What’s Working Now in E-Commerce | EP 144

interviews podcast Dec 20, 2023

Subscribe:  SarahsPodcast.com Apple Podcast Spotify | IHeartRadio | Stitcher

 

2023 has been a rollercoaster year for e-commerce businesses. Yes, there have been ups, but wow, have there ever been downs, too. And there were certainly times this year that left all of us scratching our heads and wondering, “What’s working now?” 

In this episode, I’m going to do my best to answer that question along with one of my biz besties, Susan Bradley of the E-Commerce Roadmap podcast. We each share the top 3 things working right now in e-Commerce. The best news? You can implement any one of them in your business starting right now. 

It’s important to understand you have way more control over your results than you think you do. Even if this year has been more downs than ups, there is always a way to come back and get what you want. 

My year had big jumps and dips. I took my eye off my business for personal and professional reasons and it showed. But there were three things I did to get sales back on track. And they all had to do with getting back to basics. 

  1. I doubled up on LIVE selling.
    • Instead of once a week, I went LIVE twice a week. 
    • The result? I generated almost double the sales. 
    • If you are a LIVE seller, add another LIVE to your schedule. If you’re not selling LIVE yet, start now! 
  2. I sent 2-3 additional emails each week. 
    • Quick mini-campaigns 
    • Brief copy focused on features & benefits, a picture of me wearing the product, and testimonials & reviews. 
    • These emails generated SO MANY sales! 
    • 65% of my revenue is coming from email right now. It’s like an ATM. I put content in, push send, and get sales. 
  3. I realized my email list wasn’t growing and changed my opt-in. 
    • The seasonal wallpaper based on my t-shirt designs resulted in thousands of people joining my email list. 
    • I ran Facebook ads to cold audiences for the opt-in, spending $40 a month to bring in so many new people! 

Go back to the basics, but be innovative within those basics. I started running page-like ads in the spring - remember, audience building never ends - after I realized my Facebook and Instagram audiences had grown stale. The result? Almost 7K new followers! 

What’s working for Susan now? 

Susan recommends doubling down on what’s working. Three things that have been working for her and her members: 

  1. Building audiences using a brand video strategy. 
    • 90-second or less videos give viewers a high-level look at you and your brand with a super soft CTA to learn more. 
    • They are designed to attract your perfect people. The longer they watch, the warmer they are. 
    • You can retarget some with a stronger CTA. 
    • Susan Bradley’s Brand Video Bootcamp
  2. Lead generation
    • Find those most likely to be first-time buyers by using a quiz.
    • ShopQuiz is the easiest platform to use - it integrates with Klaviyo. 
  3. Email automations
    • 30% of sales should come from automations. 
    • Set them up before you grow - get an ROI on all that effort. 
    • Send automated, personalized emails based on your audience’s quiz results. 
      • Allows you to see where the money is based on the quiz results. 
    • When someone buys a particular product, set up an automation to sell them another product - the next logical thing that goes with it. 
    • Set up a segment of people who have been on your site recently - they are close to purchasing. 

All the time you spend on these tried and true strategies allows you to maximize what you have. This pays off so much more than going off and finding new ways to accomplish the same goal. 

Take one or two of these ideas and implement them now. Then add more - get to where you’ve implemented all of them. They’re working for a LOT of people right now! 

 

Join me and my biz bestie Susan Bradley for this episode to learn what’s working in e-commerce now and how you can start implementing these strategies in your business today.

 

The Social Sales Girls Brand Video Bootcamp

 

Find and follow Susan: 

Learn from me:

  • Subscription Box Blueprint eBook: This $10 ebook covers logistics from product selection to packaging to shipping. Plus a 90-day launch plan and bonus ‘Instant Scripts’ for your social media.
  • Launch Your Box: My complete training program that walks you step by step through how to start, launch, and grow your subscription box business.
  • Launch Your Box Podcast: I share tons of practical tips and strategies to help you start, launch, and grow your subscription box business. You’ll also hear from industry experts and current Launch Your Box members who are crushing it - get ready to get inspired!
  • One Box at a Time: Inside my book One Box at a Time, I show you the steps you need to follow to start and launch your subscription box. To turn your dream into reality. This book is filled with proven teachings, valuable resources, best practices, and action steps for you to take.

 

Find me on social:

 

Are you ready for Launch Your Box? Our complete training program walks you step by step through how to start, launch, and grow your subscription box business. Join today!

Join Launch Your Box

Hear from Sarah each week!

Do you want weekly tips for starting, launching, and growing a subscription box? Subscribe to get our latest content by email.

How to Build a Lead Magnet Funnel

Apr 21, 2024

Can Anyone Start a Subscription Box Business? | EP 157

Apr 17, 2024