Mark Lotman

Mark Lotman is the Co-founder and COO of Monocle, which creates AI-powered customer incentives for businesses. After developing product strategies and pricing and fostering customer engagement at Stripe and McKinsey & Company, Mark founded Monocle to optimize incentives.

 
 
 
 
 
 

Noam Szpiro is the Co-founder and CEO of Monocle, where he leverages his experience as an engineering manager and director at Lyft and Instacart. Noam is also the former Co-founder of Interviews.tech, a marketplace for mock interviews with tech companies that he sold in 2022. 

 

 

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Customer incentives are gaining significant traction in the eCommerce space, with brands offering exclusive deals to drive conversions. Yet with customer acquisition costs rising, discounts have become costly, so brands must be strategic with their offerings to maintain profitability. How can you optimize your incentive programs?

Customer engagement experts Mark Lotman and Noam Szpiro leverage causal AI to personalize customer discounts and incentives. This analyzes key customer behaviors, preferences, and engagement rates to determine ideal offerings. Personalizing incentives based on how customers interact with your brand allows you to identify the offers’ incremental value so you can drive conversions and increase lifetime value. You can also utilize A/B testing to establish ideal discounts that boost profitability and ROI.

In this episode of The Digital Deep Dive, Aaron Conant chats with Mark Lotman and Noam Szpiro of Monocle about how to leverage customer incentives to drive conversions while maintaining profitability. Together, they discuss how to integrate Monocle into email, SMS, and direct mail campaigns, customer personalization trends, and their recommended software platforms.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Quotable Moments:

Action Steps:

  1. Implement personalized offer strategies to improve conversion rates: By targeting offers based on customer behavior, you're more likely to convert hesitant customers, directly addressing the challenge of profitability.
  2. Embrace machine learning over rule-based systems: Leveraging AI to personalize offers can outperform static rules and adapt to changes in consumer behavior.
  3. Ensure transparency in machine learning models to maintain control of marketing operations: This visibility helps marketers trust the system and utilize its insights for other strategic decisions.
  4. Regularly experiment with A/B testing on an individual level: This approach of continuous, personalized A/B testing can fine-tune offers for each customer, ensuring maximum engagement.
  5. Recognize the value of retention and develop targeted campaigns for existing customers: With acquisition costs rising, engaging your customer base with personalized incentives is crucial for long-term profitability.

About BWG Connect...

BWG Connect provides executive strategy and networking sessions that help brands from any industry with their overall business planning and execution. We network and knowledge share together to better understand and adapt to the newest trends, strategies, and pain points shaping growth in the digital space. BWG Connect, in conjunction with BWG Strategy, has built an exclusive network of 125,000+ senior professionals and hosts over 2,000 virtual and in-person networking events on an annual basis.

In addition, we have had 1x1 conversations with over 5,000 brands and have a real-time pulse on what digital strategies are successful and why. This in-depth knowledge allows our team to operate on the cutting-edge and provide our clients with best-in-class guidance on how to win in the digital world. We have provided free consultations and strategy sessions for companies of all sizes, from start-ups to Fortune-100, to enable growth, resolve issues and make curated service provider introductions that can impact your digital footprint.

We have held to the philosophy of providing high-level insights and actionable knowledge with no sales pitches in order to provide to our network the ability to listen, learn and act to improve themselves as well as their organizations. Our ultimate goal is to be the resource out there to help digital executives find the research they need to excel in the modern marketplace.

If you are interested in getting involved with any of our current or past events, you can find them here. If you are looking for help & would like to set up some time to chat with our team, you can schedule a time or reach out directly to Aaron@bwgconnect.com or Tiffany@bwgconnect.com.

Adam Epstein

Adam Epstein is the Co-founder and CEO of Gigi, which helps brands and agencies buy and measure Amazon Streaming TV ads. As a technology entrepreneur and executive, he has experience in SaaS, business and corporate development, sales, operations, strategy, partnerships, and product management. Before Gigi, Adam was the Co-president and VP of Growth at Perpetua, a growth infrastructure software for eCommerce. 

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The Amazon advertising space is evolving constantly, with budgets for on-site sponsored ads plateauing. Streaming TV has emerged as a profitable advertising channel integrated with Amazon Marketing Cloud. With streaming TV still in its infancy, how can you evaluate if it’s right for your business, and how can you incorporate it into your existing Amazon ads strategy?

As a pioneer of Amazon Streaming TV ads, Adam Epstein has advised brands and agencies on this imminent channel, emphasizing that it’s not for everyone. Smaller brands that invest less than $250,000 a month on sponsored ads should consider investing more to build awareness before diversifying to streaming TV. For brands that have exhausted their sponsored ads spend, Adam suggests investing 10% of their total Amazon ad budget into streaming TV to generate a broader reach. Once you’ve obtained exposure on streaming TV, you can allocate your budget evenly across all Amazon ad channels and even leverage Amazon’s partnerships with other streaming platforms like Disney+ and Hulu. 

In today’s episode of The Digital Deep Dive, Aaron Conant chats with Adam Epstein, the Co-founder and CEO of Gigi, about the emerging potential of Amazon Streaming TV ads. Adam talks about its seamless integration into other Amazon advertising channels, its potential to become table stakes for brands, and how to leverage its profitable opportunities. 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Quotable Moments:

Action Steps:

  1. Evaluate your current Amazon sponsored ads and DSP strategies to determine if they're plateauing, and then consider investing in streaming TV ads to drive new brand interest: This step ensures you don’t leave growth opportunities on the table by sticking to stale, underperforming tactics.
  2. Allocate at least 10% of your total Amazon ad spend toward streaming TV ads if your budget exceeds $250,000 a month across Amazon channels: This percentage is significant enough to make an impact without being overly risky, optimizing your potential ROI.
  3. Integrate both Amazon and DTC sales data to create richer audiences and more precise targeting for your streaming TV ads: Combining data sources enhances your understanding of customer behavior across channels, maximizing the relevance and effectiveness of your ads.
  4. Reallocate your traditional TV and awareness budgets to Amazon Streaming TV ads in proportion to where your sales originate: This strategy ensures you invest in advertising channels that contribute the most to your bottom line, making every dollar count.
  5. Stay informed of the rapidly evolving opportunities within Amazon's ad landscape, including advertising on platforms like Netflix through DSP partnerships: Keeping abreast of new developments allows you to leverage additional high-value inventory and remain competitive in capturing audience attention.

About BWG Connect...

BWG Connect provides executive strategy and networking sessions that help brands from any industry with their overall business planning and execution. We network and knowledge share together to better understand and adapt to the newest trends, strategies, and pain points shaping growth in the digital space. BWG Connect, in conjunction with BWG Strategy, has built an exclusive network of 125,000+ senior professionals and hosts over 2,000 virtual and in-person networking events on an annual basis.

In addition, we have had 1x1 conversations with over 5,000 brands and have a real-time pulse on what digital strategies are successful and why. This in-depth knowledge allows our team to operate on the cutting-edge and provide our clients with best-in-class guidance on how to win in the digital world. We have provided free consultations and strategy sessions for companies of all sizes, from start-ups to Fortune-100, to enable growth, resolve issues and make curated service provider introductions that can impact your digital footprint.

We have held to the philosophy of providing high-level insights and actionable knowledge with no sales pitches in order to provide to our network the ability to listen, learn and act to improve themselves as well as their organizations. Our ultimate goal is to be the resource out there to help digital executives find the research they need to excel in the modern marketplace.

If you are interested in getting involved with any of our current or past events, you can find them here. If you are looking for help & would like to set up some time to chat with our team, you can schedule a time or reach out directly to Aaron@bwgconnect.com or Tiffany@bwgconnect.com.

Andrea Leigh

Andrea Leigh is the Founder and CEO of Allume Group, an eCommerce knowledge-sharing network. She is also the co-host of The CPG Guys podcast. With over 20 years of eCommerce experience working with thousands of brands, she is an educator, speaker, and writer involved with various organizations, including The Digital Shelf Institute and Path to Purchase Institute. Andrea spent 10 years as a Senior Executive at Amazon, where she led over 15 categories, helped launch Amazon’s automated pricing system and other programs, and managed Amazon Prime in Canada.

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As the eCommerce landscape grows and evolves, businesses face many conundrums. They hire for new roles and integrate the latest technology only to realize they’ve gone too far. Middle management runs amok, and traditional business models begin to crumble. How can companies bounce back to navigate this space effectively?

As a brand educator in the digital space, Andrea Leigh understands that it’s difficult to identify an ideal starting place. It’s no longer practical to rely solely on cross-functional teams to execute eCommerce strategies. Instead, businesses need participation and collaboration from the entire organization, requiring teams to build strong relationships for idea-sharing and digital strategy alignment. Team members and stakeholders must also adopt new skills to stay abreast of digital trends and develop ways to pivot in unexpected situations. 

In today’s episode of The Digital Deep Dive, Aaron Conant chats with Andrea Leigh, the Founder and CEO of Allume Group, about navigating and adapting to the digital shift. Andrea talks about pivoting your business model from analog to digital, embracing consumers’ digital-first demands, and the complexities of digital decision-making. 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Quotable Moments:

Action Steps:

  1. Define your digital commerce goals for each retail media platform you engage with; clear objectives are critical for efficient budget allocation: This ensures targeted and strategic spending, improving ROI by aligning with desired outcomes in the complex digital media landscape.
  2. Foster cross-departmental collaboration by integrating digital teams into broader company functions: This enables holistic decision-making and action planning, essential in the fast-paced and interconnected realm of digital commerce.
  3. Encourage continuous education within your organization on digital commerce innovations and best practices: Staying informed and adapting to market changes strengthens a brand’s competitive edge in the digital-first consumer market.
  4. Regularly reevaluate your organizational design to ensure it remains agile and responsive to the shifting digital landscape: This proactive approach can prevent redundancies and keep an organization streamlined and focused on core digital commerce activities.
  5. Establish measurable benchmarks for assessing digital commerce initiatives, and adjust strategies based on performance data: This allows for data-driven decision-making, mitigating risks and maximizing opportunities in the online retail environment.

About BWG Connect...

BWG Connect provides executive strategy and networking sessions that help brands from any industry with their overall business planning and execution. We network and knowledge share together to better understand and adapt to the newest trends, strategies, and pain points shaping growth in the digital space. BWG Connect, in conjunction with BWG Strategy, has built an exclusive network of 125,000+ senior professionals and hosts over 2,000 virtual and in-person networking events on an annual basis.

In addition, we have had 1x1 conversations with over 5,000 brands and have a real-time pulse on what digital strategies are successful and why. This in-depth knowledge allows our team to operate on the cutting-edge and provide our clients with best-in-class guidance on how to win in the digital world. We have provided free consultations and strategy sessions for companies of all sizes, from start-ups to Fortune-100, to enable growth, resolve issues and make curated service provider introductions that can impact your digital footprint.

We have held to the philosophy of providing high-level insights and actionable knowledge with no sales pitches in order to provide to our network the ability to listen, learn and act to improve themselves as well as their organizations. Our ultimate goal is to be the resource out there to help digital executives find the research they need to excel in the modern marketplace.

If you are interested in getting involved with any of our current or past events, you can find them here. If you are looking for help & would like to set up some time to chat with our team, you can schedule a time or reach out directly to Aaron@bwgconnect.com or Tiffany@bwgconnect.com.

Matt Dornfeld

Matt Dornfeld is the Senior Director and Head of Global Partnerships at Feedonomics, a subsidiary of BigCommerce and an enterprise that provides leading product feed management solutions for brands, retailers, and agencies. Feedonomics offers brands a robust platform to aggregate their product data and syndicate it to marketplaces, ads, and affiliate channels worldwide. Matt's role is pivotal in facilitating global business partnerships and helping brands scale their operations, resulting in win-win-win outcomes for clients, partners, and Feedonomics.

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Instant commerce allows customers to receive their orders within hours of purchase. Platforms like Amazon, DoorDash, and UberEats have pioneered this commerce method, and with more customers expecting same-day delivery for every order, brands are capitalizing on this trend. How can you break into the instant commerce space while driving long-term profitability?

According to feed management expert and strategist Matt Dornfeld, consumers shop mainly on Google and Amazon, making these channels their primary starting points. Google’s local inventory ads feature targets consumers with ads for locally available products and directs them to the merchants’ websites where they can select from same-day pick-up or delivery. This tool allows brands to foster transparency and build trust with customers online and in-store, which are crucial for elevating experiences and driving conversions. Facebook and Bing have similar local inventory features, so you can expand into additional marketplaces to reach more shoppers. This requires understanding where your customers shop and investing in channels that align with your overall brand strategy.

In the latest episode of The Digital Deep Dive, Aaron Conant hosts Matt Dornfeld, the Senior Director and Head of Global Partnerships at Feedonomics, who shares insights about instant commerce for brands. Matt talks about the importance of providing customers with multiple shopping options, North Star strategies for executing instant commerce, and how to boost profitability on your DTC site.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Quotable Moments:

Action Steps:

  1. Evaluate channels for alignment with brand strategy and customer behavior to avoid oversaturating the wrong marketplaces: This ensures targeted growth by focusing efforts where they will be most impactful and relevant.
  2. Optimize product data for marketplace success to ensure accurate and compelling listings: Accurate product data reduces friction for customers, increasing the likelihood of conversions and repeat purchases.
  3. Leverage local inventory advertising to bridge online marketing with in-person purchasing experiences: This approach enhances the customer journey by providing immediate gratification while driving foot traffic to brick-and-mortar locations.
  4. Develop a North Star strategy to provide cohesive growth across all business functions: Having clear long-term goals allows for flexibility in strategy while ensuring every step contributes to overall success.
  5. Engage with trusted partners and vendors for proactive, innovative solutions tailored to current market dynamics: Collaborating with seasoned experts facilitates informed decision-making and adaptive strategies, potentially maximizing ROI.

About BWG Connect...

BWG Connect provides executive strategy and networking sessions that help brands from any industry with their overall business planning and execution. We network and knowledge share together to better understand and adapt to the newest trends, strategies, and pain points shaping growth in the digital space. BWG Connect, in conjunction with BWG Strategy, has built an exclusive network of 125,000+ senior professionals and hosts over 2,000 virtual and in-person networking events on an annual basis.

In addition, we have had 1x1 conversations with over 5,000 brands and have a real-time pulse on what digital strategies are successful and why. This in-depth knowledge allows our team to operate on the cutting-edge and provide our clients with best-in-class guidance on how to win in the digital world. We have provided free consultations and strategy sessions for companies of all sizes, from start-ups to Fortune-100, to enable growth, resolve issues and make curated service provider introductions that can impact your digital footprint.

We have held to the philosophy of providing high-level insights and actionable knowledge with no sales pitches in order to provide to our network the ability to listen, learn and act to improve themselves as well as their organizations. Our ultimate goal is to be the resource out there to help digital executives find the research they need to excel in the modern marketplace.

If you are interested in getting involved with any of our current or past events, you can find them here. If you are looking for help & would like to set up some time to chat with our team, you can schedule a time or reach out directly to Aaron@bwgconnect.com or Tiffany@bwgconnect.com.

david-katz

David Katz is the Co-founder, Lead Product Designer, and Director of Sales at Archer Affiliates, an affiliate network enabling Amazon sellers to connect with publishers, influencers, and bloggers. The company has generated millions of dollars in Amazon sales and increased affiliate revenue to 18% of generated sales. As a former Amazon seller, David struggled to incentivize influencers to promote his products and reach out to new affiliates, leading him to launch Archer Affiliates. 

 

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With customer acquisition costs rising and profitability becoming more critical than ever, affiliate programs have emerged as a performance-based marketing tool to drive sales and revenue. Yet this space is still relatively new, and brands often struggle with affiliate product promotions and sales attributions. How can you break into this space and establish a mutually beneficial partnership with affiliates?

Rather than paying influencers up front, affiliate marketing is a commission-based partnership that allows you to track product performance directly. Affiliate expert David Katz maintains that you can incentivize publishers, content creators, and other affiliates by offering commissions and promotions, allowing them to focus on generating sales and revenue for specific products. To fully capitalize on this partnership, David says to let the affiliates decide what products to promote and how to promote them since they’re experts on content creation and audience targeting. Affiliates will promote credible products with a high sales probability, focusing on larger brands with a solid presence and awareness.

Tune in to the latest episode of The Digital Deep Dive as Aaron Conant hosts David Katz, the Co-founder, Lead Product Designer, and Director of Sales at Archer Affiliates. They break down the current affiliate marketing space for brands. David also talks about Archer Affiliates’ unique value proposition, how to leverage AI and machine learning to reduce operational costs, and Amazon’s referral bonus incentive for 3P sellers. 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Quotable Moments:

Action Steps:

  1. Consider adopting affiliate marketing as a core component of your marketing strategy: Since it's performance-based, it aligns with the growing need for profitability in eCommerce.
  2. Evaluate your influencer marketing ROI and explore shifting to a more commission-based affiliate model: This aligns your investment directly with sales to improve your marketing spend's effectiveness.
  3. Leverage Amazon attribution to track external traffic and take advantage of the brand referral bonus for increased profitability: This tool lowers the cost per acquisition and boosts overall margins.
  4. Embrace machine learning and AI solutions to enhance operational efficiency and reduce overhead costs: Cutting-edge technology can streamline processes and save substantial amounts on service fees.
  5. Continually educate yourself and your team on the evolving landscape of eCommerce and affiliate marketing: Staying informed enables you to adapt to changes quickly and capitalize on new opportunities.

About BWG Connect...

BWG Connect provides executive strategy and networking sessions that help brands from any industry with their overall business planning and execution. We network and knowledge share together to better understand and adapt to the newest trends, strategies, and pain points shaping growth in the digital space. BWG Connect, in conjunction with BWG Strategy, has built an exclusive network of 125,000+ senior professionals and hosts over 2,000 virtual and in-person networking events on an annual basis.

In addition, we have had 1x1 conversations with over 5,000 brands and have a real-time pulse on what digital strategies are successful and why. This in-depth knowledge allows our team to operate on the cutting-edge and provide our clients with best-in-class guidance on how to win in the digital world. We have provided free consultations and strategy sessions for companies of all sizes, from start-ups to Fortune-100, to enable growth, resolve issues and make curated service provider introductions that can impact your digital footprint.

We have held to the philosophy of providing high-level insights and actionable knowledge with no sales pitches in order to provide to our network the ability to listen, learn and act to improve themselves as well as their organizations. Our ultimate goal is to be the resource out there to help digital executives find the research they need to excel in the modern marketplace.

If you are interested in getting involved with any of our current or past events, you can find them here. If you are looking for help & would like to set up some time to chat with our team, you can schedule a time or reach out directly to Aaron@bwgconnect.com or Tiffany@bwgconnect.com.

Marc Walkin is the Co-founder and Head of Marketing and Growth at Turbyne, a vertically integrated B2B SaaS platform that simplifies retail media. With over 15 years of experience as a marketing leader, he has built modern retail and CPG brands, including Stop & Shop, Popcorners, Beech-Nut, and Staples. Marc specializes in brand transformation, corporate strategy, and shopper and digital marketing playbooks. 

Lauren Livak

Lauren Livak Gilbert is the Executive Director of the Digital Shelf Institute (DSI), which shapes the future of digital and advances commerce through community, content, and education. In her role, she defines the strategy for creating a global industry commerce community to support brands, retailers, and future leaders in the complex digital environment. As a thought leader in digital and design, Lauren has experience driving impactful multi-channel design content, transformative digital shelf solutions, and high-conversion web UX designs across multiple regions. Before DSI, she held numerous roles at Johnson & Johnson, where she owned the digital shelf for consumer products in North America. 

Nate Pinkston

Nate Pinkston is the Head of Growth for Retail Media at Microsoft, where he manages end-to-end ownership of sales, customer success, and account management for the world’s largest retail media networks. As a digital marketing and engagement leader, he uses analytics to develop innovative solutions in the AdTech, MarTech, and retail industries. Nate has led teams to design and launch new products, reach new customer segments and markets, and work with C-suite executives to drive growth.

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With more companies adopting retail media advertising, joint business plans (JBPs) between retailers and brands have become a requirement. Yet these plans are still in the initial stages, with both parties unsure of how to proceed. What steps can you take to collaborate with retailers and ensure your JBP reflects your business goals?

As early adopters of retailer media, Lauren Livak Gilbert and Nate Pinkston have invested countless hours and resources helping brands and retailers navigate JBPs. Industry standards for joint business plans haven’t been established yet, so Lauren and Nate recommend formulating recurring cross-functional meetings with internal teams and retailers to collaborate on strategies. This should be an integrated, holistic process that aligns the practices and goals of each team and party. Additionally, retailers are open to brand insights and ideas, so offering data and innovative approaches is crucial for establishing standardized business practices.

In this week’s episode of The Digital Deep Dive, Aaron Conant hosts Lauren Livak Gilbert of the Digital Shelf Institute and Nate Pinkston of Microsoft to discuss the ins and outs of joint business plans. Together, they explain how to optimize this digital strategy session, the importance of data-sharing and cross-functional collaboration, and the eCommerce team’s role in JBPs.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Quotable Moments:

Action Steps:

  1. Create a cross-functional omnichannel team that meets regularly: This promotes knowledge sharing across departments, ensuring a holistic strategy that aligns with company-wide objectives.
  2. Leverage brand size, whether big or small, to cultivate unique retailer relationships: Each brand size offers distinct advantages in flexibility or resources when approaching joint business planning.
  3. Engage in early JBP preparation by involving essential functions, like finance and revenue growth management: Good preparation allows for better alignment and execution of strategies.
  4. Embrace the role of eCommerce teams as orchestrators of the JBP process: This ensures a forward-thinking and adaptive approach to digital challenges.
  5. Prioritize transparent communication and data sharing with retail partners: Increased transparency leads to more innovative opportunities and can strengthen partnerships.

About BWG Connect...

BWG Connect provides executive strategy and networking sessions that help brands from any industry with their overall business planning and execution. We network and knowledge share together to better understand and adapt to the newest trends, strategies, and pain points shaping growth in the digital space. BWG Connect, in conjunction with BWG Strategy, has built an exclusive network of 125,000+ senior professionals and hosts over 2,000 virtual and in-person networking events on an annual basis.

In addition, we have had 1x1 conversations with over 5,000 brands and have a real-time pulse on what digital strategies are successful and why. This in-depth knowledge allows our team to operate on the cutting-edge and provide our clients with best-in-class guidance on how to win in the digital world. We have provided free consultations and strategy sessions for companies of all sizes, from start-ups to Fortune-100, to enable growth, resolve issues and make curated service provider introductions that can impact your digital footprint.

We have held to the philosophy of providing high-level insights and actionable knowledge with no sales pitches in order to provide to our network the ability to listen, learn and act to improve themselves as well as their organizations. Our ultimate goal is to be the resource out there to help digital executives find the research they need to excel in the modern marketplace.

If you are interested in getting involved with any of our current or past events, you can find them here. If you are looking for help & would like to set up some time to chat with our team, you can schedule a time or reach out directly to Aaron@bwgconnect.com or Tiffany@bwgconnect.com.

Marc Walkin is the Co-founder and Head of Marketing and Growth at Turbyne, a vertically integrated B2B SaaS platform that simplifies retail media. With over 15 years of experience as a marketing leader, he has built modern retail and CPG brands, including Stop & Shop, Popcorners, Beech-Nut, and Staples. Marc specializes in brand transformation, corporate strategy, and shopper and digital marketing playbooks. 

Marc Walkin

Marc Walkin is the Co-founder and Head of Marketing and Growth at Turbyne, a vertically integrated B2B SaaS platform that simplifies retail media. With over 15 years of experience as a marketing leader, he has built modern retail and CPG brands, including Stop & Shop, Popcorners, Beech-Nut, and Staples. Marc specializes in brand transformation, corporate strategy, and shopper and digital marketing playbooks. 

 

 

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The retail media space is in disarray, with brands and retailers at odds over expectations and experiences. What’s more, digital and in-store tactics are not fully integrated, so 80% of brands struggle to justify increasing retail media investments. How can retail media networks streamline the experience for their brand customers?

Traditionally, retailers purchased products from brands to sell to consumers. With retail media, brands become customers by leveraging retailers’ advertising platforms. With a rich background in retail strategy, Marc Walkin stresses that retailers must create user-friendly platforms that unify data and offer real-time inventory tracking for greater ROI. Additionally, merging digital and in-store advertising strategies allows retailers to position themselves as profitable networks for brands looking to optimize campaigns.

In this week’s edition of The Digital Deep Dive, Aaron Conant interviews Marc Walkin, the Co-founder and Head of Marketing and Growth at Turbyne, about the disconnect between retail media networks and brands. Marc discusses the retail media mirage phenomenon, strategies for retail media sales attribution, and the importance of clean, unified customer data. 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Quotable Moments:

Action Steps:

  1. Embrace a platform-neutral approach to retail media infrastructure to make the process more accessible and streamlined for brands of all sizes: This step is effective because it addresses the need for simplicity and the ability to handle diverse retail media demands.
  2. Leverage retailer-specific nuances and assets, including in-store opportunities, to enhance retail media strategies: By focusing on unique retail offerings and combining them with digital strategies, brands can create more effective and targeted campaigns.
  3. Foster a collaborative relationship between retail media teams and merchandising to ensure alignment and unified objectives: Collaboration is crucial for overcoming internal silos that impede retail media's potential, as brands noted a lack of integrated efforts within retail organizations.
  4. Prioritize developing data transparency and sharing mechanisms that address brands' needs for accountable and measurable results: Given the frustrations with data opacity in current retail media models, providing clear and actionable data is a critical step for improving trust and investment.
  5. Consider implementing AI-driven analyses for inventory management and campaign optimization to boost the efficiency and effectiveness of retail media spending: As AI technology advances and the push for data-driven decisions increases, adopting such tools can significantly improve campaign outcomes by matching inventory levels with customer demand.

About BWG Connect...

BWG Connect provides executive strategy and networking sessions that help brands from any industry with their overall business planning and execution. We network and knowledge share together to better understand and adapt to the newest trends, strategies, and pain points shaping growth in the digital space. BWG Connect, in conjunction with BWG Strategy, has built an exclusive network of 125,000+ senior professionals and hosts over 2,000 virtual and in-person networking events on an annual basis.

In addition, we have had 1x1 conversations with over 5,000 brands and have a real-time pulse on what digital strategies are successful and why. This in-depth knowledge allows our team to operate on the cutting-edge and provide our clients with best-in-class guidance on how to win in the digital world. We have provided free consultations and strategy sessions for companies of all sizes, from start-ups to Fortune-100, to enable growth, resolve issues and make curated service provider introductions that can impact your digital footprint.

We have held to the philosophy of providing high-level insights and actionable knowledge with no sales pitches in order to provide to our network the ability to listen, learn and act to improve themselves as well as their organizations. Our ultimate goal is to be the resource out there to help digital executives find the research they need to excel in the modern marketplace.

If you are interested in getting involved with any of our current or past events, you can find them here. If you are looking for help & would like to set up some time to chat with our team, you can schedule a time or reach out directly to Aaron@bwgconnect.com or Tiffany@bwgconnect.com.

Will Christensen

Will Christensen is the Head of Marketing at Seller Labs, which provides eCommerce and advertising solutions for Amazon stores. He is also the Co-founder and President of DataAutomation, a software company that automates data-heavy processes and builds custom integrations. As a go-to-market specialist, Will takes product iterations from zero to 10 customers. He also founded the Entrepreneur’s Apprentice program at EquityHammer, which pairs enterprising students with mentors.

 

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The fear of missing out on new tools and technology is at an all-time high, but if you still spend hours copying and pasting or manually inputting information into spreadsheets, you’re missing out on valuable time and money. How can you streamline productivity to stay on top of digital trends?

With a commitment to automating data and other processes, Will Christensen is well-versed in the top productivity tools for efficient operations. ChatGPT’s new voice capabilities allow you to request detailed advice, obtain research into industry trends, and draft documents based on real-time conversation summaries. Will has also discovered that syncing the clipboards on your phone and computer eases information transferring by allowing quick access to copied content. Additionally, tools like Fathom take automated notes and extract actionable items from virtual meetings.

In this episode of The Digital Deep Dive, Aaron Conant speaks with Will Christensen, the Head of Marketing at Seller Labs and the Co-founder and President of DataAutomation, about digital productivity hacks. Will talks about revolutionizing data efficiency, demonstrates the novel capabilities of ChatGPT-4, and shares strategies for staying relevant in the digital age.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Quotable Moments:

Action Steps:

  1. Adopt a clipboard manager for your operating system: It's effective because it saves time by keeping a history of your copied items, allowing quick retrieval and management of frequently used data.
  2. Sync your phone's clipboard with your computer: This system streamlines the process of sharing information across devices, eliminating the need to input data from one to the other manually.
  3. Integrate a virtual note-taker like Fathom in your meetings: It captures every detail, making it easy to reference discussions and convert spoken words into actionable content.
  4. Utilize conversational AI such as ChatGPT for content creation: Leveraging AI can help quickly draft documents, emails, and presentations, saving hours of manual composition.
  5. Embrace automation in routine communications: Automated follow-ups and action item extraction keep you organized and responsive, ensuring no task or opportunity slips through the cracks.

About BWG Connect...

BWG Connect provides executive strategy and networking sessions that help brands from any industry with their overall business planning and execution. We network and knowledge share together to better understand and adapt to the newest trends, strategies, and pain points shaping growth in the digital space. BWG Connect, in conjunction with BWG Strategy, has built an exclusive network of 125,000+ senior professionals and hosts over 2,000 virtual and in-person networking events on an annual basis.

In addition, we have had 1x1 conversations with over 5,000 brands and have a real-time pulse on what digital strategies are successful and why. This in-depth knowledge allows our team to operate on the cutting-edge and provide our clients with best-in-class guidance on how to win in the digital world. We have provided free consultations and strategy sessions for companies of all sizes, from start-ups to Fortune-100, to enable growth, resolve issues and make curated service provider introductions that can impact your digital footprint.

We have held to the philosophy of providing high-level insights and actionable knowledge with no sales pitches in order to provide to our network the ability to listen, learn and act to improve themselves as well as their organizations. Our ultimate goal is to be the resource out there to help digital executives find the research they need to excel in the modern marketplace.

If you are interested in getting involved with any of our current or past events, you can find them here. If you are looking for help & would like to set up some time to chat with our team, you can schedule a time or reach out directly to Aaron@bwgconnect.com or Tiffany@bwgconnect.com.

Jon Bausman

Jon Bausman is the VP of Marketing at Outward Hound, a pet lifestyle brand. In his role, he oversees content creation, the brand’s website, and paid media. With over 15 years of experience developing marketing strategies, Jon has held leadership and management positions in Fortune 500 companies and startups, including Airhead and Columbia Sportswear. 

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In this episode…

Rapid advancements in the digital space have created a workforce culture that demands instant gratification. Executives from digital organizations are shifting roles constantly, leading to fractured leadership structures. How can businesses foster adaptable, committed, and success-driven teams among workforce and industry pressures?

Rather than hiring an executive who has transitioned from multiple leadership roles in a short time span, digital team builder Jon Bausman says to nurture your talent to progress through the ranks. This allows them to gain invaluable experience and builds resilience and adaptability to the fast-paced digital landscape. Cultivating shared values among team members and encouraging transparent communication creates a robust culture where challenges become opportunities for growth and innovation.

Join Aaron Conant in this episode of The Digital Deep Dive as he welcomes Jon Bausman, the VP of Marketing at Outward Hound, for a discussion about creating powerful digital teams. Jon talks about developing hiring practices rooted in trust, how to develop a culture of accountability and transparent feedback, and how to align team efforts with core values. 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Quotable Moments:

Action Steps:

  1. Set clear team goals that align with executive expectations to ensure everyone is working towards the same objectives.
  2. Develop patience and adopt a mindset of deferred gratification to avoid rushing career progress and focus on gaining invaluable experience.
  3. Embrace the power of saying no to overcommitments, allowing you to prioritize effectively and maintain a healthy work-life balance.
  4. Foster open communication within your team, encouraging honest feedback and accountability at all levels.
  5. Prioritize hiring team members who share your core values, as this will create a strong foundation for trust and collaboration.

About BWG Connect...

BWG Connect provides executive strategy and networking sessions that help brands from any industry with their overall business planning and execution. We network and knowledge share together to better understand and adapt to the newest trends, strategies, and pain points shaping growth in the digital space. BWG Connect, in conjunction with BWG Strategy, has built an exclusive network of 125,000+ senior professionals and hosts over 2,000 virtual and in-person networking events on an annual basis.

In addition, we have had 1x1 conversations with over 5,000 brands and have a real-time pulse on what digital strategies are successful and why. This in-depth knowledge allows our team to operate on the cutting-edge and provide our clients with best-in-class guidance on how to win in the digital world. We have provided free consultations and strategy sessions for companies of all sizes, from start-ups to Fortune-100, to enable growth, resolve issues and make curated service provider introductions that can impact your digital footprint.

We have held to the philosophy of providing high-level insights and actionable knowledge with no sales pitches in order to provide to our network the ability to listen, learn and act to improve themselves as well as their organizations. Our ultimate goal is to be the resource out there to help digital executives find the research they need to excel in the modern marketplace.

If you are interested in getting involved with any of our current or past events, you can find them here. If you are looking for help & would like to set up some time to chat with our team, you can schedule a time or reach out directly to Aaron@bwgconnect.com or Tiffany@bwgconnect.com.

Kashif Zafar

Kashif Zafar is the CEO of Xmars, an AI-powered platform for advertising on Amazon. With over 25 years of eCommerce and digital marketing experience, he has built and guided high-performing teams across the Americas, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Kashif has worked in several industries, including CPG, retail, outsourcing, technology, and blockchain. 

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Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

In this episode…

With digital marketing and eCommerce strategies evolving rapidly, businesses are constantly seeking ways to stay competitive. From choosing the right technology to launching effective campaigns, the stakes are higher than ever. How can brands navigate this complex digital terrain to maximize growth?

As AI becomes a widespread presence in eCommerce, digital marketing maven Kashif Zafar advises Amazon brands to adopt various AI tools for content creation and innovation. This includes investing in AI-driven ad tech platforms to streamline and optimize advertising campaigns while minimizing hands-on involvement. Generative AI can also be used to create compelling PDPs that influence the Amazon algorithm and drive conversions. For a more supportive approach, invest in an Amazon agency that specializes in retail media and advertising, allowing you to gain insights into profitable strategies.

In today’s episode of The Digital Deep Dive, Aaron Conant speaks with Kashif Zafar, the CEO of Xmars, about the role of AI in advertising. Kashif talks about the untapped potential of Amazon Marketing Cloud, the newfound emphasis on tech stack rationalization, and his involvement in the Amazon advertising landscape.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Quotable Moments:

Action Steps:

  1. Embrace full-funnel advertising: Start employing a full-funnel approach to leverage multiple touchpoints in the customer journey for more conversions. This ensures no opportunity for engagement or conversion is missed across different marketing channels.
  2. Leverage Amazon Marketing Cloud: Utilize AMC to gather rich consumer behavior insights to enhance targeting and personalization. This enables brands to understand their audience more deeply, tailoring marketing efforts for higher ROI.
  3. Incorporate AI into sponsored ads: Integrate AI technology in advertising strategies for real-time optimization and higher efficiency. This improves ad performance through machine learning, reducing the need for constant manual adjustments.
  4. Adopt an agile mindset: Maintain flexibility to test new technologies and pivot strategies, which is vital for staying competitive. This enables brands to adapt swiftly to new market conditions and emerging opportunities, keeping them ahead of the curve.
  5. Secure a tech stack audit: Regularly evaluate and potentially rationalize the current stack to streamline operations and bolster profitability. A streamlined tech stack minimizes costs, simplifies operations, and focuses on tools that truly drive KPIs.

About BWG Connect...

BWG Connect provides executive strategy and networking sessions that help brands from any industry with their overall business planning and execution. We network and knowledge share together to better understand and adapt to the newest trends, strategies, and pain points shaping growth in the digital space. BWG Connect, in conjunction with BWG Strategy, has built an exclusive network of 125,000+ senior professionals and hosts over 2,000 virtual and in-person networking events on an annual basis.

In addition, we have had 1x1 conversations with over 5,000 brands and have a real-time pulse on what digital strategies are successful and why. This in-depth knowledge allows our team to operate on the cutting-edge and provide our clients with best-in-class guidance on how to win in the digital world. We have provided free consultations and strategy sessions for companies of all sizes, from start-ups to Fortune-100, to enable growth, resolve issues and make curated service provider introductions that can impact your digital footprint.

We have held to the philosophy of providing high-level insights and actionable knowledge with no sales pitches in order to provide to our network the ability to listen, learn and act to improve themselves as well as their organizations. Our ultimate goal is to be the resource out there to help digital executives find the research they need to excel in the modern marketplace.

If you are interested in getting involved with any of our current or past events, you can find them here. If you are looking for help & would like to set up some time to chat with our team, you can schedule a time or reach out directly to Aaron@bwgconnect.com or Tiffany@bwgconnect.com.

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