Podcasts

Talk Commerce Chase Clymer

Avoiding Common Pitfalls When Setting Up Your Shopify Store with from Chase Clymer

In the world of e-commerce, setting up a Shopify store can be an exciting venture. However, many merchants fall into common traps that hinder their success. In this special episode of Talk Commerce, I sit down with Chase Clymer, the expert climber of all things Shopify, to discuss the most common mistakes merchants make when setting up their online stores and how to avoid them.

Overinvesting in Customizations Too Early

One of the biggest mistakes merchants make is overinvesting in customizations when their store is not ready for it. Chase emphasizes this point, stating:

“If your store is doing under a million, you could even argue under 5 million. You don’t need a custom theme. This is maybe controversial to some shops out there. But I think that over investing in design is more appealing to a brand’s founder, especially one that’s a design-oriented creative. And it doesn’t really add much to your bottom line.”

Instead of focusing on expensive customizations early on, Chase recommends investing in marketing and customer acquisition. Your resources are better spent on driving traffic and sales to your store.

Poor User Experience (UX) Choices

Another common pitfall is making poor UX choices, either due to a lack of expertise or understanding of the customer journey. Chase points out several areas where merchants often stumble:

“Navigation is always, always bad. It’s like the first thing I can see, I’m like, who built this site? I could tell that they didn’t know what they’re doing. The way the navigation is set up for an eCommerce store. Additionally, sorting and filtering is often overlooked. And then it’s 2024 now. And I still have to have conversations about mobile optimization with people.”

To avoid these mistakes, it’s crucial to work with an expert who understands the intricacies of e-commerce UX and can help optimize your store for conversions.

Neglecting Content Strategy

Content is king, and neglecting it can be detrimental to your Shopify store’s success. Chase emphasizes the importance of investing in high-quality content:

“When we talk about content, oftentimes when I’m having conversations with merchants about designing new stores, content comes up and I’ll send them examples and they’re like, that looks great. This looks great. That looks great. And I’m like, yeah, you want all these things have in common is they have great content. They have awesome imagery. They have great copy. They have good video.”

Beyond visuals, Chase also stresses the significance of written content, such as telling your brand’s story and having a robust blogging strategy. These elements help build trust with your customers and establish your expertise in your niche.

In conclusion, setting up a successful Shopify store requires careful planning and avoiding common mistakes. By focusing on the right investments, prioritizing UX, and developing a strong content strategy, you can set your store up for long-term success. As Chase Clymer reminds us, it’s essential to work with experts who can guide you through the process and help you optimize your store for conversions.

To dive deeper into this topic and gain more valuable insights, be sure to listen to the full episode of Talk Commerce featuring Chase Clymer. His expertise and practical advice will help you navigate the world of Shopify and take your online store to new heights.

Talk Commerce - Jason Nyhus

[Live from ShopTalk] The Struggle of Mid-Market Merchants in E-Commerce with Jason Nyhus

Defining the Mid-Market Merchant

Jason eloquently described the mid-market merchant as a business that doesn’t quite fit into the standard SMB or enterprise categories. These merchants often have complex use cases and unique needs that aren’t easily met by one-size-fits-all solutions. As someone who has worked with numerous mid-market businesses, I can attest to the importance of finding a platform that offers the flexibility and customization required to address their specific challenges.

One of the most significant issues mid-market merchants face is the dominance of big software companies in the e-commerce space. As Jason pointed out, these companies often prioritize their own profit motives over the needs of individual merchants. The result? A homogenized e-commerce experience that lacks the differentiation and customization many mid-market brands rely on to stand out in a crowded market.

I’ve seen firsthand how frustrating it can be for merchants to feel forced into a box, unable to tailor their online presence to their unique brand identity. This is where open-source platforms like Shopware shine, offering the freedom and flexibility to create truly distinctive e-commerce experiences.

The Importance of Adaptability and Customization

As the e-commerce landscape continues to evolve at a breakneck pace, adaptability has become a crucial factor in the success of mid-market merchants. Jason emphasized the significance of choosing a platform that allows for easy customization and integration with emerging technologies like AI.

In my experience, the ability to modify and own your code is a game-changer for mid-market businesses. It allows them to create tailored experiences that align with their brand and business processes, rather than being constrained by the limitations of a rigid, one-size-fits-all solution.

Final Thoughts

My conversation with Jason Nyhus at Shop Talk was an eye-opening exploration of the challenges and opportunities facing mid-market merchants in the e-commerce world. By understanding the unique needs of these businesses and embracing adaptable, customizable solutions, we can help them navigate the complexities of online retail and thrive in an increasingly competitive landscape.

If you’d like to learn more about Jason’s insights and the innovative solutions Shopware offers for mid-market merchants, be sure to check out the full podcast episode. And as always, keep the conversation going by sharing your own experiences and strategies for success in the comments below.

Talk Commerce - Nils Jessen

Optimizing Ad Performance with Mabel AI: Nils Jessen Shares Insights

I’m excited to have Nils Jessen, co-founder and CEO of Mabel AI, as our guest on Talk Commerce today. In this insightful conversation, Nils dives into the world of e-commerce advertising and shares how his company is revolutionizing the way brands optimize their ad performance. Let’s explore the key takeaways from our discussion.

The Challenges of Ad Tracking Post-iOS 14.5

One of the main issues Nils highlights is the impact of iOS 14.5 on ad tracking and data quality. He explains:

“Since iOS 14.5 and so on, the data quality has gotten increasingly worse to a point where the algorithm of your ad platform is missing the data to really understand your target audience. And therefore, your targeting becomes worse.”

This change has made it more difficult for ad platforms to effectively target the right audience, leading to suboptimal ad spend and performance.

Mabel AI’s Unique Approach to Solving the Problem

Nils differentiates Mabel AI’s approach from other tools in the market:

“What we’ve basically done is built a completely new architecture of how the tracking script is loaded into your shop, how the data is captured. The data quality is way more complete again, that every single event is captured with as much parameters as possible.”

By focusing on capturing high-quality, raw conversion data and feeding it directly into ad platforms, Mabel AI empowers the algorithms to make better targeting decisions and optimize campaign performance.

The Power of Controlling Your Own Data

One of the key insights Nils shares is the importance of businesses controlling their own conversion data:

“Every business themselves should be able to control their own conversion data. So that if you run an online shop, you should be the entity that controls who gets access and you shouldn’t be like dependent on a few big players that they are like so nice to give you this data.”

By using tools like Mabel AI, e-commerce brands can take ownership of their data flow and reduce their dependence on big tech platforms.

Leveraging AI for Smarter Ad Optimization

Nils emphasizes the role of AI in ad optimization, drawing parallels to the well-known algorithms used by Google and Meta:

“If you’re in the ad space, you have to keep in mind the algorithms by Google and Meta and so on who do the targeting. They are some of the most advanced and biggest AIs that mankind has built and they’ve been there for years.”

He explains how Mabel AI acts as a bridge, providing these powerful algorithms with the best possible training data specific to each business, enabling them to deliver optimal marketing outcomes.

Brent Peterson: Throughout our conversation, Nils provided invaluable insights into the evolving landscape of e-commerce advertising. As someone who has worked with numerous brands on their marketing strategies, I can attest to the importance of having accurate, high-quality data to fuel ad optimization.

Mabel AI’s innovative approach to tracking and data management is a game-changer for businesses looking to maximize their ad performance. By taking control of their data flow and leveraging the power of AI, e-commerce brands can gain a significant competitive advantage in today’s digital marketplace.

I highly recommend checking out the full Talk Commerce episode with Nils Jessen to dive deeper into these topics and learn more about how Mabel AI is transforming the world of e-commerce advertising.

Talk Commerce - Mike Micucci

The Future of Omnichannel Commerce: Insights from Fabric CEO Mike Micucci

I recently had the pleasure of hosting Mike Micucci, CEO of Fabric Commerce, on the Talk Commerce podcast. With his deep experience in ecommerce, including leadership roles at Salesforce Commerce Cloud, Mike shared fascinating insights into how composable commerce and AI are revolutionizing the omnichannel retail experience. In this post, I’ll highlight some of the key takeaways from our conversation.

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The Power of Composable Commerce

Mike explained that composable commerce provides retailers the flexibility to build the experiences they want while still benefiting from a unified backend platform. Fabric’s composable platform allows retailers to seamlessly manage the full commerce lifecycle, from merchandising to order fulfillment.

As Mike put it, “Commerce doesn’t stop at checkout. It’s just getting started.” I couldn’t agree more. Composable commerce empowers brands to craft unique customer journeys that extend beyond the buy button.

Accelerating Omnichannel with Fabric

For retailers looking to enhance their omnichannel capabilities, Mike outlined two key approaches with Fabric’s platform:

  1. Incrementally add discrete services like real-time inventory or advanced promotions to their existing tech stack
  2. Implement a comprehensive omnichannel solution by leveraging Fabric’s pre-built “primitives” – mini-apps that accelerate time-to-market and reduce complexity

Having seen many retailers struggle with siloed systems and inconsistent experiences, I’m excited by Fabric’s vision for a unified omnichannel platform. It’s a game-changer.

The Transformative Power of AI

Mike and I also discussed the transformative potential of AI in commerce. While many retailers have adopted basic machine learning for product recommendations, Mike envisions AI driving significant operational improvements.

By harnessing data across merchandising, fulfillment, and returns, AI can enable dynamic pricing, intelligent inventory allocation, and proactive decision-making. As Mike noted, this was previously only possible for retail giants like Amazon. But with platforms like Fabric democratizing access to advanced AI, every retailer can now unlock this potential.

The implications are vast – I believe we’ll see AI fundamentally reshaping how brands operate and engage customers in the coming years.

Unifying Digital and Physical Retail

Finally, Mike emphasized the importance of blending digital and physical experiences into one cohesive customer journey. Fabric’s platform empowers retailers to offer seamless omnichannel scenarios – browse online, purchase in-store; buy on mobile, pick up curbside; endless aisles in fitting rooms – all on a single platform.

This unified approach powered by robust APIs is key to meeting modern customer expectations. I’m thrilled to see composable commerce and platforms like Fabric making this level of integration achievable for retailers of all sizes.

Boosting Performance and Flexibility with Fabric’s Ethos

One aspect of Fabric’s approach that stood out to me was their ethos of “boost what’s there, make it better and faster.” Mike explained how this allows retailers to incrementally adopt Fabric’s services to enhance their existing infrastructure, rather than ripping and replacing everything at once.

This modular approach, enabled by composable architecture, gives brands the agility to tackle their most pressing needs first, then layer in additional capabilities over time. From my experience, this agile mindset is essential for success in today’s fast-moving retail environment.

The Symbiosis of Composable Commerce and Omnichannel

Throughout our discussion, it became clear that composable commerce and omnichannel retail are intricately linked. The modularity and flexibility of composable architectures perfectly align with the demands of omnichannel selling.

As customer journeys increasingly criss-cross between digital and physical touchpoints, retailers need the ability to rapidly compose and recompose experiences. Fabric’s platform, with its comprehensive suite of APIs and pre-built components, makes this level of agility possible.

Empowering Store Associates with Clienteling

One exciting use case Mike highlighted was clienteling – equipping store associates with tools to deliver personalized, high-touch service. Historically, clienteling has been challenging due to disconnected systems and data silos.

But with a unified platform like Fabric, associates can now access customer profiles, past purchase history, product information, and inventory data in real-time. This empowers them to deliver the kind of consultative, omnichannel experiences that drive loyalty and revenue.

As brick-and-mortar retail rebounds post-pandemic, I believe clienteling will be a key differentiator. Composable commerce makes it achievable at scale.

As I reflect on my conversation with Mike, I’m struck by the vast potential of composable commerce to reshape retail. By breaking down monolithic systems into modular, API-driven components, retailers can finally achieve the speed and flexibility needed to thrive in the omnichannel era.

Moreover, the convergence of composable architectures and AI opens up exciting new possibilities. From dynamic pricing to predictive merchandising, retailers can now harness data and intelligence in previously unimaginable ways.

Of course, technology is just one piece of the puzzle. Retailers must also foster a culture of agility, experimentation, and customer-centricity. But with platforms like Fabric providing the technological foundation, I believe we’ll see a new generation of retailers redefining what’s possible in omnichannel commerce.

If you’re as passionate about the future of retail as I am, I invite you to listen to my full Talk Commerce podcast episode with Mike Micucci. And if you’ll be at Shoptalk, swing by the Fabric booth to see their technology in action.

The retail renaissance is here – and it’s composable. Let’s embrace this exciting new era together.

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Talk Commerce - Matt Butler

Driving Growth Through First-Party Data: Insights from Bonsai’s Matt Butler

In this episode of Talk Commerce, we have the pleasure of speaking with Matt Butler, CEO and co-founder of Bonsai. Bonsai is a company that measures and generates incremental outcomes for their clients through the power of first-party data. With a background in retail analytics at Google and a passion for data-driven storytelling, Matt brings a wealth of knowledge to the conversation.

The Shift in Digital Marketing

Matt discusses the changing landscape of digital marketing, particularly in the post-pandemic era. He notes that the days of simply throwing money at Google and Facebook ads to drive growth are gone. As he puts it:

“The attention around your consumer is incredibly sophisticated. So many platforms, it’s competitive. And so everyone’s sort of hit this sort of plateau, is what we hear.”

To overcome this plateau, businesses need to focus on generating incremental outcomes through first-party data.

The Power of First-Party Data

Bonsai’s approach to measurement revolves around leveraging a business’s own sales data, customer behavior insights, and touchpoints. By stitching these elements together, they can provide a deeper understanding of customer acquisition and optimization. Matt explains:

“A business is zoned sales data, customer behavior insights and identity and touch points, those things, when stitched together, can dive deeper so that when you’re thinking about acquiring a customer from a Google, you can see what else that customer is doing. You can understand if it’s really a new one or how to optimize media to find that next new customer.”

Small Wins, Big Impact

When it comes to measuring success, Matt emphasizes the importance of small wins. He shares an example:

“Some of our big wins were helping clients take, you know, pools of like large pools of money for acquisition, drive 15% better throughput, right? And you’re like, okay, 15%, you know, guys, that’s 10 million more incremental annual dollars, right?”

These seemingly small percentages can translate into significant business growth when applied at scale.

Unifying Customer Data

For retailers with both online and brick-and-mortar presence, Matt stresses the importance of having a single source of truth for customer identity. He advises:

“If you’ve got online and you’re going into stores, unify that customer ID, right? Like use a point of sale that like you can bring that data together if you’re a brick and mortar going online. Same approach, right? Have a single view of your own customer.”

By unifying customer data across channels, businesses can gain a more complete view of their customers and make data-driven decisions.

The Future of Data in Retail

Looking ahead to 2024, Matt sees a mainstream realization of the need for retailers to own their customer conversation and data. He predicts:

“This year is definitely like, you’re not getting your house in order, you’re probably officially going to start falling behind.”

Businesses that prioritize first-party data and measurement will be well-positioned for success in the coming years.

As the retail landscape continues to evolve, the insights shared by Matt Butler and Bonsai demonstrate the critical role that first-party data plays in driving growth. By leveraging their own customer data, businesses can make informed decisions, optimize their marketing efforts, and ultimately achieve incremental outcomes.

To learn more about how first-party data can benefit your business, be sure to listen to the full episode of Talk Commerce featuring Matt Butler.

Talk-Commerce Cary Lawrence

Mastering Personalized Marketing with Decile CEO Cary Lawrence

In this episode of Talk Commerce, I had the pleasure of chatting with Cary Lawrence, the CEO of Decile, a customer data and marketing platform built by marketers for marketers. Cary shared her passion for food and cooking, but more importantly, her deep insights into the world of data-driven marketing. Join us as we delve into the power of first-party data and how Decile is helping marketers create personalized experiences that drive customer loyalty and profitable growth.

Navigating the Cookieless World with Decile

Cary explained how Decile is well-positioned to help marketers thrive in a world without third-party cookies. By focusing on identity-based marketing and leveraging first-party data, Decile enables marketers to create personalized experiences without relying on device IDs or cookies. As someone who values privacy, I appreciate Decile’s approach to using data responsibly while still delivering value to customers.

The Art of Personalization: Balancing Relevance and Privacy

One of the key challenges in personalized marketing is striking the right balance between relevance and privacy. Cary emphasized the importance of creating an equal value exchange, where customers willingly share their information in return for personalized offers and experiences. By leveraging machine learning to analyze customer attributes and behaviors, Decile helps marketers deliver targeted messages that resonate with individual customers without crossing the line into invasiveness.

Finding Your High-Value Customers with Predictive Analytics

Cary shared a fascinating insight: the top 10% of customers are often responsible for 40-60% of a company’s revenue and profit. This highlights the importance of identifying and nurturing high-value customers. Decile’s predictive analytics capabilities help marketers identify not only their most valuable customers today but also those with the highest propensity to purchase in the future. As a marketer myself, I can attest to the power of focusing on retention and extracting more value from existing customers.

The Future of Marketing: Sustainability, Loyalty, and AI

Looking ahead to 2024 and beyond, Cary identified several trends that will shape the future of marketing. Sustainability, both in terms of packaging and product, will continue to be a key focus for consumers, especially younger generations. Customized loyalty programs that cater to individual preferences will become more prevalent. And while the role of AI in customer service is still evolving, Cary believes that generative AI and chatbots have the potential to streamline and improve the customer experience, provided they are executed flawlessly.

The Final Data Bit

My conversation with Cary Lawrence was a fascinating deep dive into the world of data-driven marketing. As marketers, we have a responsibility to use data ethically and responsibly, always keeping the customer’s best interests in mind. By leveraging the power of first-party data and predictive analytics, we can create personalized experiences that delight customers and drive profitable growth. If you’re looking to take your marketing to the next level, be sure to check out Decile and the innovative work they’re doing in the space.

Jason Nyhus - Shopware - Etail West

Live from eTail West with Shopware’s Jason Nyhus: Insights and Innovations

I had the pleasure of welcoming Jason Nyhus, the General Manager at Shopware US, who shared valuable insights into Shopware’s journey, its mission in the US market, and the innovative strides the company is making in the eCommerce space. As a long-time listener but a first-time attendee, Jason brought a fresh perspective to the table, underlining the importance of innovation, open source, and meeting the specific needs of the mid-market merchant.

Shopware’s Mission and Cultural Impact

Starting with a background on Shopware, Jason Nyhus highlighted the company’s 20-year history and its foundation by two brothers with contrasting strengths in art and science. This combination has fostered a unique company culture capable of challenging norms and embracing significant changes, such as going open source and transitioning the company’s business language to English, despite being based in rural Germany.

First-Person Insight:

As someone deeply involved in the eCommerce world, it was fascinating to hear about Shopware’s bold decisions and cultural dynamics. The company’s commitment to open source and continuous innovation resonates with the changing needs of the global market.

Shopware’s Approach to Innovation

Jason emphasized Shopware’s innovative approach, particularly its decision to invest in AI capabilities and focus on improving merchant efficiency. With 13 or 14 live AI capabilities now embedded in the product at no extra charge, Shopware is setting new benchmarks for what eCommerce platforms can offer.

First-Person Insight:

The conversation around AI and innovation was particularly engaging. It’s clear that Shopware is not just keeping up with trends but is actively shaping the future of eCommerce with its visionary perspective.

The Importance of Serving the Mid-Market

A significant part of our discussion revolved around the unique challenges and opportunities in serving the mid-market. Jason pointed out the critical role of providing enterprise-class capabilities at SMB budgets and the necessity of a supportive community of developers and scalable marketing stories.

First-Person Insight:

Jason’s insights into the mid-market segment were eye-opening. It’s a reminder of how platforms need to adapt and innovate to serve this diverse and often overlooked segment effectively.

Looking Ahead: The Future of eCommerce in 2024

As we wrapped up our conversation, Jason shared his optimistic outlook for the eCommerce industry in 2024, highlighting the increased activity and energy in the sector. This optimism is backed by Shopware’s impressive growth and the potential for digital transformation among mid-market merchants.

First-Person Insight:

Jason’s optimism for the future of eCommerce is contagious. It’s clear that despite the challenges, there are vast opportunities for growth and innovation in this space.

Etail Wrap up

My conversation with Jason Nyhus was not only enlightening but also inspirational, providing a glimpse into the future of eCommerce through the lens of Shopware’s journey and innovations. As we navigate the ever-evolving landscape of commerce, it’s clear that innovation, open source, and a deep understanding of the market’s needs will be crucial for success.

For those looking to dive deeper into the world of eCommerce and learn more about Shopware’s innovative solutions, listening to the full episode of Talk Commerce is a must.

Talk-Commerce Tim Bucciarelli

Exploring the Ecommerce Landscape with Tim Bucciarelli 

In this episode of Talk Commerce, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Tim Bucciarelli, the Director of Engagement at Iron Plane. Tim brought a wealth of knowledge from his diverse background, covering everything from his daily role to his passion for technology and writing. Our conversation spanned various intriguing topics, including the evolution of ecommerce platforms, the agency-client relationship, and speculative trends shaping the future of ecommerce. If you’re navigating the ecommerce landscape or seeking insights into effective client communication and platform selection, this blog post distills key takeaways and personal reflections from our enlightening discussion.

The Multifaceted Role of an Ecommerce Agency

One of the first insights Tim shared was about his role at Iron Plane, which encapsulates marketing, sales, client success, and partnerships. This “engagement” role is crucial because it ensures a cohesive approach to interacting with all stakeholders. From my perspective, such a role is vital in today’s fragmented digital world, ensuring that all aspects of an ecommerce business are aligned towards common goals.

The Importance of Communication in Client-Agency Relationships

Tim emphasized the significance of open communication in preventing misunderstandings and last-minute surprises, especially when dealing with complex technology projects. This resonated with me deeply. As someone who has been on both sides of the table, I understand how vital clear and timely communication is to the success of any project. It’s about setting the right expectations and being transparent about the process, time, and costs involved.

Navigating Platform Choices: Magento, Shopify, and BigCommerce

Our conversation took an interesting turn when discussing the differences between being a merchant and an agency, particularly in terms of platform choices. Tim’s journey from a Magento merchant to advocating for BigCommerce and Shopify highlighted the evolving needs of ecommerce businesses. It’s a reminder that there is no one-size-fits-all solution; the choice depends on a myriad of factors including business size, budget, and long-term objectives.

The Future of Ecommerce Platforms

Looking at the future, we delved into the potential shifts in the ecommerce platform landscape, including the role of open source solutions like Magento and emerging players like Shopware. This part of our discussion underscored the importance of adaptability and forward-thinking in selecting an ecommerce platform. It’s not just about what works now but what will support growth and adapt to changing market dynamics in the future.

Total Cost of Ownership and the ROI of Ecommerce Investments

A critical takeaway from our talk was the concept of total cost of ownership and its impact on platform selection. As Tim aptly pointed out, businesses need to consider not just the upfront costs but the long-term investment in a platform. This is where insights from an experienced agency like Iron Plane can be invaluable, helping businesses make informed decisions that align with their financial and operational goals.

Thoughts on what we heard:

Our discussion with Tim Bucciarelli was a deep dive into the intricacies of the ecommerce ecosystem. Through his insights, we explored the importance of engagement, communication, and strategic platform selection. The ecommerce world is vast and complex, but with the right approach and guidance, businesses can navigate it successfully. Whether you’re considering a platform switch, looking to improve client-agency relations, or simply curious about the future of ecommerce, there’s a wealth of knowledge to be gleaned from this conversation.

For those eager to explore these topics further, I encourage you to listen to the full episode of Talk Commerce. And remember, whether you’re an established ecommerce business or just starting, the journey towards success is a continuous learning process. Stay curious, stay informed, and don’t hesitate to seek expert advice when needed.

Talk-Commerce Annie Schiffmann

Unlocking the Power of Social Media Marketing with Annie Schiffmann

I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Annie Schiffmann, founder and CEO of Downstage Media, on my podcast, Talk Commerce. As an expert in social media marketing with a passion for musical theater, Annie shared invaluable strategies for creating an impactful yet efficient presence across today’s social platforms.

In our lively chat, we explored everything from choosing where to focus your efforts to crafting engaging content that sings. Read on for Annie’s top tips that will have your social media presence hitting the high notes.

Balancing Personal Passions with Professional Goals

Annie’s career is a testament to blending enthusiasm with expertise. After years of performing on stage, she now helps businesses take center stage online. This unique background gives Annie an innovative approach to digital marketing.

Composing a Social Symphony

A typical “day in the life” for Annie involves meetings, strategizing, writing, and content creation. She compares it to composing a symphony—many interconnected components creating something greater than the sum of its parts. Annie also dedicates time to sharing her knowledge through her book, blog, and more.

Harnessing the Power of Automation

One of our key discussions centered around utilizing automation tools to save time on social media. Annie explained the difference between merely scheduling posts and actually automating them for efficiency. Platforms like MeetEdgar and HubSpot help streamline your strategy.

Choosing the Right Stages

With so many options, deciding where to focus your social media presence can be daunting. Annie suggests playing to your strengths and priorities. Rather than chasing trends, select one or two platforms that align with your goals, audience, and capabilities.

Curating Your Social Media Toolbox

To maximize your impact on social, Annie recommends automation programs like MeetEdgar and HubSpot. These enable the development of an intelligent content calendar while retaining authenticity. You don’t have to do everything manually.

Engaging in Two-Way Conversations

Annie emphasized that social media should facilitate meaningful conversations, not just one-way broadcasting. By responding to comments and incorporating feedback, you build relationships.

Striking the Right Personal/Professional Balance

We also discussed best practices for developing your personal versus company branding on social platforms. Annie believes brands should highlight their human side while focusing the majority of content on professional topics.

Connecting with Annie Schiffmann gave me valuable insights into leveling up my social media strategy without getting overwhelmed. I encourage you to check out the full Talk Commerce episode, as well as Annie’s book, for more of her wisdom. Just remember—when using social media, put your best self forward!

https://www.downstage.media/
https://www.simplesocialmediabook.com/buy-simple-social-media

Unlocking 25 Years of eTail: A Retrospective with eTail Co-Producers Kristin Schoenstein and Liz Robillard

On a special anniversary episode of Talk Commerce, I sat down with eTail co-producers Kristin Schoenstein and Liz Robillard to unpack 25 years of the groundbreaking eTail conference. As pioneers in the e-commerce events space, Kristin and Liz gave an insider’s perspective on the evolution of email and the wider industry landscape.

The Essence of the eTail Conference Over 25 Years:


Spanning over two decades, eTail has been instrumental in nurturing the growth of ecommerce. From humble beginnings as a small gathering of 50 ecommerce professionals to hosting over 1,500 attendees yearly, eTail has scaled tremendously while retaining its identity as a tight-knit community event. As Kristin put it, “eTail feels like a family reunion each year.”

Exploring the Changing Landscape of Ecommerce Conferences:


In the early days, eTail was the only specialized conference for ecommerce professionals. But over the years, the industry has exploded with events catering to every ecommerce niche imaginable. “It’s incredible to see the diversity of conferences now focused specifically on areas like mobile commerce, marketplace selling, social commerce, and more,” Liz noted. “It represents the maturation of ecommerce.”

The Impact of Ecommerce Conferences on Online Retail:


Industry conferences like eTail have had an undeniable influence on shaping the growth trajectory of e-commerce. By fostering connections and knowledge sharing amongst peers, e-commerce conferences nurture innovation and push the envelope of what’s possible in online retail. “So many business partnerships and new technologies can trace their origins back to conversations that started at eTail,” Kristin revealed.

Questions and Reflections:


We had so many great questions about the evolution of eTail, the future of physical conferences in an increasingly digital world, and advice for first-time eTail attendees. Some key insights from Kristin and Liz:

  • The value of in-person networking will not fade, even as virtual events gain traction
  • Specialization will define the next generation of successful conferences
  • First-timer advice: “Be open-minded, talk to everyone, and follow up.”

Unlocking 25 More Years of Community Commerce:


After 25 years of bringing together the brightest minds in ecommerce, the future looks bright for the eTail conference. Come ready to connect, learn, and unlock the next era of community commerce this year at eTail!

Talk Commerce
Talk Commerce

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