The Exchange

Connect with DanLinkedinThis Show's TL;DRDan explains what Puravida is all about We talk about why the team is called customer success and not support or service We discuss why CS is the glue-team Dan gives the framework for how growing brands should think about customer successWe talk about the help desk being the backbone of the CS team Dan shares tools they use to collect the right customer feedbackWe go over a tool that Puravida uses to automate those WISMO conversationsDan explains the value of seamless returns experiencesWe talk about why Dan doubled the return window length We discuss what channels customers are looking to engage with Puravida on Dan shares how they handle answering customer inquiries on InstagramWe discuss where the best CS reps for ecommerce come from Dan shares his go-to questions for interviewingCS is an investment, not a cost

Connect with Nell:Twitter InstagramHill House InstagramHere's This Shows TL;DR:Nell gives us all a quick summary of what Hill House Home is all about We go over what the brand started selling and the transition that has happened over timeNell explains that from very early on the customer was part of product decisionsWe talk about using retail spaces and Instagram to find your next product ideaLook for active sharing to see what is resonating (share > likes)We discuss how Nell knew she had found a winner with their flagship product "The Nap Dress" Nell explains the "group chat effect" and why it's more powerful than referral programsThere's insane value in being a customer yourselfNell gives a few easy tips for getting customers talkingWe go over the added expenses and logistics of apparel over beddingReturns are the fitting room of the internet and are a customer experience playChanges are best when they are iterative Nell shares her number one tip for getting customer feedback

Connect with Phil:LinkedinARKABrands Phil Mentions:BirddogsChubbiesVerma FarmsEcoCartPachamaResources Mentioned:EcoCart on being a sustainable brandHere's This Shows TL;DR:Phil explains what ARKA is all about We discuss why so few brands create branded packaging Phil explains why an iterative process to improving your packaging is the way to go We talk about how to justify the cost of branded packaging"No one gets the customer excited with a brown cardboard box"Find branded assets that also provide a function like tapeUnderstand SIOC (Ships In Its Own Container)Inerts are a clean experience that removes the need for packing peanuts, paper, and air packsCardboard is underrated The top-flap of your box can be a QR code to direct you to other experiencesThe effort is clear in your unboxing experience Don't focus all your effort pre-purchase then ghost customers post-purchase The number one tip is actually an obvious one make sure it arrives in one pieceGen Z will make eco-friendly packaging a requirement 

Connect with Adam:LinkedinSubscribe to Adam's newsletter on his siteBrands Adam Mentions:Deathwish CoffeeSpotlight Oral CareSleep EzLittle Big PlayroomSnug SofaJust StrongHere's This Shows TL;DR:Adam explains Magnet Monster and his approach to email We discuss what email metrics will disappear with the iOS15 update Segmentation via email opens will not be possible We discuss how email marketers are going to have to change how they attribute value via email Brands are going to start looking at email value in a different way and that might make some email marketers nervous Adam explains how to prepare for the update and reminds us of some bad habits We discuss how to collect customer information upfront for better segmentationAdam thinks we will see marketers looking for shortcuts will add more clickbait links since we still have a click-through rateThe design will become much more important and should be based on engagement and clicksStart the relationship right by asking for data, its when they are most likely to shareAdam gives a case study on how asking the right questions changed a jewelry brand's email strategyWhile a pop-up discount is boring it is effective if you are also collecting other info not just an email addressAdam explain tactics he thinks are overrated Email is a content distribution channel not just a sales channel Adam talks about how content emails usually generate the same revenue numbers as a discount emailWe talk about the importance of content creation and some things to try that builds content via email

Connect with Aaron:LinkedinMentioned Resources:Visual of the seat cover sponsorship The previous episode where Aaron and Alex predicted 2021 (see if they were right)Here's This Shows TL;DR:Aaron gives a summary of what Hush is all about We briefly explain the type of sponsorship that Hush did with the Montreal Canadians in the NHL Aaron explains how this opportunity came to be We go over how Hush was able to see exactly how much traffic this specific sponsorship drove over two weeks We discuss traffic increases and when the most effective times for eyes were Aaron talks about how the players got involved and extended the reach of Hush We touch on whether this has helped Hush in the American marketAaron explains why we are seeing more DTC brands invest in out of home ads We talk about the race to derisk and find creative talent

Connect with Rishi:LinkedinNewsletterWebsiteBrands Rishi References:ZingermansHere's This Shows TL;DR:Rishi describes why he only focuses on the product page We talk a bit about why 3% became a standard for e-commerce conversion The PDP is the end of the window shopping experience and Rishi explains why that is so crucialForget everything on the product page and focus solely on the written description for the best results The written word is the most effective tool to change purchase intentRishi explains why its most important to focus on the first time shopper on the Understanding the difference between methodical and impulsive shoppers Rishi takes us through an example of how you can be appealing to both types of shoppers The best place to start testing is with words, Rishi explains why We discuss why active participation is key on the PDPRishi explains that product video is superior to copy but it's expensive and difficultWe go over the two questions your PDP NEEDS to answerReduce friction not try to "hack" results 

Connect with Jack:LinkedinResources we Discuss in This Episode:Birddogs' newsletter (The Weekly Bird)Brands That Inspire Jack:Pit ViperHere's This Shows TL;DR:Jack gives us a summary of what Birddogs is all aboutWe talk about the concept of "minimal but maximized" and why it's important in ecommerceJack shares how to find the core of the story and how to communicate that to customers Hot take... pick up the phone and call customers to understand what they wantWe discuss finding the difference between how loyal customers consume and new customers consume informationJack explains how you talk and learn from prospects who have not yet bought from the brandWe discuss the importance of scaling messaging without losing who you are as a brandWe talk about the Rose, Bud, Thorn approach to customer research Jack shares a few things they found that fit in each of those categories

Check out the Integration:Klaviyo + LoopHere's this shows TL;DR:Goals you should focus on with return emailsWhy we believe this is such an underutilized area of email Alex explains why he would consider adding a link to your return policy in every email Joe talks about the impact your return policy can have on cart abandonment emailsWe explain the different types of emails we would create based on return outcome (exchange, credit, refund) Joe talks about the value of branding your transactional returns emailsWe discuss the most important touchpoints during a return Alex explains how he would use return reasons to create segments in Klaviyo Other helpful resources on this topic:8 post-purchase emails that create a stronger returns experienceThe different types of returns and how they impact LTV

Connect with Val:TwitterResources we Discuss in This Episode:Really Good EmailsBrands Val References:Brooklinen LululemonEverlane OlipopOutdoor VoicesHere's This Shows TL;DR:Val explains her journey into email specifically retention focused emails We talk a bit about how retention started in SaaS and first made its way into subscription ecommerce Val gives us her take on why retention has become a priority this year We highlight a few north star metrics you can use to evaluate your retention efforts Is the best type of email one that asks customers to disengageWe talk about emails that are designed just to get a reply Val goes over the value of collecting additional info to use in your email strategyA great email strategy is about a relationship with the customer and the inbox Post-purchase flows are the email tactic everyone should use ... with a twist Val gives everyone a tip on how to discover the best retention email strategy for you

Connect with Greg:LinkedinTwitterInstagramResources we Discuss in This Episode:Reflecting on 2020 and Ecom in 2021 with Hush BlanketsBrands Greg Looks to for Inspiration:Truff Hot SauceHush BlanketsLasso SocksHere's This Shows TL;DR:Greg give us the background on how CROSSNET was started We discuss when wholesale became a part of the growth strategy Greg and the team jumped in headfirst and started their first partnership with ShieldsThe decision to add in wholesale came down to bigger orders and an extension of the brand CROSSNET is now in dozens of retailers and the decision to use wholesale as a channel has really accelerated their growthSome of the biggest pitfalls of wholesale are inventory issues, operations become a vital piece of your teamControlling the pre-purchase experience is tough but you can still control the post-purchase experience you createGreg discusses why they proudly show where to get their product in-store, even on their ecom site.We discuss CROSSNET's experiments with billboardsGreg explains how his personal brand has opened a ton of doors for the business