Retention Chronicles

Mariah Parsons recaps the ShopTalk Fall conference in Chicago 2024, highlighting key takeaways and experiences. The conference spanned three days, with Thursday being the busiest due to the main concert by Busta Rhymes. Key themes included the importance of in-person engagement post-pandemic, the role of AI in enhancing consumer experiences, and the growing trend of duping products. Notable sessions featured insights from industry leaders like ThredUp, Lowe's, and Winky Lux. Mariah Parsons also emphasized the value of live selling, the need for brand compliance with FTC regulations, and the innovative use of tech in retail. She concluded by sharing her excitement about new products and brands discovered at the event. Episode Timestamps: 0:05 Recap of ShopTalk Fall Conference Mariah announces this episode will be a solo recap of the ShopTalk Fall conference in Chicago. She highlights the excitement around the first fall conference and her recent move to Chicago.  4:29 Overview of ShopTalk Fall Conference Structure She notes the busiest day was Thursday due to the all-conference concert by Busta Rhymes. The conference had a main stage, showroom floor with sponsor booths, and multiple content session rooms. Attendees could choose from various sessions, and there were breaks for networking and wellness activities. 4:48 Networking and Meeting New People Mariah emphasizes the opportunity to meet many people in a short time at the conference Mariah appreciates the caliber of people brought together by ShopTalk. 15:23 Content Sessions and Key Takeaways Mariah discusses the various content sessions she attended, featuring leaders from companies like Thredup, Farm Rio, CrunchyRoll, Studs, Winky Lux, Kendra Scott, Hard Candy, Malbon Golf, David Yurman, Pandora, Tonies, Vera Bradley, Skims, Zumiez and more. She highlights the theme of activities drawing conference goers and customers alike. The core pickleball court and Dot Digital's friendship bracelet and trucker hat booths were popular activities. Lowe's keynote on in-person events and ThredUp's use of AI for image search and styling were notable takeaways. 15:23 Consumer Engagement and Retail Innovations Mariah talks about the importance of asking consumers for their opinions, as seen with GE Appliances. She mentions Winky Lux's strategy of offering free lip gloss for customer feedback. Retailers enabling tech in stores, like Ulta Beauty's skin analysis and robot application of lashes, were highlighted. The concept of "dupe shopping" and the development of dupe score technology were discussed. 21:45 Tech Innovations and Future Trends Mariah mentions the trend of reselling and trading old items, with examples from ThredUp and TipTap. Live selling, especially in Asia, was discussed as a potential future trend in the US. The importance of staying updated with Federal Trade Commission regulations was emphasized.Mariah plans to have a detailed conversation with Kae Majmundar from Sway Tech on this topic. 25:43 Fun Elements and Experiences at ShopTalk Mariah appreciates the themed elements of the conference, such as the Mission Possible theme and live band transitions. She highlights the all-women keynote panel and the women-only happy hour before the Busta Rhymes concert. The shopping experience at the Vault, featuring both up-and-coming and established brands, was a favorite part of the conference. Mariah shares her excitement about discovering new brands and meeting their founders. 31:09 Product Discoveries and Favorites Mariah lists various products she discovered at the conference, including Fun Fact Co.'s Would You Rather game and Royce Chocolates. She mentions Devine's hair and body wash, mini Mac room's nail stickers, and Elf's Power Grip Primer and Lip Oil. Other products included Erzo Laszlo's deep cleansing bar, Char Charms' tumbler and straws, and Tangle Teezer's hair brush, and more Mariah expresses her excitement to try out these products, especially during the holiday season.

Mariah Parsons, Host of Retention Chronicles and Head of Marketing at Malomo hosts Aneto Okonkwo, Co-Founder & CEO of Remarkable AI,  an AI growth marketer for consumer brands. Aneto discusses the importance of marketing, particularly in scaling new companies, and shares insights on customer retention strategies. He highlights the effectiveness of personalized email campaigns, which can yield 50-100 times return on investment per recipient. Aneto also emphasizes the value of engaging with customers on social media and leveraging influencer marketing. Additionally, he stresses the significance of addressing customer issues promptly to enhance brand loyalty and retention.  Episode Timestamps: 3:06 Challenges of Starting a New Company 3:55 Importance of Marketing and Customer Engagement 6:18 Remarkable AI's Services and Customer Engagement 7:14 Data Analysis and Customer Insights 10:25 Social Media and Community Engagement 14:39 Influencer Marketing and Product Seeding 18:34 Email Marketing and Retention Strategies 20:17 Expanding LTV and Cross-Selling 20:43 Seasonal Strategies and Customer Support

Mariah Parsons, Host of Retention Chronicles & Head of Marketing at Malomo, is joined by Kes Nielson, a branding expert and Founder of BRAAAND. They discuss the importance of branding in e-commerce. Kes emphasizes that branding extends beyond logos and color palettes, focusing on creating emotional connections with customers to drive long-term loyalty and revenue. She highlights that effective branding can increase revenue by 20-23% and improve customer retention. Kes also discusses the significance of branding in societal issues, citing a campaign for Fight Against Domestic Violence (FADV) that aims to raise awareness and empower victims. She stresses the importance of uniqueness and intentionality in branding strategies. Episode Timestamps: 2:24 Kess's Background and Branding Philosophy 5:25 The Importance of Branding in Customer Experience 8:24 Challenges and Opportunities in Branding 8:39 The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Branding 37:08 The Impact of Branding on Societal Issues 43:39 Collaborations and Partnerships 48:19 The Future of Branding in Ecommerce

Ross Martin, President of Known Agency and General Partner of Lunch Partners, joins Mariah Parsons, Host of Retention Chronicles and Head of Marketing at Malomo, to discuss his journey in marketing. Known, an integrated agency ranked third by Ad Age combines research, creativity, and innovation, working with clients like Shake Shack and TikTok. Ross highlighted their unique approach, such as using AI to identify relevant Reddit conversations for Shake Shack. He also shared insights from Lunch Partners, emphasizing the importance of resilience and heart in founders. Ross praised Mikmak for connecting legacy brands with social commerce, showcasing the power of AI and consumer intelligence in driving business outcomes. Episode Timestamp: 1:56 Ross Martin's Background and Early Career 5:55 Marketing Insights and Innovative Strategies 6:41 Known Agency's Origins and Capabilities 24:26 Challenges and Opportunities in the Agency World 26:06 Lunch Partners Venture Fund 31:20 Investment Thesis and Founder Traits 36:43 Innovative Campaigns and Collaborations 41:15 Ecommerce Innovations and Future Opportunities

Ted Galperin, Partner and Head of Retail at Mythology, and Mariah Parsons, Host of Retention Chronicles & Head of Marketing at Malomo, discuss crafting immersive design. Ted’s work on the American Girl store in Dallas emphasizes the challenge of fitting a large experience into a 5,000-square-foot space. Key elements include a life-size dollhouse, a premium salon, and a cafe with a doll-sized door. Galperin also highlighted the importance of nostalgia in modern retail, citing examples like Vacation Sunscreen and Olipop. He shared insights on Warby Parker's retail strategy, focusing on creating a library-like atmosphere to enhance the customer experience. Additionally, he discussed the Sonos store in Soho, which used sound-attenuated pods to showcase the product's audio quality effectively. Episode Timestamps: 2:28: American Girl Store Project Overview 10:24: Nostalgia in Retail and Market Trends 19:06: Mythology's Multifaceted Approach 22:25: Warby Parker's Retail Experience 32:29: Sonos Retail Store Innovation 36:30: Balancing New and Returning Customers 40:17: Retail as Marketing and Awareness Tool

Mariah Parsons, Host of Retention Chronicles and Head of Marketing at Malomo, is joined by SeaMonster Studios’ Wes Buckwalter, Creative Director and CEO, and Deneb Pulsipher, Web Developer and Accessibility Specialist. Wes shares the company's origins and evolution into a full-service agency offering branding, graphic design, and compliance. Deneb, previously a high school English teacher, transitioned into web development, focusing on accessibility for ecommerce brands. They discuss the importance of WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) and ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliance, emphasizing the need for accessible websites to retain customers and avoid lawsuits. They highlight common issues like alternative text for images and text in images, and the benefits of compliance for SEO and user experience. Episode Timestamps:  4:57 SeaMonster Studios background and evolution into web compliance and accessibility experts 25:33 Sea Monster Studios' Expertise and Offerings With Branding and Web Compliance 25:58 Challenges and Benefits of Accessibility 31:31 Practical Considerations for Accessibility 43:52 Common Accessibility Issues and Solutions For Ecommerce Brands

Mariah Parsons, Head of Marketing at Malomo and Host of Retention Chronicles, and Jen Gray, SVP of Marketing at Recharge, discuss the importance of subscriptions in the Shopify ecosystem. Jen, who transitioned from big tech to Recharge, emphasizes the value of subscriptions in powering consumer routines and driving predictable revenue. They highlight the shift from a goods and services economy to a routine economy, where DTC brands focus on embedding products into daily lives. Jen shares insights on product diversification, such as Casper's transition to a sleep company, and the importance of product positioning and consumer behavior. They also discuss the benefits of subscriptions, including higher customer lifetime value (LTV) and the need for personalized, flexible subscription plans. Recharge is launching the Tomorrow Brand Challenge to support subscription growth, offering $1 million in prizes to three winners. 2:06 Jen Gray's Background and Initial Impressions of Working in Ecommerce 3:40 Core Beliefs and Consumer Behavior for Ecommerce Brands 5:55 Transition from Big Tech to E-Commerce 8:18 Product Diversification and Positioning for Subscription Brands 20:55 Subscriptions and Consumer Routines Are The New Economy 30:44 Best Practices for Subscription Success 37:16 The Routine Economy and Consumer Behavior 41:29 Recharge’s Tomorrow Brand Challenge

Chris Miller, Co-Founder & CRO of Flaunt Loyalty, and Mariah Parsons, Host of Retention Chronicles & Head of Marketing at Malomo, discuss the importance of dynamic loyalty programs for Shopify merchants. Chris highlights Flaunt Loyalty's unique service & software model, which includes designing, implementing, and managing loyalty programs to grow LTV and profits. They emphasize the need for ongoing optimization and strategic alignment with marketing campaigns. Chris shares examples like Barefaced's Mother's Day campaign, which integrated loyalty rewards into existing promotions. They also explore the balance between subscription perks and loyalty programs, stressing the importance of personalized rewards and gamification elements like badges and leaderboards to enhance customer engagement and retention. Episode Timestamps: 2:49 Introduction of Chris Miller and Flaunt Loyalty 4:30 Bandwidth and Expertise in Loyalty Programs 10:49 Benefits of Dynamic Loyalty Programs 13:39 Case Study: Barefaced Loyalty Program 23:11 Subscriber vs. Non-Subscriber Loyalty Programs 26:24 Gamification in Loyalty Programs 43:52 Examples of Effective Loyalty Programs 44:07 Resources and Further Learning

Maria Hatzistefanis, CEO and Founder of Rodial, discussed her journey from beauty writing in Greece to launching her skincare brand (Rodial) with Host of Retention Chronicles, Mariah Parsons. Maria highlighted the importance of unique ingredients and targeted treatments, such as Rodial’s Snake Serum and Dragon's Blood hyaluronic acid, to stand out on shelves. Rodial's success includes availability in 35 countries and 3,000 luxury stores. Hatzistefanis emphasized the role of influencers in customer acquisition and the strategic use of paid media, particularly on Instagram and Meta. She also shared her experiences with filming on Dragon's Den and her motivational books, which aim to inspire entrepreneurs. Episode Timestamps: 2:25 Maria Hatzistefanis’ Background and Career Journey 4:05 Inspiration from Editorial Background 8:22 Founding Rodial and Market Gap 21:13 Product Development and Market Strategy 28:03 Influencer Marketing and Customer Acquisition 36:14 Paid Media Strategy and ROI 43:02 Thought Leadership and Personal Projects 47:10 Final Thoughts and Closing Remarks

Mariah Parsons, Head of Marketing at Malomo and Host of Retention Chronicles and Noah Tucker, Founder & CEO of Social Snowball, discuss the evolution of affiliate marketing and its impact on e-commerce. Social Snowball, with 2,200 merchants, focuses on influencer and micro-influencer partnerships, addressing the shortcomings of legacy affiliate platforms. They highlight the importance of clear communication and incentive structures, particularly during high-traffic periods like Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Noah emphasizes the need for influencers to frequently post branded content to ensure audience conversion. They also touch on the dynamic of the e-commerce influencer B2B community, noting its high school-like nature but overall supportive nature. Episode Timestamps: 2:49 Noah Tucker’s Background and Entrepreneurial Journey to Starting Social Snowball 3:06 Challenges and Solutions in Affiliate Marketing 26:32 Affiliate Program Best Practices for Black Friday and Cyber Monday 32:35 Finding and Evaluating Influencers as a Shopify Brand 40:50 B2B Ecommerce Influencer Community and Social Media Presence