An eCommerce Podcast Hosted by Brett Curry

Without good copy, you’re sunk….or at best fighting an uphill battle.

I love all the new tools for eCommerce that we have at our disposal.  From AI tools, to automation, to personalization, augmented reality etc.  But here’s the deal.  None of that matters if you can’t tell a good story or produce copy that compels people to buy.  Often, she who tells the best story wins…

I review dozens of eCommerce sites each week and it’s very clear to me that good copywriting is a lost art.

My guest on this week’s episode is Julie Boswell, co-founder of AskaCopyExpert.com.  Julie was the director of marketing for Bill Glazer and Dan Kennedy at GKIC for 4 years.  Her copy helped fill seats at the famous Super Conference and Info Summit back in their heyday.

In this session we dive into the power of strong copy to boost eCommerce sales.

Here’s what we dive into:

– How to write emotional copy that elicits a response

– Common copy mistakes to avoid

– Copy tips for better product detail pages

– Email copy tips

– eCommerce companies to emulate who understand good copy

– Plus more

Mentioned in this Episode:
Glazer Kennedy Insider’s Circle (GKIC)
GKIC – 2017 Info-Summit & 2018 SuperConference
Ask A Copy Expert
Rebel Enterprises
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) – The Beginners Guide to SEO by Moz
Huckberry
Athleta
Title Nine
J. Peterman Catalogues Unique Product Descriptions
Duluth Trading Co. Men’s & Women’s Workwear & Clothing
Ask A Copy Expert – Headline Generator
“Tested Advertising Methods” book by John Caples
“My Life in Advertising” & “Scientific Advertising” all-in-one book by Claude Hopkins
RoomDividersNow
Ask A Copy Expert – Review Service
“Made to Stick” book by Chip & Dan Heath
The Tim Ferriss Show Podcast
Ask A Copy Expert – Ultimate Sales Generator
“The Ultimate Sales Letter” book by Dan Kennedy
“No. B.S. Direct Marketing: The Ultimate No Holds Barred Kick Butt Take No Prisoners Direct Marketing for Non-Direct Marketing Businesses” book by Dan Kennedy

Connect with Julie Boswell:

via email

via LinkedIn

via Facebook

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If you’re not continually tweaking and testing for better conversion rates, you’re leaving money on the table.

Nick Disabato is a guy that I never heard of until all of a sudden I saw him everywhere.  From working on BOOM with Ezra Firestone to speaking at eCommerce events to being interviewed on multiple podcasts.  All of a sudden I couldn’t escape this guy.  🙂

Nick is incredibly bright and has a great process for finding and fixing conversion rate problems for eCommerce sites.

In this episode we cover:

– Top conversion tools

– Where to begin with conversion rate optimization

– Simple improvements Nick helped Ezra create for BOOM that created a big conversion lift

– What big ecommerce stores fail at over and over again and how you can capitalize on it.

– How to get real answers out of your customers and turn that into conversion gold

– Top conversion resources

– Plus more!

Mentioned in this Episode:
Nick Disabato Podcast – Make Money Online
Guetzli by Google
ImageOptim
Hotjar
VWO (Visual Website Optimizer)
Optimizely
Google Optimize
Google Forms
Wufoo
MailChimp
Mandrill
Typeform
“The Innovator’s Dilemma” by Clayton Christensen
UserTesting
QuickView+
Evan Miller’s Blog
ConversionXL’s Blog
WiderFunnel’s Blog
Annielytic’s Blog
Avinash Kaushik – Occam’s Razor
Ezra Firestone – Smart Marketer
Kurt Elster – Ethercycle
The Unofficial Shopify Podcast
Baymard Institute

Connect with Nick Disabato:

via Twitter

via NickD

via Draft

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What are you doing to delight your best shoppers?  How are you encouraging or incentivizing your best customers to come back and tell a friend?  How are you consistently growing repeat purchases?

If your answer is “I’m not sure,” or “I could do more,” or even “we’re doing pretty good there,” this episode is for you.

I’ve seen different studies, but I think it’s safe to say that driving a new customer is 5 to 25 times more expensive than keeping an existing one.

With that in mind, it makes sense to put plenty of effort and energy into keeping and delighting existing customers.  Also, the best new customers are often those who are referred by your existing customers.

Steve Deckert and his company Smile.io (formerly Sweet Tooth) are veterans in the rewards space for eCommerce.  Here’s a quick look at what we cover on this episode:

– How to build a powerful referral program

– How to build a successful VIP program

– Loyalty campaign mistakes to avoid

– How InkBox saw an 80% lift in repeat purchases with these strategies

– How to properly get the word out about your new program and ensure participation

– Plus more!

Mentioned in this Episode:
Smile.io
InkBox
BottleKeeper

Connect with Steve Deckert:
via Twitter
via LinkedIn

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Bart Mroz has his finger on the pulse of the eCommerce industry.  He’s the co-host of the Register Podcast and writes for Entrepreneur, Retail Dive, Social Media Today and more.

This episode is all about emerging trends, what’s next, and how we should approach (our least favorite term) omnichannel.

Bart moved to the US as a boy who spoke no English.  We talk some about being an immigrant entrepreneur and then dive into some pretty compelling questions such as:

– What technologies will disrupt eCommerce in the next 1-5 years?

– What are the most common problems you’re solving for larger eCommerce clients right now?  How do you think those will differ in 2-5 years?

– What platforms and payment systems are you most impressed with?

– How is omnichannel changing and where is retail in general headed?

– Are there any legitimate contenders for Amazon – who could give them a run for their money?

– Plus more!

Bart is a fascinating guy, and I think you’ll love the interview.  Enjoy!

Mentioned in this Episode:

SUMO Heavy Digital Commerce Strategy Firm

Magento

IRCE

IKEA Store Experience

@WalmartLabs

Shopify

Unite 2017

Magento 2

Why You Should Move to Magento 2 – CreativeMinds Blog

WebLink International

Apple Pay

How Will iMessage Payments Stack Up to Square Cast and Venmo? – The Verge

Venmo

Android Pay

What is a Google Premier Partner?

Amazon Advertising

Amazon Sponsored Product Ads

Alibaba

Bonobos

Warby Parker

Bulletin

Walmart Online Grocery Pickup

Walmart Employee Delivery

Amazon Go Store

Retail Dive

SUMO Heavy Newsletter

SUMO Heavy’s “eCommerce Minute” on Anchor

The Register Podcast

Connect with Bart Mroz:

via Facebook
via Twitter
via Email

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Facebook ads are one of the hottest paid channels for online merchants right now. FB ads played a huge part in Ezra Firestone’s growth from under $10million in revenue to over $22.5 million in a single year.

Part of achieving success on Facebook is keeping up to date on what’s working now.….And it’s a moving target.

Ezra spends upwards of $15,000 per day on Facebook Ads and he’s tracking his performance carefully.

Here’s a glimpse of what we cover on the show:
– How Ezra is currently building his Facebook Sales Funnels
– The 4 types of ads you should be testing
– Why you should consider video ads for FB
– Landing page tips for converting more FB ad traffic
– New audience targeting techniques that are different than what Ezra was teaching & testing just a few months ago.
– Bonus! We get a little bit “deep” at the beginning and end of this episode. We talk about being a mission-driven business and sticking to your values even as you experience rapid growth and have opportunities coming at you from every angle. Learn from Ezra’s wisdom and his story here…

Plus, more!

Mentioned in this Episode:
BeeFriendly Skincare
BOOM by Cindy Joseph
Traffic & Conversion Summit 2017
IRCE
Jon Loomer’s Blog
DigitalMarketer’s Blog
Smart Marketer
Free Facebook Video Ad Training
Kickstarter
IndieGoGo
How to Use Facebook Messenger Ads
Facebook Messenger Ads – Digital Marketer Episode
eCommerce All-Stars 2017

Connect with Ezra Firestone:
via Facebook
via Twitter
via LinkedIn

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Product discovery on Amazon is almost exclusively driven by search.  So if you want to drive more sales on Amazon you have to get better at search – both the organic side (SEO) and the paid ad side.  In this week’s episode, I interview a man who knows Amazon search inside and out – George Lawrence.

He started Merchant Words in 2013 and has grown it into one of the most popular Amazon research tools on the market.  In my chat with George, we dive into all things Amazon search including…

– Common Amazon SEO mistakes to avoid

– Finding hidden sales opportunities through keyword research (brace yourself we use a pretty off the wall and potentially controversial example).

– How Amazon search has changed in recent years and what that means to you.

– When analyzing search data, what metrics matter and what metrics don’t

– Preparing for more product searches on Alexa and “Amazon Choice”

– Current trends on Walmart & Jet.com

Plus more!  Check it out.

Mentioned in this Episode:
Zipify Apps by Smart Marketer
MerchantWords – Amazon Keyword Tool
Eugene Schwartz’s 8 Rules of Great Copywriting – Mindvalley Insights
Eugene Schwartz – “Breakthrough Advertising” book – Amazon
Amazon’s Alexa started ordering people dollhouses after hearing its name on TV – The Verge
“Amazon’s Choice” Want To Make Your Purchasing Decisions For You – Huffington PostConnect with George Lawrence:

via Twitter

via LinkedIn

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It’s very possible that your data sucks. Or if your data is accurate, it’s likely that you’re fixating on the wrong metrics.

I LOVE this interview. While I can’t pick favorites, it would be hard to find an episode that was more important to your business than this one.

Charles Farina and the team at Analytics Pros craft data and analytics solutions for large companies like Yelp, Starbucks, TOMS, Asics and more.

This episode is highly actionable….and fun, in a nerdy way. Here’s a look at what we tackle:

– Top, little-known Analytics “hacks” for better, more actionable data.
– Why asking “what attribution model is best for me” is the wrong question to ask.
– 3 Worthless Metrics you should either stop measuring or understand what they are really telling you (if anything).
– What will Google’s new attribution model look like and when should we expect it?
– Real case studies for making better decisions with proper data analysis
– Top Analytics mistakes to avoid

Plus, more!

Mentioned on this Episode:
Analytics Pros
Urchin Software Corp. Vault – The Unlikely Origin Story of Google Analytics
Set up Event Tracking – Analytics Help – Google Support
LunaMetrics
Jeff Sauer’s Blog
Charles Farina’s Blog
Google Analytics Academy
Digital & TV Attribution Capabilities – Google Attribution 360

Connect with Charles Farina:
via Twitter
via LinkedIn
via Blog

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Facebook ad spend has skyrocketed in recent years to the point that Mark Zuckerberg announced recently that this year they may “run out” or ad space causing rates to go up (techcrunch article).  For online merchants, it’s often the number 2 or even number 1 traffic source with Google usually taking the other spot.

Molly Pittman, VP of Marketing for Digital Marketer, is a legitimate Facebook ad expert and seasoned practitioner.  Today on the podcast we dive into Molly’s 5-Step checklist for making sure that her Facebook ad campaigns are a success.  We dive into some real tactical and strategic info here.  Here’s a glimpse of what we cover:

– Why your approach to targeting might be all wrong, and what you should be testing right now. Molly always looks to build ad sets around audiences of a certain size.…

– How to make your audience “squirm” so that it’s hard for them to say “no” to your offer.

– Video marketing tips including long form vs. short form videos….Molly’s answer here might surprise you especially if you are a long time direct response marketer.

– How competition is forcing advertisers to “up their game” and how good ads cost you less.

– New opportunities to advertise and market using messenger

– and much, much more.

Mentioned in this Episode:
DigitalMarketer
Content & Commerce Summit 2017 (September 18 – 20) – Los Angeles,California

HUBBLE

Quip Toothbrush

Wag!
Perpetual Traffic Podcast

ManyChat

Animoto

Soothe

Connect with Molly Pittman:

via LinkedIn

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B2B eCommerce is poised to explode in the coming months.  In fact, Forrester predicts that B2b eCommerce will be twice the size of B2C eCommerce by 2020.   If you are a B2B company or if you’re a service provider working with B2B companies, or if you just want to see how B2B will shape eCommerce – this episode is important to you.

In this episode I’m honored to welcome two veterans of eCommerce – Darren Sepanek and Carrie Weidenbach.  Darren joined the Magento team in 2010

and helped launch and run the worldwide Magento Partner Network.  Carrie

has been in the eCommerce industry for 12 years and has served in both COO and Director of Project management

roles launching over 20 large eCommerce site builds annually.

They are both now at E7 Solutions and work with the OROCommerce Platform (Co-founded by Yoav Kutner the co-

founder of Magento) to build custom B2B eCommerce solutions.

In this episode, we cover some really important B2B eCommerce Topics including:

– What is OROCommerce, who’s behind it and why should B2B companies consider it.

– How has B2C eCommerce shopping experiences (from Amazon and others) shaped B2B expectations?

– How important is Mobile to B2B?

– How “commodity” products can really benefit from new eComm trends.

– How re-order and subscription models are impacting B2B

– Plus more!

Mentioned in this Episode:

E7 Solutions

Oro Inc

Connect with Darren Sepanek:

via LinkedIn

via Email

Connect with Carrie Weidenbach:

via LinkedIn

via Email

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As you know, we are huge fans of YouTube ads.  At OMG Commerce we run a lot of Shoppable TrueView campaigns – the joining of YouTube and Google Shopping (for more info on Shoppable TrueView check out Episode 10).

Tom is the CEO of Viewability and a master of YouTube ads.  He’s built very profitable campaigns for marketing gurus like Neil Patel, Frank Kern, Amy Porterfield, and Brendan Burchard.  Frank even mentioned that his YouTube campaigns are working better than Facebook right now.

I specifically wanted to dig in and ask Tom about his unique approach to YouTube.  Here’s a glimpse of what we cover in this episode:

– How to key in on the right targeting for your YouTube ads.

– What makes for great ads that convert (it’s not as complex as you think)

– How performance psychology impacts public speaking and YouTube ads

– Finding moments where prospects are most open to your message

– How to measure for success

– Plus more!

Mentioned in this Episode:
Viewability
Traffic & Conversion Summit 2017 – Best of T&C
Veeroll
Content & Commerce Summit 2017 L.A. (Sept. 18 – 20)

Connect with Tom Breeze:
via LinkedIn
via Twitter
via Facebook
via Instagram

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The story behind Xero Shoes is a crazy one.  World-class sprinter over the age of 50 gets hurt, takes advice to start running barefoot and immediately sees improvements.  Then goes on to design a prototype for a barefoot running sandal that would soon land him a spot on ABC’s hit show Shark Tank.  

This episode is a ton of fun and is chock full of insights and stories from a really unique online merchant.  Steven Sashen is a competitive sprinter, a TV and film veteran, an SEO, and an entrepreneur through and through.  This interview is part of our “How I Did It” series and outlines some of the elements driving the growth of Xero Shoes.  Here’s a glimpse of what we cover:

– Some of the factors that lead to the huge success of Xero Shoes (Steven’s answer might surprise you).

– Steven’s favorite sources of traffic

– Conversion tips that have grown Xero Shoes to what it is today

– How Steven and team approach product design and how that’s helped them succeed in the wildly competitive footwear space

– Lessons learned for the Shark Tank (hint: you better know your numbers)

– How Xero Shoes is leveraging the crowd funding trend

– Plus more!

Mentioned in this Episode:

Steven Sashen
Xero Shoes
Invest in Xero Shoes
Dr. Phil Maffetone
Stamped.io

Connect with Steven Sashen:

via LinkedIn

via Twitter

via Facebook

via IMDb

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Dubbed the “eCommerce Renegade” Chad Rubin is the author of the book Cheaper, Easier, Direct and is one of the top 250 Amazon Sellers in the world.

With over 2 million sellers on Amazon worldwide, cracking the top 250 is no small task.  But that’s not Chad’s only day job.  He’s also the CEO of Skubana, a multi-channel inventory management, and ERP software.  Chad brings a wealth of knowledge on what it takes to build a brand and succeed on Amazon and other marketplaces. You’ll love his story and we dive into some very practical and helpful stuff including:

– How to build a brand selling on marketplaces

– How to become a top 250 seller on Amazon

– Should you work with Amazon as a Marketplace Seller (3p) or Selling direct to Amazon (1p) or both?

– How to drive traffic and increase conversions on Amazon – and is enhance brand content worth the effort.

– How  Echo devices and voice search will impact Amazon sales

– Biggest mistakes you see sellers making on Amazon

– Plus more!

Mentioned in this Episode:
OMG Commerce Holiday Special – Free Google Webinar Replay
Content & Commerce Summit 2017 L.A. (Sept. 18 – 20)
Skubana
“Cheaper, Easier, Direct” Book by Chad Rubin

Connect with Chad Rubin:

via Email

via Twitter

via Facebook

via LinkedIn

via YouTube

via Instagram

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While it’s not a platform I’m intimately familiar with, Woo Commerce is gaining market share fast. By some estimates, it’s approaching 30-40% of online shopping carts.  Largely because WordPress powers approximately 26% of the web.

In this episode, we dive into WooCommerce and some general conversion boosters for any site owner.  Cody Landefeld is the founder of Mode Effect and a Woo Commerce and conversion expert.

Here’s a look at what Cody and I dive into:

– Why Woo is exploding.

– New Woo developments and what merchants are a good fit for Woo.

– 3 Conversion tips every site owner needs to consider?

– 4 eCommerce design trends to amplify sales.

– How to add the human element to your shopping experience.

– How to build a sales funnel for eCommerce.

– More!

Want to learn more about Mode Effect?  Check out their 5 Key Considerations for Optimization and Redesign.  

Mentioned in this Episode:

OMG Commerce Holiday Special – Free Google Webinar Replay

Content & Commerce Summit 2017 L.A. (Sept. 18-20)

Mode Effect

5 Ways to Convert More Users on Your WooCommerce Store

4 eCommerce Design Trends that Amplify Results on Your Store

WooCommerce

WooCommerce Developers Conference 2017 Seattle  (Oct. 19 & 20)

The Red Headed Hostess

Warby Parker

Huckberry

Zappos

Connect with Cody Landefeld:

via Twitter

via Facebook

via Instagram

via LinkedIn

via Clarity FM

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Shopify just reached the milestone of powering over 500,000 online stores.  Today on the show I interview David Moellenkamp a self-proclaimed automation geek, former long-time employee of BlackBerry and now the Director of Product at Shopify Plus.

One of the goals I have for the podcast is to interview and uncover what’s new and what’s next for the major eCommerce Platforms.  If we want to truly understand where eCommerce is headed, we need to get a better picture of what the companies who build our most used carts are doing.  

We are platform agnostic here at OMG Commerce.  We create full funnel marketing plans for clients regardless of platform.  That said, I love how Shopify is democratizing eCommerce.  They’re taking features that were once only available to the IR 500 and making them available to all merchants.  They’re also building features that allow merchants to create customer experiences that are only limited by their imagination.

We take a deep dive into what’s new and what’s next at Shopify and we discuss a few current eCommerce trends facing all merchants.

Here’s a quick look at what we cover in this episode:

– How Shopify stacks up against competitors

– The difference between Shopify and Shopify Plus

– How to capitalize on Social Commerce

– Omni Channel and Marketplace success

– How Shopify Plus is using scripts and the brand new XYZ to allow merchants to create complex customizations without learning to code.

– How to utilize new technology for better overall ecommerce performance from easier management of fraud to better personalization and marketing.

– How mobile shopping is changing and how to improve your mobile conversion rate

Mentioned in this Episode:
OMG Commerce Holiday Special – Free Google Webinar Replay

Companies Using Shopify Plus:
– New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/
– Nestle http://www.nestle.com/
– MVMT Watches https://www.mvmtwatches.com/
– Leesa https://www.leesa.com/
– Nine West http://www.ninewest.com/
– Fred Segal https://www.fredsegal.com/
– Kylie Cosmetics https://www.kyliecosmetics.com/
– Fashion Nova https://www.fashionnova.com/
– Red Bull https://www.redbull.com/us-en/

Frenzy

Connect with David Moellenkamp:
via Twitter

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If you want to up your eComm game then you have to be paying attention to leading eComm brands and eComm marketers.

I just got back from speaking at the 2017 Content & Commerce Summit put on by Digital Marketer.  I had the privilege of “sharing the stage” with top brands like Casper.com, Chegg.com, Racked.com, Fossil Watches and more!

I got so much from the event that I wanted to share some of the most impactful takeaways with you.  So I invited my friend, and the director of content at Digital Marketer, Russ Henneberry on the show for us to each share our top 5 takeaways from the event….

Here’s a quick look at what we cover:

– How Chegg.com not only survived, but thrived after Amazon came after them directly.  Most experts considered it was game over, but not Chegg.

– The actual business that Casper considers themselves in and how you can learn from their content marketing.

– How you can beat Amazon at Customer-centricity.

– The BOTS are coming!  How BOTS are impacting advertisers on both Google and Amazon

– Facebook Messenger Ad tips from Ezra Firestone

– How Fossil Watches leverages the long tail and how you’re likely leaving money on the table

– Plus much more!

Mentioned in this Episode:

OMG Commerce Holiday Special – Free Google Webinar Replay

Best of Content & Commerce Summit 2017

Traffic & Conversion Summit 2018 – San Diego, CA. (Feb. 26 – 28)

Fossil

Roland Frasier (at DigitalMarketer)

Casper

Gary Vaynerchuk

Mike Rhodes

Google Acquires Artificial Intelligence Startup DeepMind

The AdWords 2017 Roadmap is Loaded with Artificial Intelligence

Racked – Vox Media

Ryan Deiss (CEO of DigitalMarketer)

Survival Life

Rue La La

PureWow

Fashionista

Jim Collins (Author of “Good to Great”)

Huckberry

How Ezra Firestone Grew His Facebook Messenger Bot Subscribers – Bot Academy

Facebook Messenger for eCommerce – DigitalMarketer

ManyChat

Chegg

Connect with Russ Henneberry:

via Twitter

via Facebook

via LinkedIn

via DigitalMarketer

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Going fast is fun.  Just ask Ricky Bobby.  “Hair on fire” type of growth in business can be a real rush.  It can also be painful.  In this episode, I interview JD Crouse the co-founder and Queso Grande (Big Cheese) of BolderBand.com – a trendy manufacturer and retailer of activewear headbands.

Bolder Band grew from the kitchen table and dusty sewing machine of JD’s wife Amy to do over $3.5 million in revenue their first year.  To call that rapid growth is an extreme understatement.  Amy and JD won the 2014 Build a Business Contest from Shopify and in the process got to spend time with Gary Vaynerchuck, Tim Ferriss, Daymond John and many others.

Growth can also be painful…we’ll explore both the good and the bad and the lessons in both.  This is a truly inspiring interview.  Here’s a quick look at what we cover:

– How to build a community FAST on Facebook and Instagram

– Knowing when to stick with it during disappointment

– Handling ruthless competitors

– The good and bad of hiring friends and family members

– Finding a competitive advantage and building your business around it

– Handling the benefits and being aware of the dangers of notoriety

– How to grow in the age of Amazon

– Plus more!

Mentioned in this Episode:
OMG Commerce Holiday Special – Free Google Webinar Replay
OMG Commerce Holiday Offer – Schedule a Strategy Session
Bolder Band Headbands
eCommerce In The Trenches Podcast

Connect With JD Clouse:

Via Linkedin
Via Twitter
Via Facebook
Via Instagram

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This is Jeff Bezos’ world…we’re just living in it.  Or at least, that’s how it feels for an eCommerce merchant.  It’s hard to overstate the continued growth, innovation, and reach of Amazon.  With 214 distribution centers and growing.  Sales growing at 20-30% per year.  Forays into apparel, electronics (Kindle and the Echo family of products), batteries, and several other categories.  It’s hard not to look at Amazon with awe and wonder.  So, what’s a merchant to do in light of Amazon’s dominance?  Is Amazon friend or foe, or somewhere in between?

Andrew Youderian knows the world of independent eCommerce store owners better than arguably anyone on the planet.  He started the eCommerce Fuel podcast in 2014 and the eCommerce Fuel private forum shortly thereafter.  He’s bought, grown and sold several eCommerce businesses and he interacts regularly with top independent merchants on a monthly basis.  When it comes to eCommerce Andrew has done and seen it all.

In this episode, we look at how you as a merchant can stay relevant and thrive in the shadow of Amazon…and how to benefit from Amazon without “making a deal with the devil” so to speak.

He dives into detail on:

– What factors to consider when forming your Amazon strategy

– What merchants are most at risk to face irrelevance and extinction as Amazon continues to grow and innovate

– Andrews 4 Musts for thriving in an Amazon World

– When to “blitz” Amazon vs. when to back off

– Top takeaways from some of the best independent merchants on the planet…tips and ideas for you to steal and deploy

Mentioned in this Episode:

OMG Commerce Holiday Special – Free Google Webinar Replay

OMG Commerce Holiday Offer – Schedule a Strategy Session

OMG Commerce

eCommerceFuel – The Private Community for 6 & 7 Figure Stores

Connect with Andrew Youderian:

Via Twitter

Via Facebook

Via Linkedin

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This is part of the “how I did it” series where we interview successful eCommerce entrepreneurs and dig into the tactics and strategies that propelled them ahead of the pack.  This interview with Jared Mitchell, Co-Founder of Skincare by Alana, is a great example of building a community, testing everything, and diversifying traffic.

Jared and Alana’s story is pretty awesome. Jared went from a bass player with a record deal that fell through to self-employed deck builder to helping his wife launch an online skincare company.  Jared took some SEO knowledge and combined it with Alana’s passion and as an esthetician to build a budding eCommerce skincare store.

We dig into some really interesting stuff in this episode including:

• Jared’s top 4 Conversion hacks over the last 12 months
• A shipping offer test with surprising results
• Using Quizzes & Surveys for better conversions (this was an eye-opener for me)
• How to grow a new brand piggybacking on existing brands
• Jared’s top traffic sources
• Using Amazon to boost Google SEO traffic
• What separates successful eCommerce companies from the rest of the pack

Mentioned in this Episode:

OMG Commerce Holiday Special – Free Google Webinar Replay

OMG Commerce Holiday Offer – Schedule a Strategy Session

OMG Commerce

Skincare by Alana

Connect with Jared Mitchell:
Via Linkedin
Via Facebook

Connect with Skincare by Alana:
Via Facebook
Via Twitter
Via Instagram
Via Quiz Funnel

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Few people have mastered social media marketing like Michael Stelzner.  Michael is the founder of Social Media Examiner, one of the most visited social media marketing websites on the planet.  He’s also the host of the Social Media Marketing podcast.  He started the podcast in 2012 and has since racked up over 12 million downloads.

Michael and team also run the Social Media Marketing World – featuring some of the top social media marketers sharing their best stuff.  I’m super excited about the 2018 event – mainly because I’ll be sharing a stage with Michael – talking YouTube Remarking.  Want to join me?  Learn More.

In this episode, I wanted to pick Michael’s brain on how he and his team approach content.  I want you to be able to capitalize and learn from Michael’s success.

Here’s a glimpse of what we cover:

• Keys to success with Facebook Live & Video marketing in general
• How his new behind-the-scenes shows called the “Journey” are racking up 10’s of thousands of views on Facebook and YouTube.
• How eCommerce merchants should use video to fuel growth
• Advantages of going live vs. recorded (think algorithm)
• Social media predictions that could change the way we market
• Social Media Marketing World and why it’s one of the top Social Media Events in the world.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Social Media Examiner

Social Media Marketing World (Feb. 28 – Mar. 2, 2018)

Social Media Examiner Facebook Live

Connect with Michael Stelzner:

Via Facebook

Via Twitter

Via Linkedin

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In 2009 Chegg was one of the leaders in the online college textbook market.  They offered college students the ability to rent textbooks online for a fraction of what they could pay at the campus bookstore.  Word of mouth from delighted students and strong online marketing efforts fueled rapid growth…Then they had an unwelcome competitor enter the ring – AMAZON.

Most companies would shrink in terror, get angry, cry about the world being unfair and potentially leave the space altogether. Chegg had been anticipating this move by Amazon and had been working feverishly for months to try and prepare. In this podcast, I interview John Fillmore, Chief Business Officer for Chegg.com. We dive deep into how they responded initially to Amazon and how they continue to innovate and stay relevant.

Chegg’s best move (and they’ve had a LOT of great moves) was understanding that their best asset was not an offer on cheap textbooks. It wasn’t their website. It wasn’t even their SEO value (that was immense at that time). They’re greatest asset was the trust and relationship they had with college students around the country. With that they were able to pivot and go beyond textbooks to helping college students perform better in school. Their growth using content marketing, SEO, email marketing, and some wicked smart display marketing has been fun to watch.

Here’s what we dive into:

– What it was like in the months leading up to Amazon entering the textbook market and then after they entered the market. See how John and team “war roomed” regularly and came out with some powerful innovations.

– How Chegg innovates and stays relevant continually in the face of pressure from Amazon

– How they view the textbook side of the business now that Amazon continues the “race to the bottom” with lower prices.

– Chegg’s wicked smart, campus-specific display marketing strategy….I’m still geeking out about this use of data.

– How Chegg knows their customers and markets accordingly

– What services they offer to “get students in the door” so to speak and then get them to stick around as customers.

– Brilliant content marketing plays

– Plus much more!

Mentioned in this Episode:
Chegg

Connect with John Fillmore:
via Linkedin:
via Twitter:

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Few people know Facebook advertising like Ralph Burns and his team at Dominate Web Media.  In this interview, we take a look at the latest features, strategies, and tactics working for eCommerce merchants on Facebook.  This episode is rich in content and contains some real Facebook gold.

Here’s a look at what we cover:

• Top misconceptions regarding Facebook ads that are holding you back
• Top targeting methods you should be using
• Ralph’s 3-Step video marketing formula
• Understanding the Facebook algorithm and how it impacts your ad performance
• Competitive Remarketing – now you can target people on Facebook who have purchased similar product to what you sell.
• Changes likely on the horizon for Facebook ads

Mentioned in this Episode:

Dominate Web Media
Perpetual Traffic Podcast
Adam Killam Email

Connect with Ralph Burns:

via Linkedin

via Twitter

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Today we take a deep dive into Amazon from two unique perspectives – from that of a very successful seller and that of an Amazon Ad Specialist.

As we close out 2017 we do so with two record sales days under our belts.  Black Friday and Cyber Monday both set online sales records.  Amazon was a big driver of that online growth.

All signs point to continued growth into 2018.  In this episode, we’ll outline how you can get the most from Amazon in the coming months.

First a little about our guests…

Brandon Andrews is a successful Amazon seller and now the co-founder of Freedom Shark, providing training to up-and-coming Amazon sellers.  Chris Tyler is an SEO Specialist turned Amazon Ad expert.  Currently, he manages successful Amazon Ad campaigns for large and smaller sellers alike and is part of our team here at OMG Commerce

Here are a few things we cover in this episode:

– Takeaways from Black Friday and Cyber Monday and how to prepare for next year’s holiday sales

– The 1-2 things likely holding your Amazon advertising back

– The top 3-4 mistakes sellers make as they launch and grow products

– New opportunities

– Walmart vs. Amazon and how brands should capitalize on both

– The best Amazon Ad Advice for 2018

– Plus more!

Mentioned in this Episode:

OMG Commerce

Freedom Shark

Amazon Advertising

AmazonBasics

Cyber Monday hits Record-Breaking $6.59B in US Online Sale

Black Friday Rocks Up $5.03B in Online Sales, $2B on Mobile Alone

Amazon’s Ad Revenue to Hit $3.5B in 2017

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Logan Christopher doesn’t do anything halfway. He’s one entrepreneur you likely wouldn’t want to challenge in a test of strength. Logan is thin but deceptively strong. He’s deadlifted 505 lbs, rack pulled 1,000 lbs. In his spare time, he juggles flaming kettlebells and pulls fire trucks with his hair. Not making this up. Check out the details at legendarystrength.com or visit his YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/user/LegendaryStrength).

While this is impressive and interesting, this is not why I had Logan on the show. He’s also a successful eCommerce store owner. Like most successful store owners, Logan is doing a lot of things right. I think you’ll find this talk inspirational and educational.

Here’s a quick look at what we cover:

– How info marketing style content can drive traffic and sales
– How daily emailing can still work in 2018
– Conversion improvements by lining up with charity
– Affiliate marketing for rapid growth
– How long form sales pages can work for eCommerce
– Benefits of long-form product pages
– Logan’s favorite traffic sources
– recent conversion improvements
– Plus more

I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did!

Mentioned in this Episode:

Omg Commerce
Legendary Strength
Lost Empire Herbs

Connect with Logan Christopher:

Email
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Linkedin
Amazon

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Amazon truly is a jungle.  Legitimate competitors are chomping at your heels vying for your rankings and clicks.  Unscrupulous and even fraudulent competitors are wreaking havoc and forcing a “race to the bottom” with product prices.  

In this episode I interview John Bullard Sr.  John has a unique perspective on Amazon.  First off, he’s a successful seller with a $3 million per year private label Amazon business.  He also has 30 years of experience as a retail wholesaler.  On top of that, he owns and operates a fulfillment center.  Finally, he’s the host of Pro Seller Talk a paid community bringing insights and training to Amazon sellers.  

Here’s a quick look at what we cover as John and I get “in the trenches”…

• Top Amazon Trends for 2018  – including the end of retail arbitrage
• Brand registry and brand gating – what you need to know
• How to diversify using Walmart marketplace – plus a couple of little known functionality on Walmart you have to know about to be successful.  
• The need for multiple streams of traffic.
• Fulfillment tips and trends – how to keep up with consumers growing demands on fulfillment.  

As always we’d love your feedback, comments, or questions on our Facebook page (link).

Mentioned in this Episode:
OMG Commerce
MyFulfillmentTeam
ProSellerTalk

Connect with Guest:
via Facebook
via Email

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