Secrets To Scaling Your Ecommerce Brand

Jordan West, an expert in community building and e-commerce brands, delves into the importance of nurturing a community in 2024. He discusses the power of two-way communication, building strong emotional connections, and leveraging communities for brand success. Key takeaways include the impact of advocates, responding to feedback, and offering formal help for brands interested in community building.

Send us a textThe importance of keeping operational expenses in check - a critical piece of advice for any e-commerce entrepreneur striving to build sustainable, long-term success. The lessons are hard-learned, but the potential for growth, resilience, and smart decision-making shines through every word.In this episode, Jordan West gets into some of the biggest mistakes he has made as an e-commerce entrepreneur. With a focus on sharing his lessons to help you avoid similar pitfalls, Jordan gets vulnerable about the costly errors he's encountered, including the impact of high operational expenses (OpEx). Drawing from personal experiences and industry insights, Jordan shares cautionary tales and practical advice to help you navigate the challenges of growing your e-commerce business. Listen and learn in this episode!Key takeaways from this episode:The importance of keeping OpEx down and being as lean as possible in e-commerce to avoid financial strain and difficulties during tough times.The cautionary tale of making high OpEx-related decisions, such as leases, space acquisitions, or hiring, and the potential negative impact on business growth and scalability.The recommendation to carefully assess expenses before making big purchases, leases, or hires, and to consider scaling down before committing to large financial obligations.Consideration of outsourcing certain functions, like customer service, to ensure flexibility in scaling up or scaling down based on business needs.The importance of negotiating with software companies and agencies to manage costs and carefully evaluating the financial impact of scaling up expenses.The emphasis on being prepared for economic downturns, potential Facebook ad issues, and the necessity of evaluating OpEx before marketing spend.Recommended Book:The Wealthy Barber: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2674.The_Wealthy_Barber Growth Plan: www.upgrowthcommerce.com/growMillion Dollar Offers: www.upgrowthcommerce.com/grow

Send us a textIntegrating a mobile app with community engagement can aid in providing early access and gated launches. Mobile apps provide repeat awareness and a more direct and engaging relationship between brands and consumers.In this episode, Jordan West and Sam Barati from Tapcart, a leading mobile app company. Get ready to dive into the world of mobile apps for ecommerce as we uncover the power of motivational messaging, subscription management, and app incentives in driving customer retention and increasing purchase frequency. Learn how LSKD, an athletic apparel brand, leverages motivational messaging in push notifications, and how Tapcart's technology helps manage and customize subscriptions, leading to upsell opportunities. Discover the impact of mobile apps on customer lifetime value and the convenience they offer to the fast fashion demographic, specifically Gen Z. Plus, explore the importance of peer-to-peer engagement, push notifications, and app-exclusive promotions in building strong relationships with customers. Listen and learn in this episode!Key takeaways from this episode:Motivational messaging in push notifications can increase user motivation and purchase frequency.Subscription brands can use mobile apps to manage and customize subscriptions, leading to increased retention.Tapcart's technology allows for subscription management within the app, creating upsell opportunities.Mobile apps contribute significantly to total sales for brands, emphasizing the importance of retention and convenience.Mobile apps can lead to higher conversion rates, average order value, and purchase frequency compared to websites.Gen Z and female fast fashion consumers find convenience and quick purchasing through mobile apps appealing.App incentives, such as exclusive products, discounts, giveaways, and gamification, can drive app adoption.Push notifications can be used to build relationships with customers through non-transactional messaging.Today’s Guest: Sam Barati, is a key figure at Tapcart, a leading mobile app company that has been revolutionizing the ecommerce landscape for almost a decade. Sam's expertise lies in crafting cutting-edge e-commerce strategies for mobile apps, with a focus on app extensibility similar to websites, and offering exceptional service to their 2,000-plus customer base. As an esteemed expert, Sam Barati has a deep understanding of the pivotal role mobile apps play in driving retention, customer engagement, and unlocking significant sales potential for premier Shopify brands.Growth Plan: www.upgrowthcommerce.com/growMillion Dollar Offers: www.upgrowthcommerce.com/grow

Send us a textThe significance of establishing recognition and brand presence with retail partners and direct-to-consumer sales, and the use of technologies like dream cell technology for product personalization. Understanding the challenges of a hybrid business model is crucial, and finding partners who understand this is essential.In this episode, Jordan West and John Roman dive deep into the world of social commerce, platform strategies, and content repurposing. They share insights on their limited success with podcast advertising tests, the value of underpriced attention on TikTok and Instagram, and the potential impact of algorithm control on different platforms. From discussing the growing age demographics on TikTok to exploring the future of closed ecosystem experiences in the direct-to-consumer space, this episode is packed with valuable takeaways for ecommerce entrepreneurs. Join us as we uncover the secrets to leveraging social commerce for brand-building and long-term customer acquisition.Listen and learn in this episode!Key takeaways from this episode:Repurposing content for different platforms can lead to significant increases in engagement and subscriber growth.Algorithm control plays a significant role in social media platforms and can impact content visibility and engagement.Utilizing underpriced attention on live videos and affiliate sales on platforms like TikTok can be beneficial for brand growth.Strategic use of TikTok shop can contribute to long-term customer acquisition and brand-building.The importance of utilizing multiple platforms to engage with audiences and potential strategies in the event of platform changes or bans.The potential impact of closed ecosystem experiences in the direct-to-consumer space and the evolving age demographics on various social media platforms.Today’s Guest: John Roman, the CEO and co-founder of Battlbox, an outdoor adventure brand that prioritizes content, community, and non-traditional e-commerce. He is highly active on LinkedIn, contributing to the onlinequeso.com and awesomepod.com platforms. With a focus on social commerce and leveraging platform-specific strategies, John Roman brings expertise in repurposing content across various platforms, harnessing underpriced attention in live videos and affiliate sales, and strategically utilizing TikTok shop for brand-building and long-term customer acquisition.Growth Plan: www.upgrowthcommerce.com/growMillion Dollar Offers: www.upgrowthcommerce.com/grow

Send us a textThe significance of establishing recognition and brand presence with retail partners and direct-to-consumer sales, and the use of technologies like dream cell technology for product personalization. In this episode, Jordan West and Lisa Tan from Reverie, a sleep technology company specializing in adjustable bases and customizable mattresses. Lisa shares the challenges of finding partners who understand their unique hybrid business model of retail and technology sales. She explains their use of HubSpot for CRM and email blasts, their complex customer conversion cycles, and their targeted approach to ad spend justified by tracking conversions.Listen and learn in this episode!Key takeaways from this episode:Utilizing tools like HubSpot for CRM and email blasts can be helpful, but considering other tools for different business units may also be necessary.The complexity of customer conversion cycles and the need for multiple touch points over a 3-5 week period is important to recognize.Justifying ad spend by tracking the conversion of people from viewing an ad to becoming a lead is key, especially when targeting specific needs associated with mattress considerations.The importance of educational content at the awareness stage, such as blog articles, to inform customers about products like adjustable bases and dual firmness mattresses.Recognizing the significance of customer purchase cycles, repeat customers, and the need for detailed sleep specialist consultations to establish relationships with customers.The importance of easily understandable KPIs and focusing on measuring leads and conversions to remain on track for scaling.Recommended Tools/Apps:Hubspot: https://www.hubspot.com/ Canva: https://www.canva.com/ Recommended Playbooks/Audiobooks:Google Ads Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-google-ads-podcast/id1614331490 Today’s Guest: Lisa Tan, representing the sleep technology company Reverie as a key figure in their leadership. As the Director at Reverie, she specializes in navigating the challenges of a hybrid business model, encompassing retail and technology sales. With a keen focus on establishing brand recognition and presence across multiple channels, Lisa shares insights into their use of tools like HubSpot for CRM and email blasts, as well as the complexities of customer conversion cycles within the mattress industry.Growth Plan: www.upgrowthcommerce.com/growMillion Dollar Offers: www.upgrowthcommerce.com/grow

Send us a textIntegrating successful organic content into paid campaigns and aligning ads with organic content that performs well on social media. Using organic content to bring people into the brand's sphere of influence and position the brand attractively before using ads.In this episode, Jordan West and Natasha Chilcott, a seasoned marketing professional with a wealth of experience in social media marketing for direct-to-consumer product brands. Natasha shares the importance of organic content in driving revenue and supporting sales, emphasizing the need to position the brand attractively before using ads. The conversation delves into the essence of organic content, the psychology-based marketing approach, and the integration of successful organic content into paid campaigns. Listen and learn in this episode!Key takeaways from this episode:The significance of organic content for driving revenue and supporting sales.Emphasizing the essence of organic content in building a community and engaging with the audience on a cultural level.Understanding that social media is not primarily for problem-solving but for entertainment, education, and connection.The value of creating content that sparks conversations and evokes emotions without directly promoting the product.The importance of psychology-based marketing and the "unicorn method" in creating effective ads.Understanding emotional IDs and emotional drivers in marketing.Focusing on awareness and consideration phases in the sales funnel when creating social media content.The importance of testing in marketing and adapting strategies based on what's working in real-time.The success of leveraging social partnerships with ambassadors, influencers, and joint partner giveaways to collect emails for email marketing purposes.The significance of moving social media followers onto an owned data list for email marketing to drive higher conversion rates.Today’s Guest: Natasha Chilcott, the Director of Marketing and Sales at Marr Media Group, specializing in social media marketing for direct-to-consumer product brands. With 10 years of marketing experience, Natasha also started her own marketing agency. During the podcast, she shares insights into the significance of organic content in driving revenue and supporting sales, the integration of successful organic content into paid campaigns, the importance of emotional IDs and understanding emotional drivers in marketing, and how her team operates on live dashboards, making daily adjustments to their content strategy based on real-time reactions and trending topics.Growth Plan: www.upgrowthcommerce.com/growMillion Dollar Offers: www.upgrowthcommerce.com/grow

Send us a textWe uncovered some game-changing insights about the upcoming changes in email marketing regulations and learned about a cutting-edge approach to capturing anonymous website visitors' email addresses without compromising your domain's reputation.In this episode, Jordan West and Michael Diesu gets into the upcoming changes in email regulations and the impact on ecommerce brands. Michael, the cofounder and CEO of Revenue Roll, shares insights on how the changes will affect email marketing and what brands can do to adapt and thrive in this new environment. From the potential risks of spam complaints to the innovative strategies for identifying and targeting cold audiences.Listen and learn in this episode!Key takeaways from this episode:Understanding the impact of changes in email regulations and how it affects a brand's ability to send mass email blasts on their domain.Recognizing the potential risks of high spam complaint rates and the necessity to be selective and prioritize higher intent targets for email sends.Understanding the impact of exceeding spam complaint limits on a brand's email domain health, leading to emails being delivered directly to spam folders.Learning about an innovative strategy involving the use of forwarding emails through multiple domains to minimize risk and maintain main domain health.Exploring the potential for generating incremental revenue from colder audiences through incentivized email marketing, with the focus on providing value to the recipients.Emphasizing the value of a small, focused team and the strategic importance of great products and customer testimonials for business growth.Recommended Tools/Apps:Superhuman: https://superhuman.com/ Recommended Playbooks/Audiobooks:48 Laws of Power: https://www.grahammann.net/book-notes/48-laws-of-power-robert-greene 33 Strategies of War: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35289.The_33_Strategies_of_War The Laws of Human Nature: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39330937-the-laws-of-human-nature Today’s Guest: Michael Diesu, the CEO and co-founder of Revenue Roll. Michael is an expert in email marketing and discusses the impact of the recent changes in email regulations, particularly from Gmail and Yahoo, on ecommerce brands. He shares how Revenue Roll assists brands in identifying anonymous website visitors and retargeting them through innovative strategies to ensure optimal email performance.Growth Plan: www.upgrowthcommerce.com/growMillion Dollar Offers: www.upgrowthcommerce.com/grow

Send us a textThe game-changing influencer tech stack that's reshaping the way brands like yours approach influencer marketing. This is not your typical influencer marketing spiel; it's a cutting-edge strategy that's ushering in a new era of social commerce and customer engagement.In this episode, Jordan West gets into the evolving landscape of influencer marketing in 2024. Sharing insights from his own experience and recent discussions with industry experts, Jordan unveils his influencer tech stack and explains why influencer marketing has changed dramatically. From leveraging social commerce to using tools like Social Snowball and Shopify Collabs for managing influencers and affiliates, Jordan offers a wealth of actionable strategies for success.Listen and learn in this episode!Key takeaways from this episode:Influencer marketing has evolved and is quite different from what it used to be. It now involves strategies such as partnering with influencers rather than just paying for posts.Utilizing tools like Social Snowball and Shopify Collabs for managing affiliates, influencers, and turning customers into influencers can be highly effective.The importance of getting creative with incentivizing different tiers of influencers, engaging them through email and SMS, and possibly using bots for outreach.The concept of "social commerce" in 2024 and beyond is highlighted, with a mention of TikTok Shop and the significant opportunities it presents.The introduction of "creator commerce," which involves building cobranded landing pages for major influencers and achieving high conversion rates on those pages.Teasing the topic of customer-generated content and the use of Refundnel to enable it, showcasing its potential impact on generating new customers.Recommended Tools/Apps:Social Snowball: https://socialsnowball.io/ Shopify Collabs: https://apps.shopify.com/collabs Refunnel: https://www.refunnel.com/ Growth Plan: www.upgrowthcommerce.com/growMillion Dollar Offers: www.upgrowthcommerce.com/grow

Send us a textThe crucial topic of ad account structure for your e-commerce brand. Key insights on letting AI do its job, the importance of dynamic creative testing, and why broad targeting is the way to go. Remember, single campaign focus is vital, and using the 3-2-2 method for ad combinations is a game-changer.In this episode, Jordan West gets into the importance of ad account structure in maximizing the effectiveness of your Facebook advertising campaigns. Drawing on his vast experience and expertise, Jordan shares valuable insights on setting up your ad account for success, emphasizing the power of letting the AI do its job, understanding Facebook's machine learning platform, user experience focus, ad delivery optimization, and the significance of dynamic creative testing.Listen and learn in this episode!Key takeaways from this episode:Ad account structure matters significantly in the success of Facebook ad campaigns.Utilize the AI capabilities of Facebook by feeding the right data and optimizing ad delivery.Understand that Facebook is a machine learning platform that focuses on user experience and ad delivery optimization.Implement dynamic creative testing to find the most effective ad combinations for individual users.Emphasize broad targeting and continuous learning and improvement in ad campaigns.Use the scientific method approach in ad testing, such as the 3-2-2 method for images, headlines, and ad copies.Opt for single campaign focus with one business objective per campaign to improve campaign performance over time.Recommended Document:Upgrowth Commerce: upgrowthcommerce.com/adproblems Growth Plan: www.upgrowthcommerce.com/growMillion Dollar Offers: www.upgrowthcommerce.com/grow

Send us a textEncouragement to stay up-to-date on industry trends and embrace a high performance culture based on metrics and performance. The significance of trusting the algorithm and allowing it to allocate ad spend, and encourages the use of psychology-based creative and continuous improvement strategies. In this episode, Jordan West gets into the crucial topic of creative content in advertising. Jordan shares insights on analyzing creative performance, uncovering hidden gems in your ads, and optimizing your marketing effectiveness. With practical tips on key metrics to consider, such as CPM and spending.Listen and learn in this episode!Key takeaways from this episode:Importance of analyzing creative performance in ecommerce advertising campaigns. Metrics to consider when evaluating creative, such as CPM, spend, cost per result, click through rate, and conversion rate.Trusting the platform algorithms, like Facebook, to allocate spend to high-performing creatives. Benefits of continuous improvement in creative strategy and setting up regular review sessions to analyze ad performance.The significance of using AB testing to develop variations and test different elements of creative.Impact of refining landing pages to improve conversion rates.Recommended Tools/App:Motion/Thumbstop: https://motionapp.com/thumbstop Growth Plan: www.upgrowthcommerce.com/growMillion Dollar Offers: www.upgrowthcommerce.com/grow