Featured Post: My Reading & Podcast List
Here are recent books I’ve read and podcasts I enjoy. If you’re looking for something interesting to listen to or read, these are a few that have stood out to me. Let me know if you have a recommendations.
7 Ways to Use Cause Marketing in Your Email Campaigns
Retailers who use social causes as part of their brand ethos need to find ways to influence purchase decisions by integrating this messaging into their promotional channels, including email marketing. Here are 7 ways brands can incorporate cause marketing into your email marketing efforts.
2019 Email and E-commerce Holiday Season Recap
The 2019 holiday season has concluded, and once again ecommerce experienced record-breaking sales. This online holiday season registered just above $142 billion in online sales, a 13% increase from last year, according to Adobe Analytics.
But what made the 2019 holiday season so successful, and which trends have become the new normal? In this recap I’ll discuss the Cyber Five, the Cyber Ten, smartphone growth, the value of email marketing, daily sales benchmarks and more.
Dreams That Last
Look at this picture. What do you see?
We whipped out our cameras to take some pictures when something stopped us — our earlier inability to save pictures for the next stop. There were no photos left in the cameras. This was going to have to be one of those moments where we simply experienced it (something more people nowadays should do). But then it all changed. We were no longer alone.
A lone figure appeared and slowly made her way toward us.
2019 Holiday Season Takeaways and Ecommerce Marketing Action Items
The 2019 holiday season has concluded, and once again ecommerce experienced record-breaking sales. But what made the 2019 holiday season so successful, and which trends have become the new normal? Analyzing the results does no good unless you implement the lessons learned to further your marketing program.
How to Use Video in Email Marketing
For years, marketers have said video in emails will be the next evolution in email marketing, but the challenges of implementing it have held it back. Email clients not supporting it, file size restrictions and video production time have been too much to overcome.
Now, 98% of email clients support video, the number one type of content to inspire consumer research, and the time has never been better to bring new life to your email marketing with video.
Here are ways to incorporate video in your email marketing program.
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.
My Five Favorite Marketing Posts of 2019
I write a lot of content throughout the year, but some pieces stand out to me more than others. From behavioral science to charting daily email sends for two-plus years, here are the five articles from 2019 that really resonated with me. 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.
2018 Email Marketing Sends - By Day and Month
The chart below reflects the daily email send volume of 2018. The daily lift and declines reflect the average number of emails retailers sent on that day of the week compared to the overall number of emails sent during the entire year.
As you can see, retailers sent …
2019 Email Marketing Sends - By Day and Month
(IN PROGRESS): The chart below reflects the daily email send volume of 2019. The daily lifts and declines reflect the average number of emails retailers sent on that day of the week compared to the overall number of emails sent during the entire year.
For example, retailers sent …
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
Stop guessing what makes customers click. In this post, you’ll dive into real-world behavioral science applied in marketing, from headline hooks and social-proof nudges to decision-making shortcuts and conversion strategies. Science meets strategy, ready to plug into your campaigns.
How to Use Free Shipping to Boost the Power of Your Holiday Emails
This appetite for free shipping has made it a powerful promotional tactic during the holiday season, and last holiday season it became a major focal point in many email promotions.
But free shipping is more than just casually appealing to consumers — it can be the difference between a sale and a lost customer. Twenty-two percent of holiday shoppers flat-out refuse to pay for shipping during the holiday season.
3 Holiday Promotions That Keep Subscribers Opening Your Emails
There’s no shortage of promotions retailers can choose when planning their holiday email marketing strategy. However, the holiday season is long, so retailers need to find ways to not only increase sales but also keep subscribers opening their emails.
Here are three kinds of promotions that I expect will be heavily-used by retailers throughout this upcoming holiday season to accomplish these goals.
Top Holiday Email Marketing Planning Resources
Email marketers are always looking for holiday-related content, and me — I provide a few pieces this time of year. Between sifting through and analyzing tens-of-thousands of holiday emails in my personal inbox, charting daily emails received, identifying reoccurring themes, looking through the previous years' online sales data, reading industry analysis, interviewing podcast guests, and talking to industry peers, I am left connecting dots with what retailers and email marketers will be promoting this holiday season.