Retention Chronicles

Mariah Parsons, Host of Retention Chronicles Podcast & Head of Marketing at Malomo, and Kit Henseleit, Global Operations Manager at Custom Neon, Founder at Clouding Over, discussed the unique challenges and opportunities of operating in the signage industry and the differences between B2B and B2C marketing. They emphasized the importance of creativity, flexibility, and building strong relationships with clients to deliver customized solutions. They also discussed the challenges of expanding a business globally and shared strategies for retaining customers in the hospitality industry. Additionally, they shared their experiences in scaling a custom neon sign business while balancing customer expectations and business growth, highlighting the importance of setting clear expectations and providing proactive communication. Episode Timestamps: 0:05 Custom neon signage branding and e-commerce experiences with a global operations manager from Australia 5:19 Custom neon sign business, challenges, and best practices 12:23 Challenges faced while expanding a neon sign business globally, including cultural differences and customer expectations 19:45 Custom neon sign production and customer expectations 25:49 Custom neon signs for various events and campaigns, including a collaboration with Coach  30:41 Customer retention and repeat orders for custom products 38:02 Customer retention strategies and Black Friday planning

Mariah Parsons, Host of Retention Chronicles & Head of Marketing at Malomo, and Lindsay Baylor, Senior Director of Customer Care & DEIB at Kendra Scott, discussed the importance of leveraging technology and diversity initiatives to improve customer service at Kendra Scott. They emphasized the value of creating an online experience that is easy for new customers to adapt to, and the need for a comprehensive view of the customer journey. Mariah Parsons and Lyndsay Baylor also discussed the importance of integrating customer data from various sources to create personalized experiences, and the challenges of connecting data from online and in-store interactions. Finally, Mariah Parsons and Lyndsay Baylor discussed the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the fashion and jewelry industries, and the need for brands to be intentional and authentic in their approach to diversity and inclusion. Episode Timestamps: 0:05 Adapting to pandemic-era customer needs at Kendra Scott, prioritizing omnichannel experiences 8:48 Tying customer data across multiple channels for improved brand experience 13:44 Using technology to improve customer service 19:39 Implementing chatbot technology and improving customer experience 26:19 Personalizing customer experiences through social media engagement 30:35 Diversity, inclusion, and representation in marketing and customer service 35:25 Internal and external perspectives on diversity, equity, and inclusion in the jewelry industry 39:53 Customer inclusivity and diversity in product development

Mariah Parsons, Host of Retention Chronicles, and Bob Verlaat, Co-Founder of Dore & Rose and Hears, discussed their experiences launching and scaling e-commerce brands, emphasizing the importance of having a clear vision, solid business plan, and strong support system. Mariah highlighted the value of taking calculated risks and learning from failures, while Bob stressed the need to maintain quality and customer satisfaction as the brand scales. Bob added their perspective on launching multiple brands and incorporating user-generated content in advertising. The group discussed factors to consider when launching a product, the role of artists and influencers, approaches to launching and retaining customers, and the challenges they faced in a saturated market. They emphasized the importance of problem-solving, educating consumers, providing a seamless customer experience, and scaling while maintaining passion and caring attitude. Episode Timestamp: 5:55 Launching two e-commerce brands, Doreen Rose and Here's, with different approaches and industries 13:12 Brand collaborations and launch strategies 16:44 Launching a new brand in a saturated market with limited attention span 23:23 Using user-generated content (UGC) in ads for authenticity and engagement 27:29 Educating customers through product development and customer experience 34:17 Scaling customer service and technology for two e-commerce brands

Mariah Parsons, Head of Marketing at Malomo and Host, and Lisa Oberst, Founder of Womads, discussed the importance of sustainability and comfort in footwear design, particularly for women. They emphasized the need for quality control and good relationships with manufacturers. They also discussed various challenges and opportunities in the e-commerce industry, including networking, technology integration, and customer experience. They highlighted the significance of optimizing transactional emails for customer engagement and creating personalized customer experiences. Mariah and Lisa stressed the importance of building relationships with other entrepreneurs and marketing agency directors, and simplifying the reverse logistics process to foster long-term relationships. Episode Timestamps 0:05 E-commerce brand Womads and its founder Lisa, with a focus on versatile and comfortable accessories for women 4:11 Shoe design and development, focusing on flexibility and comfort 11:04 Shoe design, manufacturing, and partnerships in Colombia 17:36 Entrepreneurship, manufacturing, and quality control 22:31 Launching a shoe brand, marketing strategies, and tech tools used for e-commerce and customer management  28:26 Simplifying reverse logistics for e-commerce businesses 32:08 Customer experience and e-commerce strategies for a women's shoe brand 35:56 Post-purchase experience and tech stack for a fashion brand 41:47 Email and SMS marketing strategies for e-commerce brands

Mariah Parsons, HOM at Malomo and Host of Retention Chronicles, and Madison Lee, Co-Founder & CEO of Nemah, discussed the challenges and opportunities of transitioning from a talent agency to a e-commerce brand. Mariah and Madison explored the importance of personal branding, consumer insights, and technology in developing a private label. They emphasized the need for brands to prioritize customer experience, retention, and the delicate balance between automation and human touch in e-commerce. Mariah Parsons and Madison Lee also discussed the challenges of founding a vegan skincare brand for moms and babies, scaling a DTC skincare brand while maintaining customer trust, and educating and supporting parents through science-backed content. 4:38 Founding a vegan skincare brand for moms and babies 10:30 Branding and consumer insights for a clean skincare line 15:54 Scaling a DTC skincare brand for pregnant and postpartum women, focusing on customer experience and trust-building 22:54 Using consumer insights to inform educational content and product development for parents 26:59 Creating a clean beauty brand with a focus on community and science 31:31 Post-purchase customer experience and its importance for e-commerce brands 36:57 Customer experience and retention in e-commerce

This conversation is centered around email and SMS deliverability in e-commerce, with a focus on understanding technical aspects and predictability of email marketing results. Mariah Parsons. Head of Marketing at Malomo & Host of Retention Chronicles, and Nikita Vakhrushev, Founder of ASPEKT agency, shared their experiences with email marketing and discussed challenges such as recent deliverability rule changes and the importance of conducting audits to identify issues. Nikita added his experience in setting up deliverability audits and emphasized the need for proper technical setup and segmentation of email lists. The group emphasized the importance of prioritizing email deliverability, especially during peak seasons in ecommerce like Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM). Episode Timestamps: 5:51 Email marketing strategies and deliverability issues 11:28 Email deliverability audit process using Klaviyo 16:07 Email deliverability and segmentation strategies for improved open rates 22:00 Email deliverability and marketing vs. transactional emails 26:32 Email deliverability and technical setup for e-commerce businesses

Mariah Parsons and Rachel discussed the importance of prioritizing customer experience and tailored marketing strategies to grow e-commerce brands. They emphasized the significance of celebrating milestones, launching new collections, and understanding the target audience to create effective marketing strategies. Later, Mariah and Rachel discussed digital marketing strategies, including social media marketing, influencer marketing, and the ethical implications of using AI-generated content in fashion marketing. They also explored the challenges of the apparel industry, including returns and exchanges, and the need to balance profit margins with offering lower prices to attract more customers. Episode Timestamps: 0:05 E-commerce brand growth and marketing strategies with Ivy City Co 3:24 Marketing strategies and roles within a company 9:33 Using AI in photo shoots for fashion brand, balancing efficiency with human connection 16:36 PR and social media strategies for a fashion brand 21:31 Leveraging Instagram and TikTok for a clothing brand, with a focus on content strategy and audience engagement 25:07 Social media presence and trustworthiness 30:51 Marketing strategies and customer experience for a fashion brand 37:33 Apparel industry returns and exchanges, with strategies to reduce them 41:50 Reducing returns in retail with a focus on product pricing and marketing

Mariah Parsons, Head of Marketing at Malomo and host ofRetention Chronicles, and Zoe Kahn, VP of Retention at Audien Hearing, Founder ofInevitable Agency, and host ofLet’s Laugh About It Podcast, discuss the importance of prioritizing customer satisfaction and loyalty in the E-commerce industry. Zoe shared her experience in the over-the-counter hearing aid industry, highlighting the challenges and rewards of helping people change their lives through hearing aids. Mariah emphasized the significance of customer experience in any position or business, while Zoe discussed the importance of hiring the right people for customer experience roles and setting up teams for success. Later, Mariah and Zoe discussed the importance of aligning marketing and customer service to create a seamless customer experience. They also discussed the value of building genuine connections and community in the E-commerce industry, and the importance of effective communication in retaining unhappy customers.Episode Timestamps:0:05 E-commerce customer experience with Zoe Kahn, VP of Retention at Audien Hearing and Founder of Inevitable Agency.4:29 Time flying by in business growth.10:13 Building an E-commerce community through genuine connections and learning.16:11 Building an agency without pressure to sell.20:42 Customer experience and its impact on retention.27:06 Email marketing and customer support balance.32:47 The importance of collaboration between marketing and customer experience teams. 

Mariah Parsons and Savannah Benson, VP of Customer Experience at Mixhers, discussed the evolution of customer experience strategy in e-commerce, emphasizing the importance of proactive planning, managing customer expectations, and over-communication. They also highlighted prioritizing customer needs in cross-functional meetings and creating a positive experience through rebranding and product quality. Additionally, they discussed the importance of understanding consumer behavior and preferences to innovate and stay relevant in the DTC ecommerce space, and prioritizing customer needs when solving problems and gathering customer insights. Episode Timestamps: 0:05 Customer experience and consumer insights with a mix of numbers and creativity 5:24 Marketing and customer experience strategies for a growing company 11:55 Prioritizing customer needs and solving problems through industry insights and customer feedback 19:57 Customer feedback and insights for a growing mixer brand 29:42 Using customer data to predict purchases and improve brand experience 33:39 Product returns and exchanges in the supplement industry 39:35 Mixhers, a supplement brand, and their subscription program

Mariah Parsons and Matt Froehlich discussed the importance of networking and connection-building in the e-commerce industry, sharing their experiences from attending conferences like Shop Talk and The Whalies. They emphasized the value of meeting people outside of their normal networks and highlighted differences between events in terms of size, scope, engagement, and connection-making opportunities. They also discussed the latest trends and challenges in digital marketing, including adapting to new technologies, reevaluating a brand's tech stack, navigating brand-agency relationships, and understanding the evolving nature of social media platforms like TikTok. Finally, they discussed optimizing ad performance and financials in the industry, emphasizing the importance of planning ahead, analyzing past data, and employing efficient advertising strategies to ensure maximum ROI. Episode Timestamps: 4:18 Using physical business cards vs virtual ones at conferences 10:05 Career path from radio to marketing agency 13:53 Improving marketing efficiency through tech stack optimization and financial transparency 18:36 Planning and optimization for peak season, focusing on efficiency and list growth 22:56 Evaluating and optimizing marketing technology stacks  26:13 New updates and trends in Shopify marketing, including Meta and Clayvo 31:23 Social media platforms, including TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram, and their evolving features and pressures 36:52 Marketing strategies for e-commerce brands on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram