In today’s episode, we’re getting into how and why direct mail can be an impactful part of your retention strategy. We discuss why the first 7–14 days post-purchase are critical, how we’re approaching cross-sells and multi-channel retention, what’s working from postcards to premium catalogs, and where direct mail fits into our overall growth strategies.
We’re also joined by Michael Epstein, co-founder of PostPilot, who talks about how the platform makes direct mail fast and easy for brands to actually use. We discuss why coupon codes and QR scans don’t tell the full story, how holdout testing gives you a real read on incrementality, and what attribution looks like at the household level. Michael also shares how brands are using predictive targeting and peer benchmarking inside the platform, and why premium catalogs can create a brand moment that digital ads just can’t match.
If you have a question for the MOperators Hotline, click the link to be in with a chance of it being discussed on the show: https://forms.gle/1W7nKoNK5Zakm1Xv6
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
06:02 Multi-Channel Retention Strategies
17:53 Customer Experience and Retention Management
24:00 Direct Mail Campaigns and Effectiveness
30:04 Postpilot and Direct Mail Solutions
43:39 Revolutionizing Direct Mail Marketing
01:03:29 Optimizing Direct Mail Tactics
01:19:36 Acquisition Strategies Through Direct Mail
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Aftersell.
https://www.aftersell.com/operators
Rivo.
PostPilot.
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In today’s episode, we’re joined by George Davis, CMO at Cozy Earth, to talk about their viral social challenge - the Cozy Earth Bed Rot Challenge.
George shares the story behind the challenge and how it started as a little MVP test in season one with five employees and a $1k prize, and how it grew into season two with a 24/7 livestream, 50M+ impressions and 15k emails collected. We dig into what worked, where the limits were, the brand’s goal of building cultural relevance over direct sales, and how marketing plays of this size stack up against running ads. We also get into the importance of taking big swings and risks, and George shares how brand partnerships and a refined strategy are shaping plans for season three.
From there, we dive into incrementality — one of the trickiest parts of performance marketing. We talk through channel holdouts, overlapping signals, directional insights, negative incremental ROAS, long-term readouts, and why the numbers don’t always tell the full story.
To hear more of our thoughts as the Cozy Earth Bed Rot Challenge played out, listen to: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6z40HWMVQoBFOBY0Xk6S7v?si=1CoayJh-TkaMi2gsylIyZA
If you have a question for the MOperators Hotline, click the link to be in with a chance of it being discussed on the show: https://forms.gle/1W7nKoNK5Zakm1Xv6
Chapters:
00:00:44 Introduction
05:09:17 What is the Bed Rot Challenge?
18:28:47 Brand Building vs. Driving Direct Revenue
33:24:55 The Risk of Failure
44:03:84 Deep Dive on Incrementality
54:37:06 The Case for Longer Holdout Tests
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Richpanel.
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Aftersell.
https://www.aftersell.com/operators
Rivo.
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Today we’re exploring how DTC brands can reach new audiences on Meta using partnership ads, and how they can improve performance and strengthen the paid social mix, as well as checking in on how Ridge's sweepstakes are going so far.
We talk through how partnership ads compare to whitelisting, our experiences working with creators of all sizes, and what’s actually driving ROI. We also get into the role of gifting, why ads run from a creator’s handle often outperform those from a brand handle, and why single-handle creator ads usually feel the most native. Finally, we cover how partnership ads function as signal engineering, whether they truly deliver incremental reach, and the role of creative in making them work.
If you have a question for the MOperators Hotline, click the link to be in with a chance of it being discussed on the show: https://forms.gle/1W7nKoNK5Zakm1Xv6
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
07:06 Influencer Marketing Strategies
18:06 Partnership Ads vs. Traditional Ads
27:23 Signal Engineering and Audience Insights
35:20 Navigating Meta's Advertising Challenges
44:37 Leveraging Influencer Marketing for Targeted Reach
01:00:20 Enhancing Customer Experience Through Personalization
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Today we’re joined by Brett Curry from OMG Commerce, and we’re grilling him on all things YouTube advertising - where to start, strategy, creative, and how to drive results.
We discuss where YouTube sits in the channel mix, how it compares to Meta, why it’s still underused by most operators, as well as the challenges of measuring success on YouTube - from attribution challenges to incrementality and brand lift.
We also get into creative: what makes a good hook, how to structure a YouTube ad, and the differences between polished content and UGC-style ads. Brett also shares his approach to testing, how many creatives you really need, and the metrics that matter most.
Finally, we cover bidding, account structure, and how YouTube can unlock performance across your whole media mix when it’s done right.
If you have a question for the MOperators Hotline, click the link to be in with a chance of it being discussed on the show: https://forms.gle/1W7nKoNK5Zakm1Xv6
Chapters:00:00 Intro
11:42 Understanding YouTube: Consumption Patterns and Measurement
22:36 The Lift Trifecta: Measuring Success on YouTube
30:07 Navigating Attribution Challenges in YouTube Advertising
37:34 Optimizing Conversion Events
42:39 Account Structure and Automation
45:59 Creative Strategies for YouTube Ads
01:01:06 Measuring Success and Iteration in Campaigns
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In today’s episode, we’re joined by Ariana Ferwerda, co-founder and CEO of Halfdays, to unpack the strategy and philosophy behind building a true community-first DTC brand, and why that approach has worked so well for them.
Ariana shares her journey of launching a brand that struck product-market fit in its first season and grew 10x from their first to second season. We dive into the how and why behind Halfdays’ community-led approach - from the early customer insight that shaped their brand mission, to how they took a different path than the typical early-stage DTC playbook, and how that thinking informs their approach to growth.
She shares what it actually looks like to operationalize community at scale, from their ambassador model to how they decide when to lean on community, and when to tap into performance or influencer marketing instead.
We also get into how they measure the impact of community-led initiatives, what brands often get wrong when they jump into community without a clear reason, and when leading with community simply isn’t the right fit - plus much more.
If you have a question for the MOperators Hotline, click the link to be in with a chance of it being discussed on the show: https://forms.gle/1W7nKoNK5Zakm1Xv6
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
12:46 Ariana's Journey to Half Days
22:57 Product Market Fit and Growth Strategies
33:07 The Importance of Community in Brand Strategy
45:18 Activating Community: Events and Engagement
01:00:20 Measuring Community Impact and Success
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Prescient AI.
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Richpanel.
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Haus.
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From measuring brand health beyond ROAS to breaking down viral awareness plays and running focused growth sprints, we’re getting into the topics on our minds as Marketing Operators right now.
We kick things off with baseline revenue - how we define it, how we track it, and why it’s one of Connor Rolain’s go-to metrics for gauging brand momentum, resilience, and reliance on paid media. We also get into its blind spots, how paid activity can still influence it, and why it should be paired with other brand health signals.
Then we break down Cozy Earth’s $25K “Bed Rot Challenge” campaign - why it’s such a perfect, MrBeast-style awareness stunt built for social, and how we’d tie it more closely to actual sales.
Next, Cody takes us inside a growth sprint he’s running to fix high incremental CPAs on Meta - sharing the framework he’s using, how he rallied growth, creative, and data around it, and the results so far.
Finally, we wrap with a MOPs Hotline question on aligning product and marketing, from deciding which products belong in the hero acquisition funnel to launching new ones for fresh audiences without losing your core customer.
Want to submit your own DTC or ecommerce marketing question? Click here.
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
04:23 Measuring Brand Health: The Baseline Revenue Metric
09:07 Navigating Brand Marketing and Incrementality
16:22 The Role of Upper Funnel Marketing
23:25 Innovative Campaigns: The Cozy Earth Bed Rot Challenge
40:33 Engaging with TikTok and SMS Marketing Strategies
46:53 Building Teams Around Sprints for Clarity and Action
54:51 The Importance of Recurring Meetings and Accountability
01:07:29 Collaborative Product Development and Marketing Alignment
01:19:43 Leveraging Customer Feedback for Product Development
Cody's X Post: https://x.com/codyplof/status/1954611362111410540
Episode 66: DTC Marketers - Where Are You Wasting Your Time?
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Today on the show we’ve got a very special guest, one of the OGs of ecommerce, Ezra Firestone.
He’s been around forever, running brands like Boom by Cindy Joseph, building software companies like Zipify, and creating training businesses like Smart Marketer, all while staying hands-on in the game as the DTC landscape keeps evolving.
We get into how he went from top wig drop-shipper to building and exiting nine-figure brands, and how that journey shaped the way he thinks about marketing today. Ezra breaks down the creative frameworks and persona funnels he’s using to scale - building tailored journeys that speak directly to specific customer mindsets and motivations - and why a one-size-fits-all approach no longer cuts it in today’s performance landscape.
He also shares why most brands are underusing Amazon and Shop App, how to approach them as full-funnel growth channels, and what it looks like to prepare your brand for AI-native discovery through structured data and platform-level optimization. Plus, we get into Meta ad theory, challenger brand tactics and how Ezra’s role has evolved from hands-on operator to long-term strategist focused on sustainable growth, supporting great teams, and staying aligned with what actually matters.
If you have a question for the MOperators Hotline, click the link to be in with a chance of it being discussed on the show: https://forms.gle/1W7nKoNK5Zakm1Xv6
Chapters
00:00 Introduction
09:07 The Drop Shipping Business Model Explained
19:26 The Shift from Drop Shipping to Brand Ownership
29:21 Content as a Core Strategy in E-Commerce
39:18 Storytelling and Engagement in Marketing
45:04 Maximizing Amazon and Shop App Opportunities
56:07 The Rise of LLMs and SEO Strategies
59:20 Optimizing E-commerce Operations for Success
01:00:13 Transitioning from Operator to Navigator
01:06:32 The Importance of Strategic Thinking in Business
01:14:08 Evaluating Business Models: E-commerce vs. Agency vs. Software
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Prescient AI.
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Richpanel.
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Haus.
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Today we’re joined by Connor Dault, CMO of Grüns, to talk about his move into the company, how he got up to speed, and the steps he took to work effectively with a team that was already performing at a high level.
We cover his onboarding approach, how he finds quick wins without disrupting existing success, and how Grüns spots opportunities by pairing customer feedback with cultural trends. Connor breaks down their persona-based marketing strategy, balancing cohesive messaging with high testing velocity, and deciding when to quietly test versus go all-in on a new idea.
He also shares the approaches that drove early growth, from Meta advertising to retention-focused customer experience, and the channels now driving scale, including CTV, YouTube, influencer partnerships, and closer cross-team alignment.
Want to submit your own DTC or ecommerce marketing question? Click here.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out Episode 49 when Connor Dault was first on the show - How Digital Product Fuels DTC Growth with Connor Dault
Chapters
00:00 Introduction
07:22 Onboarding and Team Dynamics in Marketing
15:15 Building Cohesion Across Marketing Strategies
23:12 Navigating Brand Messaging and Consumer Engagement
35:09 Tactical Approaches to Marketing Campaigns
38:15 Strategic Hook Development
41:47 Testing and Personalization Strategies
44:41 Seasonal Marketing and Campaign Planning
48:31 Growth Strategies and Revenue Bands
51:51 Unlocking New Marketing Channels
01:04:52 Innovative Projects and Measurement
01:10:23 Leadership and Feedback Culture
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Prescient AI.
https://www.prescientai.com/operators
Richpanel.
https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdesc
Aftersell.
https://www.aftersell.com/operators
Rivo.
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Today, we’re kicking things off by sharing how we’re structuring our content teams - from hiring in-house roles to building systems around freelancers - and how that supports creative that performs across both brand and paid.
Next we dive into how we’re iterating on some of the biggest campaigns we run at our brands: the sweepstakes. We talk through what’s changing this year, how we’re using influencer content in new ways, and how we’re optimizing campaigns across Meta, YouTube, and TV.
We also get into what we’re testing right now, from comment-to-enter flows to view content objectives and engagement-first creative, and how we use those signals to improve each round.
To wrap up, we look at a product page from Fellow as an example of strong direct response storytelling and share how we’re applying those same principles to our own landing pages.
If you have a question for the MOperators Hotline, click the link to be in with a chance of it being discussed on the show: https://forms.gle/1W7nKoNK5Zakm1Xv6
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
03:58 Insights on AI in Creative Strategy
07:16 Behind the Scenes of Content Production
11:06 The Evolution of Internal Content Production
15:18 The Importance of Incrementality Testing
19:18 Planning for Sweepstakes and Major Changes
28:35 Execution Strategies for Sweepstakes Campaigns
38:28 Leveraging Influencer Content for Marketing Success
40:48 Innovative Ad Strategies and Content Creation
44:24 Expanding Marketing Channels and Engagement Metrics
47:31 Understanding Sweepstakes Performance and Audience Engagement
59:20 Cash vs. Experience: The Sweepstakes Dilemma
01:04:19 Building Anticipation for New Campaigns
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Prescient AI.
https://www.prescientai.com/operators
Richpanel.
https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdesc
Aftersell.
https://www.aftersell.com/operators
Haus.
http://Haus.io/operators
Tatari.
https://www.tatari.tv/?utm_campaign=16263599-Marketing%20Operators%20July&utm_source=marketing%20operators&utm_medium=podcast
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Today we’re getting into how acquisition offers - particularly in pop-ups - can do much more than drive opt-ins. The type of offer you lead with shapes who you acquire, how much they spend, and future LTV. We share examples from the offers we run on our brands, comparing blanket discounts with offers like cashback and second-order incentives, and how those choices impacted retention, AOV, and customer lifetime value.
We also discuss why some offers that looked successful on the surface ended up hurting long-term performance or creating poor customer experiences, and how simple changes led to big lifts in repeat purchase rate. We also touch on whywhy very few teams are testing their pop-ups rigorously, what makes offer testing difficult, and how to build an approach that’s aligned with long-term goals - not just short-term wins.
We also dig into Meta’s recent performance trends, using the latest data from the Haus report. We share what they’re seeing across ASC and manual campaigns, how different optimization strategies are playing out, and why it's getting harder to rely on Meta as a consistent acquisition engine.
Want to submit your own DTC or ecommerce marketing question? Click here.
Operators Podcast Episode 123: The Meta Incrementality Report: Lessons from 640 Haus Experiments
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
02:34 The Power of Cash Back Offers
05:28 Data-Driven Insights on Pop-Up Offers
08:19 Retention Metrics and Customer Engagement
11:06 Testing Methodologies for Pop-Up Offers
14:19 Holistic Approaches to Customer Acquisition
17:14 Innovative Second Order Offers
20:05 Challenges in Optimizing First Touch Points
26:10 Future Trends in E-commerce Offers
35:43 Optimizing Data Reporting and Analysis
38:00 Evolving Marketing Strategies and Cash Back Offers
41:05 Insights from Meta's Campaign Performance Report
44:52 Understanding Incrementality in Marketing
49:04 Navigating Meta's Advertising Changes
54:43 Leveraging Bundle Builders for Increased Conversions
Finance Operators Episode: How CashBack beats discount codes & More with Dan Glazer
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https://www.prescientai.com/operators
Richpanel.
https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdesc
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Rivo.
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In today’s episode, we’re talking channel expansion and diversifying our media mix - when to think about launching on new channels, what to test, and how to approach those decisions with more clarity.
We break down our current media mixes, the journeys that got us here, and the mental frameworks we use to decide what to try next.
We’re also joined by Austin Santino, Client Development Manager at Tatari, who shares his perspective on how DTC brands are approaching TV. He breaks down what it really takes to get started with TV advertising, why it’s more accessible than most brands think, and how Tatari is helping brands treat TV more like a performance channel. We talk about starting budgets, creative expectations, how attribution actually works, and what kinds of brands should (and shouldn’t) be thinking about TV right now.
If you’re thinking about where to go next with your paid strategy, or how to evolve your channel mix beyond Meta, this episode will help you sense-check your timing, avoid wasted spend, and expand with more confidence.
If you have a question for the MOperators Hotline, click the link to be in with a chance of it being discussed on the show: https://forms.gle/1W7nKoNK5Zakm1Xv6
00:00 Introduction
04:14 Exploring Channel Expansion and Diversification
07:01 Current Media Mix and Strategies
17:16 The Evolution of Media Mix Over Time
25:50 Testing New Channels and Creative Strategies
36:23 Insights from the Media Mix Journey
42:06 Testing and Scaling Ad Strategies
49:15 Creative Diversity and Measurement in Advertising
01:01:04 Navigating TV Advertising: Insights and Strategies
01:12:07 The Evolution of TV Creative: UGC vs. High Production
01:21:25 Final Thoughts on TV Advertising and Measurement
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Prescient AI.
https://www.prescientai.com/operators
Richpanel.
https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdesc
Aftersell.
https://www.aftersell.com/operators
Haus.
http://Haus.io/operators
Tatari.
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When we heard Eric Seufert talk at the Meta Summit we knew we had to have him on the show.
Eric is the founder of Mobile Dev Memo and partner at Heracles Capital, and he joins us today for a deep dive into how today’s smartest marketers approach measurement. We unpack the difference between deterministic and probabilistic attribution, why incrementality testing beats last-click reporting, and how to make sense of CAC, LTV, and payback periods across different business models. Eric shares insights on Meta’s evolving AI infrastructure, signal loss, and platform opacity, explaining why a single tool can’t give you the full picture, and why the greatest marketers are the ones that think like data scientists. He also introduces the concept of signal engineering: how to guide automated ad platforms by sending higher-quality signals and intent data.
If you’re enjoying the podcast, please hit the subscribe button, comment, share and like - it helps us reach more people, get more great guests on the show and keep bringing these episodes to you every week.
Want to submit your own DTC or ecommerce marketing question? Click here.
00:00 Introduction
06:42 The Role of Discord in Gaming Advertising
09:21 Eric's Journey in the Gaming Industry
19:04 Understanding Freemium Models in Mobile Gaming
26:08 Incentivized Advertising in Gaming
29:55 Understanding Measurement Tools in Advertising
30:24 Deterministic vs. Probabilistic Measurement
33:14 Attribution Models and Measurement Tools
39:16 Geo Lift Studies and Their Application
43:03 Common Sense in Marketing Measurement
54:10 Operationalizing Incrementality Testing
56:25 Understanding Incrementality and Testing Strategies
01:00:33 Navigating the Meta Ecosystem and AI Changes
01:06:40 Signal Engineering and Optimizing for Conversions
01:09:44 Radical Experimentation in Creative Strategies
01:21:55 Breaking Out of Targeting Loops
Meta's AI advertising playbook (with Matt Steiner):
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Prescient AI.
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Richpanel.
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Today, we dig into the Meta performance issues we’ve been seeing firsthand - where spend is up, reach is down and performance isn’t tracking the way it used to. We unpack what’s been going wrong, and share the tactical changes we’ve tested to get better results.
We get into where we’ve historically over-invested or moved too slowly, how we’re thinking about creative and spend caps right now, and why simplifying account structure might be more powerful than layering on more campaigns. We also discuss where performance has started to turn around as a result of strategic shifts and tests.
We also touch our amazon prime day results so far, recent product drops and more.
If you have a question for the MOperators Hotline, click the link to be in with a chance of it being discussed on the show: https://forms.gle/1W7nKoNK5Zakm1Xv6
00:00 introduction05:16 Event Insights and Networking
08:06 Product Launch Challenges
11:30 Marketing Strategy and Tier Systems
13:56 AI Automation in Marketing
17:14 Prime Day Performance Analysis
20:04 Meta Advertising Roadmap
26:07 Channel Diversification Strategies
29:04 New Product Launches and Incrementality
31:50 Funnel Diagnostics and Performance Metrics
34:36 Creative Strategies for Different Audiences
37:42 Testing and Optimizing Campaigns
40:35 Leveraging Partnership Ads
43:51 Final Thoughts on Meta and Future Strategies
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Prescient AI.
https://www.prescientai.com/operators
Richpanel.
https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdesc
Aftersell.
https://www.aftersell.com/operators
Rivo.
https://www.rivo.io/operators
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In this episode, we’re joined by James from Boring Marketing to dig into how smart DTC marketers are actually using AI - not just to move faster, but to build more efficient systems and workflows.
We talk about how AI can support content systems and internal processes, the difference between prompting and system-building, and why using AI just to generate content won’t drive results on its own. James shares how he’s using MCPs to improve creative output, how agents differ from real workflows today, and how to get more out of your team by designing AI to work alongside them.
James also walks us through how he’s thinking about building repeatable content frameworks using AI, and later breaks down a Shopify product page to show how vague, vibe-based copy, often the result of poor AI implementation, can fall flat.
To wrap up, James shares his take on what the biggest implementation of AI in the second half of 2025 will be, and what marketers should be paying attention to now.
Want to submit your own DTC or ecommerce marketing question? Click here.
00:00 Introduction
04:33 The Evolution of Boring Marketer
08:41 Understanding Agents vs. Workflows
12:50 The Year of Efficiency in AI
17:40 Getting Started with AI Workflows
21:27 Research and Analysis with AI
28:46 Vibe Coding vs. Traditional Automation
36:25 Tactical Approaches to Creative Generation
42:32 Scraping Ads and Analyzing Competitors
46:19 Building a Unique Marketing Brief
48:16 Learning to Use AI Tools Effectively
50:08 The Future of AI in Marketing
58:59 Creating a Brand Analysis
01:01:00 The Future of AI Tools in E-commerce
01:05:09 Closing the Loop with AI Workflows
01:11:31 Building a Shopify Site with AI
01:22:45 The Future of Media Buying with AI
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Prescient AI.
https://www.prescientai.com/operators
Richpanel.
https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdesc
Aftersell.
https://www.aftersell.com/operators
Haus.
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In ecommerce marketing today, acquisition costs are rising, tariffs are up, and growth is harder to come by, which means DTC brands are under pressure to do more with leaner teams. That got us thinking about where are marketers - and our teams - wasting time, and how can we work more efficiently without sacrificing performance?
In this episode, we break down the marketing workflows, habits, and internal processes that slow teams down and drain resources, from spending too long refining content that should’ve shipped, to full landing page redesigns, creative testing that never scales, and attribution deep dives that don’t lead to action.
We also talk about how to run a lean marketing team without losing output, where DTC marketers tend to overcomplicate, and how to better prioritize what actually drives performance, and much more.
If you have a question for the MOperators Hotline, click the link to be in with a chance of it being discussed on the show: https://forms.gle/1W7nKoNK5Zakm1Xv6
00:00 Kickoff and Prime Day Preparations
02:53 Marketing Strategies for Major Sales Events
05:45 Driving Traffic to Amazon: Strategies and Insights
09:07 The Importance of Attribution Links
11:54 Exploring Paid Traffic for Amazon
14:52 Wasting Time in E-commerce: Identifying Inefficiencies
17:54 The Balance of Ad Volume and Quality
21:11 Learning from Product Launches: Successes and Failures
23:46 The Role of Plain Text Emails in Retention
27:13 Leveraging Existing Products for New Launches
41:49 Wasting Time and High Leverage Attachments
48:29 Customer Service Tools and Efficiency
57:01 Evaluating SEO and Affiliate Marketing
01:01:08 Setting Clear Goals for Marketing Functions
01:04:32 Retail as a Growth Channel
01:10:40 Operationalizing Marketing Insights
01:18:49 The Interconnectedness of Digital and Retail Revenue
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Prescient AI.
https://www.prescientai.com/operators
Richpanel.
https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdesc
Aftersell.
https://www.aftersell.com/operators
Rivo.
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This week, we’re talking AI creative, product page testing, and Shopify updates - plus, we’re joined by Steve Rekuc from Common Thread Collective who walks us through how he built the Spending Power metric at CTC, what it tells us about shifting consumer demand, and how brands can use it to adjust spend and planning month to month. We also dig into seasonality vs macro-driven variability, and why awareness of your environment is key to making smarter decisions.
We also discuss the viral Kalshi ad and discuss how we’re approaching AI tools for creative development, from visual quality to concept support. We also talk about recent PDP testing wins, what changed, and how to think about the structure of your product pages going into peak season.
Want to submit your own DTC or ecommerce marketing question? Click here.
00:00 Introduction
02:57 Analytics Reporting and Year-Over-Year Comparisons
07:12 Data Warehousing and Shopify Analytics
10:54 AI in Marketing and Creative Strategies
16:53 Consumer Confidence and E-commerce Predictions
23:00 Insights from Common Thread Collective
34:20 Understanding Spending Power
37:14 Incrementality Testing for Marketing Efficiency
40:01 Seasonality and Brand Performance
43:41 Predicting Future Spending Power
46:59 Consumer Confidence and Spending Trends
49:47 Insights from Data for Brand Strategy
52:27 Iterating on Product Design and User Experience
Kalshi Ad: https://x.com/PJaccetturo/status/1932893260399456513
Steve's X Thread: https://x.com/RSteveData/status/1931107166792159711
Episode 64 with Dylan Anders:
YouTube: https://youtu.be/QJvj3z68rbE
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3iwer8FNwuwzDDnAV5X7JV?si=ab23e70a86404639
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Prescient AI.
https://www.prescientai.com/operators
Richpanel.
https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdesc
Aftersell.
https://www.aftersell.com/operators
Haus.
http://Haus.io/operators
Subscribe to the 9 Operators Podcast here:https://www.youtube.com/@Operators9
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Sign up to the 9 Operators newsletter here: https://9operators.com/
Today we’re joined by Dylan Ander, founder of heatmap.com, to talk attribution, LTV, CAC, creative testing, and what actually moves the needle in media buying performance.
We unpack why conversion rate alone isn’t the best indicator of success and what to look at instead, from holdout testing and CAC payback windows to 60-day LTV. Dylan shares his approach to attribution when platform data (especially from Meta) falls short, and how to build creative testing frameworks that truly help scale spend.
We also dive into the nuances of media buying across channels, how to interpret noisy performance data, and the signals that actually matter. Dylan breaks down how to use on-site surveys to gather clearer attribution insights - what to ask, how to ask it, and how to use the data. Plus, we get into pricing strategy: why many brands hesitate to raise prices, and how pricing impacts both conversion and LTV.
Finally, Dylan walks through an audit of Cody’s website using heatmap and revenue data, offering tactical, high-leverage feedback on what’s working, what’s not, and what to test next.
If you have a question for the MOperators Hotline, click the link to be in with a chance of it being discussed on the show: https://forms.gle/1W7nKoNK5Zakm1Xv6
00:00 Meta Summit Takeaways
02:47 AI in Marketing Strategies
06:08 Introduction to Dylan Ender
09:04 Core Web Analytics Insights
11:55 Customer Feedback and CRO
15:13 The Importance of AOV and Conversion Rate
17:58 Revenue Per Session vs. Conversion Rate
20:50 Price Testing Strategies
39:41 Revenue Testing and Feedback
42:08 The Importance of Price Testing
43:36 Challenges in SaaS Pricing
44:57 Understanding Heat Maps and Analytics
52:58 Live Testing vs. Split Testing
56:20 The Role of Customer Feedback in Marketing
01:01:12 Understanding Funnel Metrics
01:08:53 Optimizing Navigation for Better User Experience
Episodes discussed in the show:Episode 1 - A Deep Dive into Attribution and Measurement Episode 27 - How We Set Goals, Attribution Limitations and KPIs for Growth?
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Prescient AI.
https://www.prescientai.com/operators
Richpanel.
https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdesc
Aftersell.
https://www.aftersell.com/operators
Rivo.
https://www.rivo.io/operators
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In this episode, we dive into Meta ad performance, Shopify’s latest AI features (including Sidekick), and we answer your DTC marketing questions from our MOps Hotline.
We start with unpacking how Meta is performing for us right now - why it’s still the most powerful channel in the stack, but also less forgiving than it used to be. Cody shares the thinking behind his recent tweet on Meta volatility and how we’re adapting creative and media buying to respond.
Next, we discuss to Shopify’s latest AI announcements and tools - from Sidekick to generative features inside the Shopify platform. We discuss whether these updates are useful for ecommerce operators, or just more hype.
Ad finally, we get into a round of your questions from our MOps Hotline, covering email vs SMS strategy, SKU-level segmentation, channel prioritization, and more.
Want to submit your own DTC or ecommerce marketing question? Click here.
00:00 Introduction
04:34 Leveraging AI in Marketing
07:05 The New Metric: Cost Per 1000 Accounts Reached
19:26 Optimizing Meta Advertising Strategies
27:38 AI Innovations in Shopify
37:34 The Future of E-commerce with AI
44:12 Incrementality Testing for Ad Spend
51:41 Effective Marketing Measurement and Reporting
01:02:54 Pricing Strategies and Conversion Rates
Mehtab's X Thread:https://x.com/mehtabkarta/status/1924547703373189179?s=46
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Prescient AI.
https://www.prescientai.com/operators
Richpanel.
https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdesc
Aftersell.
https://www.aftersell.com/operators
Haus.
http://Haus.io/operators
Subscribe to the 9 Operators Podcast here:https://www.youtube.com/@Operators9
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Sign up to the 9 Operators newsletter here: https://9operators.com/
The Marketing Operators hosts have a live discussion about marketing at the Meta Summit. They discuss the concept of incrementality in marketing, exploring its significance, measurement techniques, and the evolving landscape of marketing tools. They discuss the importance of understanding which conversions are truly incremental and how to effectively measure them using various tools and strategies. They emphasize the need for a culture of experimentation and the role of data triangulation in optimizing marketing efforts.
The discussion also touches on the challenges faced by marketers in adapting to changing consumer behaviors and the future of incrementality in the marketing industry. They explore the role of AI in creative development, emphasizing the need for diverse and culturally resonant content.
00:00 Introduction to Incrementality in Marketing
02:45 Understanding Incrementality: Definitions and Examples
06:04 The Role of Measurement in Incrementality
09:08 Tools and Strategies for Measuring Incrementality
12:01 Operationalizing Incrementality in Marketing
18:03 Triangulation of Data for Better Insights
20:48 The Future of Incrementality in Marketing
29:23 Driving Brand Outcomes through Incrementality
33:30 Revisiting Past Ads for New Opportunities
35:43 The Future of Creative Testing with AI
39:30 Cultural Resonance vs. AI-Generated Content
43:54 The Balance of AI and Human Creativity
47:32 Exploring Creative AI Platforms
51:08 Actionable Insights for Future Campaigns
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How can DTC brands run sweepstakes that actually drive results? In this episode, we break down the full sweepstakes checklist: how to plan, set up, promote, and track a campaign that performs.
We’ve been getting a lot of questions from marketers and DTC founders about sweepstakes, and for good reason - when done right, they can drive serious attention, grow your email list, and create a brand moment that doesn’t depend on constant discounting.
We walk through everything you need to know to run a sweepstakes for your ecommerce brand: how to time it, what to offer, how to promote it with paid, what legal considerations to keep in mind, and the one element that can make or break your results.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out Ep 17 - The Sweepstake Tactics To Create Tentpole Moments for more sweepstakes strategy discussion:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5kzE8uNgBBqy9nU3uloppt?si=5586b656d0e045e8
YouTube: https://youtu.be/wSgVjuh3i6Y
If you have a question for the MOperators Hotline, click the link to be in with a chance of it being discussed on the show: https://forms.gle/1W7nKoNK5Zakm1Xv6
00:00 Introduction
09:05 The Rise of Sweepstakes in Marketing
18:02 Strategizing Sweepstakes Offers
22:29 Branding and Design Language for Campaigns
28:35 Gamification in Sweepstakes
39:36 Maximizing Post-Purchase Revenue
46:41 Legal Considerations for Sweepstakes
50:34 Tracking Entries and Customer Awareness
01:03:28 Building Effective Funnels for Sweepstakes
Operators Exclusive Slack: https://join.slack.com/t/9operators/shared_invite/zt-2tdfu426r-TepSHJP~evAyDfR29U2qUw
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Prescient AI.
https://www.prescientai.com/operators
Richpanel.
https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdesc
Aftersell.
https://www.aftersell.com/operators
Rivo.
https://www.rivo.io/operators
Subscribe to the 9 Operators Podcast here:https://www.youtube.com/@Operators9
Subscribe to the Finance Operators Podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/@FinanceOperatorsFOPS
Sign up to the 9 Operators newsletter here: https://9operators.com/
