3. Challenge your customers. Watching your office perform a sea shanty on TikTok may gain you some great traffic, the attention of consumers who may never have heard about you, and endear your current customers, but following that fun content up with a challenge to viewers to reply with their own will drive engagement and feedback exponentially more. People love being involved, people love that feeling of community and shared experience, regardless of where it comes from, and they will be far more likely to consider a purchase or peruse your site with the purse strings loosened if they have that positive association and received deeper relationship with your brand.
               4. Reward your customers. Loyalty is an incredibly important and powerful tool for any e-commerce store owner, once they've earned it from a customer base. Don't let the loyalty slip away or be forgotten; free prizes, membership rewards, give aways and contests never fail to make your closest consumers feel like they're appreciated, and shows that your eye isn't only on the bottom line, but on the joy and happiness of your valued customers. If you're giving away free samples or overstock, this can also be a terrific way to take full advantage of influencers, who would they promote your product for you, with whole organic and authentic excitement.
               5. Pull it all together. So instead of an email rolling out mid June with the typical "summer is here and so are our sales, check...]]>Are you finding that your promotional campaigns aren't hitting quite as hard as they have in the past, that the dog days of the summer sales slump are too much to handle, or your expectations for your biggest selling days of the year fell flat? The problem may be with how and when you're rolling out your messaging. 

                  Typically, consumer behaviour is relatively easy to predict; certain selling holidays will always deliver at least some sales, even during dramatic economic downturns. December will always be a major selling month, tie sales will always jump round Father's Day, and when open, restaurants will always be booked solid on Mother's Day. These annual cultural events are predictable, dependable and reliable, so what's a Shopify or e-commerce store owner to do when one of these golden geese fail to lay an egg?

                  Explains Lucas, customer feedback is one of your greatest assets and tools at your disposal. Often ignored or dismissed  as disruptive to plans and already active campaigns, customer feedback is the canary in the coal mine of profitability and sustainability. The first people to know that your latest sales push won't work are the people it is being sold to, and the importance of understanding why they're disinterested cannot be understated for the continued health and success of your brand. Here are some easy and engaging ways to keep your customers interested, while listening to their needs and addressing their concerns.

                  1. Don't be too repetitive. If every point of contact from your company is a predictable discount, or announcing a sale, customers are going to tune out and eventually ignore you altogether. Use your email and SMS campaigns to get your customers involved, not only promoting your brand but directly asking them for feedback, be it on which campaigns worked, or what products they prefer to see or may be interested in seeing.
                  2. Use interests to gain attention. Not every communique from your brand has to serve a specific sale. Consumers want to feel like they're engaging with a brand made of and run by people, people with individual personalities, interests, and lives, not soulless sales algorithms that only seek to push the next purchase. Post fun content about your employees, your hobbies, how you relax around the office, how you're celebrating a Social Media Holiday or your opinion on an innocuous and non-contentious cultural debate. The more real and human your brand seems, the more feedback and engagement it will receive.
                  3. Challenge your customers. Watching your office perform a sea shanty on TikTok may gain you some great traffic, the attention of consumers who may never have heard about you, and endear your current customers, but following that fun content up with a challenge to viewers to reply with their own will drive engagement and feedback exponentially more. People love being involved, people love that feeling of community and shared experience, regardless of where it comes from, and they will be far more likely to consider a purchase or peruse your site with the purse strings loosened if they have that positive association and received deeper relationship with your brand.
                  4. Reward your customers. Loyalty is an incredibly important and powerful tool for any e-commerce store owner, once they've earned it from a customer base. Don't let the loyalty slip away or be forgotten; free prizes, membership rewards, give aways and contests never fail to make your closest consumers feel like they're appreciated, and shows that your eye isn't only on the bottom line, but on the joy and happiness of your valued customers. If you're giving away free samples or overstock, this can also be a terrific way to take full advantage of influencers, who would they promote your product for you, with whole organic and authentic excitement.
                  5. Pull it all together. So instead of an email rolling out mid June with the typical "summer is here and so are our sales, check us out" message, consider having an office beach outing on International Picnic Day (June 18th), documented with some video or photos to share on social media, coupled with a call and response challenge that viewers show how their office plans to beat the heat and take some time out to enjoy the summer, with best alfresco spread winning the hottest new product available.
                  
                  

                  Positive experiences with your brand will lead to positive associations with your brand, which will lead to purchases and profits far greater than any blasé or predictable sale could ever generate.

                  Our Sponsors

                  Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

                  Mentioned in this episode:

                  Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                  ]]>103ec90d-7695-4dfa-b697-7e3f2ffa4cd8Mon, 26 Apr 2021 16:24:47 -050007:29yesfull56Host of Pitstop Lucas Walker explains how you can avoid falling into a retail rut by listening to your customers, and responding with interest, creativity and generosity. Lucas WalkerPodcasting For ProfitsWhere radio once ruled the airwaves, podcasts currently reign as one of the primary new medias of the 21st century. Along with social media and vlogging, podcasts have become a ubiquitous part of our modern lives, a key feature in many people's mediascape, and play a fundamental role in the democratization of content. Anyone can create one for practically little to no charge, covering any topic, and reach massive audiences, while having as much room to grow creatively as its developers are capable of imaging. 

                  For Shopify and e-commerce businesses, they can and should be a central part of any marketing and brand deployment plan, offering entertaining and engaging ways for customers to discover and enjoy your business.

                  Here are Lucas's top four ways you can utilize podcasts to increase brand exposure, awareness, and above all, traffic and sales.

                  1. Run a media blitz. Have a new product or service coming out soon that you hope will be your next big seller? Podcasts are a terrific opportunity to get your consumers excited before they've even seen the product, without sending them another pushy email or SMS. Use your own podcast to provide promotional hype, suggestions and Q&As about using the product, and curated user feedback, in a conversational and entertaining manner. Then, see if there are any podcasts like yours, either covering e-commerce sites, or similar products, who will have you on to gush about the item to their audience, potentially reaching customers who may simply be unaware your product that they're already tangentially interested in exists and is available.
                  2. Promote, produce, promote again. If you appear on someone else's podcast, then promote it, both in your typical messaging outreach, and as content for your own marketing and media campaigns. Hype any appearance you make on someone else's show on yours, talk about it for an episode, invite them onto your show, and use their audience to help drive your brand visibility even higher, without spending any major amount of money, if any at all.
                  3. Invest long term. Podcasts typically have a shelf life of about 2 years, in which the majority of its audience will download or stream an episode (any activity outside 2 years dropping off greatly, and being mostly anomalies). Make sure any product you promote, information you mention, or demonstration you provide is available for that entire lifecycle. If customer go looking for something mentioned on an older podcast and can't find it, they'll often end up contacting the seller and having to ask for it, often resulting in the sale being made regardless, but with more necessary steps, and only at the insistence of a determined customer. Keep products mentioned available constantly, and those sales will be easier for everyone, creating a sense of reliability for the consumer, and putting more money in your pocket.
                  4. Build instant credibility. Customers that can hear a store owner or brand ambassador, who can listen to the tones of their voices, will be more trustful of their entire brands overall, having come to personalize your products and company through that voice. The emotional subtexts, the idiosyncrasies, the unique qualities of your voice will lead them to further believe and engage both you and your product, even if they don't really know your product or brand outside of your appearance or show, or have previously been wary of doing business with you.
                  
                  

                  Our Sponsors

                  Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

                  Mentioned]]>Where radio once ruled the airwaves, podcasts currently reign as one of the primary new medias of the 21st century. Along with social media and vlogging, podcasts have become a ubiquitous part of our modern lives, a key feature in many people's mediascape, and play a fundamental role in the democratization of content. Anyone can create one for practically little to no charge, covering any topic, and reach massive audiences, while having as much room to grow creatively as its developers are capable of imaging. 

                  For Shopify and e-commerce businesses, they can and should be a central part of any marketing and brand deployment plan, offering entertaining and engaging ways for customers to discover and enjoy your business.

                  Here are Lucas's top four ways you can utilize podcasts to increase brand exposure, awareness, and above all, traffic and sales.

                  1. Run a media blitz. Have a new product or service coming out soon that you hope will be your next big seller? Podcasts are a terrific opportunity to get your consumers excited before they've even seen the product, without sending them another pushy email or SMS. Use your own podcast to provide promotional hype, suggestions and Q&As about using the product, and curated user feedback, in a conversational and entertaining manner. Then, see if there are any podcasts like yours, either covering e-commerce sites, or similar products, who will have you on to gush about the item to their audience, potentially reaching customers who may simply be unaware your product that they're already tangentially interested in exists and is available.
                  2. Promote, produce, promote again. If you appear on someone else's podcast, then promote it, both in your typical messaging outreach, and as content for your own marketing and media campaigns. Hype any appearance you make on someone else's show on yours, talk about it for an episode, invite them onto your show, and use their audience to help drive your brand visibility even higher, without spending any major amount of money, if any at all.
                  3. Invest long term. Podcasts typically have a shelf life of about 2 years, in which the majority of its audience will download or stream an episode (any activity outside 2 years dropping off greatly, and being mostly anomalies). Make sure any product you promote, information you mention, or demonstration you provide is available for that entire lifecycle. If customer go looking for something mentioned on an older podcast and can't find it, they'll often end up contacting the seller and having to ask for it, often resulting in the sale being made regardless, but with more necessary steps, and only at the insistence of a determined customer. Keep products mentioned available constantly, and those sales will be easier for everyone, creating a sense of reliability for the consumer, and putting more money in your pocket.
                  4. Build instant credibility. Customers that can hear a store owner or brand ambassador, who can listen to the tones of their voices, will be more trustful of their entire brands overall, having come to personalize your products and company through that voice. The emotional subtexts, the idiosyncrasies, the unique qualities of your voice will lead them to further believe and engage both you and your product, even if they don't really know your product or brand outside of your appearance or show, or have previously been wary of doing business with you.
                  
                  

                  Our Sponsors

                  Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

                  Mentioned in this episode:

                  Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                  ]]>f5da31f2-4cee-43e3-98aa-d456cb609151Fri, 23 Apr 2021 04:05:00 -050006:26yesfull55Lucas explores the power of podcasting, and the important part it should play in promoting your e-commerce business.Lucas WalkerSaving The Day - TJ MapesEvery dog gets its day, and thanks to the popularity of social media holidays, so does every person, place, thing and activity too. Anything from traditional holidays like Labour Day and Thanksgiving, to annual and reoccurring events like Daylights Savings and Leap Day, and frivolous novelty days like National Fleece Day or Pancake Appreciation Day get the spotlight usually once a year, and rarely is there a week without at least something to celebrate. Some are steeped in history and tradition, some the results of quick thinking marketers over the last century, but all are fantastic excuses to get your brand out there by taking advantage of already existing themes, messages and shared sense of community.

                  According to marketing expert and serial entrepreneur TJ Mapes, any Shopify and e-commerce business, big or small, can easily, quickly and effectively piggy back on any SMH by following these simple engagement tactics:

                  • Be informative. The least aggressive kind of SMH outreach, informative messages arent trying to push any one product, or announce a sale, but simply act to raise awareness for the day in question, while tying your brand identity to the spirit of helpfulness, like reminding customers to change their clocks during Daylight Savings. Even if totally unrelated to your products or services, customers will click through and read the message, and remain engaged with your company.
                  • Be funny. The vast majority of SMHs are jokes to begin with (including International Joke Day on July 1st), there so that people can have a little fun and break up the monotony of the modern work week. Be willing to embrace the silliness of these days, even if you’re not pushing any specific sale, product or service; customers appreciate brands that are approachable, self aware and above all seem and want to be seen as open, friendly and above all, human.
                  • Be creative. You've educated them, you've entertained them, now go for the sale without losing that creativity or funny loving spirit. A clever flash sale, like 10% off with the promo code “Punxsutawney” on Groundhog Day, or an interactive contest, like cutest cat photo receives a free gift or bonus discount, will help keep your customers engaged, guessing, amd excited to see emails or SMS from your brand, even after the fun is over and they’re just receiving traditional messages about upcoming deals and products.
                  
                  

                  Our Sponsors

                  Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

                  
                   

                  Mentioned in this episode:

                  Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                  ]]>Every dog gets its day, and thanks to the popularity of social media holidays, so does every person, place, thing and activity too. Anything from traditional holidays like Labour Day and Thanksgiving, to annual and reoccurring events like Daylights Savings and Leap Day, and frivolous novelty days like National Fleece Day or Pancake Appreciation Day get the spotlight usually once a year, and rarely is there a week without at least something to celebrate. Some are steeped in history and tradition, some the results of quick thinking marketers over the last century, but all are fantastic excuses to get your brand out there by taking advantage of already existing themes, messages and shared sense of community.

                  According to marketing expert and serial entrepreneur TJ Mapes, any Shopify and e-commerce business, big or small, can easily, quickly and effectively piggy back on any SMH by following these simple engagement tactics:

                  • Be informative. The least aggressive kind of SMH outreach, informative messages arent trying to push any one product, or announce a sale, but simply act to raise awareness for the day in question, while tying your brand identity to the spirit of helpfulness, like reminding customers to change their clocks during Daylight Savings. Even if totally unrelated to your products or services, customers will click through and read the message, and remain engaged with your company.
                  • Be funny. The vast majority of SMHs are jokes to begin with (including International Joke Day on July 1st), there so that people can have a little fun and break up the monotony of the modern work week. Be willing to embrace the silliness of these days, even if you’re not pushing any specific sale, product or service; customers appreciate brands that are approachable, self aware and above all seem and want to be seen as open, friendly and above all, human.
                  • Be creative. You've educated them, you've entertained them, now go for the sale without losing that creativity or funny loving spirit. A clever flash sale, like 10% off with the promo code “Punxsutawney” on Groundhog Day, or an interactive contest, like cutest cat photo receives a free gift or bonus discount, will help keep your customers engaged, guessing, amd excited to see emails or SMS from your brand, even after the fun is over and they’re just receiving traditional messages about upcoming deals and products.
                  
                  

                  Our Sponsors

                  Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

                  
                   

                  Mentioned in this episode:

                  Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                  ]]>a7f7f2f2-0446-4efe-9219-8a57cf7993c3Thu, 22 Apr 2021 04:05:00 -050010:12yesfull54TJ Mapes, founder of Mangrove Digital, returns to Pitstop with Lucas to dish on making the most out of those special days.Lucas WalkerStay Connected With Post Purchase Emails - TJ MapesIn a recent post on Mangrove Digital, company founder TJ Mapes espoused the importance of not just sending automated post-purchase emails to your customers, but re-engaging them all over again, educating, exciting and delighting consumers into returning time and again. 

                  As Pitstop listeners know, post-purchase email flows aren't just the digital equivalent of "thank you, come again", but actively and reliably increase an e-commerce store's referrals, reduce product returns and increase supportive reviews and positive reputation in the e-commerce industry and online retail environment. A good post-purchase flow can turn a single sale into not just a single follow up, but a cascading series of sales, one building momentum off the the next. 

                  According to TJ, both your experience as a Shopify or e-commerce retailer and your consumer's as a client, customer and preferential member doesn't end after the sale, nor even after the automated delivery of a post-purchase follow-up offer. While you got your sale, your transaction for that item won't be truly complete until it's in your customer's hands, who can then confirm that it works to expectations and demands. As such, your PPEs should offer some important and relevant information.

                  • Order confirmation
                  • Delivery ETA
                  • Assistance or how-to's for the product
                  • Commonly purchased related items
                  
                  

                  These details not only provide needed information for the customer, but reduces their reliance on your support team, who otherwise would be tied up answering those very questions. Providing these details, even if it's bad news like updating them on a delay, will also assert to the customer that you're forthcoming, trustworthy and above board, giving you a reputation that no amount of money can simply buy. In return, PPEs can also provide you with promotional content, as excited customers are more likely to show off their newest purchases in unboxing videos and product reviews. Engaging them as brand ambassadors is not only free publicity, but nurtures a sense of identity and community between your consumers, your product and your company.

                  Our Sponsors

                  Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

                  Mentioned in this episode:

                  Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                  ]]>In a recent post on Mangrove Digital, company founder TJ Mapes espoused the importance of not just sending automated post-purchase emails to your customers, but re-engaging them all over again, educating, exciting and delighting consumers into returning time and again. 

                  As Pitstop listeners know, post-purchase email flows aren't just the digital equivalent of "thank you, come again", but actively and reliably increase an e-commerce store's referrals, reduce product returns and increase supportive reviews and positive reputation in the e-commerce industry and online retail environment. A good post-purchase flow can turn a single sale into not just a single follow up, but a cascading series of sales, one building momentum off the the next. 

                  According to TJ, both your experience as a Shopify or e-commerce retailer and your consumer's as a client, customer and preferential member doesn't end after the sale, nor even after the automated delivery of a post-purchase follow-up offer. While you got your sale, your transaction for that item won't be truly complete until it's in your customer's hands, who can then confirm that it works to expectations and demands. As such, your PPEs should offer some important and relevant information.

                  • Order confirmation
                  • Delivery ETA
                  • Assistance or how-to's for the product
                  • Commonly purchased related items
                  
                  

                  These details not only provide needed information for the customer, but reduces their reliance on your support team, who otherwise would be tied up answering those very questions. Providing these details, even if it's bad news like updating them on a delay, will also assert to the customer that you're forthcoming, trustworthy and above board, giving you a reputation that no amount of money can simply buy. In return, PPEs can also provide you with promotional content, as excited customers are more likely to show off their newest purchases in unboxing videos and product reviews. Engaging them as brand ambassadors is not only free publicity, but nurtures a sense of identity and community between your consumers, your product and your company.

                  Our Sponsors

                  Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

                  Mentioned in this episode:

                  Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                  ]]>d7b3d17a-c9ca-4eed-8100-aeb5f2a61a2fTue, 20 Apr 2021 04:05:00 -050015:24yesfull53TJ Mapes, founder of Mangrove Digital, joins Lucas and Pitstop to talk the importance of building and maintaining a relationship with your customers through post-purchase emails.TJ MapesDeliver More For LessA struggle all too familiar to every store owner, online or off, shipping costs can make or break e-commerce retailers both big and small. While the e-commerce giant Amazon can offer low-cost or even free shipping on most if not all of their items, the idea of any other Shopify or online retailer offering competing delivery rates is simply beyond unreasonable, and would soon sink even a successful business.  Thanks to their enormous profit margin, Amazon can afford to keep their rates low, that was then reinvested over years into building their own sorting, processing and delivery systems. The vast majority of other retailers however, even some of the larger companies, can't even hope to dream of expanding their operations to that scale, and have to balance their delivery rates and costs very carefully, to not dissuade customers or drain their own cashflow.

                  The shipping costs that customers see when ordering an item is the outcome of a delicate and intricate dance between the company's profit margin and what the consumer is willing pay for the convenience of ordering the product or service from them. While every retailer would love to see delivery costs on their end drop to zero, this would mean items and stock price would skyrocket for the consumer, with many products doubling in cost, or worse, should the full weight of the delivery-logistics-network be rested on their shoulders. Likewise, customers love free delivery, but this cuts a huge margin out of any retailer's profits, and sometimes even deeper if allowed to run rampant.

                  That's why Pitstop sponsor ShipBob has come up with list of tricks to help any online retailer deliver both a healthy profit and a timely product.

                  1. Decrease your shipping distance and ad-geotargetting. While partnering up more warehouse providers certainly can fix this, it requires a costly expansion. Says ShipBob, consider instead limiting the range of your marketing strategy, so that you don't reach customers outside your region of delivery, and thus aren't stuck footing the bill for shipping beyond your means.
                  2. Reduce your package weight and dimensions. While extravagant boxes can make a customer feel like they're buying from the big time, the retailer more often than not ends up paying for that experience. By reducing the size of your packages, their dimensional weight, even slightly, you shave dollars off every shipment, which will quickly compound into major savings for your bottom line.
                  3. Consider where you're buying your shipping materials from. If you're going to the post office to buy packing material, or buying boxes from retailers like Walmart, you're flushing away thousands in mark-ups, before you even make a sale. Shop around for local services for shipping, or bulk order from a large supplier so you can save on material like boxes, filler-padding, labels and stamps.
                  4. Don't add waste. If a product comes to you already in a convenient box that is shipping-accepted, there is no need to re-box it. A simple sticker that can be placed on the box, identifying its recipient and your company, will save not only on cost of additional packaging dimensions, but physical boxes as well, that you can use on other orders.
                  5. Negotiate your shipping rates. If you're moving any volume of product larger than a typical consumer or postal-system user, contact your delivery service and discuss getting yourself a deal. Be open and clear with them about your current volume, and your projected traffic in the future, and have a figure in mind as to what you'd like to pay. Most shipping companies will be more than happy to work out terms and conditions that will serve both interests and profit margins.
                  
                  

                  Our Sponsors

                  A struggle all too familiar to every store owner, online or off, shipping costs can make or break e-commerce retailers both big and small. While the e-commerce giant Amazon can offer low-cost or even free shipping on most if not all of their items, the idea of any other Shopify or online retailer offering competing delivery rates is simply beyond unreasonable, and would soon sink even a successful business.  Thanks to their enormous profit margin, Amazon can afford to keep their rates low, that was then reinvested over years into building their own sorting, processing and delivery systems. The vast majority of other retailers however, even some of the larger companies, can't even hope to dream of expanding their operations to that scale, and have to balance their delivery rates and costs very carefully, to not dissuade customers or drain their own cashflow.

                  The shipping costs that customers see when ordering an item is the outcome of a delicate and intricate dance between the company's profit margin and what the consumer is willing pay for the convenience of ordering the product or service from them. While every retailer would love to see delivery costs on their end drop to zero, this would mean items and stock price would skyrocket for the consumer, with many products doubling in cost, or worse, should the full weight of the delivery-logistics-network be rested on their shoulders. Likewise, customers love free delivery, but this cuts a huge margin out of any retailer's profits, and sometimes even deeper if allowed to run rampant.

                  That's why Pitstop sponsor ShipBob has come up with list of tricks to help any online retailer deliver both a healthy profit and a timely product.

                  1. Decrease your shipping distance and ad-geotargetting. While partnering up more warehouse providers certainly can fix this, it requires a costly expansion. Says ShipBob, consider instead limiting the range of your marketing strategy, so that you don't reach customers outside your region of delivery, and thus aren't stuck footing the bill for shipping beyond your means.
                  2. Reduce your package weight and dimensions. While extravagant boxes can make a customer feel like they're buying from the big time, the retailer more often than not ends up paying for that experience. By reducing the size of your packages, their dimensional weight, even slightly, you shave dollars off every shipment, which will quickly compound into major savings for your bottom line.
                  3. Consider where you're buying your shipping materials from. If you're going to the post office to buy packing material, or buying boxes from retailers like Walmart, you're flushing away thousands in mark-ups, before you even make a sale. Shop around for local services for shipping, or bulk order from a large supplier so you can save on material like boxes, filler-padding, labels and stamps.
                  4. Don't add waste. If a product comes to you already in a convenient box that is shipping-accepted, there is no need to re-box it. A simple sticker that can be placed on the box, identifying its recipient and your company, will save not only on cost of additional packaging dimensions, but physical boxes as well, that you can use on other orders.
                  5. Negotiate your shipping rates. If you're moving any volume of product larger than a typical consumer or postal-system user, contact your delivery service and discuss getting yourself a deal. Be open and clear with them about your current volume, and your projected traffic in the future, and have a figure in mind as to what you'd like to pay. Most shipping companies will be more than happy to work out terms and conditions that will serve both interests and profit margins.
                  
                  

                  Our Sponsors

                  Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

                  Mentioned in this episode:

                  Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                  ]]>dba9e9bf-7f3e-49bf-8327-7577584ab738Mon, 19 Apr 2021 04:05:00 -050006:37yesfull51Pitstop host Lucas Walker teams up with sponsor ShipBob to offer online retailers 5 helpful tricks and tips to save on shipping expenses.Lucas WalkerMother's Day Opt OutSummer tends to be the season of downturns for online shopping; consumers are more likely to be out and about, typically visiting shops in person or travelling, and there are no blockbusting gift or sale-related holidays until well into the fall. As such, Shopify and e-commerce store owners may find the summer months to be a drag, with no great events to theme any product pushes around, save the simple fact that it is summer, and much less consumer interest or traffic. That's where non-bank holidays, what are rapidly becoming known as Social Media Holidays, come in. 

                  What Are Social Media Holidays?

                  • That's where non-bank holidays, what are rapidly becoming known as Social Media Holidays, come in. A SMH can vary in importance or impact, ranging from the typically ignored Denim Day on April 28th, to more well known and traditional holidays (that, usually, don't result in business closing early), like Halloween, St Paddy's Day, or Valentine Days. These days are a boon for any store owner looking for a short burst of traffic, and for customers looking for an excuse to break up the monotony of their days, chasing novelty for novelty's sake. A clever SMH campaign, through a company like Omnisend, such as simply posting copyright-free photos of dogs on National Puppy Day can bring a welcome wave of fresh traffic and attention to any store, regardless of product or service offered, with little to no time or resource investment.
                  
                  

                  SMH campaigns however can be a double edged sword when it comes to the heavy hitters of the Social Media Holidays, like Mother's Day. Before the rise of the internet, Mother's Day was infamous among retail and restaurant workers for being the true crucible of workers, a highly profitable crunch that can yield a massive one-day gain. It may seem all too easy and obvious to, in the days of social media, bombard your channel with Mother's Day coverage, tugging at the heartstrings of consumers, and getting them to show their love to Mom with another new purchase, but some SMHs, like Mother's Day, may unexpectedly poison your well.

                  • Whereas in the past, advertising media had to be engaged with by a customer to be consume, a choice made by them to interact or not, modern ad methods, such as automated messaging, can side-step this barrier, and deliver what may be unwanted or even jarring alerts to otherwise interested users. Days like Mother's Day and Father's Day, along with Remembrance Day, or other SMHs that seek to address either deeply personal relationships or spotlight societal problems, can be deeply traumatic, exploitative or emotionally disruptive to some customers. Interrupting their day to interject unwelcome feelings or associations that they may have spent a lot of time and energy dealing with or avoiding can cost you a dedicated and loyal customer.
                  
                  

                  According to Pitstop host Lucas Walker, there is a simple way to not only avoid upsetting any of your consumer base or users, without a major investment in time or money from you, but deepening your customer's sense of trust and personal engagement with your store and product; before rolling out your Mother's Day SMH campaign, reach out to your members, and give them the choice to opt out. 

                  Presented as a direct text based message, no elaborate designs or pushes to sell, from either the company brand ambassador, head or founder, this simple choice, left up to the customer themselves, can turn your relationships with your customers from one of transactions to loyalty, humanity, and respect, and actually drive later sales even further, as returning consumers show their appreciation for your consideration.

                  Our Sponsors

                  Omnisend - Summer tends to be the season of downturns for online shopping; consumers are more likely to be out and about, typically visiting shops in person or travelling, and there are no blockbusting gift or sale-related holidays until well into the fall. As such, Shopify and e-commerce store owners may find the summer months to be a drag, with no great events to theme any product pushes around, save the simple fact that it is summer, and much less consumer interest or traffic. That's where non-bank holidays, what are rapidly becoming known as Social Media Holidays, come in. 

                  What Are Social Media Holidays?

                  • That's where non-bank holidays, what are rapidly becoming known as Social Media Holidays, come in. A SMH can vary in importance or impact, ranging from the typically ignored Denim Day on April 28th, to more well known and traditional holidays (that, usually, don't result in business closing early), like Halloween, St Paddy's Day, or Valentine Days. These days are a boon for any store owner looking for a short burst of traffic, and for customers looking for an excuse to break up the monotony of their days, chasing novelty for novelty's sake. A clever SMH campaign, through a company like Omnisend, such as simply posting copyright-free photos of dogs on National Puppy Day can bring a welcome wave of fresh traffic and attention to any store, regardless of product or service offered, with little to no time or resource investment.
                  
                  

                  SMH campaigns however can be a double edged sword when it comes to the heavy hitters of the Social Media Holidays, like Mother's Day. Before the rise of the internet, Mother's Day was infamous among retail and restaurant workers for being the true crucible of workers, a highly profitable crunch that can yield a massive one-day gain. It may seem all too easy and obvious to, in the days of social media, bombard your channel with Mother's Day coverage, tugging at the heartstrings of consumers, and getting them to show their love to Mom with another new purchase, but some SMHs, like Mother's Day, may unexpectedly poison your well.

                  • Whereas in the past, advertising media had to be engaged with by a customer to be consume, a choice made by them to interact or not, modern ad methods, such as automated messaging, can side-step this barrier, and deliver what may be unwanted or even jarring alerts to otherwise interested users. Days like Mother's Day and Father's Day, along with Remembrance Day, or other SMHs that seek to address either deeply personal relationships or spotlight societal problems, can be deeply traumatic, exploitative or emotionally disruptive to some customers. Interrupting their day to interject unwelcome feelings or associations that they may have spent a lot of time and energy dealing with or avoiding can cost you a dedicated and loyal customer.
                  
                  

                  According to Pitstop host Lucas Walker, there is a simple way to not only avoid upsetting any of your consumer base or users, without a major investment in time or money from you, but deepening your customer's sense of trust and personal engagement with your store and product; before rolling out your Mother's Day SMH campaign, reach out to your members, and give them the choice to opt out. 

                  Presented as a direct text based message, no elaborate designs or pushes to sell, from either the company brand ambassador, head or founder, this simple choice, left up to the customer themselves, can turn your relationships with your customers from one of transactions to loyalty, humanity, and respect, and actually drive later sales even further, as returning consumers show their appreciation for your consideration.

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                  Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                  ]]>ea2db132-66f6-4468-a5f0-5af43ef3e85eFri, 16 Apr 2021 04:05:00 -050006:25yesfull52Host of Pitstop, Lucas Walker, warns that when it comes to some Social Media Holidays, it's best to offer the option that some advertising campaigns stay mum.Lucas WalkerAvoid Technical Debt - Anne ThomasShopify themes are more than just how a site looks, they're how a site feels, how a site acts, and how customers interact with your product and brand. They are your front line, your back bone, and whether using a free or premium Shopify theme, maintaining that front line in peak condition should be a priority for any store owner.

                  One common but crucial mistake made by Shopify users is not updating their themes more often. While it can be a pain to have to constantly deal with, updating your Shopify theme is essential to keeping your store on the cutting edge and fully functional.

                  There are many reasons why some store owners don't update their theme; 

                  • Presuming that updates are automatic
                  • Worrying that preferred features will be changed or removed
                  • Sheer forgetfulness or unawareness that themes can be updated to begin with.
                  
                  

                  Without these necessary and often mandatory updates, not only are shop owners missing out on important fixes for any issues their chosen theme may have, they're also missing out on new features rolling out. While they're perfectly capable of doing business without these new options, they miss out on the extra resources and value the updates offer, often for professional themes that have been paid for that keep rolling out new and improved features. 

                  Furthermore, services they subscribe to or buy from other sites may also become available through free updates, such as currency converters, which previously had to be purchased from a third party. Without updating their theme to include the conversion feature, site owners who rely on them are flushing money away needlessly. Along with fixes and new features are performance improvements, which will help keep your Shopify site's load time down to a minimum. Maintaining and up to date site, simply for the load time alone, can mean the difference between a sale and an abandoned cart with some customers, used to speedy service.

                  Our Sponsors

                  Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

                  Mentioned in this episode:

                  Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                  ]]>Shopify themes are more than just how a site looks, they're how a site feels, how a site acts, and how customers interact with your product and brand. They are your front line, your back bone, and whether using a free or premium Shopify theme, maintaining that front line in peak condition should be a priority for any store owner.

                  One common but crucial mistake made by Shopify users is not updating their themes more often. While it can be a pain to have to constantly deal with, updating your Shopify theme is essential to keeping your store on the cutting edge and fully functional.

                  There are many reasons why some store owners don't update their theme; 

                  • Presuming that updates are automatic
                  • Worrying that preferred features will be changed or removed
                  • Sheer forgetfulness or unawareness that themes can be updated to begin with.
                  
                  

                  Without these necessary and often mandatory updates, not only are shop owners missing out on important fixes for any issues their chosen theme may have, they're also missing out on new features rolling out. While they're perfectly capable of doing business without these new options, they miss out on the extra resources and value the updates offer, often for professional themes that have been paid for that keep rolling out new and improved features. 

                  Furthermore, services they subscribe to or buy from other sites may also become available through free updates, such as currency converters, which previously had to be purchased from a third party. Without updating their theme to include the conversion feature, site owners who rely on them are flushing money away needlessly. Along with fixes and new features are performance improvements, which will help keep your Shopify site's load time down to a minimum. Maintaining and up to date site, simply for the load time alone, can mean the difference between a sale and an abandoned cart with some customers, used to speedy service.

                  Our Sponsors

                  Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

                  Mentioned in this episode:

                  Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                  ]]>449e3123-b2f0-44b7-ae45-fe31f262cdceThu, 15 Apr 2021 04:05:00 -050014:32yesfull50Anne Thomas, co-founder of Code Scouts, joins Pitstop one last time warn of the dangers of not updating your Shopify theme.Lucas WalkerShow, But Don’t Forget To Tell - Anne ThomasOwning and operating your own Shopify store can be both exciting and overwhelming for even the most seasoned business-minded seller, and there are many pitfalls to avoid while building and maintaining your shop. According to mobile UX design expert Anne Thomas, all too frequently a store owner will spend too much time, attention and overall resources on making sure their site looks fantastic over desktop, the most universal and frequently best looking medium for display, but won’t consider how it may look, even at its best, on mobile. 

                  What may look detailed and perfectly positioned, with fully functioning interactivity over a desktop browser may run into minor errors, or even total failure, when viewed over even the most up to date mobile device, for a variety of reasons, from simple issues such as screen size and shape to image processing capabilities and contrary interactive-touch functions. To avoid unexpected and often extensive, thus expensive, failure, always keep these helpful guidelines in mind.

                  • Never forget your scale. Text, images, or the dreaded perfect storm of text on images can look great at full size and fidelity, but mobile users, especially smartphone users, are engaging with your site on a screen that may be smaller, display measurement-wise, than the very image you designed. As such, that image, and more importantly the small print on the image, could be unreadable to most users, and lose all detail and resolution when pinched-zoomed in on. Make sure, if you must use a static image with text on it, that the text is clear enough to be read on even the smallest of contemporary screens.
                  • Never forget your alternative-viewing options. Not everyone “looks” at a site the same way. Some visually impaired customers may use screen readers, which would be equally unable to read any text that appears in an image, if there is not alt-text reposts of the same text coded into the image itself. What’s more, text in images don’t appear in or activate Google, or any competiting search engines optimization features, and will go completely unnoticed. If you are using static images with text, always reproduce the text as alt-text in the image’s coding or placement description.
                  • Never forget built-in the limitations of SEO. Alt-text is great for getting keywords and terms into the coding of your site, but search engines won’t prioritize alt-text into optimization. Unless you have at least the keywords of the text somewhere else prominently on the page, either as a title, in the item description, or as a subgrouping headline, it’s likely to be missed entirly, no matter how well designed the image its included in may be, and regardless of the device it’s viewed on. Always repeat your fundamental message and offer on the page itself, the higher on the page the more effective.
                  
                  

                  Our Sponsors

                  Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

                  Mentioned in this episode:

                  Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                  ]]>Owning and operating your own Shopify store can be both exciting and overwhelming for even the most seasoned business-minded seller, and there are many pitfalls to avoid while building and maintaining your shop. According to mobile UX design expert Anne Thomas, all too frequently a store owner will spend too much time, attention and overall resources on making sure their site looks fantastic over desktop, the most universal and frequently best looking medium for display, but won’t consider how it may look, even at its best, on mobile. 

                  What may look detailed and perfectly positioned, with fully functioning interactivity over a desktop browser may run into minor errors, or even total failure, when viewed over even the most up to date mobile device, for a variety of reasons, from simple issues such as screen size and shape to image processing capabilities and contrary interactive-touch functions. To avoid unexpected and often extensive, thus expensive, failure, always keep these helpful guidelines in mind.

                  • Never forget your scale. Text, images, or the dreaded perfect storm of text on images can look great at full size and fidelity, but mobile users, especially smartphone users, are engaging with your site on a screen that may be smaller, display measurement-wise, than the very image you designed. As such, that image, and more importantly the small print on the image, could be unreadable to most users, and lose all detail and resolution when pinched-zoomed in on. Make sure, if you must use a static image with text on it, that the text is clear enough to be read on even the smallest of contemporary screens.
                  • Never forget your alternative-viewing options. Not everyone “looks” at a site the same way. Some visually impaired customers may use screen readers, which would be equally unable to read any text that appears in an image, if there is not alt-text reposts of the same text coded into the image itself. What’s more, text in images don’t appear in or activate Google, or any competiting search engines optimization features, and will go completely unnoticed. If you are using static images with text, always reproduce the text as alt-text in the image’s coding or placement description.
                  • Never forget built-in the limitations of SEO. Alt-text is great for getting keywords and terms into the coding of your site, but search engines won’t prioritize alt-text into optimization. Unless you have at least the keywords of the text somewhere else prominently on the page, either as a title, in the item description, or as a subgrouping headline, it’s likely to be missed entirly, no matter how well designed the image its included in may be, and regardless of the device it’s viewed on. Always repeat your fundamental message and offer on the page itself, the higher on the page the more effective.
                  
                  

                  Our Sponsors

                  Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

                  Mentioned in this episode:

                  Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                  ]]>d8938a2d-b7e9-42cb-b209-24c008e0a3ebTue, 13 Apr 2021 04:05:00 -050010:58yesfull49Anne Thomas, co-founder of Code Scouts, returns to Pitstop to call out some common design missteps Shopify and e-commerce sellers can easily avoid.Lucas WalkerKnow Your Mobile - Anne ThomasAn expert designer of Shopify add-ons and template packs, Toronto based Anne Thomas knows that the mobile user experience is the frontline for the modern consumer. While you never know how customers will be looking at and engaging with your site, an increasing number of users are navigating online over their mobile devices, some doing all of their shopping from the palm of their hand. An optimized, easy to navigate and enjoyable user experience over their mobile device will drive both increased brand engagement and sales overall, and Anne has three important rules for any Shopify user to follow to get the most out of their site.  
                  1. Not every smartphone or mobile device is equal. Some consumers will be using older devices, with slower processors or older operating systems. Some have larger screens than others, or details appear with less clarity. One easy trick Anne has for any mobile designer is to use the Chrome extension ‘Web Inspector’, which allows you to preview your designs on a wide variety of device screen sizes.
                  2. Be as careful optimizing your Shopify design packs and site features as you are optimizing to fit and function on mobile platforms. Some common and relied upon features, available across all mobile devices, may be limited un unavailable all together, such as pinch to zoom or swiping, depending on the template or design‘s programming. Always remember to test every aspect of your site, as you never know where an error may arise.
                  3. Regularly inspect and analyze your mobile experience. Mobile device companies, operating systems programs, app developers and browser technicians are always at work updating their product for the next step in technological evolution, and no matter how adaptive your mobile design is, eventually a platform will be released that doesn’t support it.
                  
                  

                  Our Sponsors

                  Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

                   

                  Mentioned in this episode:

                  Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                  ]]>An expert designer of Shopify add-ons and template packs, Toronto based Anne Thomas knows that the mobile user experience is the frontline for the modern consumer. While you never know how customers will be looking at and engaging with your site, an increasing number of users are navigating online over their mobile devices, some doing all of their shopping from the palm of their hand. An optimized, easy to navigate and enjoyable user experience over their mobile device will drive both increased brand engagement and sales overall, and Anne has three important rules for any Shopify user to follow to get the most out of their site.  
                  1. Not every smartphone or mobile device is equal. Some consumers will be using older devices, with slower processors or older operating systems. Some have larger screens than others, or details appear with less clarity. One easy trick Anne has for any mobile designer is to use the Chrome extension ‘Web Inspector’, which allows you to preview your designs on a wide variety of device screen sizes.
                  2. Be as careful optimizing your Shopify design packs and site features as you are optimizing to fit and function on mobile platforms. Some common and relied upon features, available across all mobile devices, may be limited un unavailable all together, such as pinch to zoom or swiping, depending on the template or design‘s programming. Always remember to test every aspect of your site, as you never know where an error may arise.
                  3. Regularly inspect and analyze your mobile experience. Mobile device companies, operating systems programs, app developers and browser technicians are always at work updating their product for the next step in technological evolution, and no matter how adaptive your mobile design is, eventually a platform will be released that doesn’t support it.
                  
                  

                  Our Sponsors

                  Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

                   

                  Mentioned in this episode:

                  Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                  ]]>0133b78a-0eca-4cd1-95fe-f2439d6ef396Mon, 12 Apr 2021 04:05:00 -050012:25yesfull48Anne Thomas, co-founder of Code Scouts, joins Lucas on Pitstop to talk optimizing your Shopify store for mobile devices.Lucas WalkerFollow The Data, Not Your Gut - Quintin SchnehageShopify and e-commerce store owners, ask yourselves, do you really know what your customers are doing on your website? With heat mapping, you can put that question to work, and see a profitable return. 

                  Heat maps are an indispensable tool in the UX designer's kit, a powerful weapon against the forces of chaotic layout and interrupted flow. Try as hard and for as long as you may, sometimes what you think of as the ideal customer interface and user experience, what comes natural or intuitive to you, may in fact hinder and harm your site's profitability. Knowing your customer, getting inside their head and really figuring out how they navigate your store, how they engage with your brand, is the single most important part of creating a user centred design and positive user experience.

                  What is a heat map? Heat maps are data sets that, in the case of e-commerce stores, digital designers use to assess and analyze how customers and traffic behaves on your site, including what pages they visit, what keystrokes they use on your site, which buttons they click, and ever where their mouse hovers. While sales figures will tell you what products and how much of it your customers buy, heat maps will tell you how users on your site eventually work their way to that sale.

                  Why should heat maps concern me? Heat maps are an essential tool for discovering unexpected delays, jams, detours and dead ends in your user experience, keeping you from maximizing your user centred design. Heat maps can pinpoint areas on your site where customers are stressed or confused, or indicate where certain options are being either ignored or missed, so that you can best adapt to your customer's behaviour and expectations.

                  I tried using heat maps but my traffic didn't change, what am I doing wrong? Reading a heat map isn't just a matter of noticing the big red hot spot in the data where everyone is gathering, interacting or getting hung up on, there are systemic subtitles in the behaviour, influenced by everything from consumer mood to which devices are being used, to varying degrees of internet connection speed that affect how your users behave on any given site. As such, while any store own can get something out of making changes themselves in accordance to their reading of a heat map, it's really for the best that you hire someone with an expertise in design, or someone like a UX researcher, who brings with them a depth of knowledge and expertise in interpreting the data that most store owners are simply too busy to dedicate too much time towards.

                  With a dedicated UX design team, relying on accurate and up to date heat mapping tools, optimizing and maintaining your customer flow and user experience from landing to checkout will always lead you and your business to prosperity and good fortune.

                  Our Sponsors

                  Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

                  Mentioned in this episode:

                  Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                  ]]>Shopify and e-commerce store owners, ask yourselves, do you really know what your customers are doing on your website? With heat mapping, you can put that question to work, and see a profitable return. 

                  Heat maps are an indispensable tool in the UX designer's kit, a powerful weapon against the forces of chaotic layout and interrupted flow. Try as hard and for as long as you may, sometimes what you think of as the ideal customer interface and user experience, what comes natural or intuitive to you, may in fact hinder and harm your site's profitability. Knowing your customer, getting inside their head and really figuring out how they navigate your store, how they engage with your brand, is the single most important part of creating a user centred design and positive user experience.

                  What is a heat map? Heat maps are data sets that, in the case of e-commerce stores, digital designers use to assess and analyze how customers and traffic behaves on your site, including what pages they visit, what keystrokes they use on your site, which buttons they click, and ever where their mouse hovers. While sales figures will tell you what products and how much of it your customers buy, heat maps will tell you how users on your site eventually work their way to that sale.

                  Why should heat maps concern me? Heat maps are an essential tool for discovering unexpected delays, jams, detours and dead ends in your user experience, keeping you from maximizing your user centred design. Heat maps can pinpoint areas on your site where customers are stressed or confused, or indicate where certain options are being either ignored or missed, so that you can best adapt to your customer's behaviour and expectations.

                  I tried using heat maps but my traffic didn't change, what am I doing wrong? Reading a heat map isn't just a matter of noticing the big red hot spot in the data where everyone is gathering, interacting or getting hung up on, there are systemic subtitles in the behaviour, influenced by everything from consumer mood to which devices are being used, to varying degrees of internet connection speed that affect how your users behave on any given site. As such, while any store own can get something out of making changes themselves in accordance to their reading of a heat map, it's really for the best that you hire someone with an expertise in design, or someone like a UX researcher, who brings with them a depth of knowledge and expertise in interpreting the data that most store owners are simply too busy to dedicate too much time towards.

                  With a dedicated UX design team, relying on accurate and up to date heat mapping tools, optimizing and maintaining your customer flow and user experience from landing to checkout will always lead you and your business to prosperity and good fortune.

                  Our Sponsors

                  Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

                  Mentioned in this episode:

                  Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                  ]]>0a83553b-dc02-47e7-b235-cde093704469Fri, 09 Apr 2021 04:05:00 -050016:18yesfull47Quintin Schnehage, a senior UX designer and expert, returns to Pitstop with Lucas to reveal how heat maps are the secret weapon for optimizing your user experience.Lucas WalkerUser Centred Design - Quintin SchnehageFar from the days of busy, gif infested homepages and gimmick based websites, modern online design seeks to make the user experience both subtle and supportive, and is built from the ground up to best optimize user centred design. While design fetishes come and go, like neon synth wave or cottage-core, the fundamentals of an experience-assistive user design remain the same. Following these key tips and tricks will help drive your consumers effortlessly through your store, and more frequently through the checkout.
                  • Start thinking about your UX design once you've established your brand, such as when a flagship product brings you stability, or once you start seeing a plateauing of your profits; your product has drawn in its natural market, now it's time to invest in a UX designer who will make sure your e-commerce store or brand website is best designed to optimize both user experience and sales.
                  • Take your time, work with your UX designer, and experiment. Perfecting a user centred design that's tailored to your tastes, your customer base's behaviour, and increases profitability by natural flow comes about through tedious but necessary trial and error, and a lot of cooperation and communication with your design team. Your patience will often pay off.
                  • UX design is a hybrid discipline, partly intuitive and partly analytical, a marriage of tightly structured design and wild creativity. Find the balance between both rather than favouring one at the expense of the other.
                  • There is no all-purpose UX design or user centred design template, and even brands under the same parent company will have vastly different needs based on the specific product or services they sell, in whatever quantity they sell them in, and to whomever their market base is. Design for yourself and your customers, not anyone else.
                  
                  

                  Our Sponsors

                  Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

                  Mentioned in this episode:

                  Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                  ]]>Far from the days of busy, gif infested homepages and gimmick based websites, modern online design seeks to make the user experience both subtle and supportive, and is built from the ground up to best optimize user centred design. While design fetishes come and go, like neon synth wave or cottage-core, the fundamentals of an experience-assistive user design remain the same. Following these key tips and tricks will help drive your consumers effortlessly through your store, and more frequently through the checkout.
                  • Start thinking about your UX design once you've established your brand, such as when a flagship product brings you stability, or once you start seeing a plateauing of your profits; your product has drawn in its natural market, now it's time to invest in a UX designer who will make sure your e-commerce store or brand website is best designed to optimize both user experience and sales.
                  • Take your time, work with your UX designer, and experiment. Perfecting a user centred design that's tailored to your tastes, your customer base's behaviour, and increases profitability by natural flow comes about through tedious but necessary trial and error, and a lot of cooperation and communication with your design team. Your patience will often pay off.
                  • UX design is a hybrid discipline, partly intuitive and partly analytical, a marriage of tightly structured design and wild creativity. Find the balance between both rather than favouring one at the expense of the other.
                  • There is no all-purpose UX design or user centred design template, and even brands under the same parent company will have vastly different needs based on the specific product or services they sell, in whatever quantity they sell them in, and to whomever their market base is. Design for yourself and your customers, not anyone else.
                  
                  

                  Our Sponsors

                  Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

                  Mentioned in this episode:

                  Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                  ]]>c03cd356-a633-41a1-b0cb-184476aaea35Thu, 08 Apr 2021 04:05:00 -050016:06yesfull46Quintin Schnehage, a senior UX designer, visits Pitstop to share with Lucas the golden rules of UX development and design for your Shopify and e-commerce store.Quintin SchnehagePush It Real Good - Greg ZakowiczDespite having a bad reputation thanks to unscrupulous internet marketers, push notifications are an essential accompanying tool for any messaging campaign. In the last year alone, push notification use has seen an incredible 1000%-plus increase, with an average 50% open rate, and a 500% increase in conversion rates, year after year. While push notification use in online shopping environments is still in its early days, there are some stand-out features that early adopting Spotify and e-commerce brands are finding crucial to their messaging and engagement strategies. 

                  Cart abandonment - Focus close to cash; the closer a customer is to making a purchase, before and after making a decision, the better your chances of influencing a sale. Push notifications upon cart abandonment has seen not only success in bringing back customers for further purchases, but is enormously popular with consumers, offering an unexpected new way to engage with their favourite brands. 

                  Promotional messaging - Cart abandonment may have kept your customer in the check-out line, but promotional emails and follow up push notifications are what get them their in the first place. Implementing push notifications into messaging campaigns have increased the success rate of those entire campaigns across the board, increasing your background sales so you can stay focussed on the big picture.

                  By splitting your messaging activity across a wide variety of mediums such as email, SMS and push notifications, with message automation services like Omnisend, you can take advantage of the perfect time to get in on the ground floor of the next great e-commerce customer engagement tool. 

                  Our Sponsors

                  Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

                  Mentioned in this episode:

                  Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                  ]]>Despite having a bad reputation thanks to unscrupulous internet marketers, push notifications are an essential accompanying tool for any messaging campaign. In the last year alone, push notification use has seen an incredible 1000%-plus increase, with an average 50% open rate, and a 500% increase in conversion rates, year after year. While push notification use in online shopping environments is still in its early days, there are some stand-out features that early adopting Spotify and e-commerce brands are finding crucial to their messaging and engagement strategies. 

                  Cart abandonment - Focus close to cash; the closer a customer is to making a purchase, before and after making a decision, the better your chances of influencing a sale. Push notifications upon cart abandonment has seen not only success in bringing back customers for further purchases, but is enormously popular with consumers, offering an unexpected new way to engage with their favourite brands. 

                  Promotional messaging - Cart abandonment may have kept your customer in the check-out line, but promotional emails and follow up push notifications are what get them their in the first place. Implementing push notifications into messaging campaigns have increased the success rate of those entire campaigns across the board, increasing your background sales so you can stay focussed on the big picture.

                  By splitting your messaging activity across a wide variety of mediums such as email, SMS and push notifications, with message automation services like Omnisend, you can take advantage of the perfect time to get in on the ground floor of the next great e-commerce customer engagement tool. 

                  Our Sponsors

                  Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

                  Mentioned in this episode:

                  Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                  ]]>d8f296ce-062e-4003-a52b-176630ba745fTue, 06 Apr 2021 04:05:00 -050017:15nofull45Greg Zakowicz, Director of Content for Omnisend, and host of their podcast 'The Cart Insiders', is back with Pitstop one last time to talk about what push notifications can do for you.Greg ZakowiczReach Out And Text Someone - Greg ZakowiczWhile SMS has been growing as an outreach option used by businesses for the last half decade, the 2020 Covid Pandemic forced companies to find new ways to interact with their clientelle, be it for sales or to just keep them engaged with the brand during turbulent times. 

                  As a cost effective, personal and immediate way to communicate with customers in a safe and socially distanced manner, SMS messaging has become a must-have tool for any surviving store, e-commerce based or traditional brick and mortar. And while that particular iron is still hot, now is the time to strike and get in with SMS messaging for your brand, says Greg Zakowicz of Omnisend, especially if you want to have all the kinks worked out and your designed campaigns prepped and tested by Holiday Season 2021. 

                  With SMS traffic exploding over the previous year, Omnisend themselves seeing over 400% growth in activity, text engagement has gone over the tipping point and is now a must-have service, and with that must-have need comes a rush to provide services, come some common mistakes and basics to keep aware of and a keen eye on for the first time SMS user.

                  • Collect early, collect often. Even if you’re not currently using SMS to communicate with your customers, collect what numbers you can. This will at the very least give you an idea of how many would be interested in using such a service, when if offers nothing special in return. These customers will be your baseline, and if they’re too small or disinterested in responding to SMS offers over email offers, then don’t force them to switch over, wait until the feedback they give you shows that the time is to use SMS.
                  • Work in the present, sell in the future. That’s to the immediacy of text messages, arriving faster than even emails, and with a higher and faster rate of opening by receiving consumers, you can tie your SMS campaigns to more in-the-now opportunities, like unplanned flash sales, offering unexpected and limited deals that carry a sense of urgency due to the naturally short timeline SMS itself gives you due to its speed. With more customers responding to buy faster, an entirely organic deadline for purchases is created, the rate of the count down dictated by the customers themselves, generating a sense of excitment to buy your product that may not be there if the offer came through email, or was part of a planned and expected seasonal sale.
                  • Take advantage of data driven interactivity. When you send an SMS, you’re not just sending the same message out to everyone who ever gave you their number, systems like Omnisend let you monitor the activities of those numbers on your site, what they’re looking at, what their shopping habits are, and feed that data back into the messages you send. With these details, Omnisend can tailor every individual automated email for the specific customer, including their personal details, interests and products they have been looking at, driving a more indepth interaction, which at the very least will generate more data and a better understanding of your customers and their shopping behaviour. Listen to the data they drive, and adapt appropriately.
                  • Blow out the cohorts. Don’t approach SMS outreach through a lens of generational expectations, that it assuming Millenials and Gen-Zers are the only tech savvy customers, and anything for Gen Xers or older has to be scaled back, down, or overall de-complicated to the point of losing features. It’s estimated that over 80% of all Americans, regardless of age, send and received text messages, and are perfectly capable of using the technology with confidence. Do not let presumptions about the remaining 20% dictate how you interact with the larger and more active majority.
                  • Don’t put the cost of your SMS campaign on your customers. Having a flashy new SMS messaging system for contacting and staying in touch with your...]]>While SMS has been growing as an outreach option used by businesses for the last half decade, the 2020 Covid Pandemic forced companies to find new ways to interact with their clientelle, be it for sales or to just keep them engaged with the brand during turbulent times. 

                    As a cost effective, personal and immediate way to communicate with customers in a safe and socially distanced manner, SMS messaging has become a must-have tool for any surviving store, e-commerce based or traditional brick and mortar. And while that particular iron is still hot, now is the time to strike and get in with SMS messaging for your brand, says Greg Zakowicz of Omnisend, especially if you want to have all the kinks worked out and your designed campaigns prepped and tested by Holiday Season 2021. 

                    With SMS traffic exploding over the previous year, Omnisend themselves seeing over 400% growth in activity, text engagement has gone over the tipping point and is now a must-have service, and with that must-have need comes a rush to provide services, come some common mistakes and basics to keep aware of and a keen eye on for the first time SMS user.

                    • Collect early, collect often. Even if you’re not currently using SMS to communicate with your customers, collect what numbers you can. This will at the very least give you an idea of how many would be interested in using such a service, when if offers nothing special in return. These customers will be your baseline, and if they’re too small or disinterested in responding to SMS offers over email offers, then don’t force them to switch over, wait until the feedback they give you shows that the time is to use SMS.
                    • Work in the present, sell in the future. That’s to the immediacy of text messages, arriving faster than even emails, and with a higher and faster rate of opening by receiving consumers, you can tie your SMS campaigns to more in-the-now opportunities, like unplanned flash sales, offering unexpected and limited deals that carry a sense of urgency due to the naturally short timeline SMS itself gives you due to its speed. With more customers responding to buy faster, an entirely organic deadline for purchases is created, the rate of the count down dictated by the customers themselves, generating a sense of excitment to buy your product that may not be there if the offer came through email, or was part of a planned and expected seasonal sale.
                    • Take advantage of data driven interactivity. When you send an SMS, you’re not just sending the same message out to everyone who ever gave you their number, systems like Omnisend let you monitor the activities of those numbers on your site, what they’re looking at, what their shopping habits are, and feed that data back into the messages you send. With these details, Omnisend can tailor every individual automated email for the specific customer, including their personal details, interests and products they have been looking at, driving a more indepth interaction, which at the very least will generate more data and a better understanding of your customers and their shopping behaviour. Listen to the data they drive, and adapt appropriately.
                    • Blow out the cohorts. Don’t approach SMS outreach through a lens of generational expectations, that it assuming Millenials and Gen-Zers are the only tech savvy customers, and anything for Gen Xers or older has to be scaled back, down, or overall de-complicated to the point of losing features. It’s estimated that over 80% of all Americans, regardless of age, send and received text messages, and are perfectly capable of using the technology with confidence. Do not let presumptions about the remaining 20% dictate how you interact with the larger and more active majority.
                    • Don’t put the cost of your SMS campaign on your customers. Having a flashy new SMS messaging system for contacting and staying in touch with your consumers is a great thing, so long as your consumers are within the same market as you. Customers from entirely different countries however will face different costs for operating their end of the SMS transaction, including possible delivery and sending costs. Be aware of where your SMS activity is, and how that may effect customers, and be sure to not make them pay twice over just for engaging with your brand. A feature stops being a feature when it takes more from the user than they get out of it, so make sure any system you implement is more helpful than it is hurtful to your bottom line.
                    
                    

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                    ]]>7543ebe2-a4b3-49d0-837f-0d2c39902204Mon, 05 Apr 2021 04:05:00 -050016:31yesfull44Greg Zakowicz, Director of Content for Omnisend, and host of their podcast 'The Cart Insiders', returns to Pitstop to discus the must-have essential for any e-commerce store; SMS outreachGreg ZakowiczNo-Brainer Game Plan - Greg ZakowiczYou've listened to Pitstop and Rolled Up for great e-commerce tips and tricks, you've heard about all the benefits and profits to be had from expanding your customer outreach and engagement, and you've decided to work with an automation campaign through a great company like Omnisend,  so what now? What's the next best steps you can take to get the absolute most out of your automated messaging campaign, and the biggest bang for your marketing buck? Greg Zakowicz, Omnisend's own Director of Content and host of their in-house podcast 'The Cart Insiders' , shares some "no-brainer" methods and proven campaign plans to help you grow your brand, store, clientele and most importantly, profit margin.
                    1. Roll out the Welcome Wagon. Automated welcome messages on initial sign-up have an enormous conversion rate, as much as over 50% for most stores, consistently, regardless of how old your brand is, or how long the automated welcome messages have been used. New customers love to feel included, and that fresh excitement over your brand and products translates directly to sales to quite literally half of all customers who sign up and receive a first-time alert thanking them for having signed up. For many, that initial welcome email even becomes their go-to portal for accessing your store, despite the fact they could easily search for it on Google or bookmark the url. The familiarity drives a sense of trust and brand-friendship, and that translates to traffic and sales.
                    2. Cart Abandonment Avoidance. An old familiar for e-commerce brands, cart abandonment statistics driven by monitoring signed-up consumers aren't just a great way to track your customer experience. A simple automated message when it becomes clear to the system that a member has abandoned a cart, asking them to come back, or offering them a special minor deal on their carted items, accounts for an over 30% conversion rate. That's 1 in 3 lost sales returning to complete at least a partial purchase of the items in their cart.
                    3. Product/Browse Abandonment Avoidance. The hip, new form of cart-abandonment,  browse or product abandonment monitors not just what's in your customer's cart, but the very page and items they are looking at, cart or no cart. Should they spend some time looking at your products, then leave your site altogether, an automated message offering further details on the items they perused, or a special offer on them, or even an alternative suggestion has resulted in as much as a 20% conversion rate, or 1 in 5 previous non-sales turning around and making a purchase from your store of some kind, when previously there was no profit to be had. Far from reacting negatively to being monitored, most consumers prefer to be contacted when there's a specific item or service available that better serves their needs or interests, and will buy with appreciation. It's also the cheapest option for re-targeting your audience, a service that frequently requires external analysis and costly implementation over sites like Facebook, rolled instead into your already covered and active email messaging budget.
                    
                    

                    Join Lucas and Greg on the next episode of Pitstop for more automation no-brainers, and some must-have SMS marketing tips & tricks.

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                    ]]>You've listened to Pitstop and Rolled Up for great e-commerce tips and tricks, you've heard about all the benefits and profits to be had from expanding your customer outreach and engagement, and you've decided to work with an automation campaign through a great company like Omnisend,  so what now? What's the next best steps you can take to get the absolute most out of your automated messaging campaign, and the biggest bang for your marketing buck? Greg Zakowicz, Omnisend's own Director of Content and host of their in-house podcast 'The Cart Insiders' , shares some "no-brainer" methods and proven campaign plans to help you grow your brand, store, clientele and most importantly, profit margin.
                    1. Roll out the Welcome Wagon. Automated welcome messages on initial sign-up have an enormous conversion rate, as much as over 50% for most stores, consistently, regardless of how old your brand is, or how long the automated welcome messages have been used. New customers love to feel included, and that fresh excitement over your brand and products translates directly to sales to quite literally half of all customers who sign up and receive a first-time alert thanking them for having signed up. For many, that initial welcome email even becomes their go-to portal for accessing your store, despite the fact they could easily search for it on Google or bookmark the url. The familiarity drives a sense of trust and brand-friendship, and that translates to traffic and sales.
                    2. Cart Abandonment Avoidance. An old familiar for e-commerce brands, cart abandonment statistics driven by monitoring signed-up consumers aren't just a great way to track your customer experience. A simple automated message when it becomes clear to the system that a member has abandoned a cart, asking them to come back, or offering them a special minor deal on their carted items, accounts for an over 30% conversion rate. That's 1 in 3 lost sales returning to complete at least a partial purchase of the items in their cart.
                    3. Product/Browse Abandonment Avoidance. The hip, new form of cart-abandonment,  browse or product abandonment monitors not just what's in your customer's cart, but the very page and items they are looking at, cart or no cart. Should they spend some time looking at your products, then leave your site altogether, an automated message offering further details on the items they perused, or a special offer on them, or even an alternative suggestion has resulted in as much as a 20% conversion rate, or 1 in 5 previous non-sales turning around and making a purchase from your store of some kind, when previously there was no profit to be had. Far from reacting negatively to being monitored, most consumers prefer to be contacted when there's a specific item or service available that better serves their needs or interests, and will buy with appreciation. It's also the cheapest option for re-targeting your audience, a service that frequently requires external analysis and costly implementation over sites like Facebook, rolled instead into your already covered and active email messaging budget.
                    
                    

                    Join Lucas and Greg on the next episode of Pitstop for more automation no-brainers, and some must-have SMS marketing tips & tricks.

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                    ]]>00e9ba17-dacb-466c-a023-0f5f4d2963ceThu, 01 Apr 2021 04:05:00 -050021:35nofull43Greg Zakowicz, Director of Content for Omnisend, and host of their podcast 'The Cart Insiders', drops by Pitstop to talk the essential no-brainers of automated marketing. Greg ZakowiczCheckout These SMS Collection Tactics - Lucas WalkerSo you've managed to get your customers to hand over their SMS numbers, what now? How do you take full advantage and use to get the most out of their interest and contact information in a way that doesn't feel like you're spamming the customers with needless and unwanted messages and offers?

                    Look to industry leaders and how they handle their SMS collections, says our own host of Pitstop and Rolled Up Podcasts, Lucas Walker. Beardbrand has created a mostly interactive SMS based system, in which the customer is just as much a force for activity and engagement over messaging as the store itself is. Customers can text to opt-in to special programs, upcoming offers, alerts about new products, as well as use the service to ask item and product related questions, or even inquire about the right products for them, while offering tailor made exclusives they can find no where else. 

                    With every interaction the customer engages in, your brand receives more information you can use to specify your outreach to those customers, via SMS Collection segmenting. By segmenting your SMS opted-in consumers based on the information they give you, be it their buying habits, or the kind topics and items they have questions about, or even separating them by location, you can not only tailor your content to them in the most effective manner, which will result in further engagement with your store, but can avoid accidentally annoying them, or worse, costing them money. A service where clients can text you questions is great for outreach, but if you offer this to foreign customers, who may be charged extra for international texting, then you may instead drive them away. 

                    Correctly implemented to avoid these issues, such as through Omnisend's easy-start SMS marketing programs, and incredibly helpful monitoring options, you can segment your SMS collection to get the most effectiveness from your outreach campaign, while further feeding the cycle of customer engagement to sale to customer engagement to sale, and avoid over-investing your time and resources in toxic or lost clients, while refocusing and maintaining your healthier lists.

                    Get the latest from Lucas and everyone at Rolled Up Podcasts at our new home for everything e-commerce, RolledUp.io

                    Our Sponsors

                    Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

                    Mentioned in this episode:

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                    ]]>So you've managed to get your customers to hand over their SMS numbers, what now? How do you take full advantage and use to get the most out of their interest and contact information in a way that doesn't feel like you're spamming the customers with needless and unwanted messages and offers?

                    Look to industry leaders and how they handle their SMS collections, says our own host of Pitstop and Rolled Up Podcasts, Lucas Walker. Beardbrand has created a mostly interactive SMS based system, in which the customer is just as much a force for activity and engagement over messaging as the store itself is. Customers can text to opt-in to special programs, upcoming offers, alerts about new products, as well as use the service to ask item and product related questions, or even inquire about the right products for them, while offering tailor made exclusives they can find no where else. 

                    With every interaction the customer engages in, your brand receives more information you can use to specify your outreach to those customers, via SMS Collection segmenting. By segmenting your SMS opted-in consumers based on the information they give you, be it their buying habits, or the kind topics and items they have questions about, or even separating them by location, you can not only tailor your content to them in the most effective manner, which will result in further engagement with your store, but can avoid accidentally annoying them, or worse, costing them money. A service where clients can text you questions is great for outreach, but if you offer this to foreign customers, who may be charged extra for international texting, then you may instead drive them away. 

                    Correctly implemented to avoid these issues, such as through Omnisend's easy-start SMS marketing programs, and incredibly helpful monitoring options, you can segment your SMS collection to get the most effectiveness from your outreach campaign, while further feeding the cycle of customer engagement to sale to customer engagement to sale, and avoid over-investing your time and resources in toxic or lost clients, while refocusing and maintaining your healthier lists.

                    Get the latest from Lucas and everyone at Rolled Up Podcasts at our new home for everything e-commerce, RolledUp.io

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                    ]]>27b1bdbc-c695-4b20-9206-9aeccce1625dTue, 30 Mar 2021 04:05:00 -050010:07yesfull42Save yourself some hassle with segmentation. Host Lucas Walker takes a solo look at making the most of effective SMS collection tactics and strategies.Lucas WalkerDouble The Offer, Double The Outcome - Jeremy HorowitzRealistically, while you have a core group of loyal and passionate customers, the majority of those who enjoy your product and share their contact information with you won’t engage with or even open all of the messages you send, no matter what offers they contain. Email offers can often be ignored, forgotten, or caught up in spam filters and never seen at all. Diversifying your methods of contacting your customers, by using both email and SMS automated systems, will not only increase your store’s profitability, but get you closer to your customers, increase the chances that they’ll engage with more of your offers, and more frequently return to take action.

                    It’s found that 90% of SMS messages are opened within the first 3 minutes after arrival, as unlike email systems SMS channels face little to no spam filtration, leading to a 100% delivery rate, in a medium that consumers are guaranteed to reply more readily to.

                    How do I get my consumers to enter both their email and the phone number?

                    To convince customers to agree to being contacted twice over, Jeremy suggests using the 2 For 1 strategy, a compounding special offer system that provides a one time reward to the customer, but continuing reward to you. An example he provides is an initial fantastic offer, like 10% off a purchase when they sign up over email, and a follow up additional smaller percent special offer compounding on the first for their phone number. 50% of customers who are willing to sign up with their email have been found to also be willing to give over their phone number as well, especially when given an additional exclusive offer.

                    Won’t I just be cannibalizing my own contact list and annoying customers?

                    The major brands of the world understand that loss is inevitable, and that if you don’t cannibalize your own contact lists when a new method of marketing comes around, someone else will. Staggering your messaging campaigns, such as by using automated messaging programs like our sponsor Omnisend, will avoid customer burn out. What’s more, it’s been found that this one-two punch combination actually accelerates not only the return and purchase rate of consumers, but also the chances they will open any messages or offer you send them, regardless of the method, improving your profitability, exposure and brand relationship overall.

                    Our Sponsors

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                    Mentioned in this episode:

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                    ]]>Realistically, while you have a core group of loyal and passionate customers, the majority of those who enjoy your product and share their contact information with you won’t engage with or even open all of the messages you send, no matter what offers they contain. Email offers can often be ignored, forgotten, or caught up in spam filters and never seen at all. Diversifying your methods of contacting your customers, by using both email and SMS automated systems, will not only increase your store’s profitability, but get you closer to your customers, increase the chances that they’ll engage with more of your offers, and more frequently return to take action.

                    It’s found that 90% of SMS messages are opened within the first 3 minutes after arrival, as unlike email systems SMS channels face little to no spam filtration, leading to a 100% delivery rate, in a medium that consumers are guaranteed to reply more readily to.

                    How do I get my consumers to enter both their email and the phone number?

                    To convince customers to agree to being contacted twice over, Jeremy suggests using the 2 For 1 strategy, a compounding special offer system that provides a one time reward to the customer, but continuing reward to you. An example he provides is an initial fantastic offer, like 10% off a purchase when they sign up over email, and a follow up additional smaller percent special offer compounding on the first for their phone number. 50% of customers who are willing to sign up with their email have been found to also be willing to give over their phone number as well, especially when given an additional exclusive offer.

                    Won’t I just be cannibalizing my own contact list and annoying customers?

                    The major brands of the world understand that loss is inevitable, and that if you don’t cannibalize your own contact lists when a new method of marketing comes around, someone else will. Staggering your messaging campaigns, such as by using automated messaging programs like our sponsor Omnisend, will avoid customer burn out. What’s more, it’s been found that this one-two punch combination actually accelerates not only the return and purchase rate of consumers, but also the chances they will open any messages or offer you send them, regardless of the method, improving your profitability, exposure and brand relationship overall.

                    Our Sponsors

                    Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

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                    ]]>e010f204-13fe-4477-8fe7-0d08f315f50eMon, 29 Mar 2021 04:05:00 -050013:33yesfull41Jeremy Horowitz, host of Messenger Mastermind and the Head of Growth at Daasity, says don’t fear information cannibalisation, embrace channel diversification. Jeremy HorowitzPretty Fly For Shopify - Jeremy HorowitzWhile after-sale offers are a fantastic way to bring customers back for one last offer, what can an e-commerce or Shopify store owner do to increase the average order value from their consumers before they leave in the first place? According to Jeremy Horowitz, inline toss-ins included in your shopping cart flyout may just hold the secret to making that last minute sale.

                    Easy to program into any e-commerce or Shopify store, cart flyouts are a staple of the larger online shopping services, like Amazon, often simply allowing customers a convenient way to access their shopping cart once they’ve added an item, often by just rolling their mouse over part of the right of their screen. This space however has great untapped potential for additional sales, with just some minor tweaking of the available options. 

                    1. The toss-in feature; this should be a simple one-step process, either a button to click or a box to check, that doesn’t link the customer away from the page or their shopping cart when activated. Once engaged, it would simply be automatically included in the final subtotal, and rolled into the included original order.
                    2. The offered item; it should be of relative low cost, both for you to maximize your margin, and for the customer as to entice them to include it without much consideration. The item should be complimentary of their purchase, if possible, either an accessory for their original purchase, or a cross-sell that would benefit their original item, much in the way convenience stores have candy, gum, and magazines by their physical checkouts. The product details and motivating promotional information should be made available on the flyout itself, again to make inquiries easier for the customer, and to remove any extra steps that may slow down, delay or result in the buyer walking away from the offer.
                    
                    

                    Even if it has as low as a 10% take, with the properly chosen product to include, it can be pure and easy profit, automatically generated every time someone buys a product from your Shopify or  e-commerce store. It also carries a double bonus, as it’s a logistical benefit as well, since it cuts down on shipping to profit ratio, making more money together than it takes to send the items out separately.

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                    Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                    ]]>While after-sale offers are a fantastic way to bring customers back for one last offer, what can an e-commerce or Shopify store owner do to increase the average order value from their consumers before they leave in the first place? According to Jeremy Horowitz, inline toss-ins included in your shopping cart flyout may just hold the secret to making that last minute sale.

                    Easy to program into any e-commerce or Shopify store, cart flyouts are a staple of the larger online shopping services, like Amazon, often simply allowing customers a convenient way to access their shopping cart once they’ve added an item, often by just rolling their mouse over part of the right of their screen. This space however has great untapped potential for additional sales, with just some minor tweaking of the available options. 

                    1. The toss-in feature; this should be a simple one-step process, either a button to click or a box to check, that doesn’t link the customer away from the page or their shopping cart when activated. Once engaged, it would simply be automatically included in the final subtotal, and rolled into the included original order.
                    2. The offered item; it should be of relative low cost, both for you to maximize your margin, and for the customer as to entice them to include it without much consideration. The item should be complimentary of their purchase, if possible, either an accessory for their original purchase, or a cross-sell that would benefit their original item, much in the way convenience stores have candy, gum, and magazines by their physical checkouts. The product details and motivating promotional information should be made available on the flyout itself, again to make inquiries easier for the customer, and to remove any extra steps that may slow down, delay or result in the buyer walking away from the offer.
                    
                    

                    Even if it has as low as a 10% take, with the properly chosen product to include, it can be pure and easy profit, automatically generated every time someone buys a product from your Shopify or  e-commerce store. It also carries a double bonus, as it’s a logistical benefit as well, since it cuts down on shipping to profit ratio, making more money together than it takes to send the items out separately.

                    Our Sponsors

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                    Mentioned in this episode:

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                    ]]>a82abe30-69d4-4b34-bf4f-4350b4effecaFri, 26 Mar 2021 04:05:00 -050010:36yesfull40Jeremy Horowitz, host of Messenger Mastermind and the Head of Growth at Daasity, returns to reveal to Lucas and Pitstop how you can increase your average order value with this one simple step.Jeremy HorowitzText Sells - Jeremy HorowitzJust because your customer has completed their transaction and left your Shopify or  e-commerce store doesn’t mean there isn’t still the opportunity to capitalize on their spending mood or habits. Order Bumps, automated post-purchase SMS or email messages featuring quality products and alluring sales, can see not only a take-rate of 2-5% consistently and immediately, but a 10% to as a much as 40% boost in the Average Order Value across your entire store.

                    Considered the secret weapon of the e-commerce community, these profit boosters are an easy, reliable, cost-effective and personal way to re-engage with your most valued customers, and are available through our sponsor Omnisend, the all-in-one automation platform.

                    Order Bumps can come in many shapes, sizes or variations of automated post-purchase offers, though Jeremy suggests the proven one-two punch:

                    • About 30 minutes to an hour after their last transaction in your store, send your consumer a special, exclusive and limited time offer. Locking the offered product behind hidden page, that can’t be access through any inventory searches on your site, can guarantee the sense of exclusivity and curiosity needed for an unexpected purchase. Limit the availability of this offer by restricting it within a set window of time; Jeremy suggests 4 hours, to create a feeling of urgency while giving enough time for consumers to consider the purchase.
                    • An hour to 30 minutes before the offer expires, send a followup to your follow-up, reminding them that the offer is set to end soon, or “checking in” to see if they were interested in it, effectively redelivering the product-pitch again.
                    
                    

                    This simple addition can not only drive enormous growth in sales for your brand and e-commerce store, it will get more bang out of your marketing budget’s buck without any major investment, due to the low Cost of Customer Acquisition of automated and directed SMS and email messages.

                    Our Sponsors

                    Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

                    Mentioned in this episode:

                    Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                    ]]>Just because your customer has completed their transaction and left your Shopify or  e-commerce store doesn’t mean there isn’t still the opportunity to capitalize on their spending mood or habits. Order Bumps, automated post-purchase SMS or email messages featuring quality products and alluring sales, can see not only a take-rate of 2-5% consistently and immediately, but a 10% to as a much as 40% boost in the Average Order Value across your entire store.

                    Considered the secret weapon of the e-commerce community, these profit boosters are an easy, reliable, cost-effective and personal way to re-engage with your most valued customers, and are available through our sponsor Omnisend, the all-in-one automation platform.

                    Order Bumps can come in many shapes, sizes or variations of automated post-purchase offers, though Jeremy suggests the proven one-two punch:

                    • About 30 minutes to an hour after their last transaction in your store, send your consumer a special, exclusive and limited time offer. Locking the offered product behind hidden page, that can’t be access through any inventory searches on your site, can guarantee the sense of exclusivity and curiosity needed for an unexpected purchase. Limit the availability of this offer by restricting it within a set window of time; Jeremy suggests 4 hours, to create a feeling of urgency while giving enough time for consumers to consider the purchase.
                    • An hour to 30 minutes before the offer expires, send a followup to your follow-up, reminding them that the offer is set to end soon, or “checking in” to see if they were interested in it, effectively redelivering the product-pitch again.
                    
                    

                    This simple addition can not only drive enormous growth in sales for your brand and e-commerce store, it will get more bang out of your marketing budget’s buck without any major investment, due to the low Cost of Customer Acquisition of automated and directed SMS and email messages.

                    Our Sponsors

                    Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

                    Mentioned in this episode:

                    Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                    ]]>c217c9bd-a9ee-4f5a-bca4-e46718b44aceThu, 25 Mar 2021 04:05:00 -050014:44yesfull39Jeremy Horowitz, host of Messenger Mastermind and the Head of Growth at Daasity joins Lucas and Pitstop to discuss how to make the most of every transaction with SMS and email marketing. Jeremy HorowitzWin The SEO War - Steve TothWhen looking at how to improve your customer’s overall engagement with your store, along with their buying experience, always ask yourself the following questions; what stage of the store ‘funnel’, that is from the general landing page to the specific purchase, are your customers sitting at? What are they thinking or asking about at the different stages along the way, and how can you make sure the pages they are on at those stages serve their questions and needs, rather than interrupting the purchase flow and diverting them away from the final checkout?

                    If these details or questions raised stick in your mind, then they will stick in your customer’s mind as well. Blogging is a very important and powerful tool for taking advantage of and being present in those stages at much as possible with your customer, offering internal answers to product/service questions they would naturally be having at that moment in the process. Blogging can give your e-commerce store a sense of personality, familiarity and community, drawing your consumers closer as they identify less with your product, and  provide a culture of involvement, exclusivity and membership, speaking to the innovators and taste makers about products, hyping either the next season’s fashions, or other key seasonal SEO temporarily hot search terms, from a more human perspective, linking your brand to a sense of modernity and flare. 

                    They can also serve as helpful and sometimes necessary how-to guides for more complicated products; if you know that a customer is going to have to look up how to use an item, provide that information for them before they reach the checkout, or at least let them know that you can provide assistance with that. They will eventually have to go looking for the answers somewhere, so providing them before they even know there may be a problem will create a sense of trust and openness between your consumers and your store.

                    • Tip for determining what content you should include in your blog to promote your e-commerce shop: search for an item you sell in the Google search bar, then erase that search. Now start asking “how to/where to/where can/when to etc”, Google will remember your first item search, connect the dots, and start producing for you questions that people interested in those items previously looked up. Provide the answers to those questions asked on your own internal blog; this will not only provide the answer for your customers, but result in your blog-answer coming up in future like searches.
                    
                    

                    Blogging can also draw in and convert random searchers, that is people not visiting your shop to expressly buy your products, but out of interest in the activities or lifestyles those products are associated with. Suddenly you’re drawing in potential customers with relevant interests in what you offer, giving you access to even more high-value consumers. They can offer various types of additional content and value to your store, as well as act as  lifestyle draws, talking about the hottest new products and innovations coming out (and available from your store). 

                    Finally, blogs are simply excellent chances to prime your search engine optimization, giving you the opportunity to frequently repeat keywords and search terms that will inevitably drive traffic to you. What’s more, with repeat-use seasonal pages such as the winter shopping holidays, every return to your seasonal page will compound the traffic it will have the next year, giving it more weight with search engines when that seasonal SEO kicks in, searching for terms like ”holiday” or “stocking stuffers”. 

                    • Tip for seasonal and repeat content; don’t restart your process every time you return to a topic, holiday or annual sales special such as Black Friday. Instead always build on what you’ve built before, by reusing the previous pages from the years before (energizing the reused url) and as much of your...]]>When looking at how to improve your customer’s overall engagement with your store, along with their buying experience, always ask yourself the following questions; what stage of the store ‘funnel’, that is from the general landing page to the specific purchase, are your customers sitting at? What are they thinking or asking about at the different stages along the way, and how can you make sure the pages they are on at those stages serve their questions and needs, rather than interrupting the purchase flow and diverting them away from the final checkout?

                      If these details or questions raised stick in your mind, then they will stick in your customer’s mind as well. Blogging is a very important and powerful tool for taking advantage of and being present in those stages at much as possible with your customer, offering internal answers to product/service questions they would naturally be having at that moment in the process. Blogging can give your e-commerce store a sense of personality, familiarity and community, drawing your consumers closer as they identify less with your product, and  provide a culture of involvement, exclusivity and membership, speaking to the innovators and taste makers about products, hyping either the next season’s fashions, or other key seasonal SEO temporarily hot search terms, from a more human perspective, linking your brand to a sense of modernity and flare. 

                      They can also serve as helpful and sometimes necessary how-to guides for more complicated products; if you know that a customer is going to have to look up how to use an item, provide that information for them before they reach the checkout, or at least let them know that you can provide assistance with that. They will eventually have to go looking for the answers somewhere, so providing them before they even know there may be a problem will create a sense of trust and openness between your consumers and your store.

                      • Tip for determining what content you should include in your blog to promote your e-commerce shop: search for an item you sell in the Google search bar, then erase that search. Now start asking “how to/where to/where can/when to etc”, Google will remember your first item search, connect the dots, and start producing for you questions that people interested in those items previously looked up. Provide the answers to those questions asked on your own internal blog; this will not only provide the answer for your customers, but result in your blog-answer coming up in future like searches.
                      
                      

                      Blogging can also draw in and convert random searchers, that is people not visiting your shop to expressly buy your products, but out of interest in the activities or lifestyles those products are associated with. Suddenly you’re drawing in potential customers with relevant interests in what you offer, giving you access to even more high-value consumers. They can offer various types of additional content and value to your store, as well as act as  lifestyle draws, talking about the hottest new products and innovations coming out (and available from your store). 

                      Finally, blogs are simply excellent chances to prime your search engine optimization, giving you the opportunity to frequently repeat keywords and search terms that will inevitably drive traffic to you. What’s more, with repeat-use seasonal pages such as the winter shopping holidays, every return to your seasonal page will compound the traffic it will have the next year, giving it more weight with search engines when that seasonal SEO kicks in, searching for terms like ”holiday” or “stocking stuffers”. 

                      • Tip for seasonal and repeat content; don’t restart your process every time you return to a topic, holiday or annual sales special such as Black Friday. Instead always build on what you’ve built before, by reusing the previous pages from the years before (energizing the reused url) and as much of your previous copy-content, cementing it in the search outcomes.
                      
                      

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                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>2ed219d0-b634-43ba-831e-cb9d346df9a7Tue, 23 Mar 2021 04:05:00 -050010:06yesfull38The only thing worse than being blogged about, is not being blogged about. Steve Toth, search engine optimization consultant and founder of SEO Notebook joins Lucas and Pitstop to discuss the winning strategies for taming SEO with the power of blogging.Lucas WalkerFrom Internal Linking To Search Engine Exceptionalism - Steve TothWhen empowering your webpage, Shopify or other e-commerce store to optimize and improve your search engine appearances and ranking, there are specific questions you have to ask yourself concerning anything you include on your pages:   
                      • How do I create the best experience for my webspace visitors?
                      • Am I showing the right products?
                      • How am I showing the right products?
                      • Am I showing a guide how to use this product?
                      • Am I giving the customer all the information they need to know to make them stay interested and stay on your site?
                      
                      

                      Any action taken should be to enrich the experience of any visitors to your site, lead them to further engage your brand, and increase your visibility during web searches, and internal linking is the key to making your pages work double time. Internal linking often takes two forms:

                      • Include frequent links to other products they may be interested in
                      • Include links to information content, such as how to guides, blog articles, and experience videos related to the products they are viewing and have viewed
                      
                      

                      Both kinds of internal linking will help Google and other search engines index the entirety of your product pages and content, while introducing more sources of engagement from potential customers. Internal linking is also key to shifting traffic from one active link to other less active pages, to increase traffic overall, and avoiding orphaning any pages, that is losing them to inactivity due to a lack of traffic drawn its way. Last but not least, it makes navigating your site and easier and more comfortable experience overall, giving users multiple options to engage with products and content.

                      Our Sponsors

                      Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>When empowering your webpage, Shopify or other e-commerce store to optimize and improve your search engine appearances and ranking, there are specific questions you have to ask yourself concerning anything you include on your pages:   
                      • How do I create the best experience for my webspace visitors?
                      • Am I showing the right products?
                      • How am I showing the right products?
                      • Am I showing a guide how to use this product?
                      • Am I giving the customer all the information they need to know to make them stay interested and stay on your site?
                      
                      

                      Any action taken should be to enrich the experience of any visitors to your site, lead them to further engage your brand, and increase your visibility during web searches, and internal linking is the key to making your pages work double time. Internal linking often takes two forms:

                      • Include frequent links to other products they may be interested in
                      • Include links to information content, such as how to guides, blog articles, and experience videos related to the products they are viewing and have viewed
                      
                      

                      Both kinds of internal linking will help Google and other search engines index the entirety of your product pages and content, while introducing more sources of engagement from potential customers. Internal linking is also key to shifting traffic from one active link to other less active pages, to increase traffic overall, and avoiding orphaning any pages, that is losing them to inactivity due to a lack of traffic drawn its way. Last but not least, it makes navigating your site and easier and more comfortable experience overall, giving users multiple options to engage with products and content.

                      Our Sponsors

                      Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>1722e7be-739b-458c-a4dc-b82e0cebccddMon, 22 Mar 2021 04:05:00 -050012:22yesfull37Make your webspace stand out, by looking and linking inward. Steve Toth, search engine optimization consultant and founder of SEO Notebook joins Lucas and Pitstop to discuss the tremendous importance of internal linking strategies.Lucas WalkerTurning Search Intent Strategies Into Sales - Steve TothWhile online marketplaces may be no further from a customer than the click of a mouse, most don’t want to take the time to travel even from one online store to another. Once you’ve gotten them through the digital door, make the most of it with curated collections, product combination suggestions and distinct, dynamic categories to encourage multi-item purchases, and maybe even change your customer’s shopping culture to your benefit.
                      • Tailor your general product categories and sections based on customer behaviour and specific lifestyles. Instead of, for example, His & hers Tops, group them based on the kinds of activities consumers can use the items for, like Winter Apparel, Active Wear or Business Casual. This can also help identify your brand with those activities, driving further interest and engagement from interested communities.
                      • Use dynamic combination suggestions that adapt based on your customer base’s buying behaviour. If someone buys a winter jacket from a clothing store, chances are they would be interested in a pair of gloves and a warm hat as well,  or a kitchen mixer purchase could be paired with a set of bowls, whisks and recipe books. Presenting these combo suggestions before they hit the final checkout can lead to some great last minute sales, and provide you with valuable information about your customer’s purchasing style.
                      • Curate special collections to allow for one-stop-shopping. Based on the information gathered from the previous suggestions, build specific collections of products to sell as complete packages, be it selling entire outfits, decore remodelling sets, home garden centres; regardless of the product, offer your consumer a ground floor total package that they can buy into a lifestyle with, instead of returning piecemeal. Even if provided at full price, customers will appreciate not having to go through the hassle of shop around, and will identify your brand with convenience and quality.
                      • Find out how people look for your products, and adapt accordingly. If consumers typically find the items you sell through more traditional catalogue searches, then keep with catalogues, but if word about new product is more often spread through blogs discussing and reviewing them, include a blog on-site, or pay for an affiliate blog to help drum up conversation and traffic for your store. Tailor the shopping experience to the consumer base’s liking as much as possible, for maximum engagement.
                      
                      

                      Our Sponsors

                      Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>While online marketplaces may be no further from a customer than the click of a mouse, most don’t want to take the time to travel even from one online store to another. Once you’ve gotten them through the digital door, make the most of it with curated collections, product combination suggestions and distinct, dynamic categories to encourage multi-item purchases, and maybe even change your customer’s shopping culture to your benefit.
                      • Tailor your general product categories and sections based on customer behaviour and specific lifestyles. Instead of, for example, His & hers Tops, group them based on the kinds of activities consumers can use the items for, like Winter Apparel, Active Wear or Business Casual. This can also help identify your brand with those activities, driving further interest and engagement from interested communities.
                      • Use dynamic combination suggestions that adapt based on your customer base’s buying behaviour. If someone buys a winter jacket from a clothing store, chances are they would be interested in a pair of gloves and a warm hat as well,  or a kitchen mixer purchase could be paired with a set of bowls, whisks and recipe books. Presenting these combo suggestions before they hit the final checkout can lead to some great last minute sales, and provide you with valuable information about your customer’s purchasing style.
                      • Curate special collections to allow for one-stop-shopping. Based on the information gathered from the previous suggestions, build specific collections of products to sell as complete packages, be it selling entire outfits, decore remodelling sets, home garden centres; regardless of the product, offer your consumer a ground floor total package that they can buy into a lifestyle with, instead of returning piecemeal. Even if provided at full price, customers will appreciate not having to go through the hassle of shop around, and will identify your brand with convenience and quality.
                      • Find out how people look for your products, and adapt accordingly. If consumers typically find the items you sell through more traditional catalogue searches, then keep with catalogues, but if word about new product is more often spread through blogs discussing and reviewing them, include a blog on-site, or pay for an affiliate blog to help drum up conversation and traffic for your store. Tailor the shopping experience to the consumer base’s liking as much as possible, for maximum engagement.
                      
                      

                      Our Sponsors

                      Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>56dcef0d-bbfe-413e-b0a0-a779937cc13cFri, 19 Mar 2021 04:05:00 -050010:54yesfull36Why make just one sale per engagement, when you can make more? Steve Toth, search engine optimization consultant and founder of SEO Notebook joins Lucas and Pitstop to share his successful search intent strategies. Lucas WalkerTaking Email Personalization To The Next Level - Will LynchFar more than just plugging in an auto-fill name and sending off the same boilerplate email to everyone in your list, engagement personalization grease that keeps the wheels of e-commerce turning. According to the ‘sommelier of ecommerce content’ Will Lynch, the options for personalization are nearly infinite, and some first-time store owners may quickly find themselves overwhelmed with the options. Here are some of his top tips that anyone can easily implement in their personalization strategy: 
                      • Incentivize returning customers such as  adding a dynamic loyalty points to abandoned cart emails. Some shoppers abandon carts because they were distracted, some because they wanted to check for better deals from your competitors; a simple automated contact to make sure they did or did not still want the items they were previous perusing may bring them back, but make them a special, minor savings on one or more of the items, either during that transaction or future transactions, and the chance of them returning to complete the transaction greatly increases.
                      • Personalize automated birthday emails. As mentioned in a previous episode of pitstop, according to Omnisend automated birthday emails drive a staggering amount of your online sales to begin with. Personalizing these messages beyond plugging in the shopper’s name only increases the chances of making a sale. Tailor your contact with them to feature items they tend to look at, and make suggestions based on similar products, or offer discounts specifically for items they purchase repeatedly. Even non-purchasing click throughs of these emails helps, as it confirms to Google and other search engines that your address is valid, and not a waste of traffic to be avoided.
                      • Use the opportunity to push your specials. If you have a sale going on, or an item that is hot/needs to be liquidated, include the offer directly in the personalized emails. Any chance to organically push a sale is a good chance, and people who receive even automated birthday messages create a positive association between how that email makes them feel and your brand/products, making them far more willing to take advantage of your promoted special.
                      • Use a dynamic messaging system that updates the very emails themselves. If everytime your customer looks at the personalized email, it shows them something new they may be interested in, or updates them on how many or few of an item are left, they’re more likely to re-engage again and again with that email. This not only generates more sales, but more data for future lists and interactions.
                      • Everyone likes to feel special, and people who feel special are more generous. Make a big deal out of your customers, and treat everyone, especially your top tier customers and loyalty points members, as VIPs, and make sure to let them know they’re VIPs to your brand. This will bring them closer to identifying with your products and buying from your store not only for themselves, but for others, seeing sharing your items with non-customers as sharing that positivity and special feeling.
                      • Always, ALWAYS be A/B testing, that is varying up your personalizations and promotions, then analyzing the results for what works and what doesn’t. The more you test, the more you improve from analyzing the results, the more accurate your promotional outreach will be, the more customers who will follow through back to your store, and the more units you will sell, bottom line.
                      
                      

                      Our Sponsors

                      Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

                      Mentioned in this...]]>Far more than just plugging in an auto-fill name and sending off the same boilerplate email to everyone in your list, engagement personalization grease that keeps the wheels of e-commerce turning. According to the ‘sommelier of ecommerce content’ Will Lynch, the options for personalization are nearly infinite, and some first-time store owners may quickly find themselves overwhelmed with the options. Here are some of his top tips that anyone can easily implement in their personalization strategy: 

                      • Incentivize returning customers such as  adding a dynamic loyalty points to abandoned cart emails. Some shoppers abandon carts because they were distracted, some because they wanted to check for better deals from your competitors; a simple automated contact to make sure they did or did not still want the items they were previous perusing may bring them back, but make them a special, minor savings on one or more of the items, either during that transaction or future transactions, and the chance of them returning to complete the transaction greatly increases.
                      • Personalize automated birthday emails. As mentioned in a previous episode of pitstop, according to Omnisend automated birthday emails drive a staggering amount of your online sales to begin with. Personalizing these messages beyond plugging in the shopper’s name only increases the chances of making a sale. Tailor your contact with them to feature items they tend to look at, and make suggestions based on similar products, or offer discounts specifically for items they purchase repeatedly. Even non-purchasing click throughs of these emails helps, as it confirms to Google and other search engines that your address is valid, and not a waste of traffic to be avoided.
                      • Use the opportunity to push your specials. If you have a sale going on, or an item that is hot/needs to be liquidated, include the offer directly in the personalized emails. Any chance to organically push a sale is a good chance, and people who receive even automated birthday messages create a positive association between how that email makes them feel and your brand/products, making them far more willing to take advantage of your promoted special.
                      • Use a dynamic messaging system that updates the very emails themselves. If everytime your customer looks at the personalized email, it shows them something new they may be interested in, or updates them on how many or few of an item are left, they’re more likely to re-engage again and again with that email. This not only generates more sales, but more data for future lists and interactions.
                      • Everyone likes to feel special, and people who feel special are more generous. Make a big deal out of your customers, and treat everyone, especially your top tier customers and loyalty points members, as VIPs, and make sure to let them know they’re VIPs to your brand. This will bring them closer to identifying with your products and buying from your store not only for themselves, but for others, seeing sharing your items with non-customers as sharing that positivity and special feeling.
                      • Always, ALWAYS be A/B testing, that is varying up your personalizations and promotions, then analyzing the results for what works and what doesn’t. The more you test, the more you improve from analyzing the results, the more accurate your promotional outreach will be, the more customers who will follow through back to your store, and the more units you will sell, bottom line.
                      
                      

                      Our Sponsors

                      Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>8745d2d7-6829-4412-b81c-acb589b697faThu, 18 Mar 2021 04:05:00 -050009:25yesfull35Will Lynch of Underwater Pistol returns to share with Lucas and Pitstop some easy and successful ways you can enrich your customer interactions by simply improving your email personalization.Will LynchShopify SEO Myths And Musts - Will LynchGetting the most out of Shopify and SEO optimization is frequently a confusing mess of misunderstandings, mistakes and outright mistruths about the process. Will Lynch, of the UK Shopify strategy firm Underwater Pistol, helps to demystify the SEO experience with some tips and tricks to keep you out of the quagmire, and get your shop noticed without any unnecessary hassle. 

                      Myth: “SEO optimization on Shopify takes too long, it’s easier and cheaper to work around it myself for faster results”

                      Fact: Shopify is built to be robust, not for speed of SEO spread. When millions of customers try to use the system at once, it will maintain and thrive, rather than collapsing under the weight and traffic. Having a safe and stable marketplace is more important than getting your brand out there at a pace that matches your expectations. As well, don’t try to do SEO optimization yourself, as we mentioned in previous episodes, optimization in an incredibly complex process that requires more time and attention than you have. Hire professionals, and trust in their campaigns.

                      Myth: “Images should be as small as possible to work on all devices, and never use video, they won’t load quickly for customers”

                      Fact: You should be targeting your multimedia based only on what your traffic analytics are telling you. Don’t assume who you viewers and audience are, check the data, and tailor it around their activity. If they seem to only interact with your smallest quality static images on mobile platforms, then go small, if they’re watching videos on desktops, go big.

                      Myth: “An image is an image, it’ll look good regardless”

                      Fact: you have to put the time into resizing and standardizing everything if you want to put your best foot forward. Don’t waste the data you are constantly gathering about how your brand is performing online, integrate as much of its lessons as you can, and stick to it once you’ve developed a personal standard.

                      Myth: “We don’t cater to disabled consumers, we don’t need alt-text or specific image names”

                      Fact: Google traffic works with far more details than just the buzzwords you use in posts or hashtags; even the very names of images you upload can increase your search results via strategic keywords, and including alt-text tags on images not only allows your brand to be more progressive ad helpful to those who are visually impaired, but also increase the number of SEO-vectors for those online to come across your store.

                      Myth: “I sell a product, I’m not a blogger, I don’t need to be posting articles or comments”

                      Fact: Every post associating your store, brand or product will increase your traffic, even if just by a few hits. Talk about great ways to use your products, stories of why you enjoy them yourself, talk about where they come from, their history as an item, or where you sourced them. This will not only engage your consumers with your brand, but every searchable instance mentioned will act to increase your traffic flow.

                      Our Sponsors

                      Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>Getting the most out of Shopify and SEO optimization is frequently a confusing mess of misunderstandings, mistakes and outright mistruths about the process. Will Lynch, of the UK Shopify strategy firm Underwater Pistol, helps to demystify the SEO experience with some tips and tricks to keep you out of the quagmire, and get your shop noticed without any unnecessary hassle. 

                      Myth: “SEO optimization on Shopify takes too long, it’s easier and cheaper to work around it myself for faster results”

                      Fact: Shopify is built to be robust, not for speed of SEO spread. When millions of customers try to use the system at once, it will maintain and thrive, rather than collapsing under the weight and traffic. Having a safe and stable marketplace is more important than getting your brand out there at a pace that matches your expectations. As well, don’t try to do SEO optimization yourself, as we mentioned in previous episodes, optimization in an incredibly complex process that requires more time and attention than you have. Hire professionals, and trust in their campaigns.

                      Myth: “Images should be as small as possible to work on all devices, and never use video, they won’t load quickly for customers”

                      Fact: You should be targeting your multimedia based only on what your traffic analytics are telling you. Don’t assume who you viewers and audience are, check the data, and tailor it around their activity. If they seem to only interact with your smallest quality static images on mobile platforms, then go small, if they’re watching videos on desktops, go big.

                      Myth: “An image is an image, it’ll look good regardless”

                      Fact: you have to put the time into resizing and standardizing everything if you want to put your best foot forward. Don’t waste the data you are constantly gathering about how your brand is performing online, integrate as much of its lessons as you can, and stick to it once you’ve developed a personal standard.

                      Myth: “We don’t cater to disabled consumers, we don’t need alt-text or specific image names”

                      Fact: Google traffic works with far more details than just the buzzwords you use in posts or hashtags; even the very names of images you upload can increase your search results via strategic keywords, and including alt-text tags on images not only allows your brand to be more progressive ad helpful to those who are visually impaired, but also increase the number of SEO-vectors for those online to come across your store.

                      Myth: “I sell a product, I’m not a blogger, I don’t need to be posting articles or comments”

                      Fact: Every post associating your store, brand or product will increase your traffic, even if just by a few hits. Talk about great ways to use your products, stories of why you enjoy them yourself, talk about where they come from, their history as an item, or where you sourced them. This will not only engage your consumers with your brand, but every searchable instance mentioned will act to increase your traffic flow.

                      Our Sponsors

                      Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>09655273-187a-4cc1-821d-8b57d7bb3f20Tue, 16 Mar 2021 04:05:00 -050013:12yesfull34SEO optimization for Shopify can be a time consuming and frustrating process. Will Lynch, the ‘sommelier of e-commerce content’ joins Lucas and Pitstop to cover some of the most common mistakes and misunderstandings shop-owners frequently face.Will LynchInvesting And Trusting In Your SEO Strategy - Dan DemskyBuilding an effective SEO strategy to promote your brand and online retail space can often be a frustrating uphill task. According to Unbound Merino co-founder Dan Demsky, it‘s a game of patient investment, faith in your long term strategy and trusting the right people to get the job done. Rather than rushing for some quick come-and-go clicks, follow these simple but effective steps to get your company, product and brand out to be seen. 
                      • Don’t try to handle it yourself. SEO optimization is incredibly complex and requires a commitment of time that you simply don’t have while managing your brand and team. Hire experts who are up to date with the latest strategies.
                      • Shop around until you find an SEO expert who understands your brand, gets your company mission and shares your vision for its future. The better the relationship between you and your hire, the better the optimization outcome.
                      • Spend the money and take the time. A proper SEO campaign isn’t a battle, it’s a war, and can take years to fully come to fruition. Make the investment, and be patient while it grows.
                      • Trust your experts. It may seem at first that you’re getting very little bang for your buck, but don’t let frustration lead to an early cancellation of the optimization campaign. Believe in the process, trust in the expertise and you will see results.
                      
                      

                      If done properly, a successful longterm SEO campaign will not only improve your sales and visibility, but will compound the reach of every following campaign, whether related or not, ever expanding the scope of brand awareness.

                      Our Sponsors

                      Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>Building an effective SEO strategy to promote your brand and online retail space can often be a frustrating uphill task. According to Unbound Merino co-founder Dan Demsky, it‘s a game of patient investment, faith in your long term strategy and trusting the right people to get the job done. Rather than rushing for some quick come-and-go clicks, follow these simple but effective steps to get your company, product and brand out to be seen. 
                      • Don’t try to handle it yourself. SEO optimization is incredibly complex and requires a commitment of time that you simply don’t have while managing your brand and team. Hire experts who are up to date with the latest strategies.
                      • Shop around until you find an SEO expert who understands your brand, gets your company mission and shares your vision for its future. The better the relationship between you and your hire, the better the optimization outcome.
                      • Spend the money and take the time. A proper SEO campaign isn’t a battle, it’s a war, and can take years to fully come to fruition. Make the investment, and be patient while it grows.
                      • Trust your experts. It may seem at first that you’re getting very little bang for your buck, but don’t let frustration lead to an early cancellation of the optimization campaign. Believe in the process, trust in the expertise and you will see results.
                      
                      

                      If done properly, a successful longterm SEO campaign will not only improve your sales and visibility, but will compound the reach of every following campaign, whether related or not, ever expanding the scope of brand awareness.

                      Our Sponsors

                      Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>c6af785c-57a8-4e3c-b93e-530bee46e3b4Mon, 15 Mar 2021 04:05:00 -050011:40yesfull33Dan Demsky returns one final time to give Lucas and Pitstop the do’s and don’ts of SEO optimization, and warns of some common campaign missteps.Lucas WalkerLimited Time Offers And The Last-Chance Buyer - Dan DemskyWhile luxury wool-wear is his business, Dan Demsky of Unbound Merino understands that modern consumers often seek a level of involvement beyond simply clothing themselves. They want to be part of dynamic brands and exciting communities, and nothing drives that sensation of inclusion and exclusion like the fear of missing out (FOMO). 

                      If a company finds themselves in the possession of a limited-quantity product, or at the end-of-life of a popular item, then they have an incredible opportunity to crank their customer relationship up to 11, ever so briefly, in a fit of popular-scarcity that could sustain them through word of mouth into the next season. Here's how:

                      • Be open, clear and honest with your customers about new, unexpected stock as well as retiring stock. A new item is exciting, but many customers become comfortable and reliant on mainstays, and if given fair warning that an item may soon disappear, will rush to grab as many as they can
                      • If the item is a limited time offer, make it very clear to the consumer how many are left, and how much time is left on the clock for them to make a decision. Often the very idea that someone else may have something special or unique is enough to drive others to desire it
                      • Let your customers in on the trade secrets and internal knowledge of your product line for any limited time offers, such as where the mystery item came from or why you're phasing a product out. Allowing your customers to share a sense of identity and pride in your flash sale will lead to them promoting you, free of charge
                      • Trust that customers who took advantage of one special buy-now-before-its-too-late event will eagerly hang around and wait for the next, confident that they have some secret knowledge of how to score the really good deals from their favourite brand
                      
                      

                      Our Sponsors

                      Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>While luxury wool-wear is his business, Dan Demsky of Unbound Merino understands that modern consumers often seek a level of involvement beyond simply clothing themselves. They want to be part of dynamic brands and exciting communities, and nothing drives that sensation of inclusion and exclusion like the fear of missing out (FOMO). 

                      If a company finds themselves in the possession of a limited-quantity product, or at the end-of-life of a popular item, then they have an incredible opportunity to crank their customer relationship up to 11, ever so briefly, in a fit of popular-scarcity that could sustain them through word of mouth into the next season. Here's how:

                      • Be open, clear and honest with your customers about new, unexpected stock as well as retiring stock. A new item is exciting, but many customers become comfortable and reliant on mainstays, and if given fair warning that an item may soon disappear, will rush to grab as many as they can
                      • If the item is a limited time offer, make it very clear to the consumer how many are left, and how much time is left on the clock for them to make a decision. Often the very idea that someone else may have something special or unique is enough to drive others to desire it
                      • Let your customers in on the trade secrets and internal knowledge of your product line for any limited time offers, such as where the mystery item came from or why you're phasing a product out. Allowing your customers to share a sense of identity and pride in your flash sale will lead to them promoting you, free of charge
                      • Trust that customers who took advantage of one special buy-now-before-its-too-late event will eagerly hang around and wait for the next, confident that they have some secret knowledge of how to score the really good deals from their favourite brand
                      
                      

                      Our Sponsors

                      Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>710b017f-17b6-4437-8d05-ed4ea6039df9Fri, 12 Mar 2021 05:05:00 -050009:41yesfull32When a product similar to his inventory fell into his lap, Dan Demsky didn't hesitate to turn it into a once in a lifetime opportunity. Dan spoke to Lucas and Pitstop about how to make the most of an unexpected situation.Dan DemskyPivot, Don't Panic; Salvaging Sales During A Global CrisisWhen international and domestic travel ground to a halt a year ago, Toronto entrepreneur Dan Demsky's Unbound Merino found themselves facing a unique situation; the lifestyle they sold had ceased to exist; there's no need for high quality wool clothes for travel when there no one is traveling, be it for business or pleasure. His brand was, in normal times, on point, his product high quality, and his supply line strong, but Demsky faced disaster if Unbound Merino couldn't effectively pivot away from its core message, and reinvent themselves for a COVID 19 world. While sales tanked for March and April, by May 2020 Unbound Merino was back on track, thanks to a fearless top-to-bottom reorganization of their brand that any struggling company can reproduce.
                      • Know what your business is, not your sales pitch. "comfortable travel" may be out, but Unbound Merino's products are still high quality, and supply has not been disrupted, so the only thing that needed change was the message the customer received
                      • Trust and rely on the customers who got you where you are. They haven't gone away, the consumer information you gathered from them is still valid, so tailor your efforts towards making their relationship with your brand even stronger, and they will continue to support you, financially with sales and dynamically with feedback
                      • Recognize that you're not the only company facing difficulties, and capitalize on the disruption to others. Suppliers may now find themselves with inventory that otherwise would be sold to a competitor, but you may be able to pick up at a discount. See where you can expand your business, purely based on unanticipated availability and sudden absences in the market
                      • Embrace the excitement of scarcity. While a reliable stock is your backbone, unexpected inventory can allow you to surprise your customers with limited special offers and exclusive products. With everyone stuck at home, craving some excitement, even an unexpected, "while quantities last" t-shirt can become an event that gets your consumer base talking, and buying
                      • Don't abuse your customer's trust with panic-messaging. If you have a normal pace for seasonal sales, don't disrupt that, you customers look forward to them and rely on them for solid deals. Sending them a barrage of messages about sudden, unannounced sales only weakens that relationship, annoys your customer, and makes your company seem unsure and unstable. Keep a steady hand on the promotional wheel.
                      
                      

                      Trust in your product, have faith in your customers, and your brand can weather than storm and survive any global disaster

                      Our Sponsors

                      Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>When international and domestic travel ground to a halt a year ago, Toronto entrepreneur Dan Demsky's Unbound Merino found themselves facing a unique situation; the lifestyle they sold had ceased to exist; there's no need for high quality wool clothes for travel when there no one is traveling, be it for business or pleasure. His brand was, in normal times, on point, his product high quality, and his supply line strong, but Demsky faced disaster if Unbound Merino couldn't effectively pivot away from its core message, and reinvent themselves for a COVID 19 world. While sales tanked for March and April, by May 2020 Unbound Merino was back on track, thanks to a fearless top-to-bottom reorganization of their brand that any struggling company can reproduce.
                      • Know what your business is, not your sales pitch. "comfortable travel" may be out, but Unbound Merino's products are still high quality, and supply has not been disrupted, so the only thing that needed change was the message the customer received
                      • Trust and rely on the customers who got you where you are. They haven't gone away, the consumer information you gathered from them is still valid, so tailor your efforts towards making their relationship with your brand even stronger, and they will continue to support you, financially with sales and dynamically with feedback
                      • Recognize that you're not the only company facing difficulties, and capitalize on the disruption to others. Suppliers may now find themselves with inventory that otherwise would be sold to a competitor, but you may be able to pick up at a discount. See where you can expand your business, purely based on unanticipated availability and sudden absences in the market
                      • Embrace the excitement of scarcity. While a reliable stock is your backbone, unexpected inventory can allow you to surprise your customers with limited special offers and exclusive products. With everyone stuck at home, craving some excitement, even an unexpected, "while quantities last" t-shirt can become an event that gets your consumer base talking, and buying
                      • Don't abuse your customer's trust with panic-messaging. If you have a normal pace for seasonal sales, don't disrupt that, you customers look forward to them and rely on them for solid deals. Sending them a barrage of messages about sudden, unannounced sales only weakens that relationship, annoys your customer, and makes your company seem unsure and unstable. Keep a steady hand on the promotional wheel.
                      
                      

                      Trust in your product, have faith in your customers, and your brand can weather than storm and survive any global disaster

                      Our Sponsors

                      Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>6c7120d0-6300-454f-bcf5-33fcbd9216a7Thu, 11 Mar 2021 05:05:00 -050016:37yesfull31After COVID 19 practically killed the air-transport industry, Dan Demsky's Unbound Merino clothing line, providing high quality fashion for style conscious travelers, nearly died as well. Dan spoke to Lucas and Pitstop about how clear thinking and quick action saved his company.Dan DemskyMake Every Customer Birthday An Automation SalebrationWhen it comes to building engagement and a positive relationship with your customers, personal service is key, and there is no more personal a service than the annual automated birthday message. According to Omnisend Marketing Autmation's traffic metrics, the largest return spike of all promotions is that once-a-year email, addressed directly to the consumer, simply letting them know they matter to your brand. Far from the best deals you'll offer all year, the impact is still shocking, resulting in as much as 1 in 3 customers visiting your store in response to the email, and at least 1 in 10 making a purchase they otherwise may not have. Here's some helpful tips for making that 2% work for you.
                      • Personalize the content and delivery as much as possible, down to knowing to send a customer either a message optimized for a laptop/desktop, or for mobile viewing
                      • Offer them not only great deals, just for being the birthday boy or girl, but exclusives that require immediate action, like high value, short term discounts
                      • Consider investing in your higher valued customers, and use this day to reach out to them with more extravagant offers, or even free merchandise/services, simply to deepen their relationship with you
                      • Expand your reach not only through email birthday messages, but also SMS/Text, stripping down the message and efficiently connecting with the consumer without concerns of data use or email filters
                      • Offer beyond your customer, such as suggesting they shop for someone else's birthday, be it a friend, family member or pet. The positive feeling they have from you over being remembered may transfer to them purchasing on someone else's behalf
                      • Don't worry if they don't all make a purchase from a birthday email, the response serves as much to maintain your list-health as it does your revenue, and that contact generated a visit that otherwise wouldn't have happened
                      
                      

                      At the end of the day, these annual automated messages must serve two purposes, and two purposes only; confirming and using the contact information acquired to generate future engagement, and to remind the consumer that you exist, making even a simple click-through rate increase an easy victory for your brand.

                      Our Sponsors

                      Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>When it comes to building engagement and a positive relationship with your customers, personal service is key, and there is no more personal a service than the annual automated birthday message. According to Omnisend Marketing Autmation's traffic metrics, the largest return spike of all promotions is that once-a-year email, addressed directly to the consumer, simply letting them know they matter to your brand. Far from the best deals you'll offer all year, the impact is still shocking, resulting in as much as 1 in 3 customers visiting your store in response to the email, and at least 1 in 10 making a purchase they otherwise may not have. Here's some helpful tips for making that 2% work for you.
                      • Personalize the content and delivery as much as possible, down to knowing to send a customer either a message optimized for a laptop/desktop, or for mobile viewing
                      • Offer them not only great deals, just for being the birthday boy or girl, but exclusives that require immediate action, like high value, short term discounts
                      • Consider investing in your higher valued customers, and use this day to reach out to them with more extravagant offers, or even free merchandise/services, simply to deepen their relationship with you
                      • Expand your reach not only through email birthday messages, but also SMS/Text, stripping down the message and efficiently connecting with the consumer without concerns of data use or email filters
                      • Offer beyond your customer, such as suggesting they shop for someone else's birthday, be it a friend, family member or pet. The positive feeling they have from you over being remembered may transfer to them purchasing on someone else's behalf
                      • Don't worry if they don't all make a purchase from a birthday email, the response serves as much to maintain your list-health as it does your revenue, and that contact generated a visit that otherwise wouldn't have happened
                      
                      

                      At the end of the day, these annual automated messages must serve two purposes, and two purposes only; confirming and using the contact information acquired to generate future engagement, and to remind the consumer that you exist, making even a simple click-through rate increase an easy victory for your brand.

                      Our Sponsors

                      Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>b6606d16-d413-44a0-9e7f-05f15ef8a0abTue, 09 Mar 2021 05:05:00 -050007:11yesfull30Did you know that just 2% of all emails lead to over 30% of your store's revenue? Find out how remembering your customer's special day can be the gift you give yourself.Lucas WalkerJuliana Jackson's Next Steps To Increasing Customer Lifetime ValueMake your buyers feel safe, and they will return. Juliana Jackson has defined 8 steps to increase customer lifetime value success, for small start ups to midsize companies, and shares the last four with Lucas and Pitstop.
                      • Focus on the customer journey. Buy from yourself to experience interacting with your brand and using your products. Map the journey, and  deliver value at every touchpoint of that journey.
                      • Shift your focus from new customer acquisitions to ideal customer acquisitions. Target those who RFM segmentation identify as your best customers, not the average consumer.
                      • Empower your customer support team to help you gather further data, listen to their customer experiences, and use that data to generate a more safe and comfortable customer individual experience.
                      • Orchestrate personalized campaigns on all of your channels. Understand your customers, understand the value they bring you, and optimize their experience with that understanding.
                      
                      

                      The more comfortable, safe and satisfied your customer feels post-transaction, the more likely they will become a high value customer.

                      Our Sponsors

                      Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>Make your buyers feel safe, and they will return. Juliana Jackson has defined 8 steps to increase customer lifetime value success, for small start ups to midsize companies, and shares the last four with Lucas and Pitstop.
                      • Focus on the customer journey. Buy from yourself to experience interacting with your brand and using your products. Map the journey, and  deliver value at every touchpoint of that journey.
                      • Shift your focus from new customer acquisitions to ideal customer acquisitions. Target those who RFM segmentation identify as your best customers, not the average consumer.
                      • Empower your customer support team to help you gather further data, listen to their customer experiences, and use that data to generate a more safe and comfortable customer individual experience.
                      • Orchestrate personalized campaigns on all of your channels. Understand your customers, understand the value they bring you, and optimize their experience with that understanding.
                      
                      

                      The more comfortable, safe and satisfied your customer feels post-transaction, the more likely they will become a high value customer.

                      Our Sponsors

                      Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>c9f4d03b-c39d-47e9-9e5f-34e0fb617558Mon, 08 Mar 2021 05:05:00 -050011:40yesfull29Juliana Jackson, the Customer Lifetime Value Lady, shares the last of her 8 steps to increase CLTV and ensure a positive and profitable consumer relationship.Juliana JacksonJuliana Jackson's Steps To Increasing Customer Lifetime ValueA happy, satisfied customer is a returning customer. Juliana Jackson has defined 8 steps to increase customer lifetime value success, for small start ups to midsize companies, and shares the first four with Lucas and Pitstop.
                      1. Monitor what matters; customer retention, net promoter score, customer effort score, orders per customer and recency
                      2. Change the way your company defines success. An internally aligned and united vision provides consistent, quality service, increasing CLTV
                      3. Find your ideal customers. Recency, frequency, and monetary (RFM)  segmentation analysis can help you identify your most valued customers.
                      4. Identify your top and toxic products. Removing toxic products and optimizing your inventory will reduce low-value customers and encourage high-value customers.
                      
                      

                      Our Sponsors

                      Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>A happy, satisfied customer is a returning customer. Juliana Jackson has defined 8 steps to increase customer lifetime value success, for small start ups to midsize companies, and shares the first four with Lucas and Pitstop.
                      1. Monitor what matters; customer retention, net promoter score, customer effort score, orders per customer and recency
                      2. Change the way your company defines success. An internally aligned and united vision provides consistent, quality service, increasing CLTV
                      3. Find your ideal customers. Recency, frequency, and monetary (RFM)  segmentation analysis can help you identify your most valued customers.
                      4. Identify your top and toxic products. Removing toxic products and optimizing your inventory will reduce low-value customers and encourage high-value customers.
                      
                      

                      Our Sponsors

                      Omnisend - Shogun - ShipBob - Gorgias

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>430e7f01-26e9-44c5-b3f8-cec248110bd3Fri, 05 Mar 2021 05:05:00 -050013:34yesfull28Juliana Jackson, the Customer Lifetime Value Lady, shares the first of her 8 steps to increase CLTV and ensure a positive and profitable consumer relationship.Lucas WalkerPitboss Mike D's Roadside BBQ PitstopMike D's Ecommerce Pitboss Top Tips
                      • Don't be  caught up worrying where people are buying your product. Customers will purchase the product they want the way they're most comfortable. Don't interfere with that. You may be making a smaller margin with a wholesale purchase, but you are still making a margin.
                      • Meet customers where they are, not where you want them to be. A sale is a sale.
                      • Instead, focus on expanding availability and options for the customer. Give them as many options for engaging with your brand as is sustainable.
                      
                      

                      Sponsors

                      What is Headless Commerce? Shogun explains. 

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>Mike D's Ecommerce Pitboss Top Tips
                      • Don't be  caught up worrying where people are buying your product. Customers will purchase the product they want the way they're most comfortable. Don't interfere with that. You may be making a smaller margin with a wholesale purchase, but you are still making a margin.
                      • Meet customers where they are, not where you want them to be. A sale is a sale.
                      • Instead, focus on expanding availability and options for the customer. Give them as many options for engaging with your brand as is sustainable.
                      
                      

                      Sponsors

                      What is Headless Commerce? Shogun explains. 

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>5bb4d37b-7310-4e83-a6a9-9d32d45e9f62Thu, 04 Mar 2021 05:05:00 -050012:41yesfull27Mike D, costar of Discovery's 'I Quit', may have the table set with a selection of sauces, rubs and spices, but that doesn't mean he isn't always on the look out for the next big meal. The Ecommerce Pitboss stopped in with Lucas and Pitstop to share his top tips and choice cuts.Mike DEmbrace Accessibility To Increase Product Visibility - Ilana DavisHow to make your site a more accessible experience
                      • Don't dismiss accessibility just because your product isn't primarily for disabled customers; 20% of consumers have a disability in one form or another
                      • Optimize your pages for screen reader apps and programs
                      • Add alt-text descriptions to any images included, especially product images
                      • Use clearly contrasting texts and backgrounds, rather than over-designed fonts or funky tones
                      
                      

                      Accessibility advantages don't just allow and drive engagement and sales from those who suffer from restrictions or disabilities, they make shopping an easier and more enjoyable experience for all customers.

                      Sponsors

                      Think you might be ready for Headless Commerce? Shogun has put together this piece to help brands like yours understand if going headless is for you.

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>How to make your site a more accessible experience
                      • Don't dismiss accessibility just because your product isn't primarily for disabled customers; 20% of consumers have a disability in one form or another
                      • Optimize your pages for screen reader apps and programs
                      • Add alt-text descriptions to any images included, especially product images
                      • Use clearly contrasting texts and backgrounds, rather than over-designed fonts or funky tones
                      
                      

                      Accessibility advantages don't just allow and drive engagement and sales from those who suffer from restrictions or disabilities, they make shopping an easier and more enjoyable experience for all customers.

                      Sponsors

                      Think you might be ready for Headless Commerce? Shogun has put together this piece to help brands like yours understand if going headless is for you.

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>5e37f395-ec60-4b7e-ae58-e58944bec8a4Sun, 28 Feb 2021 05:05:00 -050012:18yesfull26The best online presentation amounts to nothing if it can't be seen by your customers. Shopify superhero Ilana Davis explains how centering accessibility for the visually impaired aids not only those with special needs, but improves your online visibility to all consumers. Making an easier shopping experience for one makes an easier shopping experience for all.Ilana DavisMaximize Website Conversions By Making Product Tabs Taboo - Ilana DavisShopify superhero Ilana Davis details that while page tabs may seem like a great way to share information with customers, they instead tend to overwhelm, confuse and drive away potential sales, while interfering with accessibility.

                      A consumer coming to your site is more often than not visiting for an exact reason, whether it's to purchase your product or to learn something specific about it. Hiding these details behind a variety of tabs confuse and irritate visitors, rather than effectively presenting the information they want. 

                      What's more, it can effect SEO, as details you want to appear in search engines such as Google can be lost in the shuffle. Presenting this information clearly and upfront will increase not only website conversions, but also external traffic.

                      Sponsors

                      Thank you to Shogun sponsoring the Rolled Up Podcast Network. Nomad increased page speed, resulting in a 25% increase in conversions, a 15.6% reduction in their bounce rate, and most importantly made 25% more per sale when switching to Shogun Frontend.

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>Shopify superhero Ilana Davis details that while page tabs may seem like a great way to share information with customers, they instead tend to overwhelm, confuse and drive away potential sales, while interfering with accessibility.

                      A consumer coming to your site is more often than not visiting for an exact reason, whether it's to purchase your product or to learn something specific about it. Hiding these details behind a variety of tabs confuse and irritate visitors, rather than effectively presenting the information they want. 

                      What's more, it can effect SEO, as details you want to appear in search engines such as Google can be lost in the shuffle. Presenting this information clearly and upfront will increase not only website conversions, but also external traffic.

                      Sponsors

                      Thank you to Shogun sponsoring the Rolled Up Podcast Network. Nomad increased page speed, resulting in a 25% increase in conversions, a 15.6% reduction in their bounce rate, and most importantly made 25% more per sale when switching to Shogun Frontend.

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>b8876db8-28f3-4d3b-a703-be639a37745eSat, 27 Feb 2021 05:05:00 -050009:49yesfull25Shopify superhero Ilana Davis details that while page tabs may seem like a great way to share information with customers, they instead tend to overwhelm, confuse and drive away potential sales, while interfering with accessibility.Lucas WalkerRescue Your Shopify Page By Streamlining Presentation - Ilana DavisHow to rescue your homepage without a costly redesign:
                      • Less is more; don't overwhelm the consumer with countless product options, special deals, or flashy image carousels
                      • Concentrate what is shown by presenting only your primary products upfront on your homepage
                      • Know what your customers come to you for, and focus on that specific product or service
                      • Don't over-complicate or add steps to purchasing a product; if there's an image of what you are selling on your page, clicking on it should bring the customer to a page where they can buy it
                      • Avoid turning you page into a maze, if customers can't quickly find their way back to the product they want, they'll leave
                      
                      

                      Sponsors

                      Thank you to Shogun sponsoring the Rolled Up Podcast Network. Nomad increased page speed, resulting in a 25% increase in conversions, a 15.6% reduction in their bounce rate, and most importantly made 25% more per sale when switching to Shogun Frontend.

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>How to rescue your homepage without a costly redesign:
                      • Less is more; don't overwhelm the consumer with countless product options, special deals, or flashy image carousels
                      • Concentrate what is shown by presenting only your primary products upfront on your homepage
                      • Know what your customers come to you for, and focus on that specific product or service
                      • Don't over-complicate or add steps to purchasing a product; if there's an image of what you are selling on your page, clicking on it should bring the customer to a page where they can buy it
                      • Avoid turning you page into a maze, if customers can't quickly find their way back to the product they want, they'll leave
                      
                      

                      Sponsors

                      Thank you to Shogun sponsoring the Rolled Up Podcast Network. Nomad increased page speed, resulting in a 25% increase in conversions, a 15.6% reduction in their bounce rate, and most importantly made 25% more per sale when switching to Shogun Frontend.

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>9134f596-f7eb-43c3-9cf4-555a40226c85Fri, 26 Feb 2021 05:05:00 -050009:47yesfull24Lucas is joined by Shopify superhero Ilana Davis, who shares her tips on saving your brand by simplifying your online presence.Lucas WalkerPinterest is The Traffic Source That Keeps On GivingHow are you monetizing Pinterest?
                      • Increase organic reach
                      • Send traffic to a landing page
                      • Increase your seasonal reach year after year
                      • Send traffic to a dedicated landing page.
                      
                      

                      Sponsors

                      Thank you to Shogun for sponsoring Rolled Up. Create dedicated landing pages for holiday promotions with Shogun Page Builder, and learn how to get less than 1 second page load times with Shogun Front End.

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>How are you monetizing Pinterest?
                      • Increase organic reach
                      • Send traffic to a landing page
                      • Increase your seasonal reach year after year
                      • Send traffic to a dedicated landing page.
                      
                      

                      Sponsors

                      Thank you to Shogun for sponsoring Rolled Up. Create dedicated landing pages for holiday promotions with Shogun Page Builder, and learn how to get less than 1 second page load times with Shogun Front End.

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>3bfd1dc0-3f75-4dfc-9fa5-988c954a901cThu, 25 Feb 2021 18:09:11 -050007:50yesfull23Pinterest keeps bringing you traffic long after you're active on the platform. It can bring traffic and sales to your store with some effort upfront.Rolled Up Podcast NetworkWhich Headless Commerce Platform is Right For Your BrandWhen it comes to headless commerce, there are a few options. You can build in house, hire an agency, or use a platform to choose. These are the main choices.

                      Headless Options

                      • Shogun makes it much easier to get into headless commerce, particularly if your team isn't technical. It's great for marketers and brand driven ecommerce companies.
                      • Nacelle is much more technical, but allows for more flexibility and customization.
                      • Fabric is another platform, typically used by larger enterprise brands
                      • Customer or Agency build can be pricy, but fit for your needs. 
                      
                      

                      Sponsors

                      Sponsored by Shogun. The marketing driven brand's choice for Headless Commerce

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>When it comes to headless commerce, there are a few options. You can build in house, hire an agency, or use a platform to choose. These are the main choices.

                      Headless Options

                      • Shogun makes it much easier to get into headless commerce, particularly if your team isn't technical. It's great for marketers and brand driven ecommerce companies.
                      • Nacelle is much more technical, but allows for more flexibility and customization.
                      • Fabric is another platform, typically used by larger enterprise brands
                      • Customer or Agency build can be pricy, but fit for your needs. 
                      
                      

                      Sponsors

                      Sponsored by Shogun. The marketing driven brand's choice for Headless Commerce

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>9f08e8e5-5323-464c-9b83-7658a6dc3e33Tue, 23 Feb 2021 05:05:00 -050009:33yesfull22David McCary, Headless Commerce Expert, joins Lucas Walker to discuss headless commerce platforms, and choosing the right one for your brand.Rolled Up Podcast NetworkHeadless Commerce Considerations and ChoicesDavid McCary, Headless Commerce Expert, joins Lucas Walker to discuss headless commerce platforms.

                      When should a brand consider headless commerce?

                      • Looking toward internationalization (Or regionalization)
                      • Flexibility in how their content is displayed and delivered
                      • Performance needed to bring store to the next revenue level
                      • Revenue in the 7 figured approaching 8 figure or higher
                      
                      

                      Layers of Complexity

                      • Developers and marketers will mean different things 
                      • Platforms like Shogun Frontend drastically reduce the complexity 
                      • Modular platforms like custom builds or tools built for developers  can give more control but  add complexity and costs.
                      
                      

                      Benefits of Headless

                      • Increased  flexibility of content assets, for example different images in different regions
                      • Increase speed like  Nomad Goods.
                      
                      

                      Tools Mentioned

                      • Carts: Shopify, Big Commerce
                      • CMS: Prismic, Contentful
                      • Headless Platforms: Shogun (sponsor), Nacelle.
                      
                      

                      Sponsors

                      Sponsored by Shogun. Like David said, they make it significantly easier to get into Headless Commerce.

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>David McCary, Headless Commerce Expert, joins Lucas Walker to discuss headless commerce platforms.

                      When should a brand consider headless commerce?

                      • Looking toward internationalization (Or regionalization)
                      • Flexibility in how their content is displayed and delivered
                      • Performance needed to bring store to the next revenue level
                      • Revenue in the 7 figured approaching 8 figure or higher
                      
                      

                      Layers of Complexity

                      • Developers and marketers will mean different things 
                      • Platforms like Shogun Frontend drastically reduce the complexity 
                      • Modular platforms like custom builds or tools built for developers  can give more control but  add complexity and costs.
                      
                      

                      Benefits of Headless

                      • Increased  flexibility of content assets, for example different images in different regions
                      • Increase speed like  Nomad Goods.
                      
                      

                      Tools Mentioned

                      • Carts: Shopify, Big Commerce
                      • CMS: Prismic, Contentful
                      • Headless Platforms: Shogun (sponsor), Nacelle.
                      
                      

                      Sponsors

                      Sponsored by Shogun. Like David said, they make it significantly easier to get into Headless Commerce.

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>be690039-0f9f-4415-adf3-5ada517672c3Mon, 22 Feb 2021 05:05:00 -050011:19yesfull21David McCary, Headless Commerce Expert, joins Lucas Walker to discuss headless commerce platforms.David McCaryHow Much Margin Do I Need to go WholesaleIf your socks cost $2 to make, how much should you charge retailers and distributors to make sure your business survives?
                      
                      Thank you to Sam in the Shopify Plus Community for asking this question.

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>If your socks cost $2 to make, how much should you charge retailers and distributors to make sure your business survives?
                      
                      Thank you to Sam in the Shopify Plus Community for asking this question.

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>d6b7d5a5-72be-4967-84c8-f44ffd80809fFri, 19 Feb 2021 05:00:00 -050006:00yesfull20If your socks or products cost $2 to make, how much should you charge retailers and distributors to make sure your business survives?Rolled Up Podcast NetworkIncrease Your Conversion Rate on Non Sales PagesPotential buyers who take the time to read your about us page, make great customers! Your retailer page isn't just for customers to buy in store either. You can use it to land new distributors and retailers too.

                      Sponsors

                      Thank you to Shogun sponsoring the Rolled Up Podcast Network. Nomad increased page speed, resulting in a 25% increase in conversions, a 15.6% reduction in their bounce rate, and most importantly made 25% more per sale when switching to Shogun Frontend.

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>Potential buyers who take the time to read your about us page, make great customers! Your retailer page isn't just for customers to buy in store either. You can use it to land new distributors and retailers too.

                      Sponsors

                      Thank you to Shogun sponsoring the Rolled Up Podcast Network. Nomad increased page speed, resulting in a 25% increase in conversions, a 15.6% reduction in their bounce rate, and most importantly made 25% more per sale when switching to Shogun Frontend.

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>3cde51bf-4058-47f9-bdc0-98b9a9a0921dThu, 18 Feb 2021 05:05:00 -050005:15yesfull19Potential buyers who take the time to read your about us page, make great customers! Your retailer page isn't just for customers to buy in store either. You can use it to land new distributors and retailers too.Lucas WalkerIt's Time to Retire Trust Badges. And What You Can Replace Them WithMentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>d4a3b436-eaef-40b9-a61a-2463205dc1ebTue, 16 Feb 2021 05:05:00 -050006:34yesfull18Trust badges have had their time and may be costing you sales. Here's what you can replace them with.Rolled Up Podcast Network70,000 Emails And Growing!Will Critcher of Death Wish Coffee painstakingly redesigned their brand.from product and webpage to social media presence and consumer outreach. Now with a list of over 70,000 emails, Will shares his secrets to customer engagement with Pitstop’s own Lucas Walker.

                      What can brands do to convert client sign-ups into active purchases?

                      Generating an active and dynamic business ecosystem that engages the customer as a community member, not just a source of sale.

                      • Use randomized leech-in options, like gift codes of varying amounts, to continue to drive incentivization and interactions with the brand.
                      • Stick to more tangible offered benefits, such as gift codes, that customerscan understand. A percentage off a purchase can be vague and distancing for the consumer, but a flat rate, such as $5 off, is more likely to drive engagement and purchases as it’s something more concrete and relatable.
                      • 10 or 10,000 visits or engagements a dayYou should be doing everything you can to encourage your customers to entrust you with their email or contact information, putting you in control of future engagements with those consumers. Anything you can do to capture first party data will generate future leads.
                      • Remain engaged and active with your leads throughout your business relationship, not just sporadically. Make contact as often as possible, in the form of product and brand updates, gifts codes and special offers, feedback requests and direct emails upon new purchases, to continue their engagement with your brand even after their transaction has been completed.
                      • Email is your primary and fundamental point of contact, but always drive further engagement from your lists to your other available content-options. such as SMS updates or offers using a tool like Omnisend or Privy.
                      • Reward those engagements. Provide unique offers through your various engagement mediums, not just the same offers repeated. Push them up your value ladder, from would be one time buyer to dedicated subscriber, one step at a time.
                      • Become familiar with the average timeline of product turnover for customers. If it takes a week to finish a bag of coffee, then a week after your system registers a purchase, reach out to that customer with an offer for their next purchase. This drives a sense of community and creates a special bond between the brand and the consumer.
                      
                      

                      Why continue to use email as a primary contact when we live in a world of social media and text messaging?

                      • Email remains the most cost effective and direct means for reaching out to your customers, while driving active engagements from the consumer back to your product.
                      • Automated email systems are by far the cheapest option for mass-contact, and can be randomized to avoid stale or repeating content.
                      • Customers can easily engage with your brand in return, providing valuable active and up to date feedback on your products, again with no extra cost beyond the initial price of the email campaign.
                      • Unlike SMS which can only appear as text or static images, or social media which requires the consumer to come to your brand constantly for updates, emails also allow for flyer-style marketing, turning your outreach into a storefront from which they can directly purchase product.
                      
                      

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>Will Critcher of Death Wish Coffee painstakingly redesigned their brand.from product and webpage to social media presence and consumer outreach. Now with a list of over 70,000 emails, Will shares his secrets to customer engagement with Pitstop’s own Lucas Walker.

                      What can brands do to convert client sign-ups into active purchases?

                      Generating an active and dynamic business ecosystem that engages the customer as a community member, not just a source of sale.

                      • Use randomized leech-in options, like gift codes of varying amounts, to continue to drive incentivization and interactions with the brand.
                      • Stick to more tangible offered benefits, such as gift codes, that customerscan understand. A percentage off a purchase can be vague and distancing for the consumer, but a flat rate, such as $5 off, is more likely to drive engagement and purchases as it’s something more concrete and relatable.
                      • 10 or 10,000 visits or engagements a dayYou should be doing everything you can to encourage your customers to entrust you with their email or contact information, putting you in control of future engagements with those consumers. Anything you can do to capture first party data will generate future leads.
                      • Remain engaged and active with your leads throughout your business relationship, not just sporadically. Make contact as often as possible, in the form of product and brand updates, gifts codes and special offers, feedback requests and direct emails upon new purchases, to continue their engagement with your brand even after their transaction has been completed.
                      • Email is your primary and fundamental point of contact, but always drive further engagement from your lists to your other available content-options. such as SMS updates or offers using a tool like Omnisend or Privy.
                      • Reward those engagements. Provide unique offers through your various engagement mediums, not just the same offers repeated. Push them up your value ladder, from would be one time buyer to dedicated subscriber, one step at a time.
                      • Become familiar with the average timeline of product turnover for customers. If it takes a week to finish a bag of coffee, then a week after your system registers a purchase, reach out to that customer with an offer for their next purchase. This drives a sense of community and creates a special bond between the brand and the consumer.
                      
                      

                      Why continue to use email as a primary contact when we live in a world of social media and text messaging?

                      • Email remains the most cost effective and direct means for reaching out to your customers, while driving active engagements from the consumer back to your product.
                      • Automated email systems are by far the cheapest option for mass-contact, and can be randomized to avoid stale or repeating content.
                      • Customers can easily engage with your brand in return, providing valuable active and up to date feedback on your products, again with no extra cost beyond the initial price of the email campaign.
                      • Unlike SMS which can only appear as text or static images, or social media which requires the consumer to come to your brand constantly for updates, emails also allow for flyer-style marketing, turning your outreach into a storefront from which they can directly purchase product.
                      
                      

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>374070ea-46f3-44dc-8fef-ebc09aed7a50Fri, 12 Feb 2021 05:05:00 -050020:38yesfull17Congratulations on your list growth, but are you ready to manage 70,000 emails?Rolled Up Podcast NetworkDeath Wish Coffee's SEO Strategy You Can StealWhat we like about solid
                      • Feature your best selling product above the fold, and easy to access.
                      • Minimize returns by helping people choose the right size
                      • Utilizing video to tell a story
                      
                      

                      Easy ways to generate $100 more sales

                      • Utilize quizzes to help customers choose right product
                      • Have an image that scales to mobile
                      • Update your site to keep it current for 2020, including remove Google Plus
                      • Make gifting easy, especially for wedding parties
                      • Put the same product in multiple collections
                      • Plan for seasonal sales ahead of time
                      • Create content that you can sell and open up new market places, e.g. make your own leather goods on Etsy
                      
                      

                      How to Market Like Death Wish Coffee

                      • Talk about things your customers like, in this case Chemex
                      • Talk about winners. Mercedes sells more after an F1 win.
                      
                      

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>What we like about solid
                      • Feature your best selling product above the fold, and easy to access.
                      • Minimize returns by helping people choose the right size
                      • Utilizing video to tell a story
                      
                      

                      Easy ways to generate $100 more sales

                      • Utilize quizzes to help customers choose right product
                      • Have an image that scales to mobile
                      • Update your site to keep it current for 2020, including remove Google Plus
                      • Make gifting easy, especially for wedding parties
                      • Put the same product in multiple collections
                      • Plan for seasonal sales ahead of time
                      • Create content that you can sell and open up new market places, e.g. make your own leather goods on Etsy
                      
                      

                      How to Market Like Death Wish Coffee

                      • Talk about things your customers like, in this case Chemex
                      • Talk about winners. Mercedes sells more after an F1 win.
                      
                      

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>a9718385-5a41-43b5-9e9a-0953aa4ba34eThu, 11 Feb 2021 05:05:00 -050013:19yesfull16Will Critcher, Director of Ecommerce for Death Wish Coffee, reviews Solid Leather. While they look like a single product store, they have multiple ways to sell. He also shares some of Death Wish Coffee's SEO strategy.Lucas WalkerRetailers Won't Save your Product from a Lack of Demand with Chris Meade of CrossnetMentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>5bb27287-99c0-447f-9f8a-007e96311c75Tue, 09 Feb 2021 05:05:00 -050008:36yesfull15Chris Meade, co-founder of Crossnet shares the mistake many brands make when approaching large retail stores.Rolled Up Podcast NetworkReview and Tune Up of Local Artisan Store.Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>5886059b-62bd-4c85-a650-97ae86b18342Mon, 08 Feb 2021 05:05:00 -050018:28yesfull14Will Critcher, head of ecommerce at Death Wish Coffee joins the garage to review and tune up Kingston Glass Studio.Rolled Up Podcast NetworkLosing $18,000 because of a StickerChris Meade shares his Crossnet retail strategy, including avoiding chargebacks due to bad sticker placement, and allocating 10% of purchase orders to marketing budget.

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>Chris Meade shares his Crossnet retail strategy, including avoiding chargebacks due to bad sticker placement, and allocating 10% of purchase orders to marketing budget.

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>7d44c703-8837-4d79-a3cc-1e925cb882fcFri, 05 Feb 2021 05:05:00 -050011:34yesfull13Chris Meade shares some of the mistakes he's learned about bringing Crossnet into retail, including an $18,000 Chargeback.Rolled Up Podcast NetworkWhat to do When Someone Doesn't Open the First Email of Your Perfect Welcome Flow.After breaking down a losing and winning email, Chase Dimond walks you through the perfect welcome flow. In this episode you'll get subject lines, body copy, timing, and automation triggers to have a profitable welcome flow that keeps your store open and welcoming new customers 24/7.
                      
                      You'll even learn what to do when someone doesn't open your winning first email.

                      Ideal Welcome Flow

                      The best thing that can happen during a welcome flow is that someone converts! If that happens, make sure you stop sending them the welcome flow, and instead, send them to a post purchase flow. The welcome flow should go out over the span of about a week, week and a half. The goal is to get people to understand your brand and who you are.

                      Welcome email 1.

                      Typically has the highest open rates with 30-50% with rates as high as 80%. Keeping the content of the welcome flow fresh with timely events like PR, news, or holiday updates. For example, the last day to order before the holidays. Especially during a global viral pandemic.

                      Welcome email 2. 

                      Typically send 1-2 days after the first email, you’ll want to test your own data to see what works best for your brand. At a minimum it should hit 20-40% open rate, and as high as 60%. This email should focus on the brand story, and the benefits of buying from you. Answer your customers, What’s in it for me? Testimonials and quotes like “97% of our revenue comes from repeat or referral customers”. Whatever your competitive advantage is, now is the time to show it.

                      Typically subject lines for a second email can be things like

                      • Learn more about us
                      • Here’s our story
                      • Why we started Company, and why people like you are glad we did
                      • Level up your (sneaker/sock/cereal/podcast) game
                      
                      

                      Welcome Email 3. 

                      This is where to show social proof and best products. Some of the best social proof are. Typical open rates for this email are 20-35%, still strong but starting to drop. The third email should come out another 2-3 days after the second email. Some of the best ways to showcase social proof are: 

                      • Customer Reviews
                      • Press mentions
                      • Celebrity endorsements or brand mentions 
                      • Retail footprint
                      
                      

                      Great subject lines can include

                      • What our customers say
                      • Have you treated yourself lately
                      • See why Celeb/Press Name called us (quote from them)
                      • Not ready to buy online, shop in store
                      
                      

                      If you do get some PR, don’t just use that to drive the sale, use it for social proof to increase your conversion rate. It will provide a boost, but you can keep telling people about it forever.

                      Welcome Email 4.

                       If people haven’t purchased yet, get them into your community. The call to action here can be to join a Facebook group, follow on Instagram. It will go out 3-4 days after email 3.

                      Great subject lines for a fourth email

                      • Keep in touch
                      • Quick question for you
                      • We read all replies (if you actually do)
                      • Join the family/community
                      • Meet the team
                      
                      

                      But what if someone doesn’t open the first email?

                      Change the subject line and send it again before sending the second email. You can change the copy a little bit if you want, but make sure you change the subject line. If a customer doesn’t open the emails or purchase, make sure you still send them your campaigns.

                      Some great campaigns to send them can be.

                      • Product launches
                      • Holiday sales
                      • Company news
                      
                      

                      If they do click through to a product or start a purchase you can add them to a browse or cart abandonment email.

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>After breaking down a losing and winning email, Chase Dimond walks you through the perfect welcome flow. In this episode you'll get subject lines, body copy, timing, and automation triggers to have a profitable welcome flow that keeps your store open and welcoming new customers 24/7.
                      
                      You'll even learn what to do when someone doesn't open your winning first email.

                      Ideal Welcome Flow

                      The best thing that can happen during a welcome flow is that someone converts! If that happens, make sure you stop sending them the welcome flow, and instead, send them to a post purchase flow. The welcome flow should go out over the span of about a week, week and a half. The goal is to get people to understand your brand and who you are.

                      Welcome email 1.

                      Typically has the highest open rates with 30-50% with rates as high as 80%. Keeping the content of the welcome flow fresh with timely events like PR, news, or holiday updates. For example, the last day to order before the holidays. Especially during a global viral pandemic.

                      Welcome email 2. 

                      Typically send 1-2 days after the first email, you’ll want to test your own data to see what works best for your brand. At a minimum it should hit 20-40% open rate, and as high as 60%. This email should focus on the brand story, and the benefits of buying from you. Answer your customers, What’s in it for me? Testimonials and quotes like “97% of our revenue comes from repeat or referral customers”. Whatever your competitive advantage is, now is the time to show it.

                      Typically subject lines for a second email can be things like

                      • Learn more about us
                      • Here’s our story
                      • Why we started Company, and why people like you are glad we did
                      • Level up your (sneaker/sock/cereal/podcast) game
                      
                      

                      Welcome Email 3. 

                      This is where to show social proof and best products. Some of the best social proof are. Typical open rates for this email are 20-35%, still strong but starting to drop. The third email should come out another 2-3 days after the second email. Some of the best ways to showcase social proof are: 

                      • Customer Reviews
                      • Press mentions
                      • Celebrity endorsements or brand mentions 
                      • Retail footprint
                      
                      

                      Great subject lines can include

                      • What our customers say
                      • Have you treated yourself lately
                      • See why Celeb/Press Name called us (quote from them)
                      • Not ready to buy online, shop in store
                      
                      

                      If you do get some PR, don’t just use that to drive the sale, use it for social proof to increase your conversion rate. It will provide a boost, but you can keep telling people about it forever.

                      Welcome Email 4.

                       If people haven’t purchased yet, get them into your community. The call to action here can be to join a Facebook group, follow on Instagram. It will go out 3-4 days after email 3.

                      Great subject lines for a fourth email

                      • Keep in touch
                      • Quick question for you
                      • We read all replies (if you actually do)
                      • Join the family/community
                      • Meet the team
                      
                      

                      But what if someone doesn’t open the first email?

                      Change the subject line and send it again before sending the second email. You can change the copy a little bit if you want, but make sure you change the subject line. If a customer doesn’t open the emails or purchase, make sure you still send them your campaigns.

                      Some great campaigns to send them can be.

                      • Product launches
                      • Holiday sales
                      • Company news
                      
                      

                      If they do click through to a product or start a purchase you can add them to a browse or cart abandonment email.

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>c33ae89a-b518-419e-8bba-2ef0dcde1329Thu, 04 Feb 2021 05:05:00 -050019:24yesfull12Now that you know a losing and winning email, put it all together and build the perfect welcome flow.Rolled Up Podcast NetworkWinners Prove Me Right - Chase Dimond Shares Profitable Email SecretsAfter generating over $50M in attributable email revenue, Chase Dimond shows you easy ways to make $100 every time you send an email.

                      Elements of a Winning Email

                      • Easy to identify the logo and know who is sending the email
                      • All the images look like they were part of the same photoshoot
                      • Well written copy (less words are more)
                      • Live text will scale to the device, making emails more accessible and easier to read across devices
                      • Target your emails to one ideal customer profile
                      • Have a 1A and 1B offer where the main call to action is a sale, and the secondary action is entering into a giveaway.
                      • Be predictable like a late night TV show
                      
                      

                      Additional Resources

                      • Improve your page conversions and speed with Shogun.
                      • Anatomy of a winning emai
                      
                      

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>After generating over $50M in attributable email revenue, Chase Dimond shows you easy ways to make $100 every time you send an email.

                      Elements of a Winning Email

                      • Easy to identify the logo and know who is sending the email
                      • All the images look like they were part of the same photoshoot
                      • Well written copy (less words are more)
                      • Live text will scale to the device, making emails more accessible and easier to read across devices
                      • Target your emails to one ideal customer profile
                      • Have a 1A and 1B offer where the main call to action is a sale, and the secondary action is entering into a giveaway.
                      • Be predictable like a late night TV show
                      
                      

                      Additional Resources

                      • Improve your page conversions and speed with Shogun.
                      • Anatomy of a winning emai
                      
                      

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>feea94ec-d957-4e35-89ed-c0c34d411327Tue, 02 Feb 2021 05:05:00 -050009:13yesfull11Chase Dimond Returns in part II to share what makes your emails winners. Use these in your campaigns, automations, and transactional emails.Rolled Up Podcast NetworkLosers Prove Me Wrong - Chase Dimond Explains Bad EmailWant to follow along, and see the email we're breaking down? Follow along here. Chase Dimond breaks down a losing email from a major UK pharmacist. Avoid these mistakes, and you'll make an extra $100.

                      Campaigns are one time sends, like a new product announcement or holiday sale. Automations or flows are what happens when someone joins your newsletter, or makes a purchase. Transactional emails are things like order confirmations or shipping updates.

                      Fast Fixes and Common Mistakes costing you $100 every time an email is sent.

                      • Have an email that’s readable and actionable on mobile and desktop.
                      • Your email design should match your website. If your website and social profiles are beautiful, why don’t they look the same.
                      • Use design elements, things like fonts, weights, and colours to draw the eye.
                      • USING ALL CAPS IS HARD TO READ. FINE FOR HEADLINES BUT DON'T PUBLISH FULL SENTENCES. SEE HOW ANNOYING IT IS?
                      • Coupons and deals should be easy to understand at a glance.
                      • Have one action that you want readers to take, if it’s coupon redemption make it clear and easy to understand
                      • Don’t waste space
                      • Giving an unsubscribe option will prevent you from being marked as spam.
                      
                      

                      Additional Resources

                      • Improve your page conversions and speed with Shogun.
                      • Anatomy of a losing email with Chase Dimond.
                      
                      

                       

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>Want to follow along, and see the email we're breaking down? Follow along here. Chase Dimond breaks down a losing email from a major UK pharmacist. Avoid these mistakes, and you'll make an extra $100.

                      Campaigns are one time sends, like a new product announcement or holiday sale. Automations or flows are what happens when someone joins your newsletter, or makes a purchase. Transactional emails are things like order confirmations or shipping updates.

                      Fast Fixes and Common Mistakes costing you $100 every time an email is sent.

                      • Have an email that’s readable and actionable on mobile and desktop.
                      • Your email design should match your website. If your website and social profiles are beautiful, why don’t they look the same.
                      • Use design elements, things like fonts, weights, and colours to draw the eye.
                      • USING ALL CAPS IS HARD TO READ. FINE FOR HEADLINES BUT DON'T PUBLISH FULL SENTENCES. SEE HOW ANNOYING IT IS?
                      • Coupons and deals should be easy to understand at a glance.
                      • Have one action that you want readers to take, if it’s coupon redemption make it clear and easy to understand
                      • Don’t waste space
                      • Giving an unsubscribe option will prevent you from being marked as spam.
                      
                      

                      Additional Resources

                      • Improve your page conversions and speed with Shogun.
                      • Anatomy of a losing email with Chase Dimond.
                      
                      

                       

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>998e6152-ce70-4525-a87b-ea37d11baf00Mon, 01 Feb 2021 15:21:28 -050012:20yesfull10Chase Dimond breaks down a losing email from a major UK pharmacist. Avoid these mistakes, and you'll make an extra $100.Rolled Up Podcast NetworkWhy Your Customers Will Thank You For Product RecommendationsMentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>36ac55f8-1fe9-4ee4-94f6-82801b9fa7b0Fri, 29 Jan 2021 05:05:00 -050015:40yesfull9August Noble is back sharing tactics you can use to increase your average order value, and keep your customers happy by bundling, and making the right product recommendations.Rolled Up Podcast NetworkTENTODAY and Other Ad Buying Conversion Tips with August NobleAugust Noble, seasoned ad buyer, and founder of AOV Boost shares some of his tips to increase tour ad conversions and free up more ad budget.
                      • If advertising a discount code, add "today" in the copy like promo code TENTODAY for 10% off today. It naturally creates urgency.
                      • Instagram stories ads continue to convert well, and give you formats perfect for Snapchat and Tik Tok.
                      • Nothing beats understanding your customers, and what they like, but it's important to understand the nuances of each platform.
                      • Why the best ads make customer feel noticed, show the product, and tell a story in under 15 seconds.
                      
                      

                       

                      Pitstop is part of the Rolled Up Podcast Network, and presented by Shogun. Learn how Nomad increases their conversion rate 25%.

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>August Noble, seasoned ad buyer, and founder of AOV Boost shares some of his tips to increase tour ad conversions and free up more ad budget.
                      • If advertising a discount code, add "today" in the copy like promo code TENTODAY for 10% off today. It naturally creates urgency.
                      • Instagram stories ads continue to convert well, and give you formats perfect for Snapchat and Tik Tok.
                      • Nothing beats understanding your customers, and what they like, but it's important to understand the nuances of each platform.
                      • Why the best ads make customer feel noticed, show the product, and tell a story in under 15 seconds.
                      
                      

                       

                      Pitstop is part of the Rolled Up Podcast Network, and presented by Shogun. Learn how Nomad increases their conversion rate 25%.

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>766e89a5-27ef-4f93-8a16-8a55ea0a5b07Mon, 25 Jan 2021 22:48:39 -050011:34yesfull8August Noble shares how brands can fix their ads and free up more budget. Rolled Up Podcast NetworkCustomer Support or Customer Success?Long time friend and colleague Amir M joins me in the garage to review Bulging Gift Baskets out in Vancouver. 

                      We then discuss the differences between customer support and customer success, especially with live chat on premium brands.

                      Tools recommended and sponsors of the show

                      • AOV Boost 
                      • Gorgias
                      • Shogun
                      
                      

                       

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>Long time friend and colleague Amir M joins me in the garage to review Bulging Gift Baskets out in Vancouver. 

                      We then discuss the differences between customer support and customer success, especially with live chat on premium brands.

                      Tools recommended and sponsors of the show

                      • AOV Boost 
                      • Gorgias
                      • Shogun
                      
                      

                       

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>9392f78b-b85a-40b4-81b5-fbcbf1c99897Wed, 20 Jan 2021 19:24:18 -050014:06yesfull7Bradza CEO Amir explains what the difference is between customer support and customer success, and when you should look to outsource and bring on help to keep your customers happy.Lucas WalkerDaniel SnowDaniel Snow shares two fast fixes, a tip to make free money, and his expert opinion running brands and creating content.
                      • Keep your content above the scroll on your home page, and cart!
                      • Have a post purchase sale method
                      • Compelling content will make of break you.
                      
                      

                      Follow Daniel Snow on social media.

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>Daniel Snow shares two fast fixes, a tip to make free money, and his expert opinion running brands and creating content.
                      • Keep your content above the scroll on your home page, and cart!
                      • Have a post purchase sale method
                      • Compelling content will make of break you.
                      
                      

                      Follow Daniel Snow on social media.

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>14412893-3c84-43b4-8a12-7725a836daa9Tue, 22 Dec 2020 21:02:48 -050012:38yesfull6Daniel Snow shares two fast fixes, a tip to make free money, and his expert opinion running brands and creating content.Daniel SnowSubscriptions vs Payment InstallationsShould you be using payment installations or subscriptions in your Shopify store.

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>Should you be using payment installations or subscriptions in your Shopify store.

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>04b4cf1f-eed3-4a03-a0f1-7d2bfb999d5eWed, 16 Dec 2020 14:02:28 -050004:47yesfull5Should you be using payment installations or subscriptions in your Shopify store?Rolled Up Podcast NetworkMystery Boxes, Buy Buttons, and Free Money!Some easy ways your store could be leaving money on the table.
                      • Not highlighting out of stock products and making it easy to sign up.
                      • Mystery boxes are selling well and can turn inventory over
                      • Add buy buttons to your blog posts!
                      
                      

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>Some easy ways your store could be leaving money on the table.
                      • Not highlighting out of stock products and making it easy to sign up.
                      • Mystery boxes are selling well and can turn inventory over
                      • Add buy buttons to your blog posts!
                      
                      

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>0ff65853-52fb-41b0-a082-bc7b4f7f2328Wed, 02 Dec 2020 14:51:05 -050007:31yesfull4These are the ways stores like yours are leaving money on the table. lucas walkerIt's not The Adventure Challenge, if it's authentic.Ben Holtz of TheAdventureChallenge.com asks what happens when several companies knock you off? Use it as an opportunity to be optimistic, and establish yourself as a premium product by a luxe brand.

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>Ben Holtz of TheAdventureChallenge.com asks what happens when several companies knock you off? Use it as an opportunity to be optimistic, and establish yourself as a premium product by a luxe brand.

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>1d78b261-f9aa-475d-b113-113102a5f5d4Tue, 24 Nov 2020 22:33:55 -050004:56yesfull3What do you do when someone sells bad, bad, knock offs of your products?Rolled Up Podcast NetworkWomen's Razors, Pinterest, and ReviewsIn this episode, I review  All Girl Shave Club, share how they can tap into Pinterest, and dig deeper into sharing reviews across products.

                      All Girl Shave Club - Pitstop 

                      Fast Fix - Remove the text. There is a lot going on here and a lot to read. Hire a copywriter to reduce, but great usecase for Shogun A/B testing. Same with the menu "her first shave".
                      Expert Insight - Remove the secured and trusted checkout on the product page move to the bottom.
                      Free Money - Mom and daughter shaving kits. You sell twice as many handles, have a sticky product, and reduce your shipping costs.

                      ---

                      Pinterest is great if you're customers skew female. You get great reach and organic traffic.

                      ---

                      Review sharing - when creating bundles or taking reviews from marketplaces like Amazon, disclose where they came from, but use them to increase conversion rates.

                      ---

                      Follow on Twitter  @walkerlucas

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>In this episode, I review  All Girl Shave Club, share how they can tap into Pinterest, and dig deeper into sharing reviews across products.

                      All Girl Shave Club - Pitstop 

                      Fast Fix - Remove the text. There is a lot going on here and a lot to read. Hire a copywriter to reduce, but great usecase for Shogun A/B testing. Same with the menu "her first shave".
                      Expert Insight - Remove the secured and trusted checkout on the product page move to the bottom.
                      Free Money - Mom and daughter shaving kits. You sell twice as many handles, have a sticky product, and reduce your shipping costs.

                      ---

                      Pinterest is great if you're customers skew female. You get great reach and organic traffic.

                      ---

                      Review sharing - when creating bundles or taking reviews from marketplaces like Amazon, disclose where they came from, but use them to increase conversion rates.

                      ---

                      Follow on Twitter  @walkerlucas

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>317b94d3-ccf5-455d-8d89-84aaafd0c44cSat, 21 Nov 2020 21:49:12 -050005:39yesfull2In this episode, I review All Girl Shave Club, share how they can tap into Pinterest, and dig deeper into sharing reviews across products.All Girl Shave ClubCrossnet - 60 Second Teardown and TakeawaysWhen Chris Meade, co-founder of a store you've been following for decades asks you for a Pit Stop, you do one!
                      
                      But first, there's a lot I love about this store I'd feel guilty not sharing.
                      
                      - Offering support through Gorgias right away. For a premium, bit of a technical product you have to over support.
                      - Spin to win at the end. So many ways to get creative (more in the Free Money). Marco De Paulis do you have stats on Spin to Win conversions?
                      - You could have a lot of fun with Spotify. Doing a quiet corner brothers podcast, playlists etc. Make some cool landing pages with Shogun for these or even dabble with some headless.
                      
                      🏁 PITSTOP
                      
                      Fast Fix - Make sure you don’t have the same number of reviews on every product. It just seems... suspect.
                      
                      Opinion. - Highlight indoor use/urgency to buy now for summer if sales slump during winter.
                      
                      Free Money - I hate branded swag for sales but you could do a lot of high margin promo material for low cost. Could even do this as the spin to win.

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>When Chris Meade, co-founder of a store you've been following for decades asks you for a Pit Stop, you do one!
                      
                      But first, there's a lot I love about this store I'd feel guilty not sharing.
                      
                      - Offering support through Gorgias right away. For a premium, bit of a technical product you have to over support.
                      - Spin to win at the end. So many ways to get creative (more in the Free Money). Marco De Paulis do you have stats on Spin to Win conversions?
                      - You could have a lot of fun with Spotify. Doing a quiet corner brothers podcast, playlists etc. Make some cool landing pages with Shogun for these or even dabble with some headless.
                      
                      🏁 PITSTOP
                      
                      Fast Fix - Make sure you don’t have the same number of reviews on every product. It just seems... suspect.
                      
                      Opinion. - Highlight indoor use/urgency to buy now for summer if sales slump during winter.
                      
                      Free Money - I hate branded swag for sales but you could do a lot of high margin promo material for low cost. Could even do this as the spin to win.

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>fbe0e2ce-a3b1-45d2-b915-7a5ac114dadeFri, 20 Nov 2020 01:45:15 -050005:13yesfull1Avoid copy pasta, Highlight alternative uses in slow seasons, swag as promo.Rolled Up Podcast NetworkPitstop - Sell $100 More in 60 Seconds.60 seconds goes fast, but it's enough to make a big difference in your store, especially if you're like me and have worked on, managed, or reviewed over 10,000 Shopify stores.

                      Each episode of Pitstop, I'm giving you something to fix quickly, a second set of eyes, and uncovering some free money for you.

                      I guarantee each store reviewed will get at least $100 of recurring revenue, and you can too just for listening.

                      And if I can't, I'll spend $100 on your store myself!

                      Subscribe now on your favourite podcast platform.

                       

                       

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>60 seconds goes fast, but it's enough to make a big difference in your store, especially if you're like me and have worked on, managed, or reviewed over 10,000 Shopify stores.

                      Each episode of Pitstop, I'm giving you something to fix quickly, a second set of eyes, and uncovering some free money for you.

                      I guarantee each store reviewed will get at least $100 of recurring revenue, and you can too just for listening.

                      And if I can't, I'll spend $100 on your store myself!

                      Subscribe now on your favourite podcast platform.

                       

                       

                      Mentioned in this episode:

                      Triple Whale - Whale Mail

                      ]]>ea7af972-c36a-407c-a3da-be765d6942acMon, 09 Nov 2020 16:32:07 -050003:11notrailerAfter over 10,000 Shopify Stores, I'm helping you perform like the highest performance machines. Subscribe now.Rolled Up Podcast Network