Why Did Every Brand Lose Their Mind This Mid-Year Sales Season?

If you've been wondering why your email unsubscribe rate has been climbing, or why your Facebook ads feel like they're screaming into the void, you're not alone. We've been tracking some fascinating trends in how brands have been approaching their mid-year sales push. Today I’m joined by three experts from our team at Productpreneur Marketing, as a panel of marketing detectives ready to solve the case of "Why Did Every Brand Lose Their Mind This Mid-Year Sales Season?" We're tackling two big questions:  1. What are the biggest challenges we’ve seen brands struggling with in their mid-year sales promotions? and 2. What are some examples of effective marketing that has helped brands produce some exceptional results?  So grab your coffee, settle in, and prepare to either nod along in recognition or, hopefully, take away some inspiration for your next planned promotion!  Episode’s Show Notes: https://www.catherinelangman.com/episode-271/ Links mentioned in this episode: If you’d like help to achieve your goals in 2025 I invite you to have a chat to find out how we can make that happen together.  https://productpreneurmarketing.com/quiz Free Strategy Session: https://productpreneurmarketing.com/lets-talk  Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast and they’re also fun for me to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you! Other Ways To Enjoy This Episode: Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/scale-my-ecommerce-store/id1496911739 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NLRaZh2ReX0Iy7met8HK6 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@scalemyecomstore      

Today on the podcast, I'm sharing something very personal and very exciting – the complete journey of how we transformed a natural beauty brand and nearly doubled its revenue in just 12 months. This isn't your typical success story filled with overnight wins. This is about rolling up your sleeves, making tough decisions, and systematically rebuilding a brand from the ground up while keeping loyal customers happy.  We're talking about Indagare Natural Beauty – a natural beauty brand we acquired exactly 12 months ago. And let me tell you, it's been one hell of a year. Let me take you under the hood and share all the biggest challenges, what we’ve implemented, and the results we’ve seen so far – the good, the bad and the ugly!  If you're a brand owner struggling with growth bottlenecks, pricing challenges, or customer acquisition, OR with trying to gain a foothold in a really competitive product category, this episode is going to give you a roadmap.   Episode’s Show Notes: https://www.catherinelangman.com/episode-270/   Links mentioned in this episode:If you’d like help to achieve your goals in 2025 I invite you to have a chat to find out how we can make that happen together.  https://productpreneurmarketing.com/quiz     Other Ways To Enjoy This Episode: Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/scale-my-ecommerce-store/id1496911739 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NLRaZh2ReX0Iy7met8HK6 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@scalemyecomstore  

Have you ever looked at your sales and thought, "Why is this STILL not working?" Maybe you’re stuck in a cycle of posting non-stop on socials, throwing out the odd discount, tinkering with your website — and still not seeing the traction you were hoping for? Perhaps your marketing plan looks like this: “Post 3 reels this week. Do another giveaway. Drop 30% off sitewide. Oh, and light a candle and hope someone buys.” I call it the “Instagram Stories and a Prayer” method, and I see a lot of innovative brand founders getting stuck there! If your brand isn’t like everyone else’s, a cookie-cutter approach won’t help you scale a high-converting, high-integrity brand that customers love to buy from — at full price, without needing constant promos. So in this episode, we’re going to discuss the six biggest growth blockers that hold back eCommerce brands from growing, AND importantly, how to diagnose what’s happening in your own business — so that you can fix it and get yourself back on track to achieving your goals!   Other Ways To Enjoy This Episode: Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/scale-my-ecommerce-store/id1496911739 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NLRaZh2ReX0Iy7met8HK6 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@scalemyecomstore  

We need to talk about AI. More specifically, what AI is doing to the way we market and connect in eCommerce—and why so many brands are getting it wrong. Not in a “robots are taking over” doomsday kind of way, but in a very real, “my sales are slowing down and I don’t know why” kind of way. It used to be that if you could get your ad in front of the right person, or stuff your page with keywords, you’d drive traffic. Clicks equaled conversions. But now? We’re entering the era of generative search. So if you’re still relying on click-based tactics—whether it’s old-school SEO or basic Meta ads—without optimizing for this new era of conversational discovery, you’re gonna be left behind. And this brings us to today’s real question: How do we create marketing that still works in an AI-driven world? That’s what this episode is all about.  www.catherinelangman.com/avatar   Other Ways To Enjoy This Episode: Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/scale-my-ecommerce-store/id1496911739 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NLRaZh2ReX0Iy7met8HK6 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@scalemyecomstore

If you’ve been feeling like your Meta ads are a bit hit and miss lately—or you’ve just noticed things aren’t working like they used to—you’re not imagining it. There has been a major shift. Meta has officially rolled out its biggest update since the infamous Apple iOS 14 privacy change that turned digital advertising on its head. This new update is called… Andromeda. (Dramatic, I know!) And today, I’m going to break down exactly what it is, what it means for your ads, what you need to be doing differently right now—and how you can get some free expert help to make sure you’re on the right track.  Episode’s Show Notes: https://www.catherinelangman.com/episode-267   Links mentioned in this episode: If you’d like help to achieve your goals in 2024 I invite you to have a chat to find out how we can make that happen together.   Work With Me: www.catherinelangman.com/work-with-me Ecommerce Quick Wins Strategy Session: www.catherinelangman.com/quickwins   Other Ways To Enjoy This Episode: Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/scale-my-ecommerce-store/id1496911739 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NLRaZh2ReX0Iy7met8HK6 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@scalemyecomstore

Today, I’m pulling back the curtain on how I took my newly acquired skincare brand, Indagare Natural Beauty, and grew it by 200% in just six months. The past year hasn’t been an easy time in eCommerce, given how rapidly everything has been changing thanks to all the massive technological advancements in AI, on top of a pretty dampened economy.   So I know that a lot of businesses have felt discouraged and wondering if it’s actually possible to succeed right now.   I’m not going to sit here and pretend that overcoming all of that uncertainty and all those challenges isn’t difficult – of course it is – but all that means is that, when you do succeed, it’s even sweeter.   Whether you’re struggling with slow sales or feeling stuck in your business, you’ll walk away from this episode with real, actionable insights to spark serious growth in your store.   Episode’s Show Notes: https://www.catherinelangman.com/episode-266-2   Links mentioned in this episode: If you’d like help to achieve your goals in 2024 I invite you to have a chat to find out how we can make that happen together.   Work With Me: www.catherinelangman.com/work-with-me Live workshop: www.catherinelangman.com/workshop    Other Ways To Enjoy This Episode: Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify Youtube   Other Ways To Enjoy This Episode: Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/scale-my-ecommerce-store/id1496911739 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NLRaZh2ReX0Iy7met8HK6 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@scalemyecomstore  

As International Women’s Day 2025 approaches, the theme, ‘Accelerate Action for Gender Equality’, resonates deeply with me. Having spent over a decade working predominantly with female founders, I’ve seen (and experienced) firsthand the challenges women face in achieving career and entrepreneurial success, particularly while balancing family responsibilities but also an enjoyable life outside of work. I firmly believe that one of the greatest barriers to gender equality is financial disparity. I don’t think Women will ever achieve true gender equality until they reach financial parity with men. But achieving financial parity is going to require more than just paying women more— it demands a complete rethinking of how the workforce supports women to maintain and advance their careers. In this episode, I want to share with you what we’ve done successfully here in our organisation to build a thriving business staffed by a team of women working remotely and flexibly. We’re not all mothers, but we do all appreciate the flexibility of the way we work and how we work to live rather than live to work.  If you want a bit more of that for yourself, you might find some tips and inspiration in today’s episode.   Episode’s Show Notes: https://www.catherinelangman.com/episode-265   Links mentioned in this episode: If you’d like help to achieve your goals in 2024 I invite you to have a chat to find out how we can make that happen together.   Work With Me: www.catherinelangman.com/work-with-me   Other Ways To Enjoy This Episode: Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/scale-my-ecommerce-store/id1496911739 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NLRaZh2ReX0Iy7met8HK6 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@scalemyecomstore

If you’ve been feeling the pinch this month, you’re not alone. February is historically the slowest month for eCommerce sales.    For starters, it’s the shortest month of the year, and most consumers have just spent up big on Christmas, summer holidays, and back-to-school expenses. They’re back to work, back into routine, and often tightening their belts after a financially heavy start to the year.   So, if you’re experiencing a sales slump, take a deep breath. It’s normal. But that doesn’t mean you should just ride it out and hope for the best.    Today, I’m going to walk you through the most effective strategies to get through this period, build momentum, and set your store up for a strong Q2. Episode’s Show Notes: https://www.catherinelangman.com/episode-264   Links mentioned in this episode: If you’d like help to achieve your goals in 2024 I invite you to have a chat to find out how we can make that happen together.   Free workshop: www.catherinelangman.com/workshop Work With Me: www.catherinelangman.com/work-with-me   Other Ways To Enjoy This Episode: Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/scale-my-ecommerce-store/id1496911739 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NLRaZh2ReX0Iy7met8HK6 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@scalemyecomstore

Do you remember back in the COVID boom years when eCommerce felt like an endless money machine? Customers were stuck at home and governments were handing out cash.   So customers had lots of free time and more spare money so what did they do? They shopped online. eCommerce sales skyrocketed with almost zero effort.    Paid ads were cheap, traffic was easy to get, and brands were scaling like crazy—even without a solid marketing strategy. If you had a business during that time, you probably thought, ‘Wow, this is incredible!’    But fast forward to today, and the game has changed entirely. If your cash flow is feeling the squeeze, you’re not alone. Let’s talk about why this is happening and, more importantly, how to fix it. Episode’s Show Notes: https://www.catherinelangman.com/episode-263/   Links mentioned in this episode: If you’d like help to achieve your goals in 2024 I invite you to have a chat to find out how we can make that happen together. Free Strategy Session: www.productpreneurmarketing.com/lets-talk    Live workshop, “3 Quick Wins to Rapidly Grow an Audience that Converts” www.catherinelangman.com/workshop     Other Ways To Enjoy This Episode: Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/scale-my-ecommerce-store/id1496911739 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NLRaZh2ReX0Iy7met8HK6 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@scalemyecomstore  

When it comes to launching and growing your e-commerce brand, other than your cost of goods, the two biggest expenses of operating your business will be fulfillment and marketing.   Now, we all know very well that no courier or postal service will ship our orders out for free. So we’re well trained to expect to pay for that service!    But on the marketing side, the options (and fees involved) for marketing and advertising exist on a very wide spectrum, from crowdsourcing advice in free Facebook groups to expensive external agencies.   I know a lot of business owners have lost money, either due to getting poor results from their efforts or being burned by dodgy service providers. And it’s because they simply don’t have the knowledge or skills to know what they SHOULD be doing.    And they don’t have that knowledge because, like me in my early days as an entrepreneur, they felt intimidated by things, believing they couldn’t do it, fearful of stuffing things up and losing money, and therefore defer to an expert.   In this episode, I share a rather embarrassing story about the time I made a REALLY bad choice with outsourcing that ultimately cost me more than $15,000! But also turned out to be one of the most valuable lessons I’ve had in business.    If you’ve had a bad experience or not gotten the result you want with an agency or program, OR you are just starting out – you probably need to learn how to do some stuff that’s a bit tricky and hard.     And by listening to this episode, this is your opportunity to learn from my hard-won experience and avoid making the same kind of costly error yourself!   Episode’s Show Notes: https://www.catherinelangman.com/episode-262/   Links mentioned in this episode: If you’d like help to achieve your goals in 2024 I invite you to have a chat to find out how we can make that happen together. Free 2025 Ecommerce Marketing Playbook: www.catherinelangman.com/playbook Free Strategy Session: www.productpreneurmarketing.com/lets-talk    Other Ways To Enjoy This Episode: Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/scale-my-ecommerce-store/id1496911739 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NLRaZh2ReX0Iy7met8HK6 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@scalemyecomstore