The Ecommerce Influence Podcast: Advanced Acquisition And Retention Strategies For Fast-growing Online Brands

In this episode we have a handful of quick and easy wins that have been tested and proven to increase revenue. If you’re looking for a win that also saves you time - it’s in here.  Lisa Byrnes is a marketing and business coach. She's also a member of the Coalition, our community of 250+ eCommerce business owners and experts.  After 17 years managing multi-million dollar brands, Lisa left her corporate job and started her own marketing business to support emerging eCommerce business owners (specifically women) build their marketing strategy and fulfill their own dreams.  We’re talking tactical easy wins for emerging brands ($10k - $50k) and this episode is filled with great action items that won’t take much time but could have a big impact on your business.  Enjoy! Episode Highlights: 4:47 Why Lisa started her coaching business and her focus on female entrepreneurs 7:33 The biggest mistakes emerging brands make 10:10 Strategy: marketing towards a persona instead of a demographic 13:17 Common website mistakes

There Are 2 Directions Your Ecomm Brand Can Go - You Can Be A Brand That Scales Up, Or You Can Flop. In This Greatest Hits Episode We Share the Secrets We've Seen Behind The Brands That Make it Big.  Some eCommerce brands make it big while others stall out, it’s a fact. But there’s really no big mystery behind why this happens. Today we're revisiting an interview I gave on the Ecommerce Evolution Podcast by my good friend Brett Curry. We break down what separates eCommerce brands that scale up versus those that plateau. Brett and I talk about a variety of things, including average order value and lifetime value, and how that directly impacts your ability to scale up. We talk about demand generation versus demand capture: which is "better" and which lends itself to being able to scale. We talk about the roadmap to building a team and scaling up your business, how your role as a CEO changes as you grow, and much, much more. This is a great conversation with a lot of tips from Brett and me. I hope you enjoy! Epi

Raising capital can go two ways - it can help you reach your goals faster or be disastrous and destroy your business.  Karen Howland is the managing director at Circle Up, an investment platform that uses technology to invest in early-stage businesses (mostly health and wellness CPG companies). She’s been investing in companies for the last eight years, and in this conversation, we go deep into early-stage investing, what entrepreneurs need to know about raising capital, and the mistakes she sees entrepreneurs make along the way. Karen also shares what opportunities are out there right now and what she's most excited about.  If you’re considering raising capital for your business or are interested in investing this episode will give you the tips and tricks to get started.  Episode Highlights 4:12 How Karen first got excited about investing  5:35 The mission of Circle Up and what makes them different from other investment firms 8:32 What’s hot right now in the health and wellness space  12:47 Why it’s so hard

Buffy was one of the first brands to crack paid social. As today's Facebook advertisers scramble to adjust to changes on the platform we revisit this Greatest Hits episode to learn from one of the best.  What started as an idea to disrupt the bedding industry has grown into a multi-million dollar business. This summer we’re re-releasing some of our top episodes of all time, and this week we’re bringing back this incredibly relevant show with Buffy co-founder Shoaib Kabani. We talk about everything from product development, to the importance of testing, how landing pages can improve your funnel, and what performance KPIs you have to be thinking about as you scale on paid social. Whether you’re a business owner or an ecommerce marketer, you’re going to get a lot out of this episode. Enjoy! Episode Highlights 5:55 How a desire to change the bedding industry led to the creation of Buffy. 7:27 The training Shoaib got from his start in consulting that’s helped him as an entrepreneur. 8:41Developing the initial ide

Are you winging it when it comes to processes and systems in your business? Today’s guest will help you stop before you spiral out of control.  Joshua Uebergang is a master of processes and systems. He is the director of Digital Darts, a Shopify agency based in Australia, as well as a certified Shopify Marketing Expert. He is also a member of the Coalition.  In this episode, we get an inside look into an ultra-organized mind. We talk hiring process, the importance of SOPs (and how to write them), iOS 14 mistakes and opportunities, and tools and resources to create your own processes and systems.   Leave this episode with direct actions to get more organized and build a business structure so stable “a fool could run it.”    Episode Highlights: 4:19 What Joshua is most interested in right now post-iOS 14 apocalypse 6:00 How Joshua got into eCommerce and the shift from Magento to Shopify 8:39 Key processes and systems that helped Digital Darts grow over the last 6 years  10:42 Why you need a step-by-step hir

What Would Pura Vida Do? From Start-Up to Multi-Million Exit We Talk Strategy With One of The Top Ecommerce Brands Today.  When someone asks about eCommerce best practices, we always hear, “well, what’s Pura Vida doing?” and in this episode we’re talking with Pura Vida CEO, Griffin Thall, to get an inside look at their strategies, how the company’s grown over the last several years, the way his role has evolved, and what it’s actually like to prepare your company for a multi-million dollar sale.  Get a behind-the-scenes look at Pura Vida's exit strategy. Interested in the Coalition training with Griffin? You can join the Coalition membership here for access to this and many other great trainings and resources. Episode Highlights: 7:00 What got Griffin and Pura Vida to where they are today. 8:03 How Griffin’s role has changed as the company’s grown. 9:33 Pura Vida’s unique influencer strategy and how it started. 13:23 Relentless innovation and how Pura Vida continues to increase customer lifetime value

  In a world full of varying attribution models, collecting and using data is critical to understanding your customers and running a successful business. Kevin Hillstrom is President of MineThatData, a consultancy that uses data to help executives better understand the relationship between their customers, advertising, products, brands, and channels. Kevin supports a diverse set of clients, from internet startups, to billion dollar multichannel retailers and previously held various roles at major retailers like Nordstrom, Eddie Bauer, and Lands' End. In this episode, we talk about the myths of eCommerce, how using data can help boost repeat purchase rate, when and where to discount and how to deal with the attribution problem of running multi-channel marketing. Kevin’s been the influence for a lot of what I’ve done in my own business, and I know you’ll enjoy the conversation. Episode Highlights: 4:24 How (and why) Kevin consistently publishes daily blog content 6:47 Kevin’s background from working in

Imagine the insights you'd glean if you could get a behind-the-scenes look at five different brands at once. Lucky for you today's guest is pulling back the curtain.  Andrew Faris is the host of the Ecommerce Playbook Podcast and CEO of eCommerce holding company, 4x400. After helping grow one brand from $0 to $20MM in less than 2 years, Andrew founded 4x400, where he supports five different eCommerce brands. In this episode, Andrew shares the challenges he's faced and how his mindset has changed while running multiple eCommerce businesses simultaneously. We discuss the shift he anticipates we'll see in how brands reach their audiences in the near future and the channels he's investing in as a result of this.  If you're an eCommerce operator, you won't want to miss this episode. Episode Highlights: 4:13 The meaning of 4x400 and how it relates to business growth. 6:11 Andrew's beginnings in the eCommerce world. 10:20 The challenges of operating multiple eCommerce businesses at once and the depth of learning

Think you need to sacrifice everything to have a successful business? You're wrong. When you get to a certain point in your business' growth, sacrificing your relationships and your health is the worst thing you can do for your ongoing success. We help you scale up without sacrificing everything or feeling overwhelmed. Today, I'm walking through our current programs so you can determine which one is the right fit for you.  Episode Highlights: 3:37 A coaching community with tools to help you scale up 6:41 Building connections with established eCommerce entrepreneurs 10:02 Accelerating your growth without adding more to your plate 12:03 Expanding your network and keeping yourself accountable 14:21 Where to go if you're ready to level up in your business Links and Resources: Coalition Intentional Wealth @a_brawn on Twitter Review or subscribe on iTunes

Most people start a business because they dream of freedom. But in reality, they build themselves a prison. Having 7 or 8-figure revenue only does so much good if your entire business is dependent on you. I see so many business owners with more stress and less free time. The good news is, it doesn't have to be this way. In this episode, I'm sharing the 7-step roadmap for how to build a self-managing company that brings you joy and gives you the freedom you've always desired.  If you're ready to get more freedom in your business, without sacrificing your health, personal life, or family, you need to check out Intentional Wealth. It's an 8-week accelerator for eCommerce business owners that kicks off July 7. The enrollment period is open now, and the program is filling up quickly. Get the details here. Episode Highlights: 3:05 Step #1 for building a self-managing company: Change your mindset about what's possible. 5:07 Step #2: Understand what you're really selling. 7:11 Step #3: Start thinking like a genera

Are you making at least 20% of your revenue from email marketing? If not, today’s guest is here to tell you how. Chase Dimond is a prolific email marketer who is making a lot of noise in the eCommerce arena. In 2018, he launched an email marketing agency called Boundless Labs that supports 6-9 figure eCommerce companies. Since then, he and his team have helped their clients send hundreds of millions of emails resulting in over $50 million in email attributable revenue. Chase joins us on today’s episode to share his knowledge on email marketing for eCommerce. He offers specific and tangible actions you can take to drive more sales and increase your email marketing revenue, talks about what works in email and what doesn’t, how to optimize your opt-ins, and how to find talented copywriters. Enjoy! Episode Highlights: 4:26 The Bernie Singles Case Study 8:10 Common misconceptions about email marketing 10:05 Chase’s early career in email marketing 14:02 How Chase took complete ownership of his marketing funnel 1

Do you want to unlock massive growth or stay small? If you're unsure why your eCommerce business isn't growing, this episode is for you. Over the last five years, I've worked with businesses that have grown from $100K per month to $1MM per month, and I've worked with businesses that have continued to stay small, despite their desire for growth. In this bonus episode, I'm sharing the 9 reasons why your eCommerce business isn't growing, and how you can change that. If you're ready to unlock growth in your business, without sacrificing your health, personal life, or family, you need to check out Intentional Wealth. It's an 8-week accelerator for eCommerce business owners that kicks off July 7. The enrollment period is open now, and the program is filling up quickly. Get the details here. Episode Highlights: 2:51 Reason #1 why your eCommerce business isn't growing: You're scarcity focused 4:12 Reason #2: You aren't keeping up when the game changes 5:24 Reason #3: Superhero Syndrome 7:23 Reason #4 why your eComme

After a decade of fast-paced growth, are you wondering what’s next in eCommerce? Today’s guest is here to share his predictions. Three-time returning guest Andrew Youderian is back on today’s show. Andrew is a well-known entrepreneur in the eCommerce space, host of the eCommerce Fuel Podcast and the owner of the eCommerce Fuel forum. In this episode, we do some big picture thinking on what’s next in eCommerce, what we’ve seen coming and going, Facebook trends and the future of Amazon. We also touch on brand building, emerging channels to pay attention to and what we think is on the horizon. Episode Highlights: 5:39 Fast-paced growth and what’s next in eCommerce 8:39 The state of Amazon for eCommerce sellers 13:00 Is Facebook advertising going to be a thing of the future or the past? 18:46 Why Andrew Youderian doesn’t think Facebook is the path to sustainable growth 23:40 Strategies for owning your relationship with your community 28:10 Are you still experiencing asymmetric returns? 32:42 How to take advant

Writing copy that converts has nothing to do with magically pulling the perfect words out of thin air. It’s about learning how to copy + paste. At least that’s what Val Geisler - email marketing conversion copywriter, strategist for B2C startups and Customer Evangelist at Klaviyo - has to say. Val has been a part of the eCommerce community for a long time and is a master at the art of conducting meaningful customer research that translates into copy that converts. Val joins us today to dive deep into email marketing for eCommerce brands, marketing automation, copywriting, and how you can use words to increase the perceived value of your brand. We also talk about how to improve your email flows, how you should be using SMS, and what it means to build your acquisition flywheel. If you want to learn how to set up email flows and automations, check out our Email Growth Guide and Intensive Course inside the Coalition.  Episode Highlights: 4:18 The easiest way to write copy that converts 8:27 How to conduct mean

Is your business built to sell? John Warrillow is here to help you harvest the value of your company. John Warrillow is the founder of The Value Builder System, a Top 10 Forbes Ranked Podcast host, and author of Built to Sell, a best-selling book that’s helped over 50,000 businesses build more valuable companies. Throughout his career, he's founded and exited four companies and now dedicates his time to helping entrepreneurs sell their own for higher multiples. Listen now for John’s most valuable advice on the secret to a successful exit, key pillars for being built to sell, how to create more value in your business, and the biggest mistakes he sees entrepreneurs make when trying to do this on their own. Episode Highlights: 6:49 The secret to having a successful exit 12:04 How much you should get for your business 19:26 The number one job you have as a business owner 23:58 Why so few entrepreneurs turn pro 28:49 Tactical ways you can increase the long term value of your business 36:20 The power of taking a

From changes in consumer privacy to new business models popping constantly, the Ecommerce landscape is changing and it's changing fast. Here to help you keep up is my good friend Brett Curry. Brett is an entrepreneur, eCommerce strategist, and host of the eCommerce Evolution podcast. He leads an incredibly talented team at OMG Commerce, and today we're diving into what's new in eCommerce. We talk about the future of eCommerce advertising and who should be most concerned about upcoming privacy changes. Brett shares his formula for creating consistently great content, I share what makes lucrative subscription models work, and we touch on how our roles as CEOs and operators have evolved as our businesses have grown. Episode Highlights: 4:44 The future of eCommerce: A return to the renaissance 8:26 Google’s changes to audience targeting and attribution 11:29 Why agencies and freelancers should be weary of privacy changes 19:12 The formula for consistently creating high-converting content 28:02 Why subscription

It's time to stop losing customers and start understanding them. Sean D’Souza, author of The Brain Audit, founder of Psychotactics, and host of The Three Month Vacation Podcast, is a Marketing Strategist and expert on consumer psychology. He’s one of the most articulate and well-spoken people I’ve met in the field of marketing and he’s here to help you figure out why you aren’t selling as much as you should. In this episode, Sean sets the record straight on the number one reason your customers back out of a purchase. We also dive into how to ease your customer’s fears, the importance of having a uniqueness factor, and how to start understanding your customers in a deeper way so you can stop losing customers. Sean is giving a training inside of the Coalition on May 11th called, “Buy Your Life Back: How to Raise Prices and Not Lose Customers”. Apply to join the Coalition today so you don’t miss out. Episode Highlights: 4:23 Why Sean D'Souza created "psychotactics" 6:41 What stops people from taking a 3-month

Trying to get valuable time back from your business? Steve Chou and I are here to talk about how automation helps us work smarter. Steve Chou, host of the My Wife Quit Her Job Podcast, has built a large business that only requires the help of one VA. From managing a robust social media calendar to tackling email marketing, Steve has cracked the code on how to do more with less. Steve and I share a joint passion for helping entrepreneurs build businesses that don't consume their entire life. If you've been feeling overworked and bogged down in the weeds of your business, this episode is for you. Tune in to hear how we've freed up our time by automating five key areas of our businesses: hiring, social media, email marketing, our inbox, and project management. Episode Highlights: 4:10 Automation #1: Your hiring process 10:18 Automation #2: Your social media production 15:07 Automation #3: Your inbox 18:17 Automation #4: Your project management 24:15 Automation #5: Your email marketing 29:40 How to combine SMS

The right marketing strategy + the right team members to execute = DTC success.  “A little crazy” is what Ecuadorian artisans called Case Bakker after he requested order after order of handmade blankets to sell to boutiques all over the Ottawa Valley. Rooted in a mission to give back, Pokoloko started off as a wholesale brand dedicated to bringing global inspiration to people's homes and directly supporting artisans all over South America, Turkey, Morocco, and Indonesia. I met Case, Pokoloko’s CEO and co-founder, about a year ago when he reached out with one goal in mind: transition from wholesale to DTC eCommerce. Since then, we’ve worked together inside the Coalition and Intentional Wealth, and his team has made incredible progress. Case joins us today to tell us how. Tune in for a candid talk about how Pokoloko generated their first $100k in sales, what marketing strategies move the needle, the hires that have been essential to their success, and leadership lessons he’s picked up along the way. Enjoy! Ep

Misinformation is spewed left and right about nearly everything in eCommerce and it’s driving Kurt Elster and I insane. We are excited to bring you episode 300 of the Ecommerce Influence podcast and our special guest today is Kurt Elster. Kurt is a CRO expert, host of the Unofficial Shopify Podcast, and runs an eCommerce website design and development agency called Ethercycle. If you’ve been a long-time listener of the podcast, you know that Kurt is a trusted recurring guest and in this episode, we’re hoping to put a nail in the coffin of six costly eCommerce myths.  Tune in as we set the record straight on Google PageSpeed, website design and copywriting, work ethic and so much more. Enjoy! Episode Highlights: 5:28 Myth #1: You need to diversify your traffic 8:38 Myth #2: Google PageSpeed is crucial to getting more sales 14:00 Myth #3: You have to be the first to do everything  18:49 Myth #4: If a “big” business is doing it, it must be right 23:10 Myth #5: Hustle and grind is the key to business success 2