Greg Zakowicz
My Reading & Podcast List

Here is my list of recent reads and podcasts I am currently enjoying. Maybe they’ll give you something new to look into and enjoy.

Read more to find what I’ve been digging into lately, including:

  • Building a Story Brand

  • The Power of Geography

  • The Greatest Beer Run Ever. A Crazy Adventure In a Crazy War

  • The Escape Artist. The Man Who Broke Out of Auschwitz to Warn the World

  • Devil in the White City. Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America

retail

8 Ways the Retail Landscape May Change After Coronavirus

8 Ways the Retail Landscape May Change After Coronavirus

Marketers have adjusted their marketing campaigns over the recent weeks, but those will eventually revert back to normal. Retail and e-commerce, on the other hand, may be in for more permanent changes. The aftereffects of coronavirus are sure to be felt long after it’s gone, surely changing how consumers shop, interact and prioritize lifestyle choices.

In this article, I discuss 8 ways retail and services may be impacted near term and in the years to come by the coronavirus aftermath. I’ll explore topics such as:

AMA Webinar Recap: COVID-19: What It Means for E-commerce

AMA Webinar Recap: COVID-19: What It Means for E-commerce

On April 2, Omnisend hosted their first AMA (ask me anything) session on the topic of e-commerce during the COVID-19 crisis. During the session, we covered questions on a variety of topics, from how to appropriately approach your email and SMS marketing campaigns to ways to properly maneuver customer acquisition via different channels.

I was a part of a four-person expert panel with wide-ranging backgrounds where we answered questions from retailers about doing business during the crisis.

Email Marketing During COVID-19: How to Send Emails During a Crisis

Email Marketing During COVID-19: How to Send Emails During a Crisis

Marketing in a crisis, any crisis, is not easy. Marketers need to balance their human side with business needs, and knowing where that line sits is not always clear. But know this — what you do now will determine how your brand is perceived in the future.

This post by Whitney Blankenship explores the right way to approach your customers during a crisis, whether it’s COVID-19, or another future catastrophe, and how you can add value to your customers while trying to maintain your needs as a business.

Top Marketing Podcasts of 2019

Top Marketing Podcasts of 2019

As host of the Commerce Marketer Podcast, I conduct a lot of interviews. But choosing my favorite episodes is like choosing a favorite child (if my kids are reading this, I love you both the same). However, I forced myself to choose some of the episodes that really resonated with me for one reason or another.

Here are some of my favorite marketing conversations from 2019, in order of episode number. I hope you enjoy.

The Best Day to Send Your Marketing Emails

Which days are best for sending marketing emails and which days are most popular for retailers? Should you send on the same high-volume days as other retailers, or send on lower-volume days so you can more easily stand out in the inbox?

Now, you may finally have an answer.

I am signed up for hundreds of retailer email programs and monitor my inbox for daily send volume. While each retailer will have their own unique requirements, here are some tools you can use to help you determine which days might be best to send your marketing emails.

 

2019 Email Marketing Sends

2019 marketing email send volume broken down by day and month. Check out which days were the most and least popular days to send marketing emails.

 

2018 Email Marketing Sends

2018 marketing email send volume broken down by day and month. Check out which days were the most and least popular days to send marketing emails.

 

Keys to a Great Unboxing Experience

Keys to a Great Unboxing Experience

Unboxing is about providing a branded, aesthetic opening experience that builds excitement. The customer purchase experience shouldn’t end when the package arrives — that’s when the experience really just begins. The way customers feel about your brand after the purchase determines whether they become repeat customers or remain a one-time buyer.

Using Behavioral Science in Marketing

Using Behavioral Science in Marketing

If you ask a hundred people what makes a good article headline or email subject line, you may get a hundred different answers. After all, it’s subjective, isn’t it? 

Not entirely, as many marketers know. There’s a science behind what makes a consumer open an email, click on a call to action (CTA) and make a purchase. Whether it’s writing an attention-grabbing headline or getting someone to “click and convert,” understanding that people rely on certain decision-making defaults helps marketers nudge them to take a desired action. 

In this article I discuss how to use behavioral science to improve marketing campaigns. Topics include …