Kevin Lee interviews David Alexander, Chief Marketing Officer at Everbridge, a company whose suite of products empowers enterprises and government organizations to anticipate, mitigate, respond to, and recover stronger from critical events. He’s also an Executive Professor at Texas A&M University, where he brings his extensive marketing experience to bear for the benefit of undergraduate marketing students. Kevin and David discuss Critical Event Management and contemporary marketing issues, including marketing austerity, the need for measuring and optimizing marketing performance, understanding the customer journey, and future-proofing strategies against emerging technologies. Their conversation highlights the importance of data visibility, automation, and customer experience in terms of driving business growth, along with the evolution of marketing's role in the customer journey, particularly in the post-COVID era. Additional topics covered in their talk include: - The definition of “Critical Events,” which may include weather events, political events, and other events challenging the readiness and resilience of corporate entities. - The importance of data visibility, automation, and effective communication for building relationships with CFOs, CROs, and CEOs. - How Using data and AI can be used to make informed marketing decisions. - AI's impact on marketing, including automation, creativity enhancement, and decision-making. - How AI represents an opportunity for students to learn new skills and stay competitive in the job market. - In a marketing context, the importance of the importance of focusing on existing demand and harvesting it before creating new demand. - The importance of a “single source of truth” for KPIs in B2B marketing. - Why marketers need to learn to “speak the language” of other organizational departments in order to have their communications understood. - The importance of identifying and building relationships with key decision-makers in the organization, and how Everbridge uses a multi-threaded approach to reach these individuals. - The key role of thought leadership in building relationships and driving engagement. - How people at different levels of the organization can be used to provide thought leadership, not just the CEO or chief security officer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kevin Lee interviews Peter Erickson, founder of Modev (conferences and special events for developers), founder of ExoLeaders.com (for executives), and founder of VOICE & AI -- an organization whose conferences and events bring together developers, buyers, sellers, and manufacturers seeking to gain entry into this fast-moving segment of the AI market. (VOICE & AI’s next event will be on October 28-30, 2024 in Arlington). Voice search is a hot field pegged to constitute a $98 billion sector by 2028. Peter and Kevin cover a lot of ground in their chat; topics include: - The degree to which innovation in LLM-driven Voice Search will progress ahead of text-based search, given there is less risk for its monetization model. - How LLM-powered search engines and voice search applications create a "winner take all" scenario for marketers (and what marketers can do about this). - Why Perplexity is in a good position to innovate in Voice Search, as they have reimagined search and presented it in an organized and addictive way for users. - The degree to which open source and proprietary technologies will coexist in the industry. - The high costs of AI-powered voice search and the degree to which costs may moderate in the near future. (example of a network of gaming computers to perform inference tasks at pennies on the dollar compared to traditional models). - Speculation as to whether Perplexity will be acquired this year (and by whom). - The costs and benefits of AI systems in education, given that they may "dumb down" languages and dialects. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kevin Lee interviews Alexis Zinberg, the Founder of Treow Solution, a New York-based firm that provides strategic marketing consulting services for clients across various verticals, including media, health, retail, and technology. As her LinkedIn profile explains, Alexis has “a deep expertise in designing and executing experiential and educational events, ranging from 10 person salon dinners to 50 person summits to 1500 person theater experiences and Trade Show presence.” Kevin and Alexis discuss event marketing best practices for 2024, with Alexis providing some great insights for event organizers, prospective exhibitors, and event attendees. They cover a lot of topics in our talk, including: - The importance of targeting the right audience at trade shows, rather than just showing up. - The importance of aligning events with business goals for maximum ROI. - Booth activation strategies for trade shows and in-person events. - How marketers can determine the best mix of salespeople and people in other roles to handle meetings and provide information to prospects. - The importance of preparation before attending events, including informing CRM, pre-promoting the show, and setting appointments with VIP-level people. - Why marketers shouldn’t overlook the opportunity to create content at events, including selfie content, testimonials, and on-site podcasts, which can be repurposed for months to come. - How event organizers are stressing “zero waste” and sustainability. - The importance of aligning trade show “swag” with business goals and objectives, and ensuring it has purpose and meaning. - The value of creating exclusive content for attendees at conferences, such as reports or panels to position clients as thought leaders. - The resurgence of QR codes at trade shows, allowing attendees to easily access digital content without needing to use printed collateral. - The role of virtual events in activating and engaging with audiences who cannot attend in person. - How smart marketers are making presentations “snackable” and adaptable for repurposing, with a focus on engaging the audience and creating a connection point. - The challenges of selecting the right person to be on stage at events. - Why trade show exhibitors need to have a laser focus on getting details right so that target audiences aren’t disappointed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kevin Lee interviews Daniel Meyer, VP & Corporate Controller at Access Intelligence, a Hauppauge, NY-based information and marketing company that provides business intelligence and integrated marketing solutions. Kevin and Daniel discuss how the event industry is evolving in the post-pandemic era and talk about best practices for event planners for 2024 and beyond. Discussed topics include: - How brands are adapting adapted to the "new normal" of events in the post-pandemic era. - The pandemic's impact on event planning, specifically the fact that lead times for commitments have decreased significantly (from 30-45 days to less than a month) - The importance of having backup plans and flexibility in event programming. - Challenges faced by event programmers with respect to selecting venues and accurately forecasting attendee numbers and event requirements. - The importance of event programmers understanding the “fine print” of event cancellation insurance policies. - Why anchors and sponsors are crucial for event success, given that they provide name recognition and help control the narrative. - How the value proposition of events depends on the audience's goals, which may include learning, networking, or transacting business. - The benefit of independent events (vs. events organized by a single vendor), where attendees can see “the whole story” and hold industry leaders accountable. - Why the structure and format of a given event should be tailored to the specific industry and the type of attendee, with a focus on experiential aspects and networking opportunities. - The differences between an exhibit hall with elaborate booths and a more informal exchange area, and the importance of managing traffic and building an agenda that allows attendees to get a variety of information. - The importance of understanding the venue's footprint and how it impacts the event's agenda and sponsor/exhibitor setup. - The challenge of managing the flow of traffic and ensuring that all parts of the event work in concert with one another, while also maximizing the value of attendees' time spent on site. - The challenges of choosing a venue for events, particularly in cities like New York where there are limited options and high demand. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kevin Lee interviews Richard Henne, Co-Founder of Ivory Ella, successful elephant-themed lifestyle apparel brand that’s raised over $2 million for charity. 50 percent of Ivory Ella’s profits are donated to Save The Elephants and other charitable causes. Richard is an accomplished entrepreneur and investor, with a wealth of experience in brand building and marketing. Beyond his involvement with Ivory Ella, Richard serves as Marketing Lead at game developer RoboSquad, whose game, RoboSquad Revolution, is a “hyper-active third-person shooter set in the year 2044” available for download at the RoboSquad website and through the Steam and Epic Games distribution networks. Kevin and Richard talk about what led Richard to launch his brand, how it’s doing now, and what he plans for it next. They also chat about topics related to startups, brand-building, running an authentic non-profit organization, and the dynamics of the computer game industry. They cover many topics in our talk, including: - Ivory Ella’s origin story, including an account of how it arrived at its partnership with Save The Elephants. - The importance of having local “boots on the ground” in causes related to animal protection, understanding the local context, and supporting community-led initiatives to achieve meaningful impact, rather than solely focusing on direct conservation efforts. - How the decision to make funds that were raised unrestricted was helpful in Ivory Ella’s efforts. - The importance of understanding marketing fundamentals. - For startups, the importance of building a strong team and having a good reputation in the industry. - For game developers, the pros and cons of available game distribution platforms. - The various monetization methods available in gaming, including virtual goods, advertising, sponsorships, and subscription models, and how making decisions about choosing which method to use can be weighty for the product team. - The importance of building a game that is enjoyable and rewarding for players, rather than focusing solely on monetization practices. - Why game designers need to balance rewarding participation with incentivizing desired behavior to create a sustainable, enjoyable experience. - The importance of making social impact native to a brand, rather than just attempting to add it on later. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kevin Lee interviews Joe Kowalsky, Show Director at CloserStill Media, a London-based company that produces industry-specific events with a focus on the Business Technologies, Healthcare, Transportation, and Infrastructure sectors. As Joe’s LinkedIn profile explains, he has subject matter expertise in “large-scale event management, sponsorship, sales management, integrated marketing, cold-calling, project management, business development, contract negotiations, and client relationship management (CRM).” Kevin and Joe discuss numerous topics related to events and event planning, including: - The dynamics of event funding, including sponsorship and exhibitor revenue, and the optimal balance between these models versus conference revenue streams. - The importance of knowing the target demographic and creating an event that caters to their needs, rather than just focusing on revenue generation. - The challenges of maintaining strong relationships with content partners, particularly when they lack subject matter experts on their team. - Why it’s important to be a supportive and consultative event producer, checking in with speakers beforehand to offer stage tips and provide a guide. - The shift among event organizers towards making event content available post-event, benefiting both speakers and attendees. - Why event organizers must balance providing intimate, highly-qualified content with large-scale entertainment and networking opportunities to keep attendees engaged and satisfied. - Common event fails, such as poorly designed badges and registration snafus, that can be easily fixed with simple solutions. - The potential of QR codes as a green alternative to printed materials in the events industry. - Why hybrid events, which often promise an equivalent user experience for both in-person and online attendees, have not yet been successfully implemented. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kevin Lee interviews Ron Gutman, CEO at Wurl, a Palo Alto-based company whose data-driven technologies help publishers and streamers maximize revenues, grow CTV viewership, and strengthen brand value. This month, Wurl launched a new product, BrandDiscovery, which it describes as a ”GenAI-powered contextual targeting solution for CTV that helps marketers reap the rewards of finding the right programming for their ads.” Campaigns targeted with BrandDiscovery let advertisers present ads within the programming that contextually aligns with their creatives based on emotions, genres, and brand safety. Kevin and Ron discuss how AI is used in BrandDiscovery, the powerful role that emotion, and emotional context, plays in effective advertising, and about the evolution of CTV, including its potential to function as a fully-addressable medium permitting unparalleled levels of ad targeting. We cover numerous topics along the way, including: - The inefficiency of traditional TV advertising, with attention spans decreasing and ad skipping becoming more common. - How the shift to CTV provides an opportunity for more storytelling-style video ads, as viewers have more time to engage with content. - Why advertisements tailored to a viewer's emotional state show much better results. - How AI can measure emotional dissonance in CTV ads and avoid negative associations for brands. - How creating ad variants for different emotions can unlock unsold inventory and lower CPMs. - The importance of understanding the customer journey and tailoring marketing strategies accordingly. - The value of brand recognition and long-term emotional resonance in building a successful brand. - The evolution of CTV, with a focus on discoverability and educating viewers about the content available to them. - How, in the next 5 years, CTV will complete its transition to a more seamless and personalized viewing experience, with AI playing a key role in content discovery and recommendation. - How AI will produce significant improvements in content production efficiency, making it easier and less expensive to create high-quality content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kevin Lee interviews Cristy Garcia, Chief Marketing Officer at Impact.com, a global partnership management platform. She leads and supervises Impact.com’s marketing, events, public relations and communications, demand generation, branding, website, design and social media. Kevin and Cristy discuss issues related to influencer marketing, affiliate marketing, and Impact.com's new influencer campaign management product. Discussed topics include: - Why today’s influencers are working in a way very similar to the way that publishers work, creating content that educates and promotes products, often using affiliate links for monetization. - Why education is often needed to inform brands about the nuances of affiliate marketing and hybrid payment models. - Why brands should trust their influencer partners' instincts on audience and content, balancing brand priorities with creative control. - How influencers are recognizing the need to diversify their platforms to avoid relying on a single channel for growth. - How micro and nano influencers are often seen by consumers as more trustworthy than macro influencers. - How brands – which want authentic ambassadors and influencers that match their brand -- may struggle with compliance issues when giving too much creative latitude to mid-tier and nano influencers. - How technology can help automate messaging and discovery of creators, making it easier for brands to manage their influencer marketing campaigns. - The resurgence of long form video content, with storytelling methodology and VSLs (Video Sales Letters) being the driver. - Why brands must constantly test new channels, given that what works now may not work in the future. - Why B2B marketers should target multiple contacts within an account, rather than just the mythical decision maker, to increase the chances of a sale. - How AI will impact influencer and affiliate marketing and shape its future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kevin Lee interviews Alex Collmer, Founder and CEO at VidMob, a New York-based company providing end-to-end technology solutions for a brand’s creative needs. In addition to leading VidMob, Alex has a keen interest in charitable activities, and in 2017 formed VidMob Gives. Kevin and Alex discuss what's new on the creative optimization front as well as in the larger digital marketing ecosystem, which is currently going through a transformation due to the emergence of useful AI tools. They cover many topics in their talk; including: - Alex’s recent trip to Rwanda to help build homes for homeless women and support girls' education through the VidMob Gifts Foundation. - How VidMob uses AI to programmatically understand creative decisions and compare them to behavior data, providing insights to marketers on why certain ads work or don't work for specific audiences. - The potential of AI in marketing, especially with respect to its ability to analyze customer data and provide valuable insights for competitive advantage. - The potential benefits of using existing customers as influencers, given their inherent authenticity and existing brand affinity. - The mix of upper and lower funnel KPIs used by VidMob customers. - The potential for AI to improve the creative supply chain by providing valuable insights and eliminating creative waste. - How the platform's scoring system can help identify creative messages that don't work in a particular platform and inform changes in positioning and pricing. - Why audience expectations and preferences play a significant role in determining which types of creative content perform well on different platforms. - The importance of creative agility in marketing, particularly for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and mid-market marketers. - The challenge of balancing creative agility with control and visibility for larger marketers, who may be hesitant to give up control of their brand and learnings from their marketing efforts. - How VidMob is building its own LLM to make insights more accessible and is partnering in the measurement world to provide better visibility into the impact of creative decisioning. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Greg Licciardi interviews Kacy Cole, Chief Marketing Officer at Holland America Line, a venerable brand that celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2023. Greg and Kacy discuss issues related to marketing innovations for high-value cruise line guests. As Kacy notes, research plays a huge role in the process of rolling out new products and partnerships to cater to Holland America’s high-value customers. And here, generative AI is already playing a part in identifying new media targeting opportunities, as well as introducing efficiencies in the way that Holland America guides customers through the booking and digital checkout process. Greg and Kacy cover other topics, including: - The importance of reaching the right person with the right message at the right time and the right environment to deliver the right outcome. - How, after analyzing the behavior of high-value, high-affinity guests, Holland America's food and beverage team reprogrammed the supply chain to bring in more fresh fish. - How marketing at Holland America is very much a “team sport” where collaboration is key to innovation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christine Magda is an experienced marketing consultant who’s a keen observer of best practices, both in the C-Suite and across the organization. She’s worked in a consultative capacity with many small, mid-sized, and large companies seeking to improve their efficiencies and expand their opportunities. Christine’s expertise extends to go-to-market strategies, brand messaging, lead gen, acquisition, client retention, competitive analysis, customer insights and market trends. Kevin and Christine discuss issues relating to making better use of marketing teams within organizations. They touch on the challenges faced by organizations, teams, and individuals, when corporate re-orgs or turnarounds become necessary, and delve into the question of whether the generally short tenures of CMOs are due to failure or to success. Discussion topics include: - The mistakes that marketing teams often make by prioritizing new leads over nurturing existing customers. - How companies, even otherwise sophisticated ones, often lack the backend business intelligence necessary to understand who their best customers are. - Why smaller companies often seem to have a clearer view of their competition and create more content to drive demand, while mid-sized companies struggle with this. - The challenges associated with fixing a broken organizational structure without buy-in from senior management, given that employees may resist change and feel uncomfortable with the potential consequences. - Why marketing teams are often relegated to a secondary or assistant role within the organization, instead of serving as critical hubs and/or filters for the entire business. - How PE firms and activist investors often catalyze change in organizations by providing a fresh perspective and new ownership structure. - The need for a punch list or prioritization list to help senior teams make informed decisions about where to invest their time and resources, with a focus on quick wins and long-term strategies. - The importance of understanding the value of existing content and repurposing it to improve SEO and marketing efforts. - Why marketing teams must continually adapt to various stakeholders' needs, including product and engineering teams, client services, buying committees, data science teams, and CMO/VPs of marketing. - Why high-level executives, such as CMOs, may experience high turnover rates due to their inability to take credit or blame for outcomes outside of their control. - Why candidates for CMO positions need to ask crucial questions during the hiring process to avoid surprises and ensure a smooth transition. - Why startups blessed with heavy funding during the pandemic may face opportunity cost and wasted budget due to hiring sprees. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kevin Lee interviews Dixon Jones, CEO of Inlinks, a company that has developed the first entity-based Semantic SEO tool. Kevin and Dixon trade notes on current developments in SEO with a focus on the significant impact that AI is already having in the space. They cover many topics in our talk, including: - The degree to which traditional SEO link building strategies will remain viable. - How Dixon’s current project, Inlinks -- an SEO technology that focuses on entities instead of words –provides value. - How LLMs are voraciously ingesting content across the public web, including YouTube transcripts, and their continuing hunger for additional human-generated content. - How forward-looking SEOs have moved from a keyword-centric mentality to a topic-centric focus. - The wisdom of making one’s brand closely aligned with the exact same things that one’s customers are interested in. - How Google Suggest can be used to generate new content ideas by analyzing related search terms and their semantic context. - The importance of identifying the relationship between the person talking and their area of expertise in order to estimate this individual’s authority and credibility. - The efficacy of applying a “Barnacle SEO” strategy in today’s search environment, where LLMs and single-result search engines such as Perplexity are growing more important. - The potential for LLMs to successfully disambiguate certain terms (such as “Mustang,” which may indicate a vehicle, a fighter aircraft, or a type of horse). - The fact that today’s current generation of AI-generated content checkers often fail to perform correctly. - The degree to which blockchain technology may have a role in authenticating content in the future. - How companies such as Adobe may be in a better position to survive potential copyright infringement lawsuits related to AI, given that the images used to train its LLM have all been licensed. - The dubious wisdom of attempting to quarantine one’s content against LLM ingestion. - How a new generation of JavaScript-based SEO tools may be able to implement needed site changes rather than merely point them out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kevin Lee interviews Adam Kleinberg, CEO and Co-Founder at Traction, a San Francisco-based consultancy describing itself as “a new breed of brand experience consultancy designed to help in-house teams create the amazing experiences they need to connect with their customers at the speed—and with the talent—their business demands.” He’s been named one of the Top 25 Most Innovative Marketers in Digital by iMedia Connection, his consultancy has won many awards from Ad Age, iMedia, BtoBMagazine, TheNextWeb, and others, and his client base includes Apple, Adobe, LinkedIn, Walmart, and dozens of other top-tier brands. Kevin and Adam discuss the present and future evolution of creativity, marketing, and advertising, with a focus on the role that Generative AI and LLMs will play in this evolution. Along the way they discuss topics including: - How Traction started as a freelance cooperative in a spare bedroom, later growing into a marketing accelerator with a “liquid” workforce. - How Traction adapted to changes in the market by pivoting to a remote workforce model in 2019. - The future of marketing agencies, which must work to adapt to changing client needs and provide value beyond just media buying. - How Traction helps brands leverage emerging tech through community, events, and workshops, driving enterprise adoption and problem-solving. - The potential of AI tools in the creative process, especially with respect to their ability to speed up the insights generation process and provide valuable inspiration. - How AI tools such as Gemini, ChatGTP, and others help to organize thoughts and create a consistent voice. - The efficiency gains of using AI tools for image selection and manipulation, for example, Canva's ability to suggest alternative backgrounds without manual effort. - The potential impact of AR/VR on brands and potential role in creating more immersive apps and games. - How Lowe's and other brands are creating immersive retail experiences with AR technology, potentially revolutionizing the industry. - The importance of creative excellence in a rapidly changing media landscape, where mistakes can be costly and competitors are always one step ahead. - The evolution of targeting in advertising, from the "big idea" of the past to personalized messaging and AI-driven optimization. - The challenges of over-segmentation and the importance of data quality in optimizing ad performance, even with AI. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kevin Lee interviews Kate Edwards, who wears entrepreneurial hats in both the for-profit and non-profit worlds. She’s also a Microsoft alumnus, an activist, and an organizer with deep roots in the computer game industry who speaks frequently at industry events. Kevin and Kate discuss game development, the gaming industry, working conditions within this industry, and concern over how AI is likely to impact things now and in the future. They cover much ground in our talk; topics include: - Kate’s experiences working in the gaming industry, which included work on popular games such as Halo, Fable, Age of Empires, Dragon Age, Modern Warfare, Mass Effect and others. - Why the topic of AI in the creative arts, including games, is a hot topic among game industry employees today. - How the SetJetters app helps fans find filming locations of their favorite TV shows and movies by providing a map and synchronizing scenes from the film with what the location looks like today. - Why fans attracted to filming locations while production is ongoing may either be embraced or encounter hostility form the film crew. - How Kate created a team at Microsoft to help the company navigate political and cultural risks, and later left to focus solely on video game development and consulting. - Kate’s experiences advocating for greater workplace diversity within the gaming industry and her role in the infamous “Gamergate” episode of 2014. - Why mental health issues are endemic in the game industry but are seldom mentioned or addressed. - How the game industry is characterized by a lack of empathy and understanding among gaming industry managers, which can lead to poor decision-making and unrealistic schedules. - Why recent layoffs and RIFs (Reductions in Force) in the gaming industry are largely the fault of management, which scaled hiring too quickly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kevin Lee interviews Vladimer Botsvadze, a noted speaker, business coach, and thought leader with a lot to say about digital marketing, social media, and the power of personal branding. As his LinkedIn profile notes, Vladimir "has more than 15 years of international experience in marketing and innovation with a proven track record of guiding executives and top brands worldwide to initiate change, drive growth, and position brands as market leaders in their industries," and he's been featured in Forbes, Bloomberg, Yahoo Finance, Irish Tech News, and other media outlets. Kevin and Vladimer discuss personal branding, AI, community-building, and the future of marketing and advertising. Other topics discussed include: - The importance of personal branding in today's marketing landscape. - How personal branding is the key to sustainable competitive advantage in the age of AI. - Examples of individuals who have been exceptionally successful using social media for personal branding. - Why individuals and brands should prioritize content co-creation and partnerships with other creators, rather than solely focusing on content creation and editorial calendaring. - How audience and community need to be distinguished from each other. - The importance of trust, personal branding, and networking in digital marketing. - Why consumers' trust in advertising is diminishing. - How many large brands fail to build authentic connections on social media, instead preferring to "broadcast" to online communities. - Why curiosity and agility are key to growth in today's fast-paced digital landscape. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kevin Lee interviews Duane "DJ" Sprague and Scott Brandley, who run Shopper Approved, a Utah-based firm providing tools that help merchants increase trust, traffic, and conversions through the management of user reviews. Some of the topics covered in this interview include: - The different flavors of UGC (User-Generated Content), including BGC (Brand-Generated Content), and EGC (Expert-Generated Content) - The importance of verified reviews for businesses and in terms of not running afoul of regulations from the Federal Trade Commission. - The process by which reviews are syndicated across multiple websites. - The fact that today’s generation of young people “live by video” and are quite comfortable creating – and consuming – video reviews. - The SEO value of strategic Q&A-style content. - Industry sectors where reviews are particularly more powerful, such as retailers with house brands or manufactured brands from different manufacturers. - Why consumers in certain health-related sectors may resist leaving authentic reviews due to privacy concerns. - The fact that having some negative reviews can actually improve one’s trust level among consumers. - The importance of brands responding reviews in order to show they care about customer feedback and are adept at solving consumer issues. - Why executives – not just line staff – need to pay attention to consumer reviews, which cumulatively serve as an index to a brand’s overall reputation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kevin Lee interviews Will Christensen, a Go To Market specialist who's the head of marketing at Seller Labs, a Georgia-based software tool provider for e-commerce merchants. Will is also the co-founder and CEO of DataAutomation.com, a company that customizes automation and integration processes for e-commerce sellers. Will provided a lot of great info -- including some unbeatable tactical tips -- about selling on Amazon that should be of great interest to anyone selling products on this important commerce platform. We cover a lot of ground in our interview, including: - The importance of the law of reciprocity in sales, where small gestures of goodwill can lead to increased likelihood of purchase. - How Amazon sellers should go about selecting 3rd party software to improve their selling results. - SEO strategies for Amazon sellers and the key role played by user-generated content in terms of improving one's chance of ranking outside of Amazon. - "Grey hat" SEO tactics that e-commerce merchants can use to improve their chances of ranking. - Apps that Will finds indispensable, including clipboard managers and password managers. - The challenges of managing a large number of SKUs on Amazon, including the potential for penalties and the importance of authentic reviews. - The utility (and danger) of using review syndicates (often referred to as "review mafias") on Amazon, give that they can lead to account flagging and extra scrutiny on future reviews. - The role that AI will likely play in ferreting out inauthentic Amazon reviews. - Amazon marketplace trends, which recently have included large moves by brand aggregators. - How sellers should regard and quantify the interaction of paid and organic strategies on Amazon. - The fact that Amazon's real-time reporting data may not always be reliable and that sellers need to wait a minimum of 14 days before acting based on this reporting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kevin Lee interviews Lesley Hensell, of Riverbend Consulting. Lesley's company helps 3rd party sellers restore their accounts after a suspension, deactivation, or block. Lesley and Kevin cover a lot of ground in this interview that should be of great interest to anyone with a storefront on Amazon, including: - The many the challenges of working with Amazon, including unreasonable testing requests that make no sense. -The importance of diversification for businesses on Amazon (i.e. maintaining presences on their own sites or via Shopify). -"Brand gating" and how to avoid it. - Do's and Don'ts when using AI to create Amazon product descriptions and imagery - The importance of keeping accurate invoices and testing documents, given that Amazon may request them in the event of a suspension or issue. - The key forensic role that Returns Reports play in helping sellers identify and address issues with their products, reducing risk and improving customer satisfaction. - The importance of optimizing Amazon product listings for SEO, as they can rank higher in Google and Bing than a seller's own website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kevin Lee interviews Gregory Elfrink, of Empire Flippers, a marketplace for buying and selling online businesses. Such businesses include ecommerce, SaaS, content sites, FBA, and more. Gregory has a wealth of knowledge about what makes these online businesses tick, what makes them succeed, and causes them to fail. Kevin and Gregory cover a lot of topics in this conversation that should be of value to anyone involved in online business today, including: - The degree to which SEO can cause an online business to succeed or fail. - The negative impact of Google’s recent “Helpful Content” update on many content-focused online businesses. - The rise of “zero-click” searches. - The resurgence of direct mail as a marketing channel. - The importance of diversifying revenue streams in business, particularly for content affiliate sites, to reduce concentration risk and increase valuation. - The pros and cons of in-house marketing teams versus agencies. - How proprietors of online businesses should prepare their properties for sale. - M&A marketing trends. - The importance of content creation in terms of building trust and engagement with potential customers. - Best practices for ideating content, including looking for inspiration from other people and feeding curiosity through great content. - The importance of understanding the emotional needs of customers when selling products. - The importance of transparency and honesty in marketing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices