In this episode of Beyond the Inbox, Sam catches up with Ernest Capbert, Commercial Director at TOG Knives. The company specializes in high-quality, Japanese-style kitchen knives that are sold directly to consumers through their website.

Ernest shares the story behind TOG Knives, which began with Bert, the company's founder, and his passion for creating the best kitchen knife in the world. The company has since grown, with a focus on customer education and product quality.

Ernest discusses TOG Knives' customer lifecycle and how the company is targeting potential customers through various channels, including paid media, newsletters, and automated flows. The website is product-led, with a focus on educating potential customers on the features and benefits of each knife.

The company's most significant challenge, according to Ernest, is weaning its dependency on paid media and growing its database of loyal customers. They are working on ways to engage customers more deeply, including offering exclusive content and creating a community around the brand.

Ernest also touches on the company's product line extension, which is focused on creating products that complement their knives. One example is a range of foldable knives, which have been successful in attracting new customers. The company is also exploring ways to offer lower-priced items to engage customers at a lower price point.

While TOG Knives has experienced challenges due to the pandemic, the company has been successful in adapting to the changing market conditions. They have found ways to engage customers through virtual events and have continued to focus on product quality and education.

In summary, TOG Knives is a company that is focused on creating high-quality kitchen knives and educating customers on the benefits of using them. They are working on growing their database of loyal customers and engaging them more deeply through exclusive content and community-building initiatives. The company is also exploring product line extensions to complement its knives and offer lower-priced items. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, TOG Knives has demonstrated resilience and adaptability, positioning them for continued success in the future.

Show Notes

• (08:38) Sam asks about the brand's customer lifecycle
• (09:01) Ernest explains the product-led approach to the customer journey, which includes paid media, newsletters, automated flows, and website visitors
• (10:00) Ernest discusses the importance of getting visitors to buy a Japanese kitchen knife and how they use testimonials and reviews to encourage them
• (11:21) Ernest talks about their review of their current flows and automations and how they are doing market research to strengthen their value proposition
• (11:36) Sam inquires about the welcome flow and other flows
• (12:26) Ernest explains how they're focusing on the sign-up journey and abandoned cart flows and how they're working on the lapsed and dormant flows
• (13:14) Ernest discusses the importance of their database, which they use to send promos and value-adds to customers who are engaged
• (14:26) Sam asks for examples of typical email campaigns they send out to promote their products
• (14:37) Ernest explains the knife buying guide, which educates customers on the different types of knives and their uses, and mentions that they have videos of Bert and other chefs talking about the knives
• (16:50) Sam asks if there are certain holidays where people are more likely to splurge on expensive items, and Ernest explains that they haven't had much luck with holidays but see a lift in sales during Q4
• (18:01) Sam asks about the biggest challenges and opportunities facing the company, and Ernest discusses the challenge of weaning off their dependency on Facebook and Instagram ads and focusing on growing their database of loyal customers
• (20:26) Sam asks about the Law of Line Extension and how TOG Knives is expanding its product line without diluting its brand, and Ernest explains that they're focusing on kitchen knives and products that complement their use
• (23:01) Ernest talks about their new strategy of offering a massive discount on their Santo knife to customers who buy a foldable knife, which they're promoting with a real-time QR code
• (24:38) Ernest discusses the challenge of weaning off their dependency on Facebook and Instagram ads and growing their database of loyal customers who engage with their story and continue to buy products

In this episode of Beyond the Inbox, Sam and Brooks Hitzfield, the Director of Digital Marketing at Seven Sons Farm, discuss the marketing strategies that have helped Seven Sons grow their business. Brooks shares his insights into the importance of email marketing, segmentation, and customer avatars.

One key takeaway from the conversation is the emphasis on understanding customer needs. Brooks stresses that the more an email is targeted towards a particular customer's needs, the more likely they are to open and engage with it. To achieve this, Brooks uses Drip, which allows for a high degree of segmentation. He notes that it's essential to segment customers based on where they are in their journey with the company and to make sure that people who are new to the company and going through nurture campaigns are getting the right messages.

Brooks also discusses the role of social media in their marketing efforts. While Seven Sons have a presence on social media, Brooks notes that they haven't seen much organic growth from these platforms. Instead, they use social media primarily for advertising through Facebook and Google. He emphasizes that their strongest customer base comes from word-of-mouth referrals and organic search, which has helped them maintain consistent growth rates year over year.

Customer avatars are another crucial aspect of Seven Sons' marketing strategy. Brooks explains that the Marketing team has identified four customer avatars, including people who are proactively taking control of their health, people who are reacting to a health crisis, people who care about animal welfare, and people who are environmentally focused. Brooks notes that they have optimized their content to hit each of these avatars, with the focus being on making sure that the messaging stays holistic.

In conclusion, Brooks emphasizes the importance of staying true to their brand values. He notes that Seven Sons takes the responsibility of providing high-quality products very seriously and that they take pride in the nerdy side of agriculture. He also mentions that the company has recently started working with an SEO firm to create recipe and blog content, which has helped them rank for both informational and commercial intent keywords.

Overall, the conversation highlights the power of email marketing and brand authenticity. By understanding customer needs, utilizing segmentation, and staying true to its values, Seven Sons have been able to maintain consistent growth rates and a strong customer base.

Show Notes

• (18:28) Brooks discusses the role of Chad in their digital marketing team
• (19:14) Brooks talks about how they segment customers and use workflows in Drip
• (21:22) Sam asks about Seven Sons' use of social media, and Brooks discusses how they use it for advertising and brand awareness
• (24:16) Sam asks about Seven Sons' SEO strategy, and Brooks talks about optimizing for product keywords and creating content for recipe and blog keywords
• (26:26) Brooks discusses how word of mouth and direct traffic has been important for Seven Sons, but they are now focusing on advertising for growth
• (29:21) Brooks talks about the different customer avatars they target and how they create content for each one
• (33:32) Brooks emphasizes the importance of trust and responsibility in their supply chain and business practices
• (35:17) Brooks provides links to the Seven Sons website and YouTube page

In this episode of Beyond the Inbox, Sam and John discuss the pricing structure of BattlBox, a subscription service that delivers outdoor and survival gear to its customers. Jon explains the evolution of the pricing structure, which started with a basic box priced at $25 and a Pro Plus box priced at $150. Surprisingly, the Pro Plus box turned out to be the most popular among customers, with 45% of the customer base opting for it.

John attributes the success of the Pro Plus box to several factors, including the way it is positioned in the product lineup and the community of customers who showcase and promote the product. The BattlBox team also uses various mechanisms, such as email and SMS campaigns, to nudge customers toward the higher-priced tiers.

The conversation then shifts to churn and how BattlBox handles it. Jon describes the company's robust approach to passive churn, which involves a series of personalized emails and SMS messages to customers whose subscription payments have failed. The company also has a custom dashboard that offers different retention options to customers who have had at least two renewals.

Sam and John also delve into the importance of community in BattlBox's success. Jon explains how the company builds a community through content and engagement and how this community helps to retain customers and promote the brand. The BattlBox Facebook group is a thriving community of active subscribers who engage with one another and with the brand.

Finally, the conversation concludes with a discussion of John's blog, where he shares the ups and downs of the BattlBox journey. He emphasizes the importance of sharing losses and failures, as well as successes, in order to provide a more realistic picture of entrepreneurship. Overall, the podcast provides valuable insights into the pricing, churn, and community-building strategies of a successful subscription service.

Show Notes

• (0:00) Introduction
• (0:30) Overview of BattlBox
• (2:00) Launching BattlBox
• (5:00) Building the BattlBox team
• (6:30) BattlBox's pricing strategy
• (12:26) Most popular pricing tier
• (13:36) Nudging customers to upgrade
• (16:34) Preventing gamification
• (17:08) Nudging customers to upgrade through email
• (18:07) Retaining customers through community building
• (20:02) Battling churn
• (22:36) Win-back sales team
• (27:26) Building community through content
• (31:52) Conclusion and where to find BattlBox

In this episode of Beyond the Inbox, Lisa Mastela, the Founder and CEO of Bumpin Blends, a functional smoothie company, joins the show to share her insights on how she has built a successful ecommerce brand by using personalized quizzes, text messaging, and email automations to engage with customers. She also highlights the importance of founder presence, community building, and continuous experimentation in marketing.

Lisa reveals that she is not comfortable being on camera or on social media, but she recognizes that if she runs a small business, especially in the CPG industry, she needs to be the face of the company. She shares how they have used video marketing to showcase her story and how it has helped to grow their customer base. She also highlights their use of Tulsa, an inexpensive platform for small businesses, to showcase their brand and take customers on a journey.

The episode also covers the importance of community building. Lisa emphasizes that it is important to make sure that all marketing channels work together to create a cohesive customer experience. She mentions that to achieve this, she uses a whiteboard to draw out the web and tie everything together, making sure that the customer journey is addressed and organized in a way that makes sense.

Lisa also talks about experimentation in marketing and sets aside a budget each quarter to try something new and different, even if it might fail. She believes that relying too heavily on one marketing channel can be dangerous, and it is important to continuously experiment. She shares the results of their experimentation with macro-influencers, where an influencer with just one million followers brought in 70 sales, while an influencer with almost eight million followers brought in only two.

Overall, the episode is full of insights on how to build a customer-centric brand with a scrappy mindset. It highlights the importance of founder presence, community building, and continuous experimentation in marketing. It is a great listen for anyone who is looking to start or grow their ecommerce business.

Show Notes

• (00:00): Lisa Mastela, the Founder and CEO of Bumpin Blends, joins the show to share her insights on how she has built a successful ecommerce brand.
• (10:47): Lisa talks about how they have used video marketing to showcase her story and how it has helped to grow their business.
• (12:23): Lisa discusses how they are using personalized quizzes to engage with customers and how it has been successful.
• (15:21): Sam asks Lisa about how they are using text messaging to engage with customers, and Lisa shares how it has been a fun way to interact with customers.
• (19:39): Lisa talks about their email automations, including abandoned cart, browse abandoned, and win-back flows.
• (23:24): Lisa shares how they allocate a budget for marketing experiments each quarter to continuously experiment with new marketing initiatives.
• (28:08): Lisa discusses the importance of tying all marketing channels together to create a cohesive customer journey and community building.

In this episode of Beyond the Inbox, we talk to Lindsay Dreyer, the CMO of Haute Hijab, a fashion and lifestyle brand that creates stylish and comfortable hijabs for Muslim women. With over 300,000 followers on Instagram alone, Haute Hijab has built a passionate community of customers who love the brand's products and values.

During the interview, Lindsay shares her insights on how to build a strong brand community, the importance of SMS marketing, and how to make the most of social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook. She emphasizes the power of SMS marketing, explaining that customers who opt-in to receive text messages from a brand are more likely to be highly engaged and passionate about the brand. She recommends a weekly cadence for SMS messaging and emphasizes the need to monitor metrics like unsubscribes and opt-outs to determine the appropriate frequency.

Lindsay also discusses the importance of building a strong brand community, which she sees as a critical component of Haute Hijab's success. She explains that the brand's Facebook group is a safe space for women to communicate about hijab or other issues on their minds. The group has become a powerful touchpoint in Haute Hijab's customer journey, and Lindsay emphasizes the need to moderate the group and ensure that it remains a safe space for customers.

In addition to discussing SMS marketing and brand community, Lindsay also shares her insights on the role of social media in Haute Hijab's marketing strategy. She explains that the brand's approach to social media is to view all of its marketing channels as working collectively and in tandem. She describes various social media channels and how Haute Hijab uses each one to reach its target audience, including influencer marketing, paid ads, and Instagram Live sessions with the brand's founder, Melanie.

Lindsay also discusses Haute Hijab's Tuesday drops, which are limited edition scarves made from dead stock fabric. She explains that the brand drops four to eight hijabs every Tuesday, and customers name the product on Instagram. The winner receives a hundred community rewards points, which they can redeem for a future purchase. The Tuesday drops have become a highly anticipated event for Haute Hijab's customers, and Lindsay emphasizes the importance of consistency in marketing channels like email.

Overall, Lindsay's insights on building a strong brand community, the importance of SMS marketing, and the role of social media in Haute Hijab's marketing strategy provide valuable lessons for ecommerce marketers.

Show Notes

• (03:05) Lindsay explains how Haute Hijab started and how it built its brand community.
• (05:10) The power of SMS marketing and the importance of having highly engaged customers.
• (07:29) The benefits of moving customers from one channel to another.
• (09:59) The value of SMS marketing and the personal touch it provides for customers.
• (11:48) The importance of balancing the frequency of messaging with the need to rise above the noise.
• (14:23) How Haute Hijab is using different channels to convert visitors into customers.
• (17:30) The importance of gathering information from customers, segmenting them, and tailoring messages to their preferences.
• (20:04) The sustainability of Haute Hijab's weekly drops and the role of social media in their marketing strategy.
• (23:40) The approach to social media and the different roles of Facebook and Instagram in their marketing strategy.

In this episode of Beyond the Inbox, we talk to Julie Macken, founder of Neve’s Bees, a UK-based company that sells handmade, all-natural skincare products. Throughout the interview, Julie shares her insights on various topics, including customer research, email automation workflows, and SEO. She also discusses the importance of staying true to your brand's values and how it can differentiate you from your competitors.

Julie highlights the importance of customer research and the value of uncovering hidden objections that may arise when selling to a particular segment. She emphasizes the need to understand the target audience's age range, interests, and playstyle when developing new projects. Moreover, she stresses the importance of engaging with customers through email automation workflows to enhance brand engagement and increase sales. Julie offers valuable insights into the different email automation workflows that work well for Neve's Bees, including abandoned cart emails, introductory emails, and follow-up emails.

Julie also shares her experience with SEO content and the importance of long-tail keywords. She suggests using Ahrefs, a tool that helps find high-volume, low-competition, long-tail keywords, to create a blog post with the potential to bring in traffic to the website. She also highlights the importance of converting first-time visitors into email subscribers and using email automation workflows to convert them into customers.

Throughout the interview, Julie emphasizes the importance of staying true to your brand's values and how it can differentiate your business from competitors. She stresses the need to work towards a business model that aligns with your values and aspirations rather than working towards someone else's agenda. Julie also shares the importance of enhancing brand engagement through customer engagement and the need to create a synergy between the brand and the customer.

Overall, Julie's insights provide valuable information for eCommerce founders looking to improve their customer engagement and increase sales. Her experience with SEO content and email automation workflows offers practical tips for businesses looking to optimize their online presence. Moreover, her emphasis on staying true to your brand's values provides a refreshing perspective on how to differentiate your business from competitors. Listeners can learn more about Neve's Bees by visiting their website or following them on social media.

Show Notes

• (00:00) Introduction
• (01:05) Julie's background and how she started Neve's Bees
• (03:56) The importance of customer research
• (05:50) The hidden objections to selling to a particular segment
• (07:55) Email workflows that are working for Neve's Bees
• (11:42) The importance of enhancing a brand through email automation
• (15:25) Neve’s Bees’ partnership with Plantlife and No Mo May
• (19:30) Keeping the business at a certain size and staying true to brand values
• (22:15) The importance of blogging and SEO content
• (26:45) Where to find Neve's Bees

In this episode of Beyond the Inbox, we dive into the world of antiperspirant solutions with Jack Benzaquen, the founder and CEO of Duradry. Jack shares his experience building a brand that appeals to a sensitive customer base and offers insights into how he's been able to leverage user-generated content and customer feedback to drive his brand's growth.

One of the main challenges Jack discusses in the episode is collecting customer feedback. He explains how Duradry combines customer service tickets, email campaigns, and more to arrive at the best path for executing on customer needs. Jack emphasizes the importance of chasing the truth and finding the balance between what customers say they want and what a brand thinks is the best way to serve them.

Authenticity is essential in building trust with potential customers, and Jack shares Duradry's approach to driving reviews and creating user-generated content. He explains how they incentivize customers to leave written and video testimonials and why authenticity is key.

The conversation then shifts to e-commerce strategies, and Jack shares his thoughts on optimizing site navigation. He talks about how he's working to streamline the customer journey through the Duradry site and how he's approaching email automation, including the welcome flow and new automation that offers one-off customers the opportunity to buy products at a discount every two months.

Tune in to this episode of Beyond the Inbox to learn from Jack's experience building a standout brand in the antiperspirant market and discover the marketing strategies he's using to drive growth and customer loyalty.

Show Notes

• (01:13) Jack explains that he founded Duradry because he himself suffers from hyperhidrosis and was disappointed with the products on the market.
• (02:56) Jack discusses the process of launching a product and emphasizes the importance of iteration and continuous improvement.
• (04:34) Jack explains how Duradry collects customer feedback through a combination of customer service tickets, email campaigns, and focus groups.
• (06:27) Jack discusses how to find the balance between what customers say they want and what a brand thinks is the best way to serve them.
• (08:27) Jack explains how Duradry incentivizes customers to leave authentic reviews and user-generated content.
• (09:55) Sam and Jack discuss skepticism as a major objection customers may have when considering purchasing a product and how to address it.
• (13:18) Jack offers advice for smaller e-commerce brands on how to incentivize reviews and drive user-generated content.
• (14:57) Jack discusses Duradry's use of Bounty to incentivize influencers to create videos about their products.
• (19:35) Jack explains how Duradry is turning non-buyers into buyers and first-time buyers into repeat customers through email automation and segmentation.
• (23:33) Sam and Jack discuss the importance of site navigation and how Duradry is working to improve it for their customers.
• (26:46) Jack encourages listeners to visit the Duradry website at duradry.com.

In this episode of Beyond the Inbox, Sam talks to Bryan Reisberg, co-founder of Little Chonk, a pet supply brand. Bryan shares his journey of creating viral content for his dog Maxine, which eventually led to the creation of Little Chonk. He discusses the importance of timing, building a community, and creating something people want.

Bryan talks about his experience of engaging with his audience through DMs and how it helps to build a close relationship with his followers. He emphasizes building an ecosystem where customers can customize their life with their pets. Bryan highlights the importance of brand equity and how it can be built in different spaces through Mindshare on the internet.

Bryan talks about Little Chonk's customer lifecycle and how they remain agile in listening to their customers and figuring out what they want. He mentions the importance of word-of-mouth marketing, especially in the pet community, and how pet parents are eager to talk about their pets and show them off. He talks about stoking flames over a period of time and planning for what you do in the days after launch until people get their product. Bryan also talks about the importance of building a community and making people feel seen and heard.

Bryan also discusses the successful launch of Little Chonk's Maxine One backpack and the planning that went into it. He talks about how they built up anticipation for the launch through teasers and breadcrumbs. Bryan mentions the importance of storytelling in their content and how they showed people how to train their dogs to get into a backpack through educational content. He also talks about how they partnered with the MTA to create a month-long content program that helped them grow and set everybody up for success.

Bryan talks about the future of Little Chonk and their excitement for their next product launch. He emphasizes the importance of maximizing resources and getting in front of a lot of people very quickly. He mentions their website and social media channels, where people can follow Little Chonk and get updates on their latest products and content.

In summary, Bryan Reisberg shares his insights on building a successful pet supply brand through engaging with the audience, building a community, and creating something people want. He highlights the importance of brand equity, customization, and word-of-mouth marketing in driving repeat purchases. Bryan's story is a testament to the power of storytelling and building a loyal following through authentic engagement.

Show Notes

• (0:00) Introduction
• (0:41) Bryan Reisberg's background and how he started Little Chonk
• (5:28) The importance of building a community and understanding customers' needs
• (9:09) How Little Chonk thinks about the customer journey and making the experience as fluid as possible
• (11:29) The launch strategy for the Maxine One backpack and how they built up anticipation through social media
• (17:35) The success of the Maxine One launch and how they used the MTA to promote the product
• (23:38) How Little Chonk drives repeat purchases through customization and building brand equity
• (28:51) Little Chonk's plans for the future, including a new product launch
• (29:25) Little Chonk's customer lifecycle and how they encourage word-of-mouth referrals
• (33:33) Bryan Reisberg's excitement for Little Chonk's upcoming projects and where to find them

In this episode of Beyond the Inbox, Michelle Songy, founder of Press Hook, shares her insights on the importance of PR and storytelling for small ecommerce brands in today's digital age. She emphasizes the need for brands to build a brand story that resonates with their customers, especially the Gen Z generation, who value authenticity and emotional ties.

Songy discusses how brands can leverage their founder's story to reach out to media outlets and connect with their audience. She notes that storytelling is crucial in connecting with media outlets as it can help brands stand out and get coverage faster. She recommends that smaller ecommerce brands should treat PR like business development, making personal connections with journalists and editors, and understanding the audience and the publication's needs.

Moreover, Songy highlights the role of affiliate marketing in PR and editorial space, stating that it has become nearly impossible to garner media coverage without it. She notes that smaller ecommerce brands can compete with larger companies by finding the right publications and writers and sending relevant pitches that align with what the publication writes about.

When it comes to the types of content that ecommerce brands can go after, Songy suggests product roundups, product reviews, trend stories, and more. She recommends being timely and finding the right person to break a story, as well as offering exclusives to publications before product launches to increase the chances of coverage.

Finally, the episode provides valuable insights into the world of PR and how small ecommerce brands can use storytelling and affiliate marketing to compete with larger companies and get media coverage. Small ecommerce brands should avoid PR mistakes like trying their hand at media outreach without a clear strategy. Instead, they should focus on building personal connections with journalists and editors, understanding the audience and the publication's needs, and offering relevant and timely pitches that align with what the publication writes about.

Show Notes

• (0:43) Michelle Songy's background and the inspiration for creating Press Hook
• (4:08) The importance of storytelling in PR, especially for Gen Z
• (6:29) Common PR mistakes that small ecommerce brands make
• (8:14) The role of personal connections in PR and understanding the audience and the publication's needs
• (10:46) The importance of affiliate marketing in PR and editorial space
• (11:50) How smaller ecommerce brands can compete with larger companies by finding the right publications and writers and by sending relevant pitches
• (17:33) The types of content that ecommerce brands can go after
• (19:30) Being timely and finding the right person to break a story, as well as offering exclusives to publications before product launches

In this episode of Beyond the Inbox, host Sam Thomas Davies interviews Derek Rasmussen, the Marketing Director of Outdoor Vitals, a company that specializes in manufacturing sporting goods for backpacking and camping. They discuss the importance of core values in a marketing strategy, the customer lifecycle, and the power of email marketing.

Derek Rasmussen starts by explaining that Outdoor Vitals' gear is not just about being lightweight, but it's also about being functional and durable. The company invests in high-quality materials to create gear that will perform exceptionally well, even in the harshest of conditions. The company also prioritizes sustainability and is working towards creating eco-friendly products that have a minimal impact on the environment.

Rasmussen shares that he enjoys helping people find value in a product and feel passionate about it. That's why he's excited about marketing Outdoor Vitals' gear and educating people on how to use it correctly. He explains that the company's marketing strategy is not just about selling a product, but it's about building a community of like-minded individuals who share a passion for the outdoors.

Outdoor Vitals has five core values that guide all of its decisions, including marketing and strategy decisions. These core values are live ultralight, be tenacious, ask why, act responsibly, and hike in their shoes. The first core value, live ultralight, is not just about ultralight gear but also about simplification and enjoying more without overcomplicating things. Rasmussen gives an example of how he and his wife travel with only one backpack each, which gives them more freedom and enjoyment on their trips.

Another core value, “ask why,” is about not accepting the status quo and always looking for a better way to do things. Rasmussen explains that asking why is important in marketing, as well as in all aspects of the business. To stand out from other brands, Outdoor Vitals focuses on performance, not price. They invest in high-quality materials and rely on an honest pricing model. Rather than offering discounts, they provide value in other ways, such as offering a free editable backpacking checklist in exchange for an email address.

Outdoor Vitals also places a strong emphasis on community and customer engagement. They have a closed Facebook group for members, where they can get advice and support from like-minded people. They also hold Q&A sessions for new product launches, which creates confidence and value for their email list.

Rasmussen says that email accounts for a huge percentage of their revenue and that every time they send an email, they see a boost in sales. They plan to capitalize on this by exploring new ways to add people to their email list and increasing their affiliate work.

Outdoor Vitals' membership program provides members with better deals, discounts, and early access to product launches. The membership program also includes access to a closed Facebook group, where members can ask questions and get support from other like-minded people. Rasmussen talks about how the membership program is more than just a way to get discounts, it's a way to build a community and connect with other outdoor enthusiasts.

Overall, Outdoor Vitals' core values and marketing strategy focus on providing value, simplification, and performance-driven gear. Their emphasis on community and engagement sets them apart from other brands and creates loyal customers. Rasmussen emphasizes the importance of providing value to customers and helping them connect with the outdoors. He believes that marketing is about more than just selling a product; it's about helping people find value in that product and feel passionate about it.

Listeners of Beyond the Inbox can learn about Outdoor Vitals, its core values, and its marketing strategy. They can also get insights into how the company provides value to its customers and helps them connect with the outdoors. Outdoor Vitals is a company that is focused on more than just selling gear; it's a company that is committed to building a community of outdoor enthusiasts who share a passion for the outdoors and a commitment to sustainability.

In this episode of Beyond the Inbox, Yong-Soo Chung, the founder of Urban Everyday Carry (Urban EDC), talks about his journey from being a software engineer in the blockchain industry to starting his own ecommerce brand. We cover a broad range of topics related to building a successful ecommerce brand, including community-based ecommerce, email marketing, and personal branding. Yong-Soo shares his insights and experiences with each of these areas, providing valuable information to anyone looking to build an ecommerce brand or improve their marketing strategy.

One of the key takeaways from the interview is the importance of community-based ecommerce. Yong-Soo believes that building a community around your brand is crucial for increasing customer loyalty and driving sales. He shared how he created a Facebook group and a paid membership program to build a trusted community of customers around his brand. By focusing on building relationships with his customers and giving them a sense of belonging, Yong-Soo has been able to create a strong foundation for his brand that will last for years to come.

Another important marketing channel we discuss is email marketing. Yong-Soo emphasizes the importance of email marketing in driving sales and shares his email marketing strategy, which includes a welcome series, first purchase series, an abandoned cart workflow, and regular promotional emails. He also talks about the importance of personalization and segmentation in email marketing and how he tailors his emails to different customer groups. By using email marketing effectively, Yong-Soo has been able to build a loyal customer base that keeps coming back for more.

We also delve into the topic of personal branding. As an ecommerce entrepreneur, Yong-Soo emphasizes the importance of building a personal brand. He shares his journey of building his own personal brand and how he overcame his fear of putting himself out there. He explains how personal branding can help build relationships and increase the luck surface area. Yong-Soo provides tips for getting started with personal branding, including setting goals, focusing on daily practice, and not worrying about the results.

Overall, this episode provides a detailed insight into the strategies and tactics used by Yong-Soo to build a successful ecommerce brand and promote it through various marketing channels. It is a valuable resource for anyone looking to build an ecommerce brand or improve their marketing strategy. The interview is full of practical advice and actionable insights that can help entrepreneurs take their businesses to the next level.

Show Notes

• (07:47): Yong-Soo Chung talks about the financial regulations that impacted the blockchain industry, causing his team to halt progress.
• (08:45): Yong-Soo Chung explains why he decided to start selling knives online.
• (09:39): Yong-Soo Chung discusses the importance of execution risk in his decision to start Urban EDC.
• (10:34): Yong-Soo Chung talks about the importance of community in ecommerce and the development of Urban EDC's paid membership program.
• (11:04): Yong-Soo Chung explains the benefits of a paid membership program, including access to exclusive gear and a trusted community.
• (13:28): Yong-Soo Chung talks about the importance of email marketing in Urban EDC's sales engine, including the use of welcome series, first purchase series, abandoned cart emails, and segmented emails.
• (15:09): Yong-Soo Chung discusses the importance of community in the future of ecommerce and recommends that brands create a regular event or habit for customers to look forward to.
• (20:15): Yong-Soo Chung talks about the importance of personal branding and shares his reasons for posting daily on social media.
• (23:42): Yong-Soo Chung talks about how to get started with posting on social media, including treating posts as experiments, focusing on daily practice, and not worrying about results.
• (31:20): Yong-Soo Chung shares where listeners can learn more about him and his brands, including GrowthJet and First Class Founders podcast.

In this episode of Beyond the Inbox, Margaux DelCollo, the co-founder of TWEE, shares her insights on the brand's marketing strategy, which has helped the brand stand out in a crowded market. TWE creates unique and imaginative sidewalk chalks for children that are designed to stimulate their creativity and imagination, and the brand has grown to include other products, such as veggie paints.

Margaux discusses TWEE's approach to email marketing, emphasizing the importance of multiple touchpoints in building a strong connection with customers. She explains that TWE's email marketing is centered around storytelling, and the brand uses a welcome sequence to introduce new customers to the brand and a series of emails that highlight different aspects of the brand's mission and products. This approach allows TWEE to keep customers engaged with the brand and build a loyal customer base.

The conversation also covers TWEE's expansion into other products, including veggie paints, which are powdered-based vegetable pigment paints. Margaux talks about the challenges of creating new products, including working with a team of makers who don't have children and getting feedback from children to ensure the products are engaging. She explains how TWEE is differentiating itself from other sidewalk chalks by creating extraordinary products that allow children to use their imagination and engage in dual play.

Margaux emphasizes the importance of community building in marketing and how TWEE is creating a community of parents who value the brand's eco-friendly and handmade products. She talks about how TWEE is turning first-time customers into repeat customers by continuing to engage with them through email marketing and introducing new products that are in line with the brand's mission.

The conversation also delves into Margaux's background in PR and marketing, which has helped TWEE to position itself as a high-quality, eco-friendly, and handmade brand that provides unique and imaginative products for children. Margaux's experience in PR and marketing has helped TWEE to maintain a high standard for the brand and its products and to create a strong connection with customers through storytelling and engaged email marketing.

Overall, the conversation provides valuable insights into TWEE's marketing strategy and how they are able to stand out in a crowded market by creating extraordinary products and engaging with their customers through storytelling and email marketing. TWEE's approach to marketing is centered around building a loyal customer base and creating a community of parents who value the brand's eco-friendly and handmade products. Margaux's experience in PR and marketing has helped TWEE to maintain a high standard for the brand and its products and to create a strong connection with customers through storytelling and engaged email marketing.

In this episode of Beyond the Inbox, Sadie Leishman from Malouf talks about the challenges of marketing mattresses and how Malouf differentiates itself in a crowded market. She points out that in the bedding and furniture industry, there are certain standards that brands need to meet to stay competitive, such as free shipping, and then suggests that Malouf differentiates itself through trust and a consistent customer experience. Malouf aims to be a partner where customers can find all their sleep products, get tips on sleep, and feel a sense of community around a product and industry that's typically seen as very commodity-based.

Leishman emphasizes the importance of fostering a sense of community among customers, which is focused on the idea that everyone needs to sleep and that good sleep is the foundation for other values in life. She explains that sleep is often the first thing that people prioritize, but it leads to all of the other things that matter, such as being a good parent, employee, or athlete. By focusing on these values, Malouf is able to make sleep products more engaging and personalized.

Leishman also discusses innovative approaches to email marketing, including browse abandonment workflows and SMS. She explains that Malouf has a unique email workflow for browse abandonment where the email says, "We know it's late, we'll be here in the morning, so try and put your phone down, try and get some sleep, and we're here for products that are gonna help when you wake back up." By showing empathy and prioritizing customers' sleep over any purchase that could be made in the wee hours of the morning, Malouf is able to build trust with customers and differentiate itself from other brands that push for the sale all the time.

Leishman emphasizes the value of trust and building long-term relationships with customers, which is crucial for selling high-ticket items like mattresses. She explains that Malouf's 100-night sleep guarantee is a great safety net for customers who are worried or concerned about making a purchase. Additionally, she mentions the role of SMS in a comprehensive marketing strategy, which is a great way to target people with very timely information. SMS is more instant than email, which makes it a great way to offer personalized experiences for customers.

Overall, Leishman highlights the power of email and SMS in building a loyal customer base and fostering a sense of community among customers. By focusing on customer values and meeting them where they prefer to hear from Malouf, the company is able to establish itself as a brand that truly cares.

In this episode of Beyond the Inbox, Sam interviews Aaron Powell, the founder of Bunch Bikes, which is North America's largest front-load cargo bike brand. The conversation covers a range of insightful topics related to Bunch Bikes, starting with the buyer's journey for a Bunch Bike. Powell explains that the journey starts with category awareness, where people are not even aware that they can bike with their kids. Then, the journey moves on to overcoming objections such as fitness levels or transportation logistics and finally ends with inspiring customers to see the deeper purpose of biking with their families.

Powell also emphasizes the importance of community and customer service, which are at the core of the Bunch Bikes brand. He explains that customer service is an extension of his own values and personality and that it was difficult for him to delegate that part of the business. Powell also shares how Bunch Bikes focuses on exceeding customer expectations by offering a 14-day trial period, free returns, and white-glove service. The brand's efforts have paid off, as its customer service has received rave reviews, with many customers calling it the best interaction they have ever had with a company.

In addition, Powell shares some unique marketing campaigns that Bunch Bikes has done, such as offering a date night on Valentine's Day with childcare included for customers who purchase a bike. He explains that the campaigns are meant to make a deeper connection with customers beyond just offering discounts or promotions. Powell also discusses the challenges of advertising and how Bunch Bikes is focusing on email marketing campaigns and building a strong website to convert more traffic. He highlights the importance of making a deeper connection with customers and building a sense of community around the brand. Powell underscores that Bunch Bikes' marketing is not just about selling bikes but also about selling a lifestyle and a deeper purpose of family bonding and adventure.

Powell also talks about the impact of appearing on Shark Tank and how it helped increase brand awareness. The episode provides valuable insights into the Bunch Bikes brand, its values, and its marketing strategies. It highlights the importance of community and customer service, as well as the challenges of marketing a unique product. This is a must-listen for anyone interested in entrepreneurship, marketing, or outdoor lifestyle brands. By the end of the episode, you will have a better appreciation for how building a strong community and focusing on customer service can lead to a successful business.

It’s no secret that email is one of the best channels in terms of ROI. 

But there’s so much more to a well-rounded marketing strategy than email marketing. 

Join Sam Thomas Davies, a Growth Marketing Manager at Drip and the host of a new ecommerce podcast, Beyond the Inbox, for raw and honest conversations with ecommerce founders, marketers, and makers about what’s working in their marketing today—beyond the inbox. 

You’ll learn the customer-first strategies top ecommerce brands use to grow their brand’s reach, turn customers into advocates, and much more. 

Beyond the Inbox goes live on March 14th, but in the meantime, make sure to subscribe wherever you find your podcasts. 

And head over to https://www.drip.com/podcast to get new episodes delivered to your inbox each week.